Gtcotr/ss010812
I want to say a special thanks to all of our college students who came home and to Church during the Christmas holiday break. We love you and pray for you continually. I understand that many of you are waiting until after Friday the 13th to return to school so that you can attend our awesome and powerful “Night of Worship”. I agree, it’s going to be great! We love you and bless you in Jesus’ name and trust you to God’s care.
And … while I have you here, let me give you a new assignment for this semester.
Find something that God said to somebody so you will have something worth something to say to others.
I want to encourage everyone to invite a friend and attend Night of Worship this Friday evening beginning at 8. It will be an awesome spiritual experience much like what you would have experienced if you had lived in Jerusalem in King David’s time and they would have had electricity!
Also men … it was great to see so many out at 5:40 this past Thursday morning. Don’t forget what we are meeting each Thursday morning … set you clocks and come on out for “Man talk”, “Man scriptures”, “Man prayer” and afterwards some “Man food”. Why not invite a friend … as we continue, it will become the most powerful 20 minutes of your day!
And you know, I am excited about next Sunday as well …
First: Church On The Rock South in the City of Groves, Texas, will enjoy their first official Sunday Morning service, kicking off the birth of a new congregation, bringing the number of our family of Churches back up to an even dozen – not counting our local and world mission efforts or our Church’s ministry outreaches. Currently our immediate Church family meets at:
1. Church On The Rock North in Beaumont
2. Church On The Rock Vidor, Texas
3. Church On The Rock Bridge City, Texas
4. Rock Church Southeast in Port Arthur, Texas
5. Real Life Family Church On The Rock in Conroe, Texas
6. Turning Point Church On The Rock in Cleburne, Texas
7. Church On The Rock Sour Lake, Texas
8. Cowboy Church On The Rock China, Texas
9. God’s House, Beaumont, Texas
10. Church Online around the globe on the World Wide Web
11. Golden Triangle Church On The Rock here in Mid-County
12. Church On The Rock South in Groves, Texas
I’ll have some more exciting things to share with you the first Sunday in February about some new responsibilities our Church will be embracing this year. God has prepared and positioned us to have a greater influence in his Kingdom. I don’t want to get ahead of what God is doing or let the cat out of the bag too early but suffice it to say that the work you have done both here in Southeast Texas and around the world has not gone un-noticed, neither in heaven nor in the earth. … more about that later.
The second reason I am looking forward to next Sunday, January 15th, is because we will use that Sunday to begin a teaching series on the Ten Commandments. Recently God moved me through prayer and study of His Word to begin developing a foundational spiritual life series based on the New Testament revelation and grace-filled application of the Ten Commandments. Prepare now and make plans to attend these Sunday morning and Wednesday evening teachings. God has something powerful in store for us.
But, that’s next Sunday … what about this morning??? … well let’s begin today by reading a contextual paraphrase of 2 Timothy 4:2-5
Publicly proclaim the word of God. Be prepared, when others want to hear it and even when they don’t. Patiently point out the wrong, challenge people to change, and encourage them with good teaching. For the time has come when many no longer listen to sound and wholesome instructions. They follow their own desires and look for leaders who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They reject the truth and foolishly chase after empty dreams. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of being embarrassed or rejected for being the witness others need. Endure that hardship as you work at telling everyone the Good News and you will accomplish the ministry God has given you.
This year it is God’s will and my hope that you would find at least one individual and purposefully make a spiritual investment in them.
This is nothing short of discipleship, which is our Great Commission.
Matthew 28:18-19 (NKJV)
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Each one of us is responsible to God for advancing His Kingdom in the earth. Every Believer is called to be an Ambassador for Christ. Not one of us is excluded in salvation’s plan – we are not excluded when it comes to our own salvation and we are not excluded when it comes to the salvation of others. What we often lack is a target … and … something meaningful to say.
That’s one reason why earlier I told the college students to:
Find something God said to somebody and you will have something worth something to say to others.
Not only do we need to find something to say but we also need to find someone to say it to. Every Believer needs to acquire a target for the Gospel – a person purposely pointed out to you by the Holy Spirit. Either a God given relationship or a God give responsibility. Just as iron sharpens iron, we have the capacity to sharpen our friends. (Proverbs 27:17)
Paul told Timothy to:
· Patiently point out the wrong
· Challenge to change
· Encourage with good teachings
Don’t be afraid of being embarrassed or rejected for caring and sharing.
Avoid becoming critical or judgmental, don’t condemn or get angry – just be kind and speak the simple truth in the love of God. You don’t have to get on a soapbox and you don’t have to be loud or speak long, but you do need something meaningful to say.
And remember: People will care what you know when first they know you care!
The Apostle Paul had earlier encouraged the Believers in the Church in Thessalonica with much the same word:
But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts … as you know we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:4-12)
· Exhorted – Encourage
· Comforted – Care
· Charged – Urge
I may not be your Father, but I am responsible to speak on His behalf.
So, your Kingdom mission, should you decide to accept it, is to acquire a target before the end of January. This process will begin with a prayer for the Holy Spirit to guide you to the right person, or guide the right person to you, and open a door of opportunity for you to:
· Patiently point out the wrong
· Challenge to change
· Encourage with good teachings
Before you speak – Find something God has said to somebody so you will have something worth something to say.
You will find a whole list of things God has said to others in the Bible. And remember – it’s the Gospel … the Good News … Keep it so!
