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A Pausable Moment in Oklahoma

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Trying to have a spiritual conversation with someone without the Spirit of God will only end in frustration. Remember, they firmly believe what they believe, even atheists. It takes much greater faith to be an atheist! To deny creation all around you? To assign it all away as a random event? How sad. So how do we engage the lost in a conversation about our hope without theology? Talk about what God has done for you! That is what people will relate to beloved. There will be plenty of time for theology later. Take them to the cross -- take them to the cross.

 

But do so gently and respectfully the key verses warn us. How well does God know our nature? The Bible is a two edged sword, not a blunt instrument. We are not supposed to slap someone upside the head with the Gospel. That is one sure way you can know that the Westboro Baptist crew are not operating at the direction of God. Picketing funerals of soldiers is not spreading the Gospel. There has to be love in the Christ we preach if there is Christ in us. I know well intended Christians who insist on wrapping Jesus up in barbed wire. Sure you may share Christ like that but you are going to cut to pieces the very person you are trying to lead to the cross. It doesn't work that way. Just like you cannot sugar coat everything; you cannot dress Jesus up in military fatigues. Keep your conscience clean beloved!

 

The key verses continue by revealing a key principle we often overlook and forget as Christians. Our life, if it truly belongs to Christ, is supposed to be seen for its goodness. Let me say that again -- our lives are supposed to be seen as goodness because we belong to Jesus. If you put a Jesus fish on your car then you have given up your privilege to road rage. You can't be cutting people off or be yelling at someone who cuts you off. If you are going to walk around the office with Jesus on your sleeve -- He better be in everything you say and do because people will be watching. Why did Potiphar promote Joseph?

 

The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. -- Genesis 39: 2-4 (NLT)

 

While the things of God are foolishness to those who are perishing, they still can see of someone has favor. They still can see if someone is true or a hypocrite. The number one reason why people do not go to church is that they feel everyone in church are hypocrites. I have seen some of the most reprehensible behavior from Christians towards the unsaved. You will not win hearts and minds with judgment and cruelty. So often in the church we get judgment all wrong. We see people constantly misuse Matthew 7 -- "judge not lest ye be judged!" That section is actually teaching us about hypocrisy -- not judgment. It didn't say to take the plank out of your own eye and go home:

 

Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye. -- Matthew 7: 5 (NLT)

 

So what does the Bible instruct us about judgment? What Scripture reveals is that we often get it completely backwards:

 

It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.   God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you." -- 1Corinthians 5: 12-13 (NLT)

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Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to (more...)
 
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