Secure In Yourself

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. John 13:3-5

Pat Riley, the outstanding NBA coach, wrote about the “danger of me.” He said, “The most difficult thing for individuals to do when they’re part of the team is to sacrifice. It’s so easy to become selfish in a team environment. To play for me. It’s very vulnerable to drop your guard and say, ‘This is who I am and I’m gonna open up and give of myself to you.’ But that’s exactly what you’ve got to do. Willingness to sacrifice is the great paradox. You must give up something in the immediate present-comfort, ease, recognition, quick rewards-to attract something even better in the future.”

What is true on the basketball court is also true in all of life. Serving others can be tough. Expending your energies and resources toward the interest of others can be exhausting. Yet, the most effective leaders are servants. Nobody demonstrated this better than Jesus on the night prior to his crucifixion. Alone with his disciples in a room in Jerusalem, Jesus did the unthinkable. When there was no servant to carry out the custom of foot-washing, Jesus assumed the role. The Master became the servant. The greatest and most high became the least and the lowest.

Jesus was able to do this because He loved His disciples (John 13:1). But He was also very secure in Himself. He knew what the Father had given to Him, where He came from, and where He was going (13:3). When you are secure in your own self-identity, you can be free to be who you are. You won’t have to struggle and strive to prove anything to anyone-not even to yourself.

While these two reasons would be adequate in and of themselves, the Lord had another reason for His actions. When He finished washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus told them, “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (13:15). The Lord didn’t tell them to do “what” He had done. He commanded them to do “as” He had done. They weren’t to become full-time foot-washers, but rather full-time servants of other men and women.

Are you a follower of Jesus? Do you desire to be His disciple? Then make a commitment to do as He did and expend your energies in service to others.

Jesus Wept

Jesus wept. John 11:35

“Feelings aren’t important.” “Emotions get in the way.” “Don’t trust your feelings.” “Don’t feel sad.” “Real men don’t cry.” “Just trust God.” Have you ever heard such advice before? I suspect you have because many believers have a serious misunderstanding about the Christian life. They think Christians should live stoic lives and never express strong emotions. Yet, the Bible describes more than 20 different emotions that Jesus felt. If Christ is our model of perfect spiritual and emotional maturity, then we should take a look at a few of Jesus’ emotions:

(1) Compassion: Jesus fed the multitude because they hadn’t eaten for three days and He had “compassion on these people” (Matt. 15:32). He also healed the two blind men by the roadside out of compassion (20:34). As a compassionate person, Jesus was profoundly moved by the sufferings and troubles of those He encountered.

(2) Love: If compassion characterizes Jesus’ feelings toward the multitudes, then love epitomizes His relationships with those closest to Him. When Lazarus laid dying, Martha and Mary sent this word to Jesus: “Lord, he whom you love is sick.” Then John records, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:3-5). Jesus didn’t try to be less than human by shielding Himself from love and affection.

(3) Joy: One time, following Jesus’ prediction of His betrayal, He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (15:11).

(4) Grief and sorrow: John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the Bible. It reveals a Savior who could feel pain for those He loved. Jesus didn’t try, as we sometimes do in times of sorrow, to be outwardly “strong” and hide or deny His feelings. Through His tears, Jesus showed He had the strength to care enough to weep.

(5) Anger: Perhaps the best-known expression of His anger was when He drove the moneychangers out of the temple. To those who sold doves, Jesus rebuked, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” (2:16). Like Christ, mature Christians will experience angry feelings. But those feelings must be stimulated by a love and concern for others and for righteousness, rather than by the frustration of our own desires.

(6) Peace: As Jesus prepared to leave His disciples in death, He told them, “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (16:32-33). Jesus displayed Spirit-controlled emotions freely. Take responsibility for your feelings. no one makes you feel any particular emotion—positive or negative. you choose to feel the way you feel. So, express those feelings constructively so that in every emotion, God is glorified.

Seven " I AM " Sayings

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:11

Unique to the Gospel of John, there are seven “I am” pronouncements Jesus made to describe who He really is as our Savior. Here is the list:

(1) I am the bread of life (John 6:35). This is the first of the seven “I am” sayings of Jesus. There is an unmistakable parallel to God’s covenant name-Yahweh-by which He revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” Jesus made the pronouncement “I am the bread of life” three times (6:35, 48, 51). He is the real heavenly bread, the true life sustaining power. Anything else is an inadequate substitute.

(2) I am the light of the world (8:12). The world is in darkness apart from Christ. And as a follower of Jesus reflecting the light that comes from Him, you too are “the light to the world.”

(3) I am the gate for the sheep (10:7-9). The imagery contrasts Jesus’ protection of the sheep in the fold with all other false prophets past and present. Entering the sheepfold through Jesus is a saving action and provides the sheep with abundant life and provision.

(4) I am the good shepherd (10:11-14). The good shepherd is genuinely concerned for his sheep. He gives His life for His sheep. But to a hireling, his only interest is self-preservation.

(5) I am the resurrection and the life (11:25). More than giving resurrection and life, Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Final death is impossible with Him. Death will never triumph over those who believe in Him.

(6) I am the way and the truth and the life (14:6). Jesus is not one way among many, He is the only way to the Father. He is the truth about God and the very life of God. As such, He reveals truth to you and gives life to you.

(7) I am the true vine (15:1, 5). This seventh “I am” is the last self-designation in John’s Gospel. It describes the relationship between Jesus and His disciples. When you abide in Christ—the true vine—your prayers will be effective (15:7); you will glorify God in your fruit bearing (15:8); you will demonstrate your discipleship (15:8-10); and your joy becomes full through experiencing Christ’s own joy within you (15:11). Invite Jesus to become the “I am” of your life, your every moment, as He fills you with His presence.

Counted It All Joy

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Luke 2:10

As we begin this time of year getting close to the celebration of Easter, it is good to remember that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was filled with joy. Even though He knew He was going to die on the cross for our sins, He "counted it all joy." He was to endure horrible suffering and humiliation and death, but He was filled with the love and joy and peace of God.

How can this be? We think happiness comes from a good job, a nice car, a good bank account. But true and lasting joy comes from God. Jesus knew that in doing the will of God His Father He would save millions of people -- and that we could spend eternity in heaven with Him. "Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning." Suffering on this earth, however painful, is still temporary. The Bible says that Jesus, for the joy set before Him, endured the suffering of the cross.

So let us be like Jesus who obeyed the will of His Father. We do not have to suffer and die on a cross, but we should obey God in what He asks us to do. And the Bible says as Christians we can ask God and by faith receive the gift of the Holy Spirit -- and the fruits of the Holy Spirit are "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

Do you want true joy in your life? Then obey God and ask Christ to be your Lord and Savior in every aspect of your life. Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. You can have God's joy even in the midst of difficult times.

So, this week, let us pray that

• God will give us His joy no matter what our circumstances

• God will bring hundreds of people to our conference so that millions can learn about Jesus

• God will protect our volunteers and staff and the many people coming to Christ

• God will fill and control and empower you and me each and every day with His Holy Spirit

May God bless you. God loves you very much and we love you with the true love that is found only in Jesus Christ.

Receiving The Holy Spirit

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39

How do we receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

Step #1: Repentance. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Repentance is an inward change of heart and attitude toward God that opens the way for the sinner to be reconciled with God. Thereafter, baptism is an outward act by which the believer testifies to the inward change wrought by God’s grace in his heart.

Step #2: Thirsting. The one essential condition for receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit is to be hungry and thirsty (John 7:37). God does not squander His blessings on those who see no need for them. Many professing Christians who lead good, respectable lives never receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit simply because they see no need for it. Since they are satisfied without this blessing, God leaves them that way.

Step #3: Asking. Jesus places upon God’s children an obligation to ask their heavenly Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). Sometimes, Christians make foolish remarks like: “If God wants me to have the Holy Spirit, He will give it to me. I don’t need to ask Him for
it.” This attitude is totally unscriptural! If you want the Spirit, ask God persistently for it.

Step #4: Drinking (John 7:37). Drinking is an active process of receiving. This infilling of the Holy Spirit cannot be received by a negative or passive attitude. No one can drink except of his own active choice, and no one can drink with a closed mouth. God cannot fi ll a closed mouth. Simple though it may seem, there are those who fail to receive the fullness of the Spirit simply because they fail to open their mouths and trust the Holy Spirit to give them a new heavenly language called “tongues.”

Step #5: Yielding. Paul speaks of a twofold surrender to God in Romans 6:13:

1. The surrender of yourselves—will and personality,
2. The surrender of your physical body—namely, to open your mouth by faith and start speaking out in tongues.
   

Begin your walk in the Spirit now. Take each of these steps and share them with other believers who may not yet know the fullness of the Spirit’s baptism.

Thanksgiving

And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. John 6:11

Thanksgiving is an extremely powerful key to spiritual breakthrough. There are four reasons why we give thanks:

• Firstly, thanksgiving is a command from God. It is neither a suggestion nor an option, it is a command. The Bible says, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17).

• Secondly, thanksgiving is a sure indication that the Holy Spirit is in you. We are told to “be filled with the Spirit … giving thanks always for all things to God” (Eph. 5:18-20). The measure of the Holy Spirit within you can partly be gauged by seeing how often and sincerely you give thanks to God each day. When you cease to give Him thanks, it is an indication that you are probably “leaking” the presence of the Spirit.

• Thirdly, thanksgiving is the will of God for you. Paul says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

• Finally, thanksgiving is part of bringing your prayer requests before the Lord. The Bible says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). God does everything by prayer and nothing without it. Remember, never bring a prayer request to Him without first giving Him thanks. When we do that, two wonderful miracles begin to happen:

(1) Thanksgiving opens the pathway for you to come into God’s presence. Without thanksgiving, there can be no access to God. We enter the gates of His presence through thanksgiving (Ps. 100:4). Many people pray for a long time and still feel so distant from Him. The reason is because they are not praying His way. You can stand outside and shout loudly to God. But you are still not going to have access to His presence unless you come through the gate of thanksgiving.

(2) Thanksgiving is a key that unlocks God’s supernatural power. In John 6, Jesus wanted to feed 5,000 men. He didn’t pray a verbose prayer. All He did was to give thanks for the five loaves and two fish. Immediately, the power of God came to multiply the food for the multitude. Many times, we miss out on the power of God simply because we do not release it through thanksgiving!

Power To Get Wealth

And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18

We all know that money can’t buy us happiness, a good name, a happy marriage or lasting friendships. Money certainly can’t buy us eternal salvation or the anointing of the Holy Spirit. But nevertheless, God still wants us to have money—the more the better!

There is a reason why Jesus, for your sakes, became poor that you, through His poverty, might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). Deuteronomy 8:18 says that He gives you the power to get wealth for the purpose that His covenant with all mankind can be established. So, the reason why God wants you to have money is so that you can use it to bring the gospel to the whole world. No wonder the psalmist says, “Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant” (Ps. 35:27).

Because the more we prosper financially, the more we can preach the good news and magnify our Lord. There are two contrasting covenants in the Old Testament. One is God’s covenant with Abraham which is eternal, and the other is God’s covenant with Moses which is temporal. Under the Abrahamic covenant, God blesses you to be a blessing to others. God told Abraham, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3).

But under the Mosaic covenant, there is another set of promises found in Deuteronomy 28. It is about God’s favor and blessing for our individual lives. Now, you have to be very careful which covenant you lock your mind onto. If you focus exclusively on the temporal Mosaic covenant, you could become self-serving and greedy, and end up destroying your life. But if you mature to focus on the eternal Abrahamic covenant, then the more prosperous you are, the more you can be effective for the cause of the kingdom.

The truth is this: you can’t be a blessing if you haven’t been blessed. If you can’t even feed yourself, how are you going to feed the hungry? If you can’t even clothe yourself, how are you going to clothe the naked? If you have no money for your church projects and world missions, how are you going to take the good news to the world? Meditate on this thought right now: “God has given me the power to get wealth, that I can use it to bring the gospel to the world!”

The Wind Of The Spirit

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8

The Holy Spirit is often symbolized by the wind. The Hebrew and Greek words used in reference to the Spirit are ruach and pneuma respectively, which means either “breath” or “wind.” Like the wind, the Holy Spirit may be invisible, yet He is nonetheless very real. Many agnostics find it hard to believe in the Holy Spirit because they have not seen Him, tasted Him or smelled Him. Now, no one has seen pain, tasted pain, or smelled pain. But nonetheless, we have all felt pain one time or another. In a similar way, when the Holy Spirit moves, we can feel His presence around us and in us. Four truths about the wind of the Spirit:

(1) Like the wind that encircles the earth, the Holy Spirit encompasses the believer. The Bible says, “The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; the wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit” (Eccl. 1:6). The Holy Spirit encloses you in His love, encircles you by His presence and encompasses you with His power. With such a circle of protection, who or what can touch you?

(2) Like the wind, the Holy Spirit is mysterious in action. He alone decides what are the best spiritual gifts to bestow on you. While the Spirit is sovereign, He does not act arbitrarily without any personal consideration for you. He works in a way that will always bring the greatest good and blessing to your life.

(3) Like the wind, the Holy Spirit moves in power. The movement of any wind can quickly escalate into a powerful cyclone, hurricane, monsoon or tornado, bringing devastation and death. On the other hand, the moving of the Spirit always brings great deliverance and life. On the Day of Pentecost, He came as a “rushing mighty wind” and instantly transformed the disciples into bold witnesses for Christ.

(4) Like the wind, the Holy Spirit cleanses everything in its path. Elihu said to Job, “And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them” (Job 37:21 KJV). There is a golden glory which is obscured by the clouds, but when the wind dispels them, the glory is seen. The glory of God in you becomes evident once the uncleanness of the fl esh is cleared away. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of holiness. He has come to cleanse your heart and keep your life pure. Ask and allow Him to do that for you.

Spirit Of Excellence

For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us? … And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? Deuteronomy 4:7-8

In Deuteronomy 4, Moses was explaining to the children of Israel why they needed to live out the Word of God when they come into the Promised Land. Moses exhorted them, “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess” (Deut. 4:5). The Law (Torah) in the Scriptures was given not only to bless the Israelites, they were given to help them stand out powerfully among the heathens in the land.

Sinners are not going to be impressed by the religious activities of the saints. Our praying in tongues, praise and worship, water baptisms, holy communions, liturgies and prayer books are not going to move the lost very much toward the gospel. The world already has its fair share of yoga, new age meditation, eating, drinking, merrymaking, discos and karaoke to be awestricken by our faith practices and sacraments. So, how can we move them closer to the Lord? Moses says that when the unbelievers see how the Word of God has changed our lives for the better—how it has given us wisdom for our marriage, career, finances and daily dealings, how we have become sharp as a people, then they can’t help but to admit, “Wow, surely this great church is a wise and understanding people. For what other group is there that has a God so near to it?” By having a spirit of excellence in everything we do, we are actually witnessing powerfully for Jesus Christ.

Every Sunday night, American football teams play their games before millions of sports fans and television viewers. But it is a known fact that every Monday morning, every single football team would review their Sunday match videos religiously without fail. No matter how tired they are, they never take their Mondays off. Why not? Because that is the time they evaluate for greater excellence. Could they have played better? Could they have performed better? In a sense, a professional football player is not really competing against others, he is competing against himself; to outdo himself each week. How much more should we constantly evaluate our walk with God as followers of Christ? God deserves our best. Superior quality should mark everything a Christian does. It is good testimony to the world when a Christian produces superior quality in his work. It is bad testimony when the quality he or she churns out is inferior. From today onward, decide to be first class, for Jesus’ sake, in everything you do!

Attracting The Holy Spirit

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” … And John bore witness, saying,“I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.” John 1:29, 32

When John the Baptist first introduced Jesus to the masses at the Jordan River, he made two analogies from the animal kingdom: Jesus was represented as the Lamb, and the Holy Spirit was represented as the dove. What can we learn from the relationship between them? A lamb suggests to us of three things: purity, meekness and sacrifice. And that is what the dove, the Holy Spirit, is attracted to. He is looking for the lamb nature to settle and remain in. The Holy Spirit does not approve of arrogance, self-seeking, boastfulness or aggressiveness. He is looking for purity, meekness and a life sacrificially laid down for God.

Jesus so attracted the Holy Spirit that the dove didn’t just descend on Him, the dove remained upon Him! In the natural, the dove is somewhat a shy bird that can be easily scared away. That is very true of the Spirit in a spiritual sense. The Holy Spirit, like a dove, is so gentle He is almost “shy.” If you say or do anything that He cannot accept, His presence will leave you immediately. Like a dove, He will fly away. The marvelous thing about Jesus is that He never scared off the dove. In His entire ministry, Jesus never said or did one thing that drove the Holy Spirit away.

Not only did Jesus attract the Holy Spirit, He depended on the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This relationship with the Holy Spirit is the key to the entire ministry of Jesus. There was not a single sermon that Jesus preached in the Gospels, or a single miracle that He performed, without Him fi rst feeling the Holy Spirit coming upon Him. He was totally dependant on the Holy Spirit. The whole public ministry of Jesus came out of the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Him (Acts 10:38).

How did Jesus maintain such closeness to the Spirit? Paul says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30). What are the things that grieve the Holy Spirit? They are bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking (4:31). What are some attitudes that attract the Spirit? When we are “kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (4:32). When the Holy Spirit doesn’t find the lamb nature, He cannot abide. As such, cultivate the lamb nature of Christ in your life today.

He came to die for our sins...

“God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but would have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior! When Jesus Christ came to this earth 2,000 years ago, He did not come with a goal of being rich and famous.

He came to die for our sins and to be the Savior for all who would believe in Him Jews and non-Jews, men and women, old people and children, people from all 191 countries in the world. He came as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Jesus Christ did not commit any sins either in thought or in actions, but He was killed on a cross.

Why? He gave Himself to be punished so that we could go free. How does this happen? It is a great mystery why the God of the universe would not just judge us all, but He loves us and gave us a way to become His children. If we confess with our mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we shall be saved.

So let us worship Jesus each and every day. This time of year we draw close to the celebration of Good Friday, when Jesus died for our sins, and Easter, when He rose from the dead.

So, this week, let us pray that God would

• Help us all to realize how wonderful is the salvation we have in Jesus Christ
• Pour out His Holy Spirit on Houston, Texas and a meeting we are having there
• Protect and bless our staff and volunteers at Global Media Outreach
  

THANK YOU so much for your prayers.

May God bless you,

Your friends at Global Media Outreach

What a Saviour

Colossians 1:15-16 …. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

Our God is an awesome God. Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God; He is both man and God. He is the firstborn and was with the Father when their was nothing else in the beginning. He spoke the words His Father gave Him and by His word all that is was created. The Holy Spirit, active in all of this, hovered over what was made.

The Holy Trinity, therefore, was united in glorious harmony for the magnificent creation of a perfect world that sin was soon to taint.

God, who was put out of reach because of our filth and shame, made a way for us to regain paradise. In a surge of phenomenal power and awesome love, God made Himself manifest on the earth; Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World became the only way by which fallen mankind could be reconciled to our Father.

What a Saviour, what a Redeemer; what a price He paid for our lives. What manner of love is this that we should be called children of God, but that is what we are? (see 1 John 3:1).

Jesus Christ came down from heaven and He lived among us as the sinless, perfect sacrifice. He atoned for us at His crucifixion and made the way for us to become at one with God. He took our punishment upon Himself. He was momentarily separated from our Father and He died in our place. He even went to hell where He took back the authority that Satan usurped from man when he deceived Adam in the Garden.

Triumphantly, he conquered death and rose again to give us the hope of eternal life. As He ascended back to heaven He gave us permission to use His supreme authority to help us to live the victorious Christian life and to be with Him forever – what a Saviour!

Let’s choose to live as God intended. If you have not done so already, ask Jesus to be your Saviour and allow Him to be your Lord……come back to the Father today.

Lord Jesus, you are wonderful. Amen

The Sycamore Tree

So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. Luke 19:4

Zacchaeus was a corrupt tax collector in first-century Jericho. Out of curiosity, he went to hear Jesus. Because of his short stature, he had to climb a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of the Lord. A sycamore tree is a sturdy tree with wide-spreading branches. It has a short trunk with low limbs that allow for ease in climbing. The name “sycamore” is Greek for false fig.

A normal fig has soft skin. It is juicy, tasty and sold rather expensively. On the other hand, the fruit of the sycamore tree looks like a fig but its skin is hard. The fruit is inferior to the fig tree and has to be punctured to become edible. The moment a sycamore fruit is pierced, a breath of fresh air enters it and it will ripen into a soft, sweet, juicy fruit—just like a real fig. So while normal figs ripen on their own, a sycamore fruit will not. They require external intervention.

When Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming to town, he wanted to get a glimpse of this wonderful Savior. Being a very short man, he climbed up a sycamore tree and hid himself among the sycamore fruits. The whole scene couldn’t be more picture perfect—the hardened sinner among hardened fruits.

People become hard inwardly because of a few reasons:

• sin (Heb. 3:13),
  
• pride (Dan. 5:20),
  
• rebellion (Ps. 95:8), and
  
• religiosity (John 12:40).
  

Zacchaeus had become hard because of his greed and love for money. The good news is that Jesus came to him like a skilled farmer of sycamore trees. He came underneath the branches that Zacchaeus was perched on and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5).

Those words flowed out of Jesus’ mouth like a double-edged sword and pierced right into the heart of this hardened sinner. The breath of the Holy Spirit entered Zacchaeus and immediately, his heart began to melt and soften. In that moment, he received the unconditional love and acceptance of Christ. The Lord says, “Today salvation has come to this house” (19:9).

Are you cold and hard on the inside? Invite Jesus Christ to come into your life. Let Him pierce your heart with His Word. Give entrance to the fresh breath of the Holy Spirit. With Jesus Christ, the Word and the Spirit, you will be transformed into a beautiful person.

Good Shepherd

Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out beforethem and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd. Numbers 27:16-17

A ministry is never a success without a successor. A good leader needs to provide a successor who will give continuity of the vision and bring the people of God fully into their promised inheritance. Moses was 120 years old. He knew that God was going to take him home to heaven. In fact, God Himself would bury Moses because his body will be required years later for the Mount of Transfiguration appearance (Jude 1:9). Previously, Korah and his company had sought to take the leadership out of the will of God and suffered awesome judgment. Now under the direction of God, Moses prayed that God would give the congregation a new leader.

The qualifications for God-ordained leadership are in Numbers 27:17:

(1) “Who may go out before them.” The Christian life is always ongoing and never stagnant. The path of the righteous is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day (Prov. 4:18). A shepherd must always lead his sheep into new pastures—new experiences, fresh anointing and greater revelations of God’s truth. Sheep cannot feed forever upon old pastures. They will lose the vitality of their faith and passion for the Lord if they live on stale manna.

(2) “Go in before them.” A leader must lead from the front and be a trailblazer for his people. As he does that, he must also carefully inspect that the new pastures are free from “poisonous weeds”—erroneous doctrines that could harm his flock. The important truth here is that, as leaders, we do not lead our people into doctrine that we have not carefully inspected ourselves. A leader must test the fruit first. As a leader, be certain to take counsel with other godly men concerning every new thing that comes along.

(3) “May not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He feeds them with the integrity of his heart and guides them with the skillfulness of his hands (Ps. 78:72). He inspects them. He heals and anoints them with fresh oil from the throne of God. The best model of a great leader is our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is the good shepherd of our soul.

Promise Keeper

If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. Numbers 30:2

We are living in a world that thrives on falsehood and deception. This worldly culture that surrounds us despises and rejects truth. In the last few years, global multinational corporations were exposed for deception and corruption. Even world-famous accounting firms were caught falsifying reports. In many countries, surveys show that broadcast and print media are consistently ranked the least trusted institutions in society.

No wonder Isaiah the prophet cries out, “Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street” (Is. 59:14). And because truth is fallen in the street, we constantly assume that ungodly people are predisposed to lie and cheat us. The loss of truth causes people everywhere to become skeptical, cynical and untrusting. The difference between David and Saul was in their love for the truth. When Saul was confronted by the truth of his disobedience, he rejected it and blamed it on the people (1 Sam.15:19-21). When David was confronted by the truth of his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, he accepted it and repented from his sin. Because Saul was not a lover of truth, he lost his kingdom and died a tragic death before his time. Because David was a lover of truth, his kingdom became even greater. A Christian must learn to love truth and communicate truth when he or she makes a promise. This is the very character of God—He is Truth and He communicates truth to us. Five principles about

God’s Word:

1. God’s Word is the expression of His nature (John 1:1).
2. God’s Word is the measure of His character (Rev. 1:8).
3. God’s Word is magnified above His name (Ps. 138:2).
4. God’s Word is the sole source of faith and the absolute rule of conduct (Rom. 10:17).
5. God’s Word is His bond (Heb. 6:13). Because God’s Word is His bond, our word must be our bond! The Bible says, “It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, and afterward to reconsider his vows” (Prov. 20:25). Jesus says, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matt. 5:37).
   

Many Christians conveniently excuse themselves from the commitments they verbally make. Keep your promises to your spouse, your children, your pastor and your God! Remember, your word is your bond. Keeping your promises witnesses to the nature and character of God alive in you.

Bitterness

They departed from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, went three days’ journey in the Wilderness of Etham, and camped at Marah. They moved from Marah and came to Elim. At Elim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there. Numbers 33:8-9

In Numbers 33, Moses retraced the 40 encampments of the Israelites in the wilderness. One of the major stopovers was Marah, which literally means “bitter.” Exodus 15:23 says, “Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.”

Every Christian must be prepared for disappointments in life. You might be disappointed with a person, with a situation or with what a person has done to you. Without knowing how to deal with disappointments, a believer can easily become bitter. Bitterness reproduces quickly and can be very, very dangerous to your mental and emotional well-being. The Bible warns us, “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Heb. 12:15). Bitterness comes in when one fails to appropriate the grace of God to overcome a disappointment or a hurtful experience.

Hurts inevitably come; but taking up offenses is a choice. You can choose not to be offended and bitter. What then is the key to overcoming bitterness? Exodus 15:25 says that Moses “cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.” The key was in the tree—which is a type of the cross. To gain victory over bitterness, we need to go to the cross. The cross speaks of three things:

1. Self-denial. You need to realize that you have no rights of your own. You must be willing to forfeit the right to condemn or exact vengeance on those who disappointed you.
2. Forgiveness. This is an act of your will. Forgiveness involves both attitude and action. If you fi nd it diffi cult to feel forgiving toward someone who has hurt you, try responding with kind actions. If appropriate, tell this person that you would like to heal your relationship. Give him a helping hand. Send him a gift. Smile at him. Many times you will discover that right actions lead to right feelings.
   
3. Forgetting. We often cannot truly forgive unless we can forget. We need to ask God for the grace to forget the bitterness of disappointments. “Holy forgetfulness” is tremendous. It keeps our spirit free! When someone says something against you, go quickly to God for your holy forgetfulness. Then we can look at that brother and not shudder at what was said earlier. Start practicing these steps right away so that you can triumph over the waters of Marah.

Read the Instructions

Proverbs 8:33 ……. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it.

Are you one of those people who open the package and read the instructions or are you one of those who ignore the instructions preferring to work it all out for yourself?

Sometimes the instructions are not easy to follow but, if we work out what they mean we will benefit by accomplishing what the manufacturer intended.

Sadly, some Christians have the same attitude towards the bible; the instruction manual for life. There are those who try to work it out for themselves and do not quite manage to put it together properly and there are those who read the bible, listen to the Father’s instructions, and get wise with heavenly wisdom.

Recently, at TheWayCM, we have embarked on a huge multimedia learning curve. We now have to go deeper into software programmes to find potential functionality that was hidden to us when we were doing less. As we have made progress in our multimedia development we have found wonderful treasures in our software and our equipment; functions that they can perform that we did not know were possible, instructions written in the manual that we never saw before.

The same is true of the bible, much more so. The bible was written by men who were under the inspiration of God, the Holy Spirit. As we read it, the Holy Spirit who lives in very born again believer in Jesus Christ, begins to bring us revelation and insight that unlocks our full potential.

Revelation by its nature is progressive, therefore, as we make progress in our Christian walk the bible begins to release its hidden treasures. As we apply this revelation to our lives it manifests in us as the wisdom of God.

The choice is ours; follow the Maker’s instructions and be built-up as God intended or ignore the bible and its life application and do the best we can based on our own understanding. What will you do?

Lord Jesus, thank you for doing what our Father told you. Amen

This Is The Way - Did You Finish It?

People seem to begin new projects in a never-ending cycle. We make resolutions about things we wish to accomplish, like lose weight, change a habit or finish a project. However, all too often we do not move past that resolution. Still, we are measured by the answer to the question, “Did you finish it?” We might begin by asking ourselves how many projects did we start in the last year—and how many did we actually finish? To our embarrassment we might find the list of plans much greater than the list of completed projects.

The Bible instructs us to count the cost before we begin a project lest we cannot finish it and are embarrassed with that (Luke 14:28-30). The things we plan to do may not always be physical. A young man recently said that he thought it was about time he turned his mind toward eternal life and God—and then did nothing after saying those words. Make a list of what you intend to do and develop a method of checking up on yourself. You will be amazed how much you actually get done by focusing on what you said you would do. Finish the job!

Great In The Kingdom

And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table Yet I am among you as the One who serves.”

God is not against us desiring greatness. Because our God Himself is a great God, every true believer has the seed of greatness implanted in his spirit. We dream dreams and see visions of ourselves achieving signifi cance and purpose in life.

In Luke 22, there was again a dispute among Jesus’ disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus didn’t rebuke them for their aspirations. What He wanted to prevent was their succumbing to pride and selfish ambition. Realizing their striving, Jesus once sat a little child down in the midst of the disciples, saying that in the kingdom, the great are like children—humble, trusting, and teachable (Matt. 18:4). Now that their concern for status surfaced again, Jesus elaborated the principle that the greatest in the kingdom is the servant of all (Luke 22:25-27).

This standard still works today! The greatest in our society are people who serve the sick, the needy and the wounded. These are great because they have given themselves to serve others. Jesus Christ tops the list. He is the greatest of all because He gave Himself for the sins of the world (Phil. 2:1-11).

There is a very practical outworking of this principle of greatness in our everyday world. Those who do serve the most may often become the most famous and prosperous people. But when you do a study on many of them, glory and riches are usually not their motives. Rather, the recognition and esteem of others seem to be the inevitable fruit of their self-giving, childlike service to mankind.

One pastor once said that every Christian is shaped for service, using the word “SHAPE” as an acronym.

• “S” stands for spiritual gifts.
  
• “H” stands for heart’s desire.
  
• “A” stands for ability.
  
• “P” stands for personality. And
  
• “E” stands for experience.
  

When you put them all together and get into “SHAPE,” you should have a good idea of the ministry that God has set you in so that you may become salt and light to the world.

Persistent Prayer

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18:1

Some say that when you make your first request to God it is faith; the second time you pray, it is unbelief. In other words, don’t pray more than once for something lest you are exhibiting doubt. Nothing can be further from the truth. In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus exhorts us to pray again and again, and until we get our prayer answers, we should never lose heart.

Jesus talks about a godless, city judge who had great contempt for everyone. A widow of that city came to appeal for justice, “Your Honor, there is this man who has harmed me and cheated me!” The first time the judge heard her case, he threw it out of the courtroom. Not to be deterred, this little widow came back again and again. “Oh, Judge, Judge, please mediate between me and the man who has harmed me,” she pleaded persistently.

Having the same scenario repeated all week long, the widow was really irritating the judge. Finally, at the end of the week, that persistent widow, again came screaming, “Your Honor, please, please, avenge the wrong that is done to me!” Unable to take her whining and complaints any longer, the judge gave in, “Okay, okay, this woman is bothering me so much. I’m going to see that she gets justice, for she is wearing me out with her constant coming!” (18:5 TLB).

Jesus then asked the question: “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (18:7-8).

Faith is persistent praying—crying out day and night to God for answers. The attitude of faith understands that a vision takes time to fulfill. In Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 7:7, the literal rendering of the Greek text is, “ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking.” Only by relentless persistence will you receive the answers to your prayers. No wonder blind Bartimaeus could not be silent. He was a man of faith.

When the people around warned him to be quiet, Bartimaeus cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:48). To Jesus, Bartimaeus’ persistence in petitioning prayer demonstrated the genuineness of his faith in God for healing (10:52). Faith is never a dry technique or formula. Faith is a heartfelt attitude that persists in trusting and praying no matter how tough a situation may be.

How Can We Be Holy?

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Matthew 6:13

God wants us to be personally holy. What does this mean? The Bible says God is holy. Holy means to be set apart and to be without sin.

How can we be holy? Without God, it is impossible. We live in a sinful world, so there are temptations around us and we are liable to sin. Some people have decided to live as hermits, away from society, but even this does not protect us from sin because we all have the ability to sin in our hearts even if there is no one else around us.

So what is the answer? It is to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit to confess our sins and to be resolute and ask God to help us flee from sin. Are you weak in an area? Then stay away from it. If you have a weakness of eating too many sweets, then don’t spend your time in a bakery. But realize that you can’t do this in your own strength, because you need to ask God for His strength through the power of the Holy Spirit. The good news is that God will help you when you ask Him. God can help us have victory over sin and temptation!

So, this week, let us pray that

• God will help you and me stay strong and have victory over temptation and sin
• God will raise up many people to pray that everyone on earth will have the opportunity to accept Christ
• God will protect our staff and volunteers at Global Media Outreach

THANK YOU so much for your prayers. God loves you very much and we are so glad that you are part of our family worldwide. Many hundreds of thousands of people get this prayer letter each week so you are joined together with many brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

May God bless you,

Emotional Outburst

Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”Numbers 20:12

Numbers 20 marked the end of 38 years of wandering since Kadesh Barnea. For the second time, there was no water for the children of Israel. This time, not only did they blame Moses, they started blaming God, “If only we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!” (20:3). What a perverse lot! Actually, they should have already been in the Promised Land a long time ago, if only they themselves had not chosen to stay in the wilderness.

God then instructed Moses to “speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water” (20:8). The rock represented Christ (1 Cor. 10:4). The first time, God told Moses to “strike” the rock (Ex. 17:6). In striking the rock, it signified that Jesus had to be crucified. Christ was stricken, smitten and afflicted so that the waters of life could flow out to a thirsty and dying humanity. But the second time when the Israelites needed water, Moses was to speak to the rock. Now for us, living after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, all that is necessary is for us to speak and life flows. But Moses lost his temper and shouted at the people, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” (Num. 20:10). Likewise, we have no right to taunt, mock or rail at other people because the only thing that makes us different is the grace of God.

However, it can be challenging to control our temper when we are leading such perverse groups. So, we still need to monitor our emotions during times of stress and beware of the dangers of making decisions when we have low emotional reserves. Moses destroyed the prophetic type. By striking the rock twice, it would mean, in effect, that Christ would have to be crucified twice. Yet, notice the greatness of God in the next verse, “Water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank” (20:11). Even though God’s type had been destroyed and God’s servant had failed, God still caused the water to flow out. That was the grace of God despite human failure!

For Moses’ indiscretion and emotional outburst, he was disqualifi ed from entering the Promised Land. Can you see the tremendous tests and standards God has for a leader? With privilege comes great responsibility. Just think of how Moses had served so tirelessly for 40 years. And then he was denied what was most precious to him—entrance into the Promised Land. In the Lord’s eyes, the measure of success is not the outcome of the effort, but the obedience of His servant.

Don't Limit Yourself

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30

In Numbers 13, the children of Israel had come to Kadesh Barnea, the border of the with a bad report, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants; and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Num. 13:32-33).

There are always “giants” in life. The greater the level you soar, the bigger the devil. Paul says that the life of faith is a good fi ght (1 Tim. 6:12). It is “good” because when we put our trust in the Lord, we will win at the end of every bout. But still, to win in life, you must be willing to fight.

There is no greater fear than fear itself. There is a difference between the fear of the Lord and phobia. Godly fear is reverence toward God, the desire to please Him and cautiousness not to displease Him in any way. This is a good fear that leads to wisdom and faith.

On the other hand, a phobia is a crippling and horrifying dread. Phobias lead to worry, anxiety and paranoia. Fear of men, circumstances and evil spirits paralyze you from possessing your dream. God says, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Is. 43:5).

Without faith, the children of Israel spiraled downward into widespread panic and hysteria when they heard about the giants in the Promised Land. The first thought that came to their mind was, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt” (Num. 14:4). Whenever there was trouble, they wanted to go back. They may have gotten out of Egypt, but Egypt had not gotten out of them.

The word “Egypt” in Hebrew means to be hemmed in, or to be limited. The Israelites came out of the harsh bondage of Egypt where their lives, dreams, future and opportunities were severely limited. God broke those shackles of limitations and gave them freedom. But mentally, their thought pattern was still one of doubt and fear. The result? They “limited the Holy One of Israel” (Ps. 78:41). Apart from Joshua and Caleb, that entire generation of doubters didn’t enter the Promised Land.

Faith puts no limit on God, and God puts no limit on faith. Remember, God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20). The moment you succeed in breaking a limitation in your mind, there is no question whatsoever that God can follow through and make that thought a reality in your life.

Making The Difference

And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. Numbers 16:48

In Numbers 16, 250 Israelite leaders joined Korah, Dathan and Abiram in a rebellion against Moses. They were jealous of Moses’ authority and leadership. They wanted equal rights for all the leaders. Personally, Korah wanted a position and ministry that God had not given him.

There is always a tendency to downgrade the pastor in a church. But while the pastor is an elder, not all elders are pastors. You can’t put Moses on the same level as Korah, and you can’t put Korah on the same level as Moses.

This rebellion was a serious attack, not only against Moses, but against God Himself. The earth then opened up and fire came from heaven to consume the 250 leaders. The next day, the sympathizers of the rebels started murmuring against Moses. They felt that Moses and God were too harsh to Korah and the 250 men. By criticizing them, they were in effect saying that they had more compassion than God.

The Lord immediately spoke to Moses, “Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” A plague swept through the people and 14,700 men began falling down dead. Aaron quickly took a censer, and with some fire from the altar, ran into the midst of the people and started making atonement for their wrongdoing. He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped (Num. 16:48-49).

Who was Aaron? He was just one man in the midst of a terrible plague that was killing the multitude. He was an elderly man who was too old to exert himself. He was a man who bore the scars of failure in both ministry and life. Yet, he ran to the altar, caught some fi re and stood between the living and the dead. And where he stood, the plague stopped.

This simple story was the rhema that launched our “Church Without Walls” ministry to the poor and needy in 1995. The essence of Christianity is simply loving God and loving people (Matt. 22:36-40). If you are willing to go to God’s altar, catch the fire of compassion, and stand between the living and the dead in your community, you can stop the ravages of sin and death.

Can one man make a difference? Aaron was a man of limited abilities. He was a man marked with many public failures. But when he caught the fire of compassion, he stood between the living and the dead and made the difference. With God’s compassion in your heart, you too can make a difference in your world.

Criticizing Leadership

Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? Numbers 12:7-8

Jesus says, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house” (Mark 6:4). A leader often has to endure the disparagement of those from his own household, with whom he grew up with. Moses, the greatest prophet in the Old Testament, had to tolerate the criticism of Aaron and Miriam. After the gold calf incident, you would have thought that Aaron learned his lesson. The assistant pastor should have been eternally grateful to the senior pastor for restoring him back to ministry. But this was not so. Here is an account that illustrates the maxim: “Familiarity breeds contempt.”

Aaron and Miriam became a little frustrated that their younger brother Moses seemed to be getting all the respect, submission and favor of the people. To spite him, they criticized Moses for taking a dark-skinned Ethiopian woman to be his wife. Moses simply endured their hurtful remarks with a spirit of meekness. But God heard the taunts. He took it personally when the criticism was uttered against Moses. He decided to come down and deal with Aaron and Miriam Himself. God put them into their proper place by telling them exactly where they stood in the kingdom. Aaron and Miriam received directions from visions and dreams; they were minor prophets. On the other hand, God spoke to Moses face to face; he was a major prophet. As far as God was concerned, Aaron and Miriam had overestimated themselves. They had become overfamiliar with Moses.

Being the chief culprit, Miriam was smitten with leprosy. When Moses saw that, he immediately pled for mercy on her. Can you see the tremendous burden of the ministry upon Moses? As the leader, Moses was the one man who could not fail. He couldn’t crack up. He couldn’t give up. Everyone else could slip up once in a while because Moses was always there to pick up the pieces for them.

A leader can’t walk away. Even when he is personally attacked and betrayed by those closest and dearest to him, he has the responsibility to keep on forgiving and helping them. A leader has the responsibility to see lives through. It takes years to develop anointed and wise leadership. A leader is a pillar in the house of God.

Pray for your pastors today. Support your spiritual leader. Fight for him. Paul says, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” (Heb. 13:17).

The Art Of Soul-Winning

Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Luke 10:2

The most important day for any farmer is the day of harvest. If you are a farmer, you would never lock yourself in your house when the field is already white for harvest. So, in Luke 10, Jesus says, “Go, mix and mingle with the lost, the unchurched.” And He sent out His disciples to do four things:

First of all, we are to bless the lost (Luke 10:5)—even when they look like “wolves”! Why must Jesus specifically instruct us to bless the lost? Because Christians have the tendency to “curse” our neighbors. “Huh, that fat lady, she is drunk again? It will only be a matter of time before her stomach explodes!” “Look at that neighbor of mine, having his wild parties again. What a pervert! He will surely fry in hell!”

Christians can sometimes be so mean-spirited and condescending toward the unsaved that they end up judging and condemning them. To “bless” means to speak well of, to encourage and to praise. Learn to do all these things as you seek to befriend the unchurched.

The second thing that you should do is to fellowship with them (Luke 10:7). Do things together. Become friends. Relate to one another. You don’t have to squeeze in the Four Spiritual Laws each time you meet the lost. Win them over through your friendship.

Some Christians get very nervous about mixing with non-Christians. Jesus did not ask you to condone the lifestyle of the sinners. All He wants is for you to accept people the way they are, without necessarily approving of their lifestyle.

The third thing that you should do is to meet their needs practically (Luke 10:9). Heal the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked and lift up the downtrodden. Boldly step into the dimension of the Holy Spirit and ask God to touch them—especially in the area of healing. Unbelievers have lesser problems with prayer than believers. Their minds are usually not contaminated by wrong, religious theology. They are not going to ask, “Is healing for today?”

When you have blessed the lost, spent time to fellowship with them and met their needs, the fourth thing would naturally happen: preach the gospel to them. Their hearts are now very ready to hear the preaching of the good news. As you fi rst win the lost over with your friendship, you will find it easy to win them to the Lord. Try this four-step method this week.

A Boy And His Lunch

Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. Luke 9:16

The “Feeding of the 5,000″ is the only miracle of Jesus that is recorded in all four Gospels. In that story, Jesus faced some very real problems. There was a very large crowd present that day. If you include the women and children, there could have been anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 people that evening. The people were hungry as they had been out in the middle of the desert all day to hear Jesus preach. Jesus desperately needed a miracle at that moment. From this story, you can find four important keys to experiencing a miracle in your own life.

• Key #1: You must admit that you have a need and you want God’s help. More than 20 times in the New Testament, we are commanded to ask—”Ask, and it shall be given to you”! But many Christians find this difficult. We don’t like to admit our problems. We would rather hide them, cover them up, blame others, or simply pretend that our problems don’t exist. Yet, in our heart of hearts, we usually end up worrying and getting stressed over them.

• Key #2: You have to assess what you already have. Take a reality check: “What have I got? How am I using what I’ve got?” You may feel that what you have is too little, too small, or too insignificant; that it is impossible to meet the need at hand. But God loves to make the impossible possible!

• Key #3: Give God whatever you have. As the Son of God, Jesus could have just rained manna down from heaven. But God always works with what we have. A little boy came forward with his lunch box and said, “Jesus, I have five loaves of bread and two little fish.” Andrew had so little faith in Jesus that he asked, “Lord, how can so little food feed such a great crowd?” (John 6:8-9). What Andrew didn’t understand is that when we give Jesus the available, He will do the impossible. God likes to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. That little boy gave willingly, cheerfully and immediately. God loves a willing, cheerful and immediate giver.

• Key #4: Expect God to multiply it. Everybody ate till their hearts’ content and they had 12 baskets of leftovers. Why 12? Perhaps so that the 12 disciples could each carry one basket back to the little boy’s house and learn their lesson for failing the test of faith. Apply these four simple keys today and see God perform awesome miracles in your life.