November 20
You and your prayer partner have a list of people you are praying for. Your aim is not just to pray but you want to share your hope. That means, at some stage, letting people know, in words, what God has done for you.
Take our passage from this morning and examine one element,
“The principles of God's government and the plan of redemption must be clearly defined”
I’m going to play fast and loose with those words. It is no good us just barging into somebody’s life and giving all of the details of the plan of redemption without setting the scene. At best our interests may well wonder what planet we come from. The advice comes from the Apostle Paul, in Colossians 4 ..
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mysteryof Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wisein the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.”
You have planned your approach, you have prayed, you recognise that you need to use the right language. Your understanding is that you approach the person through his or her needs. What comes next?
I said that I was going to play fast and loose with the reading. I took the words, “The principles of God's government and the plan of redemption must be clearly defined” way out of context.
Let us set them into context. God’s plan of redemption must be clearly defined by Jesus. If we are to explain to our interests the message of redemption we do need to use the words of Christ. We know we have to use Christ’s methods. Now we now that we also have to use Christ’s words.
I have two things for you to note. I asked you to learn a passage of Scripture this week. I hope you have learned it. One way to share Christ’s words with your interests is to use memorised words of Christ. It is good to memorise sections of the Bible. The passage you have learned helps you understand the style of life you need to live.
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
Titus 2:11-14
The second item to note is this. You will be aided in your task. You aren’t alone. God has already promised aid for you,
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
John 14:26
So, take your list of interests, you have planned how to serve their needs. You are reaching the point where your friend may be getting ready to say, “What is it that makes you want to trust God?”
Before that day comes you might as well start thinking of which Bible verses you might use to share your hope. Don’t just leave it to chance. Plan ahead, meet with your prayer partner, find those verses and then memorise them.
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Housekeeping details for you
The point of this short blog will become clear if you decide to use this reading in the way we intend it. Netherfield Seventh-day Adventist Church believes in healthy churches. You can see what that means if you head to the relevant Healthy Churches page of the website. We also want other churches to be healthy. That means you can join in our campaign to create healthy churches, with healthy people serving the people in those churches.
A healthy church is one where Jesus comes first. A healthy church is one where the people work together to put Jesus first. One thing we are doing is to join people together to spread that news. I would like you to look at our prayer partners page. This will explain how we want you to use this short devotional. Very basically we want you to find a like-minded Christian friend who you will join with to : choose to pray together every day, decide together on a way to serve other people together, to help them grow as Christians - and to invite the Holy Spirit into your life every day. This blog that you will receive every day simply gives a common spiritual purpose. If you are a newcomer and want to join the blog with this object in mind click here
From October 21st this site will continue going through 'Desire of Ages' - but begin to advance rather faster than one paragraph at a time.
Our sister site, at the Upper Room, will progress at a rather slower pace - one paragraph at a time. If you want to head to our sister site for the slower trip through an excellent book you will eventually follow a link to the Upper Room. This will start on October 21st.
"When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, . . . to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Gal. 4:4, 5.
The Saviour's coming was foretold in Eden. When Adam and Eve first heard the promise, they looked for its speedy fulfillment. They joyfully welcomed their first-born son, hoping that he might be the Deliverer. But the fulfillment of the promise tarried. Those who first received it died without the sight. From the days of Enoch the promise was repeated through patriarchs and prophets, keeping alive the hope of His appearing, and yet He came not. The prophecy of Daniel revealed the time of His advent, but not all rightly interpreted the message. Century after century passed away; the voices of the prophets ceased. The hand of the oppressor was heavy upon Israel, and many were ready to exclaim, "The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth." Ezek. 12:22.
