Saturday, May 28, 2011

The Joy of Evangelism



It is my firm belief that God can use you to bring others into His kingdom. Why would God tell us to engage in this thing we call evangelism if it were not so?

Know this: the calling of God is the enabling of God.

I believe that God wants to use all of us to bring people to Himself. The book of Proverbs says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise" (Proverbs 11:30). Scripture also tells us, "Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever" (Daniel 12:3 NLT).

Let's start with the question of who is called to "go into all the world and preach the gospel?" Answer: You are! We are! Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19–20).

In the original language, these words are addressed to everyone. Not just pastors, evangelists, and missionaries, but everyone: businessmen, housewives, students . . . everyone. No one is exempted.

Also, in the original language, this is a command. Jesus is not saying, "If you can find time in your busy schedule, as a personal favor to me, would you mind going into all the world and preaching the gospel?" No, as our Savior, Lord, and Commander-in-Chief. He says "Go!" This is not "The Great Suggestion," but rather "The Great Commission."

If I am His disciple, I am commanded to go and make disciples of others. If I am not making disciples of others, then I'm not really being the disciple He wants me to be! For many of us, however, it is "The Great Omission," instead of "The Great Commission." We are simply not doing it.

Let me say something provocative to you: to not do it is a sin! The Bible tells us, "Any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

But God doesn't want you to share the gospel out of mere duty, but with joy and passion. One of the most exciting and fulfilling things you can do is tell others about Jesus. This message God has given us was meant to be shared, not hoarded. You were blessed to be a blessing. When you do not share, you begin to stagnate; when you do, you revive. Scripture tells us that those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed (see Proverbs 11:25).


Greg Laurie

Sunday, May 22, 2011

what it means to pray and how we should pray?

 Here are some guidelines for prayer from the Bible:


Praise – Psalm 103:1 (By David): With all my heart I praise the Lord, and with all that I am I praise His holy name! Psalm 103:2: With all my heart I praise the Lord! I will never forget how kind He has been.
Reverence & Respect – Hebrews 12:28: Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable  worship, with reverence and awe.
Adoration, Worship, Honor – Deuteronomy 30:10:  But you must decide once and for all to worship Him with all your heart and soul and to obey everything in the Book of God’s Law. Psalm 105:3:  Celebrate and worship His holy name with all your heart.
Yield (submit to Him and let Him work in your life) – Psalm 37:7: Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
Enjoy your time spent with Him – Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 35:27: Let those who delight in My righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of His servant!”


Rejoice in the Lord – Psalm 40:16: But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation say continually, “Great is  the Lord!” Psa 31:7: I will be glad and rejoice because of Your constant love. You see my suffering; you know my trouble.
I hope this will help us all in our special time with God.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Today's Wisdom




The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Proverb 14:27






Friday, May 13, 2011

Bible Prophecies



The Bible is the only book that accurately predicts the future. It is worth noting that two-thirds of the Bible is prophecy. One-half of these prophecies have already come to pass. No other world religion has a book that does this.
The basic test of the true God, the true faith, the true prophet and the true belief is this: can they predict the future?
If one-half of all Bible prophecies have happened just as God said, should I have any reason to doubt that the remaining ones will happen exactly as He said? God can speak of the future with absolute certainty because He knows it as well as one would know the past. In other words, we can count on His Word to be true and accurate.


Monday, May 9, 2011

Psalm 1


1 Blessed is the one
   who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
   or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
   and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
   which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
   whatever they do prospers.
 4 Not so the wicked!
   They are like chaff
   that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
   nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

 6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
   but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.



Saturday, May 7, 2011

10 Ways to Build a Healthy and Happy Family



Since every family and each person in it is unique, there's no magic, one-size-fits-all parenting plan that's guaranteed to give you a healthy and happy family.  And since nobody is perfect in this fallen world, there's no such thing as a perfect family.  But there are some basic principles that will help you create a family which each member can grow spiritually, emotionally, and relationally - which will help you build the healthy, happy family God wants you to enjoy.
Here's how you can healthy and happy family:
Be there.  Your kids regard your very presence as a sign of caring and connectedness.  It's crucial for you to spend as much time as possible with them.  Keep in mind that your job as a parent is a calling from God - more important than any other work you do, including the job you get paid to do - and your influence on your kids will be your greatest legacy.  Ask God to help you make whatever sacrifices you need to make to free up your time and energy to be there for your kids often.  Be available to talk with them, help them, attend their events, and cheer them on in their various pursuits.  Your kids crave your presence, and nothing can make up for your absence.  Be creative about how you can spend time with each of your kids one-on-one regularly, from going of a hike to playing a board game together.
Express affirmation, warmth, and encouragement.  Parents who practice loving parenting, as opposed to shame-based parenting, will create a home where children and spouses feel more secure.  So avoid shame-based parenting, which is performance-oriented and approval-focused, using words and actions that cause kids to think that they aren't loved or valuable.  Instead, aim to make your kids feel accepted, appreciated, listened to, and loved.  Give your kids confidence by letting them know that you believe in them, value them, and enjoy them.  Say "I love you" to them often, and give them plenty of physical affection like hugs, kisses, and back rubs.  Rather than just jumping into their to-do lists with them, share some relaxed conversations with them after they get home from school and before they go to bed.  Let go of unrealistic expectations for them.  Encourage them to pursue their areas of interest and become the people God wants them to become.
Build healthy morals and values.  The decisions that kids make today will often affect them for the rest of their lives.  Study the culture so you can understand what cultural influences currently pose a danger to your kids spiritually.  Pray for God's help to teach biblical values and morals to your kids in ways they can best learn.  Talk openly and honestly with your kids about sex, alcohol, and other drugs from when they're young, all the way through their teen years, answering their questions and discussing issues in age-appropriate ways.  Encourage them to commit to living a lifestyle of purity, including honoring God with their bodies, renewing their minds for good, turning their eyes and ears away from what's worthless, and guarding their hearts above all else.  Get to know what your kids watch on TV and in the movies, what websites they visit, what music they listen to, and what video games they play.  Watch and listen together with them as often as possible, and talk with them about the content to help them learn to think critically about it.  Restrict their access to vulgar media content. 
Discipline with consistency.  When you clearly express expectations and consistently follow through, you'll produce responsible kids.  Keep in mind that consistent discipline takes lots of time and energy.  Ask God to give you the strength you need to devote the necessary time and energy rather than taking the easy way out when you're tired and having your kids fail to learn important lessons.  Remember the Bible's promise that if you train your kids in the way they should go, when they're old they won't depart from it.  Set and clearly communicate healthy boundaries about doing homework and chores, telling the truth, talking to you respectfully, and a myriad of other issues - and follow through with consequences when your kids make poor choices.  Help your kids decide what consequences they should get for various infractions.  Stay calm - not angry - when you're disciplining them, refrain from nagging, choose your battles wisely, and show empathy.  Your willingness to be the parent they need - not merely a friend - will give them security and confidence.
Ruthlessly eliminate stress.  The unbalanced life will not be kind to the areas you neglect.  Ask God to help you decide which activities to eliminate from your family's schedule if you're too busy to get enough rest and free time every day and evening.  Don't neglect spending lots of time with your family for anything, including your career.  Make whatever sacrifices you need to make so you can enjoy plenty of relaxed family time together.  Spend time reflecting and praying in solitude regularly to keep your life in the proper perspective.  Get enough sleep and exercise regularly, and make sure that your spouse and kids do, too.
Communicate well.  Positive communication is the language of love for your kids.  Make a habit of listening carefully to your kids whenever they share their thoughts and feelings with you.  Also figure out what other ways you can best express your love for your kids in ways that each of them will receive well.  Apologize them to them when you've made a parenting mistake.  Allow the conflicts you experience with your spouse and kids to be a path to deeper communication by helping you all understand each other better and work as a team to solve problems.
Play together.  There is nothing like play to bring about family togetherness.  Make time for vacations together, have fun at home, go on frequent outings (from getting ice cream out to taking music or sports lessons together), share holiday traditions, enjoy humor together, and work on service projects together.  Sharing playful experiences will build family memories that will bond you all in powerful ways.
Love your spouse.  If you're married, work on your marriage regularly and invest in it through activities like frequent dates, since a loving marriage brings hope and security to your kids.  If you're a single parent, build relationships with others at your church who care about your kids and are willing to invest in their lives.
Remember that the best things in life aren't things.  Healthy stewardship and sound financial decisions produce positive family priorities.  Follow a budget to live below your means, avoid debt, tithe and give in other generous ways, and save regularly.  Modeling these healthy financial practices will teach your kids valuable practical and spiritual lessons.
Energize your family's spiritual growth.  Your greatest calling in life is to leave a spiritual legacy for your kids.  So make your relationship with God through Christ your top priority.  Grow closer to Christ individually and as a couple with your spouse.  Pray for and with your kids in a regular family devotional time, write a family constitution that describes your family's values, and talk about God often as you go through your everyday activities together.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Promises for: Joy in the LORD


  • Ps. 43:4 "Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my Exceeding Joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O God my God."
  • Neh. 8:10 "The joy of the LORD is your strength."
  • Ps. 36:8 "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy House, and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures."
  • Neh. 12:43 "Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off."
  • Job 33:26 "He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto Him: and he shall see His face with joy: for He will render unto man His righteousness."
  • Ps. 21:1 "The king shall joy in Thy strength, O LORD; and in Thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!"
  • Ps. 27:6 "And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His Tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD."
  • Ps. 30:5 "For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
  • Ps. 32:11 "Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." [Command to be joyful]
  • Ps. 51:12 "Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free Spirit."
  • Is. 35:10 "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and Everlasting Joy upon their headsthey shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
  • Ps. 35:27 "Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour My righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant."
  • Ps. 42:4 "I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holy day."
  • Ps. 105:43 "And He brought forth His people with joy, and His chosen with gladness."
  • Ps. 126:5 "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."
  • Job 41:22 "In His neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before Him."
  • Ps. 5:11 "But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them: let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee."
  • Ps. 16:11 "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore."