Reach Out Before We Pass Out!

   Someone noted that a church that is not reaching out is passing out. The "Great Commission" gives disciples of Jesus their marching orders in every age. Matthew’s account reads: "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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.’ Amen." Mark’s account is the same in substance: "And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned’ " (Mark 16:15-16). 

Early disciples understood exactly what the Lord meant, as we read in Mark 16:19-20, "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen." 

The book of ACTS pictures a church that was out, loud, proud, and not intimidated about speaking the gospel! It depicts a church where every saint this side of heaven was involved in a mission to get the gospel to every sinner this side of hell. Unlike millions today, many church members among them, those early Christians clearly believed souls were lost without the gospel of Christ, and that as disciples of Christ their number one mission and task as the church was to stay busy reaching out with the gospel. They faced obstacles and experienced constant pressures from people without and problems within. But they could not be stopped! When threatened with punishment if they didn’t stop preaching Jesus, they said, "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). When told they had "filled Jerusalem with your doctrine" in spite of having been told by Jewish leaders to cease and desist, they boldly asserted, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:28-29). After being beaten and commanded yet again that "they should not speak in the name of Jesus," Acts 5:41-42 states that they were "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name [that is, the name of Jesus]. And daily in the temple and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ." Acts 8:4 says Christians scattered by persecution "went everywhere preaching the word." In words not originally meant to compliment, Acts 17:6 says, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too." In 1 Thessalonians 1:8, the apostle Paul complimented the church at Thessalonica for being a reaching- out church: "For from you the word of the Lord has sounded out forth ... in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out."  

A classified ad’ in a newspaper said: "Used tombstone for sale. Ideal for a family named Jones." The gospel is ideal for the Jones family, and everyone else! Millions are hurtling toward hell while many Christians are silent saints. Let each Christian pray: "Send us a revival of soul- winning, O God! Let it begin with me. Help Your church reach out before we pass out." Think about it. 

   Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN

The Lord moves in mysterious ways

One of the things of the written word that I really enjoy reading is “quotations.”  As a matter of fact, I have several books of quotations that I just sit and peruse quite often.  I get a lot of inspiration from them, especially the ones that people think originate in the Bible.  As an example, here are a few fitting that category that come to mind.

First, “The Lord moves in mysterious ways.”  We hear that one frequently, don’t we?  OK, here’s another: “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”  And, to use up our allotted time and space today, here’s one more: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” There’s more, but these should be sufficient for our thoughts today.

Let’s take the first one and I’ll ask: is it in the Bible or not?  The answer is “No.”  In fact the word “mysterious” doesn’t appear anywhere in the Bible.  I’ll grant you that how He thinks is a mystery to man as we see from what the Prophet Isaiah wrote in Isa. 55:8-9. 

The actual quotation was written by an English poet and hymn writer by the name of William Cowper back in the 1700's.  The quotation “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform” is a line in one of his hymns.  The Bible does speak of a “mystery” and a little study will show that the “Gospel of Christ” is the “mystery” that the “prophets and righteous men desired to know” but didn’t until Christ came and revealed it.  Paul also tells us that what was a “mystery” has turned out to be the “Gospel.”  You can check this out in Matt. 13:17 and Romans 16:25-27.

Now, how about a look at the second one on our list, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”  Well, I hate to break your heart but, that oft-spoken quote did not come from the Bible either.  In fact, the word “cleanliness” is not even in the Bible.  It actually originated from a sermon preached by John Wesley in which he said, “Slovenliness is no part of religion, cleanliness is indeed next to godliness.”

However, Jesus touched on the subject by telling us what is important about being “clean.”  If you turn to the 15th chapter of Matthew you can read about an event where the Jews were upset because the disciples were eating and had not washed their hands.  And here is a classic example of someone making “cleanliness” a part of religion, but let’s look at what Christ said about it.

After He chastised them for their duplicity (they were making a big deal about the washing of hands and ignoring the real commands of the Law) He told them (and us) where a person needs to be “clean” - in their “heart.”  That it’s the inner man that has to be “clean” because that’s where our actions come from.

One more thought on “cleanliness” before we move on.  The word “godliness” does appear in the Bible and the Greek word translated “godliness” means “holiness.”  Does that help us better understand what Peter wrote in 2Pet. 1:6?  That “patience is next to godliness.”  Not “cleanliness.”

Well, let’s look at our 3rd quote, and it is a popular one,  “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink?”  Is it in the Bible?  I’ll not keep you in suspense - no it isn’t.  It was written by an English writer by the name of John Heywood who said, “A man may well bring a horse to the water, but he cannot make him drink.” 

This is an expression usually used to try and explain why someone didn’t listen or respond to your teaching or advice.  But, we can use it to make a spiritual point, can’t we?  As Christians, isn’t it frustrating to us at times when we preach sermons, teach lessons, hold Gospel meetings or knock doors and not get the response we’d like? 

Of course it’s frustrating at times, but we have to remember that we’re just the “sower” the “planter” and God is the harvester.  In another way of saying it, we’re just the messenger.  I think this is what Paul is saying in 1Cor. 3:6-7: “I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase.”

And here’s the bottom line to this thought.  Just because they “don’t respond” IE: “Don’t drink” we can’t stop bringing the message to them.  In another manner of saying it, the saying is true, but, you’ll never know if the horse will drink unless you lead him to the water.

Well, I find that I have a little space left over so I’ll give you one more quotation that isn’t “from the Bible” but, it is seen in principle.  A man by the name of John Churton Collins wrote this last quotation.  He was an English literary critic back in the 1800's.  He is the author of some really interesting quotes, but I’m sure that all of us can relate to this one. “In prosperity, our friends know us.  In adversity, we know our friends.”

I said that this quotation could be seen in principle in the Bible, so let me direct you to something Solomon wrote in Prov. 17:17 “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”   Then in Prov. 18:24 we read, “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

Who is that ‘’friend” that sticks closer than a brother, especially in times of adversity?  None other than the “Brother” of all faithful Christians - Jesus Christ.  And how can we know that we are “friends” with Him?  Very simple answer.  “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”  (John 15:14)

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Covey

Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

If your name is in the roll of honour of a very prestigious organization, I’m very sure you will feel very honoured and proud. It is natural for men to love recognition from other men. The Chinese has this saying: “Tigers die and leave their skins; people die and leave their names.”

Men wish that after they die, their names will be remembered for ages. And indeed, many men had their names written in history. Who can forget Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Winston Churchill, Elvis Presley, Confucius, etc. Even bad guys like Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin had a place in history.

But all of them died without having their names written in the most important book of all. They might have their names written in the books of men, but did they have their names written in the book of life? “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

Our Lord Jesus taught us to rejoice at all times because our names are written in Heaven. The difference between the saved and the unsaved is in the place where their names are written. The saved have their names written in heaven and therefore this is a cause for rejoicing. Even in the face of tragedy, inexplicable mental anguish and personal suffering, there is always joy in knowing that their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Acts 5:41). They know that though their bodies may be perishing, their souls are going to a better place (2 Corinthians 5:1, 2).

Next to our homes here on this earth, the greatest blessing in our lives should be knowing that we have a home in heaven. Our names may not mean anything to anyone, but this shouldn’t bother us as long as we know that our names are written in heaven.

Zion, the city of David, is to the children of Israel, a holy city. They considered it the greatest place to be born on this earth. And, the Psalmist wrote about this honour to be a citizen of Zion in Psalm 87. Zion is called the city of God (vs 3). And in verse, 5 and 6, he wrote: “And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there.”

God kept a record of those who were born. And, He paid special attention to those who were born in Zion.

But Psalm 87 is forward looking. The Psalmist was looking forward to a greater Zion. The city of God is called the New Jerusalem in Revelations 3:12 and 21:2. And the New Jerusalem is in heaven and not of this earth. Indeed, it is an honour to any Jew to have been born in Zion. But greater is he that is born of Zion that is above!

Question: How can one get his name written in the “book of life”? The “book of life” is just like a registry of birth on this earth. Whenever a child is born into the world, his parents go to a government organisation to register his birth. That registration makes him a citizen of the country he is registered in. Likewise, to get into the registry of the “book of life”, one must be born again: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Have you been born again?

“Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” This is not something that we did but something God did when we are born again. Our names are written in heaven, written there with the blood of Christ. Thank God for His wonderful grace. Is your name written in heaven?

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.