The Spiritually Malnourished Need Real Food

Sometimes we dumb down God’s word when we evangelize.  But I submit to you that the spiritually malnourished need real food. They need to be fed the truth of God’s word.  But how can we feed them if we ourselves have not gone to Him for our daily bread?  How can I offer food that I myself have not tasted in a long time?

The world is in a crisis but this should not make the church afraid.  This is our time to let our lights shine, this is the time to invite the broken to come and feast on the Lord, the only one that is able to bring peace in the midst of chaos.  This is our time to put love on display.

Let us resist the temptation to water down the truth of God’s word with preservatives to keep our churches filled with malnourished souls.  Jesus has never been caught up in numbers.  He has always been about quality…life more abundantly.  Abundant life can only be achieved when we receive all that Jesus has to offer (the blessings, the correction, the humility and the suffering).  It is a package deal with an eternal yield.

I am all for dancing and praising God in service, but we must be careful that our church doesn’t become a full-fledged FLESH production.  The preacher saying things to satisfy the itching ears, having everyone whooping and hollering over false promises…filling them up for the moment but leaving them empty and spiritually sick after the “sweet high”  has rubbed off and they are left with the reality that they are still hungry.

Today’s “updated gospel” seem to have a lot of artificial sweeteners; things that Jesus simply did not promise.  Because truth is when the people don’t get all the new cars and big houses that the preacher promised, and when their sin is not challenged the souls are left with spiritual decay.  Take away the artificial fillers and stop making them promises that are not in His word.  No, not every believer will have a mansion and a fancy car. The Christian walk is not about how much we can accumulate now on this earth. True love is not about embracing every sin.  Forgiveness is not an option.  True believers aren’t always on mute in an effort to demonstrate the “love of Christ.”   And no you are not insulated from trouble just because you serve Jesus.

Simply put, the malnourished need to be fed JESUS.

Eating His flesh and drinking His blood, that which brings true nourishment

Come and taste and see that the Lord is good!

Come and feast on His word.

He is the only one that satisfies!

Isaiah 55:1-2 (NLT)

“Is anyone thirsty?

Come and drink—
even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free!

Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?

Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.

 

 

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DO YOU LIE ON JESUS WHEN YOU EVANGELIZE?

September 25, 2015

 

I am afraid that we have lied on Jesus more times than we realize.  We offer a package and an approach that He does not endorse.  We go to great lengths to manipulate people to come to church to “accept” Jesus.  But what happens when we can’t keep up the show?  What happens when we get tired of chasing people down and coming up with great programs to distract them from what they really want to do, which is SIN!

When I read the word through the proper lens I get to see Jesus for who He really is, in His power and His simplicity.  Jesus knew all that He had to offer…life and that more abundantly (John 10:10).  Because of this He was confident and knew that He didn’t have to sell Himself to anyone.  No gimmicks, no lies, no half-truths.  He had no great sales pitch because He is the word made flesh which makes Him enough…more than!  He is the beginning and the end, the first and the last and everything in between.  He gave it to them straight.

He did this to expose their hearts and to chase away those that were only there for a show, not for true surrender.

So as I comb through scripture and I get to know Jesus, it makes me take a hard look at how I evangelize.  Do I invite people to church, leading the conversation with all the programs we may have to pacify their children, and make the parents comfortable or do I shoot it straight.  Do I tell them this is the best decision they will ever make but they must be willing to count the cost?  Do I tell them that once they put their hands to the plow and if they look back they are not fit for the kingdom (Luke 9:62)? Do I tell them that they will suffer because they accept Christ, but to be encouraged because if they suffer for Him they will also reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12)?  Do I tell them the truth, do I tell them about Jesus?  No this approach is not harsh, it is love on full display.  Knowing that if they accept this truth it sets them free (John 8:32) and offers a peace that is beyond human understanding (Philippians 4:7)!

No longer should we be paralyzed if they don’t want Jesus. And for the record, He never tells us to go chase down those who really don’t want Him. Remember what He told the 12 disciples in Luke 9:5 when He first sent them out? The truth of God’s word is a sure repellant to those who don’t mean business with God.  If we get people to “come” to Jesus on a faulty foundation and lies they will not have a lasting relationship which is counterproductive, don’t you think?  May we be freed from looking “successful” to the world.  My God may we hunger for souls that are set on fire!  Even if it is only ten of them in the pews!

So I want to encourage you to take a hard look at how you evangelize. Do you find yourself dumbing down God’s standards in an effort to first get them in?  This is a worldly approach, one that is not endorsed by Jesus.  Come on brothers and sisters, let us go out in love, telling the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth and may God help us to do just that!  As we do this, watch God bring in those that are really hungry for Him!  We have work to do, and our job is to help bring in true laborers into the kingdom to set this world on fire for our God.  How about it?  Are you on board to return to true evangelism?

 

 

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