Comments on: Commitment and the Cross http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/ A Ministry of Shepherds' Fellowship Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:54:00 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dean http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/comment-page-1/#comment-222536 Dean Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:56:37 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/#comment-222536 Dr. Dave, Thank you brother, actually i have done some of this things a bit, I've distributed tracts, done some witnessing as the opportunity arises (not really that active), my pastor allows me to preach on a regular schedule, its just that there are inconsistencies in my life that made me believe that I am at variance with what little ministries God has entrusted in me (ill temper, prejudicial attitude towards people, too distant from people). All these things convinced me that I am not, as the article put it, a warrior for Christ. And I want to be one, I want to give God the service that He deserves, its just that I'm having a hard time breaking free from these inhibitions which leads me to inaction. I know from observations that if I have to be effective in bringing souls to Christ, I have to be close to people (I'm not a people person). I am also aware of the fact that it is the Holy Spirit that will convert a person to Christ but on the other hand my involvement is also needed for how can they believe in a God that they have not heard? And how can they hear if I don't preach? How can I preach if I am aloof? May God the Holy Spirit give me that strength. Dr. Dave,
Thank you brother, actually i have done some of this things a bit, I’ve distributed tracts, done some witnessing as the opportunity arises (not really that active), my pastor allows me to preach on a regular schedule, its just that there are inconsistencies in my life that made me believe that I am at variance with what little ministries God has entrusted in me (ill temper, prejudicial attitude towards people, too distant from people). All these things convinced me that I am not, as the article put it, a warrior for Christ. And I want to be one, I want to give God the service that He deserves, its just that I’m having a hard time breaking free from these inhibitions which leads me to inaction. I know from observations that if I have to be effective in bringing souls to Christ, I have to be close to people (I’m not a people person). I am also aware of the fact that it is the Holy Spirit that will convert a person to Christ but on the other hand my involvement is also needed for how can they believe in a God that they have not heard? And how can they hear if I don’t preach? How can I preach if I am aloof? May God the Holy Spirit give me that strength.

]]> By: Dr. Dave http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/comment-page-1/#comment-222514 Dr. Dave Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:30:03 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/#comment-222514 Dean, Thanks for being so honest. Here's what to do: Get some LivingWaters.com Gospel tracts (or chick.com or onemilliontracts.com), walk down the street, and offer them to people that walk by. Eventually, learn to engage such people in conversation and give them the Gospel. Jesus promises to be with you in this endeavor --- Matthew 28:18-20. If you start doing this, email me and I'll add you to my prayer list. P.S. I just had the pleasure of doing this today hundreds of times. What a blessing to share God's good news! Dean,

Thanks for being so honest. Here’s what to do: Get some LivingWaters.com Gospel tracts (or chick.com or onemilliontracts.com), walk down the street, and offer them to people that walk by. Eventually, learn to engage such people in conversation and give them the Gospel. Jesus promises to be with you in this endeavor — Matthew 28:18-20. If you start doing this, email me and I’ll add you to my prayer list.

P.S. I just had the pleasure of doing this today hundreds of times. What a blessing to share God’s good news!

]]> By: Dean http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/comment-page-1/#comment-222424 Dean Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:33:29 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/#comment-222424 I'm so ashamed of myself. I am one of the pew potatoes, brothers and sisters please pray for me, I desire not just to talk the talk of faith but rather, to really walk the walk of it. In Christ Dean I’m so ashamed of myself. I am one of the pew potatoes, brothers and sisters please pray for me, I desire not just to talk the talk of faith but rather, to really walk the walk of it.
In Christ
Dean

]]> By: Cliff http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/comment-page-1/#comment-222272 Cliff Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:13:32 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/#comment-222272 Hi Rich, I can't wait for the next blog post. Lately, I have been convicted by the definition of what it means to be a Christian? Do I have conviction and the passion to the share the Gospel and willing to give up everything I got? Hi Rich,

I can’t wait for the next blog post. Lately, I have been convicted by the definition of what it means to be a Christian? Do I have conviction and the passion to the share the Gospel and willing to give up everything I got?

]]> By: TL http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/comment-page-1/#comment-222156 TL Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:34:49 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/#comment-222156 Too true. Too true! Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Created to do, not just to be. Thanks, Rich for a great article! Too true. Too true! Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Created to do, not just to be.

Thanks, Rich for a great article!

]]> By: William du Plooy http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/comment-page-1/#comment-222080 William du Plooy Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:42:27 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/#comment-222080 Having had the misfortune of witnessing a "downgrade" toward ecumenical social friendship "evangelism" in a Church we where before, it has become very apparent to us that the Gospel is foolishness and a stumbling block; and Christ a Rock of Offence, unfrtunately even in the Church!!! Missionaries are falling prey to a culture instead of standing up confronting it and people are DYING in their SINS eternally as we speak... (I hope these statements shock you; as they do me...for it is true here in the United Kingdom) The Church seems to forget in its lethargy that it is to stand out from it's surrounding culture of comfort and to "preach Christ crusified" simply and plainly, speaking the truth in love...As Pastors have rightly said in the past and present: "Speaking as DYING MEN to a DYING PEOPLE!" Indeed where is our love for the spiritually dead if we shut up our mouths for "COMFORTABLE FRIENDSHIP" "evangelism opportunities, which they await the spiritually dead to bring up in coversation!? To the point, can you really love a spiritually dead person by WITHOLDING the Gospel of Merciful Grace? I pereceive this a vile evil and a spirit of hate and selfish comfort.... If we TRULY LOVE the LORD Jesus and those who are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins; as we once where; WE WILL SHOW OUR FAITH by our SPIRIT filled WORKS (James, the works of the Gospel of grace which is alone in Christ Jesus as the Way, Truth and Life. I like the current spiritual death of the Church to a form of Hyper-"calvinism" which is full of pride and seeks to withold the Truth which can and will set the captives free, if a preacher would be found faithful in life, word and deed. May we along with our Reformer brothers of old seek to share the Gospel in the "tongue of the people"; never seeking to deminish or distrust the LORD in His work of Salvation by our preaching thereof. (1 Corithians 1 & 2 and Ezekiel 3 & 18) Be watchemen approved of the LORD seeking to speak the truth in love never forsaking one for the other and NEVER waiting for an opportunity, but seeking to make the opportunity to share Christ crusified for our sins, that we may receive the righteousness of Him who gave it freely as a gift to such vile sinners us we once where andby nature are. Sola Scriptura. Sola Christus. Sola Gratia. Sola Fide. Soli Deo Gloria! For the love of our LORD and Redeemer; the lost and the brotherhood. Having had the misfortune of witnessing a “downgrade” toward ecumenical social friendship “evangelism” in a Church we where before, it has become very apparent to us that the Gospel is foolishness and a stumbling block; and Christ a Rock of Offence, unfrtunately even in the Church!!!
Missionaries are falling prey to a culture instead of standing up confronting it and people are DYING in their SINS eternally as we speak…
(I hope these statements shock you; as they do me…for it is true here in the United Kingdom)

The Church seems to forget in its lethargy that it is to stand out from it’s surrounding culture of comfort and to “preach Christ crusified” simply and plainly, speaking the truth in love…As Pastors have rightly said in the past and present: “Speaking as DYING MEN to a DYING PEOPLE!”

Indeed where is our love for the spiritually dead if we shut up our mouths for “COMFORTABLE FRIENDSHIP” “evangelism opportunities, which they await the spiritually dead to bring up in coversation!?

To the point, can you really love a spiritually dead person by WITHOLDING the Gospel of Merciful Grace? I pereceive this a vile evil and a spirit of hate and selfish comfort…. If we TRULY LOVE the LORD Jesus and those who are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins; as we once where; WE WILL SHOW OUR FAITH by our SPIRIT filled WORKS (James, the works of the Gospel of grace which is alone in Christ Jesus as the Way, Truth and Life.

I like the current spiritual death of the Church to a form of Hyper-”calvinism” which is full of pride and seeks to withold the Truth which can and will set the captives free, if a preacher would be found faithful in life, word and deed. May we along with our Reformer brothers of old seek to share the Gospel in the “tongue of the people”; never seeking to deminish or distrust the LORD in His work of Salvation by our preaching thereof. (1 Corithians 1 & 2 and Ezekiel 3 & 18)
Be watchemen approved of the LORD seeking to speak the truth in love never forsaking one for the other and NEVER waiting for an opportunity, but seeking to make the opportunity to share Christ crusified for our sins, that we may receive the righteousness of Him who gave it freely as a gift to such vile sinners us we once where andby nature are.

Sola Scriptura. Sola Christus. Sola Gratia. Sola Fide. Soli Deo Gloria!

For the love of our LORD and Redeemer; the lost and the brotherhood.

]]> By: MST http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/comment-page-1/#comment-222016 MST Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:09:37 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/#comment-222016 How true. Here are some of the causes of this that I see. 1. The seeker sensitive group and it's milk fed congregations. 2. Way to many internal ministries that keep people in the church. People come to committed to a building. 3.Missions, they can be done wrong. It is ok to go to other places in the world but it's wrong when you come back to your home church and do nothing in your community. 4. Due to weak teaching or false conversions a complete lack of trust in the sufficiency in Christ. How true.

Here are some of the causes of this that I see.

1. The seeker sensitive group and it’s milk fed congregations.
2. Way to many internal ministries that keep people in the church. People come to committed to a building.
3.Missions, they can be done wrong. It is ok to go to other places in the world but it’s wrong when you come back to your home church and do nothing in your community.
4. Due to weak teaching or false conversions a complete lack of trust in the sufficiency in Christ.

]]> By: Pat Kruse http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/comment-page-1/#comment-221993 Pat Kruse Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:39:45 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/09/09/commitment-and-the-cross/#comment-221993 Lord, help us to be humbled, convicted, obedient! In the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen! Lord, help us to be humbled, convicted, obedient!

In the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen!

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