Monday, December 29, 2008

Develop a Love for the Lost

The following is an excerpt from Sharing Christ When You Feel You Can't.

Develop a Love for the Lost When I came to the Lord, I desired to love the world like God does. But I soon realized that you can't create a love for people on your own. It's easy to get worked up about the condition of the unsaved and feel love for them-until we get on the freeway and some car cuts us off. Then our love for the lost flies out the door as we shake our fist at the unskilled driver.

A love for the lost has to come from God. We can't fake it or create it. I remember wrapping my arms around a globe we used to have in our house and praying, "God, give me a love for the lost. I want to have a love like Yours for the world."

Evangelism is a normal expression of our Christian faith. So if a desire to witness is lacking, we need to cultivate our relationship with God.

Have you ever tried to share Christ with someone when absolutely nothing is happening in your spiritual life? I was sitting on a plane one time talking with a fellow passenger, and the perfect opportunity arose to talk about the Lord. But I had nothing to share because my life right then was so dead spiritually.

Psalm 63:8 (KIV) says, "My soul followeth hard after thee." This implies an intense desire to know God, which is what we need if we are going to be effective in our witness for Christ. Knowing God takes strenuous exertion or discipline. Spend time getting to know Him through reading and studying the Bible. Knowing God also takes perseverance. Don't follow Him sporadically, but keep on following even when you don't feel like it.

We sometimes get in the habit of only "using" God in an emergency. But God is not like a spare tire that we put on when nothing else works, then take off when life returns to normal. God can't be stored in the trunk of the car, so to speak.

If we're working to know God and God is working in our lives, we will want to share Him with others, and we will gain a heart like his.

As condemned murderer Charles Peace was led to the gallows in Leeds, England, in 1879, a priest followed, calmly reading aloud the "Consolations of Religion," which warned Peace of the torment to come after death. His executioners offered a final request, and Peace asked to speak with the priest.

"Sir," he said, "if I believe what you and the church of God say that you believe about hell, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living just to save one soul from an eternal place like that."

We have to ask ourselves, "Do we have that sense of urgency?"

God has given us an urgent task-to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the spiritually lost. But as we begin to build bridges to those we know who need Christ, we may encounter some extremely wide chasms.

God bless you,

Dan

Order your copy of Sharing Christ When You Feel You Can't and learn about the great chasms that need to be crossed to share Christ with others who need him, and how we can cross them with confidence.

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries

Monday, December 22, 2008

Merry Christmas

Christmas is here! Christ is here! I pray that you will have a wonderful Christ-filled Christmas this week.

I was reflecting on the beautiful Christmas carol, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” translated by John Neale. This is one of the most ancient carols we sing and one of the most contemplative. The words and melody are thought to have originated in the 12th century and used specifically during the Advent Season.

In the mid-1800’s the Anglican minister John Neale translated this ancient Latin chant into English. The song which speaks of the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 as being fulfilled in Matthew 1:23 has been sung in churches of all denominations.

This gorgeous song would not be so meaningful if we did not understand the word “Emmanuel” to mean “God with us.” The moving melody and the understanding that God truly is with us, does much to calm our spirits and bring us joy during this time of Advent.

The word ‘advent’ comes from Latin meaning ‘coming towards’ and speaks of Christ coming to earth to be “God with us”. Advent really has three implications, Christ coming to Bethlehem, Christ coming into our hearts, and Christ coming again. Christ Jesus is with us indeed.

It is my prayer that you will not only have head knowledge of Christ, but that your heart will be filled with His presence. Christmas is a reality and God is not only with us, He is in us through His Spirit. Please take time to talk with Jesus our Lord this week. Don’t let all the good things that will take place this week take you completely away from a quiet time with him.

As the late Ron Mehl, wrote in his stirring book, God Works the Night Shift, “Doesn’t the Christian life really boil down to being held by God and, in turn, holding on to Him?” God is with you so hold on to Him this week.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Eternity Minded Ministries!

Dan

P.S. Just after the holidays we will have a report to you on all that God did in Rwanda!

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries

Monday, December 15, 2008

Light Reveals God

We have just returned from Rwamagana, Rwanda with an incredible amount of joy in our hearts. "Mission Reconciliation" was moved along by the Holy Spirit to accomplish things that went beyond our knowledge and planning. I was amazed at how the Spirit orchestrated events so that those who truly needed the love and forgiveness of God would come under the influence of that very message. I will look forward to sharing these things with you via our Impact newsletter after we get some rest. I want to thank you for your ministry of prayer for us and for your gifts of faith. The Lord used you in the ministry of reconciliation and transformation. Due to getting home late this past week and not having time to study and write, I am sending to you an excerpt from Who Is This Jesus?. I trust it will bless you.

Dan

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LIGHT REVEALS GOD
Psalm 27:1 says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear?" Psalm 36:9 declares, "For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light." In Psalm 104:1-2 we read, "O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment," Then John wrote John 1:5, "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." Why would John say that? Why would Jesus say, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12)?

Whenever Jesus used the phrase "I am," the Jews knew exactly what he meant. It was the same word God used to describe himself in the Old Testament, and they understood that Jesus was claiming to be God. In fact, in John 8:58-59, when Jesus used the phrase "I am," the Jews picked up rocks and tried to stone him. It was a bold claim!

The word used here for light has a rich historical background. The Israelites observed an annual feast that lasted seven days and that they called the Feast of Tabernacles. It was a reminder of the time the Israelites wandered in the desert. It was not, however, a time of mourning or sadness. It was a time of great rejoicing. It also coincided with the harvest, so there was a lot of activity going on.

During this feast all the Israelites would leave their homes, and they would erect tents in a big circle to form something like a courtyard. The tents were a reminder of God's protection.

In the midst of the courtyard, they would light big candelabras. Every home had a lamp, and at night they would move to the center of this courtyard where the big candelabras gave off incredible light. That light reminded them of the pillar of fire that God used to lead them through the desert-it reminded them that God was always there with them. It was a symbol of his presence.

Jesus appeared on the scene and claimed, "I am the light of the world." That statement created quite a stir among the Jews. Not only did he use God's special name, but he also claimed God's unique role as a protector and guide and to be the Messiah.

The world in which we live is dark. Of course, there are moments of great joy and happiness, and life can be fun. But in general, this is a dark world. It is dark because it is under the power of Satan and because of our own evil thoughts and devices. We move more deeply into spiritual darkness when we refuse to examine the evidence in the universe for God's existence and for who he is.

George Lucas, of Star Wars fame, did not invent the dark side. The dark side had been there ever since the Evil One had his beginning. It is in contrast to that dark side that Jesus said, "I have come to reveal to you what God is like in this darkness. In this dark world, I have come to show you what God is like and to answer you questions about God." We know what God is like because we see what Jesus was like.

Because Jesus came to reveal God to us, we can know the answers to the big questions: Where did we come from? Where are we going? Where are we? Jesus came to show us the way, to answer the deepest questions of our hearts, and to point us to God. Jesus is the Light of the World. Has he revealed God to you? Jesus said the Father would reveal himself to those who walk with him (John 14:9-10, 21).

In your Christian life, in your Christian experience, has God revealed himself to you? Does he show you new things? When you're alone reading your Bible, or when you're driving in your car perhaps listening to worship music, and a certain thought hits you-that could be God showing you something new. When you come to a new spiritual understanding, when a light goes on in your mind-that may be God revealing himself to you. Not in some distant place, two thousand years ago, but right now, right here, God wants to reveal himself to you.

We sometimes make an encounter with God harder than it needs to be. God wants to reveal himself to us. He does not want to remain hidden behind some screen or cloud. God wants to draw you to himself. That is why it is so important that we spend time alone with God, meditate, and ask, "What do you want me to do? What do you want me to be?" Because in that darkness and in that time we spend with him, God will shed his light and expose things in our lives.

Do you ever get frustrated? Do you ever think, Lord, where are you? You're not revealing yourself to me. I find in my own life that such feelings of isolation from God are normally my own doing, not his. He wants to reveal himself to me, but I get too busy with my life to take the time to wait, pray, read, and meditate on God. God wants us to slow down long enough for him to reveal himself to us.

Blessings to you,

Dan

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries

Monday, December 8, 2008

United We Stand

Dan Owens and the Eternity Minded Ministries ministry team are currently ministering to the people of Rwamagana, Rwanda. Today we are sharing an excerpt from Dan Owens' book A Joy That Is Real. Devotions from the Spiritual Genealogy Series will resume upon Dan's return.

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UNITED WE STAND
Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, Dear Friends! I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. --Philippians 4:1-3

During a difficult time at the beginning of our country's history, founding father Benjamin Franklin said, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." Martin Luther King Jr. said, "We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now." Abraham Lincoln said the now famous phrase, "United we stand; divided we fall." Throughout America's history, unity has been an important concept.

In the Bible, unity refers to a sense of oneness. Jesus expected unity among his followers, and he prayed in John 17:23, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." Unfortunately, conflict sometimes destroys our unity, especially in the local church.

I've heard people say, "I don't want to go to church because people don't get along with each other and I don't want to get hurt." Sadly, in many cases that is true. Paul has been writing about joy, and he's getting ready to give some encouragement, but first he must deal with a problem of disunity in the church. Two women, Euodia and Syntyche, were having a conflict. Apparently this problem was big enough that Paul singled them out as he begins the final portion of his letter. He urges their fellow believers to help them in resolving the problem.

How do we resolve disunity within the body of Christ? I want to offer you a few principles from Scripture on how to deal with conflict in the church.

Don't Run
In verse 1, Paul says, "Stand firm in the Lord." Running away from conflict will not resolve it. We need to realize that conflict is part of life-whether you see it in the office, at home, or at a Bible study.

. . .

Don't Sweep It
Another common response to conflict is to try to pretend it's not a big deal, or sweep it under the carpet. However, Paul realizes that this type of problem won't resolve itself-and he gets right down to naming names. He isn't being mean-spirited, but he realizes that he must confront these two women and call them specifically by name in order to deal with the issue properly. He does it out of the true love and concern that we saw in the first verse.

. . .

Don't Ignore It
When we realize and admit that there is a problem, we can't ignore it. Paul was so concerned about this conflict that he asks others in the church to meditate. They could not resolve it themselves, and they needed help. In these cases, someone else needs to get involved-not a busybody, but someone who truly desires to bring the two people or groups together for the glory of God.

. . .
Paul saw that his beloved church had to choose a direction. Either these women needed to deal with their conflict and forgive each other, or they were going to continue to build up their secondaries and drag others into the problem, and end up causing a split in the church.

God has called us to be unified. The church should not be a place of bickering and fighting, but a place where lives are transformed, and where we see the Spirit of God at work.

Peace to you!

Dan

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries

Monday, December 1, 2008

You Are The Salt Of The Earth

I trust that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know that some of our friends who receive my devotionals do not live here in the United States but for those of us who do, it is certainly a beloved holiday. We have so much to bless God for in spite of these uncertain times.

By the time this email arrives in your in box, I will be on a flight from London to Rwanda with our team. We are so blessed to be going to the city of Rwamagana, Rwanda to share the love of Jesus Christ. I know that our ministry is just one of thousands that are at work all over the world today with the desire to make life better for others. Yet for us, we not only want to help, we want to share the salvation that comes through faith in Christ.

This past week I was preaching at a church in Santa Ynez, California. It is one of my favorite places to go because it is only an hour and half a way, so I am there on a fairly regular basis. I have been teaching through a series on the Beatitudes and thought I would finish up with the great words of Jesus found in Matthew 5:13-16:

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven."

The question I asked in the sermon was, "Where would this world be if you took all the Christians out of it?" We all know Christians that have tarnished the name of Jesus, and if we are honest, our testimonies have not always been as brilliant as they should be. Yet, we must think of all the incredible love and works that Christians share around the world. Think of all the schools, hospitals, orphanages, soup kitchens, relief work and churches that Christians have built around the world.

Jesus said that each one of us are the salt that keeps our world from total decay. You, my brother and sister, are the salt of the earth that hold back anarchy and you are the light of the world, sharing His love with others.

Many people say to me that they would like to join us on a trip overseas. They sense a need in their soul to make a difference in this world; and we are thrilled to take people with us to share in ministry as we are doing for Rwanda. We must never forget that we are all salt of the earth right where we live and play. Each of us is being used of the Lord to hold back the evil that flows so freely.

You are the light of the world just in your smile, your kindness, and your generosity! Jesus says that we are a light to our own houses, meaning the people we love, but we are also a light on a hill showing that we impact even those we do not know very well. You can only shine as He shines in you through His Spirit that dwells in you.

So today I am asking that you pray for Eternity Minded Ministries while we share the light in Rwanda. I am also asking that you pray for yourself as you continue to be His light in a dark world. Pray that your moral and ethical decisions will be the salt that helps to keep moral decay from spreading. I will return to writing on our Spiritual Genealogy when I return from Africa.

Peace to you!

Dan

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries