Post by Les Brewer on Jun 14, 2013 14:15:55 GMT
What the Bible Says!
The first message Jesus came preaching was Repent! Why is repentance so important in a ministry’s agenda? I’m glad you asked! Because repentance is the beginning of the road to salvation. It was the method of John the Baptist, it was the method of Jesus, and it was the method of the apostles. One is not preaching the full gospel unless they are preaching repentance as the first step, the intermediate step, and concluding step in the ministration of the gospel.
Why is it so important, because when one has a repentant heart, they are continually pleasing to the Lord. Only the haughty of heart find it unnecessary to examine themselves humbly before God and find fault with themselves. We a minister’s message exposes sin, satan, and worldliness it is used to bring conviction. It is used to inspect fruit and to provoke the body of Christ to think about what in their life is not pleasing to the Lord.
(9) (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
(10) trying to learn what is well-pleasing to the Lord.
(11) And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even expose them.
(12) For it is shameful even to speak about the things being done by them in secret,
(13) but all things exposed by the light are made visible,
(14) for everything made visible is light. Therefore it says, Wake up, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
(15) Therefore, consider carefully how you live, not as unwise but as wise,
(16) making the most of the time because the days are evil.
(17) Because of this do not become foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
(18) And do not be drunk with wine (in which is dissipation), but be filled by the Spirit, Ephesians 5:9-18 LEB
Today there is so much positive preaching, the real good feel good kind of preaching that does not prepare Christians for the harsh realities of life. Jesus proclaimed that men will hate the light of the gospel.
(18) He who trusts in Him does not come up for judgment. He who does not trust has already received sentence, because he has not his trust resting on the name of God's only Son.
(19) And this is the test by which men are judged--the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness more than they loved the Light, because their deeds were wicked.
(20) For every wrongdoer hates the light, and does not come to the light, for fear his actions should be exposed and condemned. John 3:18-20 WNT
If we truly love Jesus, we will want to draw closer to Him, through prayer, praise, and being apprised in righteousness, in order to become righteous the word shows us the reality of what is wrong. This is why messages of repentance are so important in bringing people into repentance.
(2) proclaim God's message, be zealous in season and out of season; convince, rebuke, encourage, with the utmost patience as a teacher.
(3) For a time is coming when they will not tolerate wholesome instruction, but, wanting to have their ears tickled, they will find a multitude of teachers to satisfy their own fancies;
(4) and will turn away from listening to the truth and will turn aside to fables.
(5) But as for you, you must exercise habitual self-control, and not live a self-indulgent life, but do the duty of an evangelist and fully discharge the obligations of your office. 2 Timothy 4:2-5 WNT
People want all the promises without any of the practices, they want the privileges without any progress, they want the power without any piety, they want the bounty without any battles. This is what lopsided positive preaching produces. People are gathering to ministers who preach what they want to hear, not what they need to hear. This is why God is separating to himself a holy people, through purging them with the word, with messages that bring conviction. By the way conviction means ( guilty as charged ). Therefore if anyone truly wants to get close to God they will have to leave theirs sins at the altar and be reconciled to the Lord.
The bible clearly teaches us to expose, reprove, and rebuke sins. So when it comes to listening to God or people, I will take God’s word first.
Agape Y’all,
Ray………………………..
The first message Jesus came preaching was Repent! Why is repentance so important in a ministry’s agenda? I’m glad you asked! Because repentance is the beginning of the road to salvation. It was the method of John the Baptist, it was the method of Jesus, and it was the method of the apostles. One is not preaching the full gospel unless they are preaching repentance as the first step, the intermediate step, and concluding step in the ministration of the gospel.
Why is it so important, because when one has a repentant heart, they are continually pleasing to the Lord. Only the haughty of heart find it unnecessary to examine themselves humbly before God and find fault with themselves. We a minister’s message exposes sin, satan, and worldliness it is used to bring conviction. It is used to inspect fruit and to provoke the body of Christ to think about what in their life is not pleasing to the Lord.
(9) (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
(10) trying to learn what is well-pleasing to the Lord.
(11) And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even expose them.
(12) For it is shameful even to speak about the things being done by them in secret,
(13) but all things exposed by the light are made visible,
(14) for everything made visible is light. Therefore it says, Wake up, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
(15) Therefore, consider carefully how you live, not as unwise but as wise,
(16) making the most of the time because the days are evil.
(17) Because of this do not become foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
(18) And do not be drunk with wine (in which is dissipation), but be filled by the Spirit, Ephesians 5:9-18 LEB
Today there is so much positive preaching, the real good feel good kind of preaching that does not prepare Christians for the harsh realities of life. Jesus proclaimed that men will hate the light of the gospel.
(18) He who trusts in Him does not come up for judgment. He who does not trust has already received sentence, because he has not his trust resting on the name of God's only Son.
(19) And this is the test by which men are judged--the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness more than they loved the Light, because their deeds were wicked.
(20) For every wrongdoer hates the light, and does not come to the light, for fear his actions should be exposed and condemned. John 3:18-20 WNT
If we truly love Jesus, we will want to draw closer to Him, through prayer, praise, and being apprised in righteousness, in order to become righteous the word shows us the reality of what is wrong. This is why messages of repentance are so important in bringing people into repentance.
(2) proclaim God's message, be zealous in season and out of season; convince, rebuke, encourage, with the utmost patience as a teacher.
(3) For a time is coming when they will not tolerate wholesome instruction, but, wanting to have their ears tickled, they will find a multitude of teachers to satisfy their own fancies;
(4) and will turn away from listening to the truth and will turn aside to fables.
(5) But as for you, you must exercise habitual self-control, and not live a self-indulgent life, but do the duty of an evangelist and fully discharge the obligations of your office. 2 Timothy 4:2-5 WNT
People want all the promises without any of the practices, they want the privileges without any progress, they want the power without any piety, they want the bounty without any battles. This is what lopsided positive preaching produces. People are gathering to ministers who preach what they want to hear, not what they need to hear. This is why God is separating to himself a holy people, through purging them with the word, with messages that bring conviction. By the way conviction means ( guilty as charged ). Therefore if anyone truly wants to get close to God they will have to leave theirs sins at the altar and be reconciled to the Lord.
The bible clearly teaches us to expose, reprove, and rebuke sins. So when it comes to listening to God or people, I will take God’s word first.
Agape Y’all,
Ray………………………..
