Lifestyle Evangelism

There are certainly many references in the Bible to evangelism such as John 4:35-38 and First Corinthians 3:5-9 or the most popular Biblical example towards the end of Matthew 28 where Jesus told his followers "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."

However, the means in which to tell other nations about The Lord and teach of the Bible was not specified. One of the more recent popular terms and practices is 'Lifestyle Evangelism' which simply means other ways of spreading the word of the Bible and Jesus (i.e., those of us who are not Ministers or who otherwise are looking for ways of spreading Christianity without necessarily preaching). So it could be interpreted as non-verbal means of spreading God's word by having others seeking to follow your ways (i.e., your lifestyle). Rather than pro-active means, Lifestyle Evangelism can mean reactive means of starting a conversation about Jesus, like wearing a Christian tee shirt certainly can be a conversation starter and lead to a discussion.

There are some who debate whether anything short of preaching or verbal evangelizing is really following God's word, but I think Matthew 28 is the best example in that it doesn't specify the MEANS in which to spread the word to other nations - it just says go out and spread the word.

Not everyone is the Type A personality that can start a conversation with anyone. Others need an ice-breaker and this has been for many the hardest part of fulfilling your need as a Christian to practice evangelism. So for many Christians, Lifestyle Evangelism can fulfill that desire to fulfill Jesus' statement in Matthew 28 by doing rather than by preaching. If others see that you're living a great life, doing good unto others, committing to family, friends, neighbors, people in need, then others will want to ask how you got there, and that's your ice-breaker to start a conversation. No you don't have to start that first discussion with reciting any Biblical text, but as you get to know the person, your beliefs and lifestyle will surely come out. Not by preaching, but in the things you do.

If you would like more about Lifestyle evangelism, we have an entire Blog on our website devoted to this topic and it's fun to see what ideas others have on this topic.

Bryan K. Johnson is the President and Owner of BlueHeavenTees.com

Blue Heaven Tees offers innovative and unique Christian Tee Shirts, Christian Hoodies and Sweatshirts and other great Christian gift ideas. Check out our new fall line now in stock!

http://www.BlueHeavenTees.com

Key Steps For Christian Leadership

Every religion thrives on a system of leaders and followers. All the religions in the world; at least all the major ones, have always had leaders who have inspired and motivated others to become followers. This system is critical also to the proliferation and spread of a religion. Religious ideas need to be propagated; non-believers need to be converted into believers; the masses need to be informed and motivated, and enlightened about the basic tenets of the religion concerned. And all these can be perpetrated by a leader.

The same applies for Christianity too. However, with a visible reduction in our ecclesiastical activities, owing largely to the busy pace of modern life and a general growing number of distractions of all kinds, one might question the possibility of having such inspiring leadership around. To make matters worse, skeptics might also question the quality or availability of followership. The real question is, is there any appreciable number of people available to hear a leader speak, to get motivated, inspired or moved. The answer actually lies in our ability to look at the right places for such leaders.

The Internet has become an inseparable part of our lives today. Men and women in every part of the civilized world have started to spend more time online. The nature of modern work is such that it demands more time to be spent with computers. As such, it is leaving us with very little time for such activities as going to Church or attending religious seminars or conventions in our locality. However, the modern day Christian has managed to maintain a 'digital' touch with God by incorporating his religion into his work. Let me explain.

There is no dearth of Christian groups or communities, as they are often referred to as, on the various social media websites thronging the Internet today. These are regularly frequented by Christian from all over the world where they share their views on the subject, meet new like-minded people, hold discussions and do plenty more. To add to this, one would find many a Christian blog where one can exchange religious ideas in copious amounts. Indeed, there's a lot of Christian activity going on in the Internet today. And it is herein that one should look for leadership.

I webmaster of http://www.true2ourselves.com a Christian community website that features the Christian friends,Christian groups, Christian news, church jobs and group of ministers belonging to different faith that share their wisdom.

Watching for Jesus

There is evidence in the Book of Revelation, 16:15 to be exact, that the current theory of "imminence" may be a little out of order. In the midst of the worst of the Tribulation days, sores, blood, scorching, darkness, Jesus speaks to His own,(who really are still there!) : I am coming as a thief! Watch! stay righteous before Me. Don't give up now! Here is a context just before Jesus' final return, all will agree. But the

"thief" message is still being given! The warning to "watch" is still there, even though it is clear He will now come at any minute, and very soon.

Let the doctrine of imminence be believed in the light Jesus has given us. No matter how much we know or don't know, we are told to watch! "Watching" and knowing when He is coming do not cancel each other. We are not watching with fear and ignorance, but watching with knowledge and expectation.

Upon our return from a recent trip to Mexico, we were told that within a couple of weeks our Mexican friends who actually live in the States, citizens, would be coming back to America also. Since we love them dearly and enjoy their fellowship, we started "watching" for their coming. We weren't told the exact day of their arrival, for they did not know when it would be. But we knew that some day soon they would arrive. We knew some things had to happen first. They had to purchase bus tickets. They had to go to the bus station. They had to make the long trip. But we were anticipating their arrival, living with it mentally every day.

That's how it works. Antichrist rises, and we know that within a few years Jesus will come. Are we watching any less? Oh my no! The anticipation and excitement grows as we see prophecy so dramatically fulfilled. Those who say that such specific knowledge of the time of His coming would cause us to stop watching are speaking only of wicked servants, spoken of by the Master in Matthew 24:48ff:

" But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants..."

No brothers, we are not in such darkness as this. We will know when He is coming, and we will be rejoicing until the end, knowing that His return is what our life is about.

One final line of thinking about "imminence": Both Peter and Paul knew that the Lord could not come at "just any moment." How? Jesus told Peter he would live to be an old man and die to glorify God, in John 21:18-19. Later Jesus told Peter that soon he was about to die, thus Jesus would not be coming at least until after that death (II Peter 1:14). Paul knew he was a chosen vessel who would stand before Gentiles and kings (Acts 9:15). It is not likely that they wore lapel pins announcing "perhaps today" , but their hope in His return was rock solid nonetheless, and a source of constant comfort and joy.

Bottom line, we look forward to seeing Jesus at any moment, for we know not when He will call us home. Beyond that we search the Scriptures daily to discern the times we are in, and see if we are close or not close. Whatever we find, we keep our eyes toward Heaven, knowing it is the meeting, and not the time, that matters. But to glibly make statements that Jesus never asked us to make and to believe things He never asked us to believe can only be detrimental to us and those who hear us. Let's get our revelations from the Word, and not from popular books and movies!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

North Korea - A Second Quiz

North Korea's a pretty isolated place, but there are still quite a few things we know. Try these:

1. How big is the North Korean army?

2. How many Koreans have risked imprisonment and death by fleeing from this Communist "Paradise" ?

3. What percent of North Korea is mountainous?

4. What percent of NK's 18,000 miles of roads is paved?

5. What religion dominated the land before Christianity/atheism?

6. How long has Kim Jong Il reigned?

7. Is there any prosperity in North Korea?

8. What was Korea's name before it was called Korea?

9. Just how far back does Korean history go?

10. What is Korea's most famous food?

Answers:

1. Perhaps one million? It is the 4th or 5th largest in the world. It is the reason Korea can continue to wreak havoc on its people. It is the reason for the widespread starvation. It is the reason the man in the middle can turn an angry face to the West and spurn the world's warnings. Let us pray for the Lord of armies to do what only He is able to do...

2. Upwards to 50,000 are now living in Northeast China. Many others have fled to South Korea, Mongolia, other parts of China, even the United States.

3. 80. A truly rugged land.

4. 10

5. Buddhism (later overtaken by "non-religion" Confucianism)

6. Too long. Since 1994. But the Lord of all Lords knows what is going on and will rise up...

7. Yes. Obviously the government and the military show the world a face of fatness. The farther a visitor is able to travel from Pyongyang, the more the tragedy of North Korea is revealed. 8. For one thousand years prior to this era it was known as "Choson", the land of "morning calm." 9. Up to 5,000 years, but much of that is blended in with mythology. Fabled figure "Tangun" was said to have set up Korea's first dynasty sometime between Noah's flood and the days of Abraham. (2333 B.C.)

10. Kimchi. Spicy cabbage. Very hot.

Loving our neighbors involves knowing them. Please continue to pray for these descendants of the morning calm who long for the calm of morning to dawn on them. Oh may Christ be once more lifted up in this land!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

The Woman, The Children, and The Dragon

The Book of Revelation, product of the Spirit working in the apostle called John, is more manageable than you might think, once you get serious about deciphering its codes.

In the midst of all the serial action, the series of seals, the series of trumpets, the series of bowls, there are snapshots of characters and situations that the Spirit wants you to see. One of the most memorable pictures is in the 12th chapter. There one finds a woman, a child, then more children, all of which are threatened by a 7-headed dragon. I'm usually a literalist, but the Spirit Himself tells me not to be in this chapter, and even gives me identities of most characters.

The woman (1-2) at first glance seems to be Mary. Who else could have given birth to a male child that would rule all nations (5)? Hold that question until you read verse 6 and verses 13-17. There, the very same woman is airlifted to a secret destination where she is protected from the dragon's wrath for three and one half years.

The three and a half years in Revelation is the time of tribulation. Sometimes the number is 42 months. Sometimes "a time, times, and half a time." Sometimes 1260 days. But the time period is the same. I personally believe that the entire story of earth's destruction bit by bit , Revelation 4-19, takes place in three and one half years. Seals, trumpets, bowls, everything.

Well, Jesus' mother was not whisked away into a wilderness. That picture is reserved for another entity of Scripture. God promises Israel in Hosea 2 that He will "allure her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her..." I believe that it is at this juncture of history, the Tribulation, that God calls a remnant of Jews, 144,000 to be exact, and personally appears to them and saves and forgives them.

Israel goes to the wilderness, therefore Israel must be the woman who brings forth the child Jesus into the world. Yes, a woman that is sun and moon and 12 stars can only be the same thing Joseph of Genesis saw in his dream: the people of God.

The woman has other children. The nation of Israel, approached by the Son of God in the first century, by and large rejected the message. But the first disciples and the first churches and the Scriptures and the Messiah Himself: all Jewish. All Israel. Truly, "Father Abraham had many sons..."

So a woman has some children. One is caught up to Heaven. The others are chased by the dragon. And the woman herself is protected from further harm. The only unidentified creature now is the dragon himself. But that one is taken care of by the text. He is identified as the old serpent, as in the Garden, the Devil or evil one, and Satan or the enemy.

Yet even here, in dragon form, we know he does his work through humans. That Devil-filled king called Herod is alluded to as the one who sought to devour Jesus as soon as He was born. Later in the text the same dragon will be using, we know from other texts, the antichrist.

The context of the chapter is war in Heaven. This is a war that Satan loses. He is stripped of his heavenly credentials and dumped on Earth, angry as anyone has ever been. At this very juncture, the similarly angry man of sin who has been waiting all these centuries to be released, leaves the pit. The restrainer lets go. The captive rises and is inhabited by the fallen angel himself.

He is especially violent against the woman and any of her seed, as they represent the thwarting of his attempt to gain again world domination. He has lived in anger during the centuries as he was stopped in his quest and humiliated before Heaven. No more of this. He knows his time is short, and he begins conquering immediately. All Christians must go. Jews he pursues first, but the elect are carried away from his reach, as we saw earlier.

One intriguing bit of information is hidden in verses 15 and 16. The enemy will somehow unleash a flood to destroy the hiding Jews. But a natural phenomenon will keep the flood from having any effect.

Some have said this is a flood of lies or a flood of people as in Jeremiah. But there is a sense of factual truth to it.For John is not alone in predicting a flood. Daniel says (9:26) that one of the end marks of the destruction of Israel in the last days shall be a flood. Amos 8:8 and 9:5 predict a time when flooding as in the Nile River will affect God's people. The place of hiding hinted at by one prophet is the Valley of Achor, surely a geographical spot prone to flooding.

So we have the final condition of Israel and the Church. Some of it is no different than today. Israel is hated worldwide. True Christians - the ones who preach sin, and judgment, Christ the only Way, Truth and Life - those kinds of Christians, are also despised. Those who despise them are exposed as Satan-inspired in Revelation 12.

Can you imagine a world where knowing Christ will bring instant death? To see it in your mind's eye, a quick look at places like North Korea today will help bring things into focus. God have mercy on His people. Their greatest trials and their greatest victories are still ahead.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

The Trinity

The Trinity of Scripture is a controversial subject among many in the Christian Community. I would estimate that (90% of the Christian Community believes in the Trinity.)

What is the Trinity? The Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost(Spirit). We all know about the Father and The Son. So lets look at The Holy Ghost. The Bible calls Him by many different names, 1. The Holy Ghost. The Bible in the New Testament, list the Name of Holy Ghost 89 times, starting with, Matthew 1:18 and ending with, Jude 1:20
2. The Holy Spirit. 10 times beginning with, Luke 11:13 and ending with, 1Thessalonians 4:8.
3. The Spirit of truth. 4 times, John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13 and 1John 4:6. 4. The Comforter. 3 Times John 14:26, 15:26 and 16:7.

This is not to say that other examples are not listed but these others are spiritually discerned. The Most controversial scripture in the Bible concerning the Trinity is found in, Matthew 28:19, Jesus commanded the disciples to; Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

In this verse above all others, are the four words that has brought about this controversy; in the name of Many teach that there is not a Trinity because of these four words. They believe that these words signify a separation of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

I reject this teaching because of the multitudes of other verses that concur with the Trinity. What many don't understand is that The Holy Ghost(i.e. Spirit) is the Spirit of God. So how can God be separate from His own Spirit. Jesus gave us the answer to this when He stated in Matthew 10:20, For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. This spirit that He spoke of was the Holy Spirit, The Spirit of your Father.

1Th 4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit. Jesus stated that He was in the Father and the Father was in Him and He and the Father were one, so How being that Jesus and the Father being one disavows the Holy Spirit being one also with Jesus and the Father, making up the Trinity?
We as human beings cannot separate our spirit from ourselves for the spirit within us is who we are. The Body is dead without the spirit. So there fore, God cannot be without His spirit, for God is spirit.
Lets look at Numbers 6:26, The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Countenance is; to give assurance or courage to; to support; to aid by favor; to prevent from shame or dismay, to support; to encourage; to abet; to vindicate; by any means. Literally, the contents of a body; the outline and extent which constitutes the whole figure or external appearance. Appropriately, the human face; the whole form of the face, or system of features; visage. This is only done thru the Baptism in The Holy Ghost. As Jesus promised in,
1. John 14:16 Tells us that the Comforter, abides with you for ever.Denoting the Holy Ghost.
2. John 14:26 Tells us that the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost Replaced Jesus as the director of all truths in Scripture and in life., Who reminds us of all things Jesus taught.
3. John 15:26 Tells us that the Comforter proceeds (Comes From) from the Father(God), he(A Person) shall testify(To affirm or declare solemnly for the purpose of establishing a fact. To bear witness to; to support the truth of by testimony.) of me(Jesus):
4. Acts 8:15-17 Tells us how the Spirit of God is Received by the laying on of Hands. Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
(Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.)5. Gal 3:1-4 Tells us that the Spirit of God is received by Faith and not works. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
Acts 8:15-17 is showing us that the third part of the Trinity is vital to the salvation of man after the Baptism. We are indowed with three diferent spirits,
1. Our Soul Spirit.(Who we are.)
2. The Spirit of Christ(We have the Mind of Christ.) and
3. The Holy Spirit.(Ghost.Who takes controll of our Physical man and keeps him under bonds to Christ.)

Act 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: Act 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. So as far as an excuse to use Matthew 28:19, to say that there is no trinity, we see by compareing scripture with scripture we can prove that there is and always was and will be a Holy Trinity.

(Refs. Mat-3:16, Mat-3:17; Gen-1:26; Num-6:24-27; Isa-48:16; 1Co-12:4-6; 2Co-13:14; Eph-2:18; 1Jo-5:7; Rev-1:4-6. end part 1. Part 2 will deal with, The Unholy Trinity.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Daniel And End-Time Math

What is the specific order of events for the end of all things? The disciples wanted to know this, and we do too. Let's do the math and see if we can get some insights into this problem. Turn to Daniel 9.

First we learn that a period of seventy "sevens" , divided into three separate time categories, will complete all Jewish history. The Hebrew word translated "weeks" simply means a period of seven units of time. The year is the only unit that makes sense of the prophecy. So seventy periods of seven years each, or 490 years, is the full amount of time with which we have to work. We understand that these 490 years are not consecutive, but contain a major interruption of history, in which we live even now.

Next we discover what exactly must happen during those 490 years.

1. Sin will be dealt a death blow via Messiah's death and His return to create a perfect Satan-bound world. Sin will be judged, then eradicated.

2. Every prophecy related to Judaism, given by the prophets, will be fulfilled.

3. The "Most Holy" will be anointed. Does this refer to the baptismal scene of Jesus, where the Spirit descended on Jesus? Or is this Psalm 45:7, where God anoints Jesus as ruler over all the earth? No matter. Both events occur in the 490 years.

4. Everlasting righteousness will be brought in, that is, the Millennial-Eternal reign of Christ begins.

That's a tall order for only 490 years. Some of it has already happened.

Next, having stated what will happen, he spells out when the time period will begin. The announcement that Jews are going back to Jerusalem to dwell in their own land is seen as the signal for Jewish history to continue and begin its final round. This announcement is given twice in Scripture: II Chronicles 36:22-23 and on the next page of your Bible, Ezra 1:1-4. We are told there was historically another announcement given and that there are different ways of counting, but the vast majority of those who have studied this prophecy agree that from this moment in time, whenever it precisely occurred, until the Messiah, was 483 years.

Why 483 and not 490? The prophecy states that there will be two divisions of time between the announcement and the Messiah's death (Daniel uses the term "cut off"). First, a forty-nine year period of rebuilding, followed by a 434 year period leading up to the Christ's work. 49 + 434 = 483.

In my thinking these first two verses, and these first two periods of time, are very straightforward and seem to be consecutive. Christians have rejoiced in this passage for centuries as it was so succinct and clear that the Holy Spirit was telling us exactly when Messiah would come the first time! Yet, one reflects, the world knew Him not, though this simple math, added to the prophecy about Bethlehem, and many more were there for the reading.

So it shall be in the last days. Though Bibles and books and booklets will abound telling people exactly when and where to look for antichrist and Christ, the world and the professing church will ignore them, in pursuit of feel-good religion and the worries of this life.

Though verses 24-25 are easily grasped, 26 and 27 cannot be tackled so quickly. Perhaps they, along with all passages on this topic have been deliberately "muddied" , to insure they are hidden until the right time. I confess I still have questions here and elsewhere in this study. I share with you the things of which I am certain. Others will certainly pick up the rest when it is time.

After the second time period of 434 years, Messiah is killed. "But not for Himself!" Don't you love the way the Spirit injects this sad but wonderful truth in the midst of a preview of history? Now is this immediately after? Some time after? And the destruction of Jerusalem foretold in verse 26, is it the one that indeed occurred after Jesus, or the one we have already seen coming at the end?

Here I can only give my opinion. I believe that consistency to the text and all the other similar texts in Daniel demands that we place this portion of the prophecy in the end time. For in verse 27 that follows there is no question that the war mentioned must be at the end.

Nevertheless, I am not in denial that Rome did destroy Jerusalem shortly after Jesus was crucified, that temple worship stopped, that the city was surrounded, that Jews fled... much of this will be repeated in the last days, and lead to Christ's return.

So the math isn't that bad after all. The "announcement" + 483 years = Jesus' first coming + the present "interruption" + seven more years = Jesus' second coming. Now I did not discuss that extra seven years, but that will have to be saved for another article.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.