| I've
prayed these past few weeks have been profitable for you in your walk with the Lord. I begin with Verse 35 of Chapter 8 of Marks gospel. Jesus
makes a very profound statement here.
"For whosoever will save his
life will lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, and the gospel's, the
same shall save it."
There is a two-fold meaning here which I would like to
expound upon...losing your life for Jesus' sake.
It is a great life to know you've received eternal life
and that Jesus made all this possible. To live in the newness of life, I can truly
say it's wonderful. Sin has no more dominion over you because you are dead and your
life is hid with Christ in God. [Colossians Chapter 1:3]
I remember before I became a Christian that I had no
power over my life. I wanted to live right, talk right, and do right but I found
myself continuously doing what I didn't want to do. I'm sure I'm not the Lone Ranger
in this matter.
But Jesus made the difference in my life on March 23,
1966 at about 7:45 p.m. in a Sunday night, Full Gospel church in Westwego,
Louisiana. Jesus has continued and will always make a difference in my life if
[and I said "if"] I allow him (Jesus) to.
This brings us to the second part of Verse 35, in the
gospel of Mark.
We cannot just be satisfied to live a good clean and
righteous life. There's more to life than being saved. In fact, Jesus gives
us a command in Matthew's gospel Chapter 28: 19-20...
"Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Teaching them to observe all things,
whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the
world."
Beloved, I didn't want to go to
Hell. I remember as a child coming up I had such a desire to become a priest but
that was no way possible. I had a deep conviction about God and church going.
I did what I was taught to do. But when I got save, the Holy Spirit gave me the
proper insight concerning living a life pleasing to God.
Now, I could be what I wanted and felt
called to be; a witness and a minister of the gospel. I also understood it was my
duty and God's purpose for my life.
You see, every day we rub shoulders
with people who are lost, looking for answers to life's problems, and also people who
don't identify with any kind of religious culture. amazon
I read in Matthew's gospel Chapter
9:38 where Jesus tells us... amazon
"Pray ye therefore the Lord of
the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest."
Notice the word "laborers"
here? The Greek translation is thus a teacher. There is a broad range which
this word covers and putting it simply.
If you will pray to the Father concerning
laborers in his vineyard he will lead you by his spirit in his word and you will find, if
you haven't already, the part of that great task of soul winning he (God) wants you to
perform.
It may be that you must just be a witness
one-on-one, or even stand on a street and witness, but whatever part it is you must do,
you have his promise "lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." |
