Evangelism by an atheist
How much do you have to HATE somebody to not tell them about Jesus? (From an atheist)
Wed
Jul
21st
2010
21st
0
Is there more?
Do you ever lay in bed and wonder is there more to life than this? I don’t mean you are depressed, maybe you did not have a bad day, but you wonder is there more?
I remember when I used to lie in bed at night and think those thoughts, wondering if all life would be was climbing some seemingly never ending ladder of achievement, but there is more. There truly is only one thing that will bring true satisfaction in life and that is a real relationship, not religion, not a belief system, not mental acknowledgment, but a real relationship with someone who would and did literally die to know you. Jesus Christ died for you. While we were still sinners, He died so that our sins could be forgiven and we could have a relationship with God the Father and with Jesus Christ the Son. That is eternal life (not a ticket to heaven, but real life here and now).
There is more than the daily grind, more than our greatest achievements, more than mere moments of happiness, there is more. You can have it through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
John 17:3 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Romans 10:9-10 9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Gospel Non Believer’s only
Sometimes as believers we act as if the gospel is only for those who have yet to accept it. When we do this we are oversimplifying the gospel. Don’t get me wrong the gospel is simple enough that a child can comprehend it:
Admit you are a sinner in need of a Savior.
Believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again to pay the penalty for your sins.
Call upon Jesus Christ as Lord and you will be saved.
However, the gospel does not stop there. That is the beginning. The gospel should have an impact on every area of our lives. From the time we experience salvation we should never stop experiencing the gospel. It takes shape in multiple contexts. The gospel should change the way we do everything we do. Read the New Testament. Our marriages are pictures of Christ love for the church. Our giving is a demonstration of giving generously and of our best (God giving Jesus). As we work we have one boss as we work as if we were working for the Lord and not for men. In relationships we are commanded to forgive as Jesus Christ forgave us. What if the gospel really applies to every area of our lives? Is it for non believers only?
The Rece$$ion is officially over
The Rece$$ion is officially over. Well, at least our sermon series called: Rece$$ion is over. We wrapped up our series with a message from Luke 16 about God’s plan for our financial future. We saw that God often times uses crisis to create clarity, that God often times uses our obstacles as our greatest opportunities for spiritual growth, and that He has a plan for our financial futures even in the midst of a recession. Throughout this series we talked about having an unshakable foundation, worry, generosity, the good life and God’s plan for our financial future. God has used this series in my life to focus me on His plan for our families financial future.
Some helpful resources that I recommend when you are thinking through your own personal finances are:
Surviving Financial Meltdown, by Ron Blue and Jeremy White (I mentioned this book a couple of times during this series).
Money, Possesions, and Eternity, by Randy Alcorn (A great book as a resource for a biblical perspective on finances).
The Treasure Principle, by Randy Alcorn (A short book that contains God’s investment strategy).
I would also recommend Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. I have not completed it, but I have listened to some of the talks. Southbridge is also offering some small group classes called: The Road to Financial Freedom as a follow up to this series. You can sign up for those by emailing crown@southbridgefellowship.com.
Ron Blue in his book Surviving Financial Meltdown recommends these web sites for your personal finances:
www.360financialliteracy.org/life+stages
He has more, but these should be useful.