April 26th 2015
What Is The Second Most Important Thing You Must Do In This lifetime?
1Corinthians 13:12-13 (NIV)
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
It is easy to say I would die for Jesus, but would you really? Let me challenge you today. If you would die for Jesus, will you live for Jesus? If we really love the Lord as we claim, then He should be the top priority in our life. Christ should be such a burning passion in our heart that we should be actively involved in trying to help everyone we know come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
There are people all around this world who have chosen to die for Jesus, today! As I write this commentary in the safety of my home, there is no real danger of someone storming in and grabbing my computer, and me, and hauling me off to prison, and maybe shortly following a sentence of death. In some countries today, there would not even be a trial; I would just be executed shortly after my apprehension! Why do I write such a somber report of the world in which we live? I wonder how long it may be until such a grim report may be written about this once great free country.
You may now be wondering how such a change could happen to this country. Then, hopefully, your next question is, what can I do about this situation? I believe love is the answer to both of these questions. No, not love of our country, though this is very important to maintaining our secular freedom. However, true freedom is not a secular outcome! We all have the freedom to accept whatever we want to believe, however, we must be careful where and to whom we profess our belief! Currently, in this country, usually our profession of a belief may only cause you to be ridiculed. In some places around this world, it may cause a person to be harmed, or even killed. In such places the old children’s saying is not true, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me!” Just being excluded from some group can be mentally hurtful, so this old saying may have never been true.
It always amazes me when I hear someone claim to be a Christian, but they do not attend a church of their choice on a regular basis. Some will say they feel closer to Jesus, when they are outside in a forest than when they are in a church. If a person chooses not to go to church to worship God, I’m not convinced that they have been born again! When Jesus was living on this earth He attended worship services on a regular basis, how could His followers do less? He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place (Isaiah 61:1-2a) where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." (Luke 4:16-19) Jesus had a custom of attending church! Do you?
In the above verses not only do we see Jesus attending church on the Sabbath, but we hear Him proclaim that He is called "to preach good news to the poor". I do not believe Jesus was talking just about people who are poor in earthly things, but I believe He was also telling His disciples to preach the good news to those who are poor in heavenly things. In fact, I believe He was likely talking more about those who lacked heavenly rewards. What do you think?
We have been commanded by Jesus to tell the good news to the whole world. He told us this, as he was leaving this earth to go back with His, and our, Heavenly Father. Therefore, Jesus’ last comment, or command, was directed to His disciples to tell the good news! When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:17-20)
It is true that you cannot tell the good news to the whole world, but it also true that anyone you tell, and they are convicted by the Holy Spirit, they will be saved! When Jesus left this earth He left the Holy Spirit behind with us, so why not try to keep The Spirit busy convicting souls. This is the second most important thing you have to do on his earth. The first thing you must do is save you own soul! When that is accomplished the second one will become the most important thing for you to do!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
1Corinthians 13:12-13 (NIV)
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
It is easy to say I would die for Jesus, but would you really? Let me challenge you today. If you would die for Jesus, will you live for Jesus? If we really love the Lord as we claim, then He should be the top priority in our life. Christ should be such a burning passion in our heart that we should be actively involved in trying to help everyone we know come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
There are people all around this world who have chosen to die for Jesus, today! As I write this commentary in the safety of my home, there is no real danger of someone storming in and grabbing my computer, and me, and hauling me off to prison, and maybe shortly following a sentence of death. In some countries today, there would not even be a trial; I would just be executed shortly after my apprehension! Why do I write such a somber report of the world in which we live? I wonder how long it may be until such a grim report may be written about this once great free country.
You may now be wondering how such a change could happen to this country. Then, hopefully, your next question is, what can I do about this situation? I believe love is the answer to both of these questions. No, not love of our country, though this is very important to maintaining our secular freedom. However, true freedom is not a secular outcome! We all have the freedom to accept whatever we want to believe, however, we must be careful where and to whom we profess our belief! Currently, in this country, usually our profession of a belief may only cause you to be ridiculed. In some places around this world, it may cause a person to be harmed, or even killed. In such places the old children’s saying is not true, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me!” Just being excluded from some group can be mentally hurtful, so this old saying may have never been true.
It always amazes me when I hear someone claim to be a Christian, but they do not attend a church of their choice on a regular basis. Some will say they feel closer to Jesus, when they are outside in a forest than when they are in a church. If a person chooses not to go to church to worship God, I’m not convinced that they have been born again! When Jesus was living on this earth He attended worship services on a regular basis, how could His followers do less? He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place (Isaiah 61:1-2a) where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." (Luke 4:16-19) Jesus had a custom of attending church! Do you?
In the above verses not only do we see Jesus attending church on the Sabbath, but we hear Him proclaim that He is called "to preach good news to the poor". I do not believe Jesus was talking just about people who are poor in earthly things, but I believe He was also telling His disciples to preach the good news to those who are poor in heavenly things. In fact, I believe He was likely talking more about those who lacked heavenly rewards. What do you think?
We have been commanded by Jesus to tell the good news to the whole world. He told us this, as he was leaving this earth to go back with His, and our, Heavenly Father. Therefore, Jesus’ last comment, or command, was directed to His disciples to tell the good news! When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:17-20)
It is true that you cannot tell the good news to the whole world, but it also true that anyone you tell, and they are convicted by the Holy Spirit, they will be saved! When Jesus left this earth He left the Holy Spirit behind with us, so why not try to keep The Spirit busy convicting souls. This is the second most important thing you have to do on his earth. The first thing you must do is save you own soul! When that is accomplished the second one will become the most important thing for you to do!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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