conversation missions evangelism

When Our Society Declines: Being Missionaries Everywhere

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It’s not really fair to expect unbelievers to act like believers. We are in this world as lights, not as adversaries to the world. We are to love our enemies as well those who are not our enemies (which I think covers everyone). Most people do not follow Jesus, so we are to be missionaries everywhere. If we change our mindset then we won’t be so discouraged when our culture becomes destructive. Instead of thinking we have a right to live in the kind of place we want, it might help to think of ourselves as missionaries in our community and our world. We are in the minority and we cannot quickly change our culture. As missionaries we need to understand the culture around us. Since there is such a diversity of views wherever we go, our lives are a constant cross-cultural experience. Even talking to our neighbor is sometimes Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

Jesus Sympathizes With You And Will Reward You

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“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15, ESV). Jesus sympathizes with you. The Son of God did not just hold on to all his divine powers when he became a human. He emptied himself so that he could experience the weakness (compared to God) of being human. He did this so that he could sympathize with you! Isn’t it amazing that the Son of God wanted to identify with you so much that he became like you and suffered? So now, in our union with Christ, we are connected to Jesus who knows what it is like to be tempted as we are. This includes the temptation to fear, unbelief or despair when our life is filled with pain. Jesus knows the temptations of Continue Reading →

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Gaining The Benefits Of Spiritual Dryness

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Many of us will face seasons in our lives when we cannot sense God anymore. We will feel like he left us, or maybe doesn’t even exist. This usually happens after we have overcome most of our major external sins and then made considerable progress in loving God and others. But in spite of our progress, we still can’t connect with God. We think back to times when we felt God’s presence or could clearly see his activity in our lives. We remember the pleasure we had with God, especially during worship, reading scripture, or prayer. But suddenly our spiritual life seems dry or even dark. We don’t feel the enthusiasm for God we had before. Yet, there are many benefits of spiritual dryness. This stage of the Christian life has been experienced and written about by many of the great Christian teachers since the earliest centuries. Some have called Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

Jesus Gives Power To Resist Temptation – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Heb 2:18 (ESV) Since Jesus felt the suffering that comes with resisting temptation he is able to help us too. How does he help us? Through the reality that all believers are connected to him like a body to a head. Thus, the same power to resist temptation that Jesus had, he gives to us when we abide in him. Sensual temptations are most common, but we also have temptations to pride instead of humility, or the temptation to neglect devotional time, or giving in to any of the deeper weaknesses inside us. When we feel the trouble that comes with temptation, when we feel the pull of our destructive desires, when we want to follow God but feel weak, then we can stop ourselves and put our hearts in front of Continue Reading →

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Seek The Benefits Of Conviction Of Sin

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Conviction of sin is one of God’s most important gifts. It pinpoints areas that are keeping us from transformation into the image of God and communion with him. But conviction of sin can lead to destructive attitudes as well as constructive sorrow. “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Corinthians 7:10, NIV). Seeing our sin may lead us to self-condemnation or rejection, or to imagining that God condemns or rejects us. We may begin to hate ourselves or think we are hopeless. These are all strategies of Satan. He knows that if we reject ourselves (for any reason, not just sin) that it will create a wall between us and God. Self-rejection may be Satan’s number one strategy in every person’s life. It cuts us off from the grace and power we need for healing. Instead, we should treat Continue Reading →