Faith for the Lost

 

    How do you reach people in your life that are lost?  You can't do it on your own.  You need to pray for them, live out your faith unapologetically, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.  You need to remember the life you had before your leap of faith.  What drove you to Jesus?  What did your have to give up of your own life to follow Jesus?

    Living life without Jesus is fun, but it doesn't go anywhere.  It leads to momentary satisfaction, but never fills your soul with peace.  For the people who do not want to let go of their fun time, you have to show them that Christians know how to have a good time too.  It just looks a little different.  

    Some people may not even realize that they are lost.  They are living a good life thinking that they will go to Heaven or don't care about eternity.  Everyone is lost until they are not.  Even after you become a Christian it is easy to fall off the path.  You have to walk hand in hand with Jesus and trust the path that he laid out for you.  If you don't you are a Christian, but your faith has no fruit.

    You can't force anyone to be a Christian.  All you can do is tell them the truth and pray.  The Holy Spirit will do everything else.  However, faith is a personal choice.  If they reject it, then they will have to live with the consequences.  Their choice may hurt you, but it is their choice.  One of God's greatest gifts is free will.  Do not try to take that from anyone.

    If a person admits that they are lost, then you have a window to introduce them to Jesus.  Do not over think this.  If you know the person, then you know how to talk to them.  Do not go through a check list or try to be perfect and go by some exact plan.  Be natural.  Be yourself and follow the Holy Spirit's guidance.

    Do not assume that a lost person is stupid.  Many are highly logical.  It is their logic that works against them.  Meet them where they are.  Use intellect to counter their arguments.  It may get through or it may not.  All you can do is what you are directed to do by the Holy Spirit.  You can then walk away with a clear conscience.

    It may be tough to talk to strangers, but if the Holy Spirit directs you then you need to try.  People need help in life.  If you don't step up, then you never know if anyone else will.  Salvation may be confusing for some people, so take the time to invest in your testimony and how it happened for you.  Keep it simple.  Make sure they understand that salvation is free, but following Jesus can cost you everything.

    Avoid confusing talk.  Don't go too deep into the Bible.  The faith journey is a life journey.  You can't get everything on the first day.  Take it slow.  It is a life long race not a marathon to get a prize.  Show them what really matters in life and then eternity because salvation starts here and now.  You don't just wait until you die to enjoy it.

    Part of discipleship is to teach them how to follow Jesus after salvation.  It is teaching them how to prioritize God.  You teach them how to search for God's truth, promises, and love on their own.  You teach them the urgency to share God's Word without being perfect.  You teach them to use what they have and be grateful.  

    Teach them how to deal with discouragement, waiting, prayer, and not always getting the happy ending they wanted.  Success looks different on everyone, so teach them no to compare themselves to you or anyone else.  Celebrate the victories where you find them and let go of the disappointments.

Isaiah 41:8-10, Matthew 11:25-30, Romans 10:1-4, & 2 Peter 3:8-10

Saving Faith

 

    Faith is the only way to redemption with God.  Redemption with God is the only way to salvation.  Jesus became human to form real relationships with people.  He became the bridge for people and God.  He sacrificed His perfect existence to live among people who hate Him to give you the opportunity to have eternity in perfection with Him.

    The only way to find salvation is to believe.  Salvation gives you regeneration as a new pure soul that lives in the same beautiful body God created.  When the Holy Spirit moves in, it changes your heart and you begin to see the world differently.  

    Repentance and faith is the only path to true grace.  Repentance must be genuine because God knows your heart.  You can't lie to or fool Him.  God's grace gives you justification for your past and the ability to start fresh with Him.  The relationship gives you inner peace and favor with God.

    The salvation experience gives you sanctification.  It starts with regeneration of your life.  It sets you apart from the people of the world that are following their own drives that are led by Satan.  You are now led by the Holy Spirit.  The two do not mix.  When you try it causes confusion, pain, and anguish.  Your morals will start to transform to motivate you in new way of living.  

    Glorification is your life as a Christian.  It leads to blessings here and now, but the ultimate gift is eternity in Heaven.  It all starts with faith.  Saving faith separates you from your sin.  It gives your restoration.  It makes you holy.  In time as you invest in your relationship with God, you will discover wisdom in how to live out the laws in a way that serves God and helps other people.

    Salvation requires you to see your sin for what it is.  You come to agree with God about sin and you decide to submit to His authority in love.  You submit because you know He loves you more than you will ever be able to love Him.  He loves you in a way that is beyond any kind of love another person could give you.  His love with your faith makes you righteous.  This is saving faith.

Matthew 19:16-30, John 3:16-17, Acts 16:31-34, Romans 2:1-16, 3:23-26, Ephesians 2:8-10, & James 2:14-17

Forgiving Faith

 

    Faith requires the ability to forgive.  Forgiveness is one of the hardest things you have to do in life, but God forgave you when you did not deserve it.  As a Christian you need to learn how to forgive for your own heart, walk with Jesus, and peace.  Forgiveness is to let go, to leave, to leave behind, and to remit.

    The ability to forgive also makes it where you are more likely to be forgiven by other people.  People hurt people.  No one is without fault.  No one is without the need to be forgiven.  To forgive does not insure the relationship being fixed.  It removes the animosity, the hurt, and the doorway for Satan.  It is a doorway for boundaries that could fix the relationship over time.  

    Forgiveness opens the doors to blessings.  It can't be faked.  You can't pretend with God.  Forgiveness can remove judgment.  Jesus' forgiveness gives you salvation.  Forgiveness renews you and keeps you from becoming a bitter person.  

    Forgiveness from sin can only come from God.  The closer you get to God the more you see sin for what it is.  You have to deal with your own sin before you can call anyone else out for their sin.  Your job is not to be the judge.  Your job is to help other people see their own sin by their own coalition.  

    Salvation is free, but walking with God after salvation will cost you everything.  Pride is the first thing you have to break down.  It is what will keep you from forgiving other people.  People need to see the Holy Spirit working in you to see their need for salvation.  That means when you repent you can't do it in secret.  You have to live a transparent lifestyle.  That does not mean everyone is invited into your personal space.  It just means you are living a much like Jesus as you can.  Your ability to forgive could bring other people to Jesus.  

Matthew 6:14-15, 26:27-30, Mark 1:4-6, 2:1-5, 13:12-13, Acts 5:29-32, 8:20-23, & Romans 3:23-26, 4:4-7

Faith's Journey Continues

 

    Faith requires obedience. Obedience comes from love and self-discipline.  When you are obedient to God, then you are a witness.  If you are a witness, then you have a testimony.  If you have a testimony, then you can tell people about Jesus and invite them to have a relationship with their creator.

    Faith comes down to what you believe and having a heart of submission.  Faith is a journey because not all of life's questions are answered immediately.  You have to work through your human perspective getting a clearer vision of God's perspective to decide on some aspects of life.  Other aspects like how to get to heaven, who God is, and sin are cut and dry.  You will mature in your understanding, but at the end of the day your opinion doesn't matter.  What God says is and it will not change because you want it to.

    Sharing your faith takes sensitivity.  You don't want to sound like you are apologizing for what you believe, but you don't want to push the person away either.  You need time to have them really hear you and see that your heart is not judging them.  

    Faith's focus is on Jesus.  Jesus will transform you from the inside out.  All you have to do is allow the world to see you.  If they really look, then they will see aspect of Jesus in you.  It will either attract them to you, make them angry, or make them avoid you.  Don't take it personally.  It is the affect Jesus has on people. 

    Your part in faith is to have conversations with people that you know are not believers.  The Holy Spirit will do the work behind your words.  Do not put so much pressure on yourself that you never talk to people.  If the person comes to faith, then you take them under your wing to disciple them or introduce them to someone else that may be a better fit to disciple them.  Do not turn your faith into work.  It is a part of who you are.  Let it become natural.

Psalm 23:3-6, 32:8-9, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 40:28-31, Matthew 11:25-30, Romans 8:26-30, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, Colossians 2:6-7, & Hebrews 11:1-3

Faith Journey

 

    Faith begins at salvation, but it is never stagnant.  If you get to a place where you are comfortable with your faith, then you are probably not growing in this season.  Faith will always be pushing you out of your comfort zone.  If you don't grow on your own, then God will find a way to make you uncomfortable to keep you close to Him.

    Faith requires obedience.  Satan has a plan to destroy you.  God has a plan to bring you closer to Him.  Do you have a plan to stay focused on your walk with the Holy Spirit?  If not, then Satan will find a way to derail you.  It happens, so be prepared.  Repent and pick yourself up to keep going.  This is a life long journey.  It will not stop until you enter Heaven. 

    Part of the journey is the "Great Commission".  You are commanded to be baptized and start growing in your relationship with God after salvation.  Once you get started in your discipleship training you are commanded to start making disciples.  You can lead people to Jesus as soon as you become a Christian, but it takes maturity to be able to start making disciples.  It is a journey, not a check off list or step up.

    Before you start discipling other people you need to be able to answer some questions in an uncomfortable environment.  Do you understand what it takes for a person to get to Heaven?  What is salvation?  What kind of person do you need to be to be good with God?  Questions like this.  You need to know the answers, how to answer for the person you are talking to to understand, and how to deal with rejection.

    In your faith journey you have to learn how to rely on the Holy Spirit.  He will not lead you astray.  He will help you become comfortable with the uncomfortable.  Take a look at your salvation.  How are you doing in your faith journey?  Have you found some blind spots?  Do you see places you have become complacent?  Take control and surrender them to God at the same time.  You are as close to God as you want to be.  If you want things to change, then you have to put in the time.

Psalm 119:105-112, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 17:20, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, & Philippians 1:3-6, 4:10-14

Faith Ministry

 

    It takes faith to serve God.  Faith is what drives and motivates you.  When common sense tells you that there is no point faith will tell you to keep serving in love.  Faith upheld in love helps you care, minister, and touch people's lives.  There is nothing rational about it.  It is trusting God and doing as you are led by the Holy Spirit while telling the world about Jesus.

    Faith ministry is welcoming.  It is warm and inviting.  The location and format is not what matters.  It is the people that are important.  It is when people come together to pray and love in an organized manner.  This creates an atmosphere of peace, joy, and comfort.  The stronger the relationships the more people it can attract.

    Faith ministries attract people to Jesus.  It works because people see Jesus in you.  In a typical church it is about 10% of the people that do all the work.  In a joint faith ministry it attracts people to want to get involved.  It is not just coming together once or twice a week.  It is getting involved in lives where people are living their lives.

    Relationships are the key to faith ministry.  It starts with your relationship with God.  Then the Holy Spirit uses your passion for life to go out and create a ministry or service for the community.  You build loving relationships and before you know it it you have a real ministry coming to life.  

    Different people and different relationships need different things.  There is no set way to do ministry.  As long as you keep it Biblical, loving, and led by the Holy Spirit then you will be able to reach unsaved people.  It probably wont be easy, but the victories for Jesus make it worth it.  

John 13:31-38, Romans 10:16-21, 2 Corinthians5:16-21, Ephesians 2:1-10, & Hebrews 11:1-3

Faith Flashback

 

        Faith gets you through a lot, but you still need friends, time to deal, opportunities to share your faith, growth, and appreciate life experiences.  Sharing your life means becoming vulnerable.  You need humility and vulnerability to make an impact for God in this world.  You need it to experience life with gratitude and being prepared to do anything with Jesus.

    Faith flashback is looking at your life and seeing how you have impacted the world for God.  Have you put yourself out there when the Holy Spirit prompts you?  Do you have the habit to be bold and speak about your faith?  Can you see your faith mature and grow?  Have you learned discipleship?  Do you train anyone in discipleship?  Have your learned how to deal with rejection?

    True faith should help you make connections in life.  It can help you reconnect with people you have once lost, but want to reconcile with or feel a pull to reconnect.  Sunday school or life groups are a fundamental way to make these connections, grow, worship, and learn.  You can visit people as a group.  People to go visit are people who have not attended in a while, people unable to attend, hospitals, death in family, counseling need, and more.

    The point of faith visits is evangelism.  That means the visits need to be positive, but real.  Leave the people feeling like it was a benefit for their life.  Tell them the truth about what the Bible says and invite them to join you again.  If it is someone you know, maybe leave your personal number to be there for them when needed.  Maybe set up something outside of church because life is lived outside of the walls of the church building.  If needed come up with an action plan to help them until things are better.

Psalm 121, Habakkuk 2:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, 2 Timothy 1:3-7, & Hebrews 10:32-11:3