Friday July 17
Further Thought:
Read Ellen G. White, “The Gospel in Samaria”, pp. 103-111, in The Acts of the Apostles.
All around us people are seeking for the things of eternity. As Jesus so aptly put it, “The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few;” Matt. 9:37. The problem was not with the harvest. With eyes divinely anointed, Jesus saw a plentiful harvest where the disciples saw only opposition. What was Christ’s solution to the problem? “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38). The solution is to pray that God will send you out into His harvest.
If we are truly converted, we will want to tell others about Jesus even though we may not at first be able to use His name. Jesus is telling those who are converted to pray that He will bring more that are needed to bring in the harvest. Today, the problem is not with those who love Jesus with the whole heart, but the problem is there are not enough who love Jesus with the whole heart. Here is the problem in the Words of our Savior. From Revelation chapter three:
3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Do not listen to anyone who attempts to twist what Jesus has said. If you do not understand what is written, then the problem is a spiritual one. We need to have spiritual ears to hear the simple truth Jesus is here speaking. We must be born again of the Spirit to understand spiritual things. How can this be? By beholding Jesus we will be transformed in character, into His character (2 Cor. 3:18).
Why not pray this prayer? “Lord, I am willing to be used for the advancement of Your kingdom. Open my eyes so that I can see the providential opportunities You are opening before me each day. Teach me to be sensitive to the people around me. Help me to speak words of hope and encouragement and share Your love and truth with those I come in contact with each day”. If you will pray this prayer, God will do some extraordinary things with your life.
And, if you are unwilling to pray this prayer, then pray this: "Lord make me willing to be made willing, take my heart for I cannot give it. Give me a mind to behold Jesus each day, especially the closing scenes of His life."
Discussion Questions:
If you have worked to bring souls to Jesus, one thing you know: it is not always easy, is it? Yes, of course, only God can convert hearts, but in His wisdom He has chosen to use us to be part of that process. To work for even one soul takes time, effort, patience, and a love born from above. What choices can you make that will help you have the death to self that you need in order to be an effective witness for Christ?
The greatest battle we shall ever have to fight is the battle with self. Self does not want to die. What can we do to kill the "old man"? Study John 3:1-16. There you will find not only the problem in the church, but the solution as to how the new birth happens. What we must do in order to be saved (converted daily).
3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things?
3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.
3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Did you find the answer as to what we do in order to born again of the Spirit? We all have been born of the flesh, but we must be born again of the Spirit. How can these things be was the question asked by Nicodemus. The answer followed. It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Jesus, especially the closing scenes. What happened at the close of our Savior's life? He was lifted up on the cross. If you have not seen the answer in these verses, go back to verse 14. Prayerfully read it again. Now, go to the verses Jesus was talking about when the nation of Israel was going to Canaan. What did God tell Moses to tell the people who were bitten? Was there magic in the uplifted serpent? No. Then how were those bitten who looked healed? It was the power of God. What was the lesson? Then we must do the same. We must look upon Jesus uplifted on the cross in order to be converted so self dies....each day. It is by beholding the glory of God that we are changed into His image day by day by the Holy Spirit. We are saved by grace. What do we call God's dear Son suffering and dying for our sins when we were yet sinners? It is grace.
Who are some of the people you come in contact with who don’t know the Lord? What have you done, or are doing, or should do, to witness to them?
Think about Saul of Tarsus. Here is someone who appeared to be about as unlikely a convert as one could imagine! And yet, we know what happened to him. What should this tell us about the danger of too quickly judging others by outward appearances?
We are to judge one's teaching and spirituality by the fruits of the Spirit. It was not hard to know Saul was unconverted. What we cannot know is the heart, where it is prior to conversion. Many want to write off murderers, but we cannot know where the heart is. Saul wanted to, and thought He was, serving God. He was innocently persecuting Christians thinking it was for God. And, many priests were converted after the cross. We do not know if a heart can be converted or not, therefore we are to look upon all as if they could be saved.
Keeping in mind the story of Saul, what do we do with a text like Matthew 7:6: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you”?
We do as it says. And, there must be a way to judge one. Yes? The fruits of the Spirit are not present and the works of the flesh are. We can tell dogs and swine. Jesus did not go looking for 'dogs' and "swine." He went looking for those seeking truth. It is true that He argued with those who sought Him, and always they lost the argument. But, again, Jesus was seeking those open to truth. So we are to spend our time searching for those seeking truth. And, we may have to argue with those who come seeking to pervert the truth. But, often it will be a waste of time. Do not seek to convert those who are seen to be "dogs" and swine. Pray for them that they will see their need of a Savior. Many in the church think they are fine the way they are. Many are not seeking truth, but want to argue. How many times have you succeeded in saving one who is right and will not listen? Follow the example of Christ. Seek the lost who are wanting to know the truth. And wash your hands and feet before seeking to share the love of Jesus with others.