Monday, February 1, 2016

It's Not Just Your Words, But Your Works That Proclaim Jesus To The World

My Utmost For His Highest
 
Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel… —1 Corinthians 1:17
 
“Paul states here that the call of God is to preach the gospel. But remember what Paul means by “the gospel,” namely, the reality of redemption in our Lord Jesus Christ.  […] we are commissioned to lift up Jesus Christ (see John 12:32). […] Jesus Christ labored in redemption to redeem the whole world and to place it perfectly whole and restored before the throne of God. […] The one passion of Paul’s life was to proclaim the gospel of God. He welcomed heartbreak, disillusionment, and tribulation for only one reason— these things kept him unmovable in his devotion to the gospel of God.”  CHAMBERS
 
(Note) Many of the devotions published by Oswald Chamber’s wife were from sermons that he had given at his Bible college.  His focus was on encouraging the students as they received biblical training in their quest of “full-time” vocational ministry.  I often edit out portions that address their pursuit in an attempt to focus on the parts that apply to everyone.  That is what the […] mean.
 
The proclamation of the Gospel is not limited to the hearty few.  It is a more general command to everyone who claims Jesus as Lord and Savior.  It is so very important to keep things in their proper perspective and order.  To be an effective witness, I must be first be a faithful follower.  To be a faithful follower, I must be an obedient child.  To be an obedient child, I must be submitted to the authority of the Spirit and the Word of God.  Since we cannot save anyone .. only God can … I must be right before God before I can be used by Him in the process of salvation of someone else, for His glory.  Telling people about Jesus when our hearts are far from Him is ineffectual.  There is no Spiritual power behind them.
 
(Ephesians 1:11-14) “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”  That is the new life we have been born into.  As we live that life, we show the
world Jesus, not just through our words but through our works.  And all of that through the power that God put in us, not our own effort.  How cool is that!  ELGIN
 
Charley Elgin

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