THE SOLUTION

THE SOLUTION

*TRENDS IN ANNUAL GROWTH OF ADHERENCE
1970-1985	1990-2000	2000-2005
3.65% - Bahá'í Faith	2.65% - Zoroastrianism	1.84% - Islam
2.74% - Islam	2.28% - Bahá'í Faith	1.70% - Bahá'í Faith
2.34% - Hinduism	2.13% - Islam	1.62% - Sikhism
1.67% - Buddhism	1.87% - Sikhism	1.57% - Hinduism
1.64% - Christianity	1.69% - Hinduism	1.32% - Christianity
1.09% - Judaism	1.36% - Christianity
	1.09% - Buddhism
The annual growth in the world population over the same period is 1.41%.

*Christian Encyclopaedia

Mark 4:16-19 ¹⁶ "In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;
¹⁷ and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.
¹⁸ "And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,
¹⁹ but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

The cares, worries, concerns of this world choke out the word! I never saw the “cares” as being those things that really cause us concern around the world. Some of the things i have just delineated. Concern for these things will ultimately choke out the word, unless they are carried on the wings of the word. If we are moved by concern and not by faith (the word), then we will not be moved by God-love, but rather human sympathy! You can give all you possess to the poor, but if you don’t have love, it’s nothing! And that’s Satan’s scheme. He wants to entice you with good things so that you come to nothing. Not all of us can answer the needs of this planet; not all of us have the resources to answer all the needs. But one thing is for sure – we can all preach, and it costs you nothing except your pride! No one is going to persecute you for doing good. But if you preach the word, you will be persecuted – so says verse 17 above. Assissi’s “Preach the word, and If necessary say something” is not only unbiblical, but is a mentality that has caused the decline of the Christian faith around the world. Love must impel us. Our love mission to this world is to preach the gospel. That’s the highest level of love. God so loved that he sent the Word, not relief work, even tho the Word will bring relief!

We are moved by the trauma of millions who are starving; we are moved by the tragedy of AIDS and orphans; we are moved by the devastation of poverty. And yet none of these concerns are biblically allayed unless they come out of first preaching the gospel, holding the preaching as first, and allowing love to shape our compassionate response.

If it is cataclysmic to see 30% of our women infected with AIDS, how much more cataclysmic is it to watch 70% of our nation going to hell because they have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and forgiver? You can die in AIDS here, and that’s a tragedy; but you can live in death and torment for eternity in a place where the flames do not cease. Which is the weightier issue? Must the one be done while the other is neglected? No. Both must be done, but the believer must first share his faith.

If it is cataclysmic that 66% of our children are in poverty, defined as less than R380pm, then how much more cataclysmic is it to see those children die of hunger without Jesus Christ? You can fill a tummy with food today, and that’s good, or you can fill a heart with Jesus, and I promise you, based on Luke 16, those who have died in poverty, will live forever in such transcendent comfort, that the pains of this life will never be remembered.

It’s just that doing good things is easier for the believer than preaching. It is. That’s why we are commissioned by Jesus to go into all the world and PREACH the gospel to every creature.

What is numbing us? Why don’t our eyes swim with compassion at the realisation of people going to hell, like they do when we hear about starvation, sickness, plague, disease? I don’t think we completely believe what Jesus said about the afterlife. If we did we would change the mode of our lives right now. We wouldn’t work so hard to get our identity out of a strong work ethic; we wouldn’t spend so much time with our families to get our identity out of having a strong family; we wouldn’t recreate and be lovers of pleasure so much, etc. No. We would make sure that every person we ever met would be met with Jesus first, not my friendly nature, or the nice guy tyhat i am, or how competent I am, or whatever.

From a prayer-saturated heart, we would be constrained by love to open up our mouths and speak out of the abundance of our hearts. When was the last time you spoke to someone about Jesus Christ – not church – but Christ! That will be the measure of what your heart is really filled with. Your fight is not with me. Jesus said that.

When would be the right time to share Christ? 2 Timothy 4:2 ^{2 “}Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. Be very patient when you teach.” It doesn’t matter when you share with a person – just nmake sure you do! Satan will tell you that the time is not right so that he can steal that life. Be wise – TODAY is the day – NOW is the time of salvation. That timing was secured when Jesus died on the cross – “It is finished!”

Do we now stop our practical care for people in need? Well, that question shouldn’t even be asked! How can we stop our love? But I am sharing about the correct order of things, that the truth must first be spoken in love.

Satan has skilfully and craftily distracted the saints from their primary mission. We are able to appease our Christian responsibility thru good works that are necessary, but not essential.

AIDS can kill the body, but Jesus said, fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell! (Matt 10:28)

Poverty can kill the body, but a lost soul can be in torment for eternity. You tell me which is the weightier issue!

Cataclysmic world events, with all our relief efforts, will appease the life, and even move us to emotion, but how do you appease fires that never die, and torment that defines judgement. Preach the word! Preach the Word!!!!

Go into all the world and preach the gospel (Matt 28)

We cannot help but speak! (Acts 4)

What did Jesus do? What did the disciples do? They didn’t start anything. They just preached.

Peter preached and 3000 were added

Philip preached and was translated in the Spirit

Stephen preached and was stoned

What did Paul do? He preached “immediately”! He didn’t start a rescue mission for all the widows and orphans that lay in his wake. That’s tough, I know, but it’s the necessary truth that keeps preaching at the forefront, for the simple reason that, they will not believe on the end of being fed, clothed, medicated, or financially relieved. The Bible says, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!" Romans 10:14-15

You will not be persecuted by acts of love, but you will be persecuted for preaching that Jesus is the only way.

For those with primary motivation for practical care ( and I would like to think that I am one of those) this may sound like foolishness. But God said in 1 Corinthians 1:21-23 “²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; (and dare I say, Christians seek relief work!) ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.”

The foolishness of preaching is chosen by God. Why not choose to be a fool for Jesus? The only prerequisite is humility.

We need to preach with signs following, and we need to preach with benevolence following

Pointing to the signs of the times does not mean that the sign of the times is the end of the wprld. If you want to hasten the return of your Lord, then preach at every opportunity you get! - Matthew 24:14 ¹⁴ "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Don’t preach about the end times – make them happen!

2 Corinthians 4:5 ⁵ For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.

The vital fuel for witnessing is prayer; the vital disposition of the saint is to be a bond-slave to Christ!

Do you want that?

When to Witness

The effectiveness of our witnessing is directly proportional to our prayer life. That will never change. Witnessing is not a technique, and neither is it knowledge, nor is it argument - it's LOVE! And if it isn't, then it's nothing!

When is the right time to witness?
At the "wrong" time!
2 Timothy 4:2 says, "Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching."

Any sense of awkwardness on our part is simply God's gift to help us identify our hidden pride. Humility witnesses "whether the time is favorable or not." 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, ² For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation."

This world and it's troubles are way outpacing every believer's good intentions. (Rom 8:19, 22) The priority for the Christian is to preach the word. Not to make friends! 2 Corinthians 5:10-11 says, ¹⁰ "For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. ¹¹ Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too."

When then?

Your answer is given by the last time you witnessed.

Basic Maturity

Colossians 1:28 (MSG)
²⁸ We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less.

The Head Supremacy

I felt a sense of consummation in my meditation this morning regarding all our emphasis over the last two months with putting Christ at the centre of the church and our Christianity.

I was reading Colossians when, not too far along, I was struck by the supremacy of Christ in this book. Whereas Ephesians deals primarily with the body of Christ, Colossians deals with the Christ of the body - Ephesians deals with the body in relation to the Head, and Colossians with the Head in relation to the body.

Remember, we can only give what we have to people, and the way we get it is to be with Him (Acts 4:13) People dont need "Head" knowledge (Ha!), or knowledge about the Head - they need the Head! They get who you are. If you are unequivocally and unconditionally Christ's, then they will grow up into Him (Eph4:15-16) If they only get what you know about Him, and not who you are in Him, then they will grow up into you. Mmmm... "What you see is what you get" is never more true than in preaching!

Lastly, to husbands, you cannot be the head unless you have a Head. And I mean Christ as the one Head, not sharing your job, your sport, or your family, but Christ alone, as supreme, ruling your life with your full resignation! Vacillating, ambiguity, procrastination, indecision, ambivalence - these are all evidences that there is no supreme rule in a person's life. Sparks says, "The explanation of the dividedness, the disintegration, the distraction, the lack of cohesion, certainty and meaning, is so often that we have not got a master."

Christ is supreme! (Col 1:18)

Death by Installment

Living in Christ is death by installment. James 1:4 "So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." (MSG)

Cheap Church

Oh my! It is ironical to see how the Prosperity Gospel has cheapened Christ and His church (Rev 3:17). I'm sure the "hucksters" didn't see that coming (2 Cor 2:17) Content with Christ.

Tattooing the Body

Denominations and church names are not different members in one Body – they are the “tattoos” of the flesh on that one Body, in order to differentiate and distinguish our brand of Jesus or Church, and to give identity to our movements, rather than identity in Christ alone. Ephesians 4:1-6
¹ Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
³ being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
⁶ one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

The church should not be divided: 1 Corinthians 1:12-13
¹² Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ."
¹³ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Unity is a manifestation of humility. The reverse is also true.

I would rather be a functioning member than a well branded “tattoo”.

Spiritual Ambitions

We can accomplish our spiritual ambitions in the name of "vision" without being in the will of God. "Be THOU my Vision". Christ is GAIN!

"Taking Over"? (Matt 5:5)

We are intellectual enough to make idols of our spiritual aberrations and ambitions, and justify them as biblical (1 Cor 8:1)