NowTHINK!AboutIt

Avoiding Hackneyed...Making Sense

“Jesus Manifesto” by Sweet and Viola

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Have you ever wondered why there are so many different Christian religions? Have you ever tried to put a finger on the differences and, if so, could you explain the what and why of each one? Do you find the many different types of theologies and the endless versions of each confusing?

If these questions leave you scratching your head join the crowd.

I doubt anyone is brave enough to suggest they have all the answers and since “religion” is not static the answers are always changing anyway. The more time Christian history consumes the more varieties there are that develop.

If these questions plague you like they do so many others then “Jesus Manifesto” is the book you need to read next. [Read more…] about “Jesus Manifesto” by Sweet and Viola

Evangelizing The Antagonistic

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Lessons From Samaria – John 4

Christians talk a lot about evangelism. It is a primary topic. You aren’t living Christian if you aren’t evangelizing but popular efforts to evangelize don’t compare closely to Jesus’ results or His words. According to Him numbers do count (no pun intended).

Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear MUCH fruit; so shall you be my disciples.  John 15:8

No fruit, little fruit or occasional fruit equals no discipleship. Fruit is the acid test of your discipleship and lip service brings no glory to God.

By the way, personal growth and character development, which are types of fruit, are not what Jesus had in mind here. A few verses later He said…

I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit… (v. 16)

Very similar to:

  • Go and make disciples… Matt. 28:19
  • Go into all the world… Mark 16:15
  • Preach in every nation… Luke 24:47
  • I send you to remit sins… John 20:21 & 23
  • Be witnesses to the uttermost… Acts 1:8

And you don’t have to be sophisticated to be effective. Knowledgeable disciples are NOT more likely to bear fruit than beginners. The fact is God can use anyone anywhere to reach souls. I got saved when a lost person – my best friend – shared just a piece of salvation truth – all he knew. One thing he mentioned was hell. I was so concerned I had to learn more.

God used a lost man to bring me to salvation. Go figure. The most important qualities for an evangelist are humility and vulnerability. Jesus modeled both.

Besides, personal growth should happen concurrently while bringing others to Christ. Evangelism and growth catalyze each other. If one is NOT happening neither is the other. If one IS happening so is the other. [Read more…] about Evangelizing The Antagonistic

Many Goals One Purpose

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We often ask people, “What is your goal?” It’s a good question.

The answer helps us determine where the person is or better yet where they’re going. People with goals are considered switched on. They make reliable partners, usually.

But, a better question is “what is your purpose?” Goals, by nature, are temporary. We visualize and obtain many goals throughout life but once a goal is met what comes next?

Do we stop moving? Does life come to a halt? For some it does but for everyone else the question is, “what keeps you going?” The answer is “purpose.”.

One well-identified purpose can keep you reaching for many different goals over an entire lifetime. Having a purpose means we have restful pauses instead of depressions between goals.

We also must be careful when identifying a purpose or goal. Some things, like retirement, are inevitable and cannot qualify as either. Everyone eventually retires whether they want to or not, prepared or not. [Read more…] about Many Goals One Purpose

“Financial Peace” by Dave Ramsey

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Did you know that most Americans retire on an annual income below $10,000? Better yet, do you know why? If you can’t answer the question not too worry. Dave Ramsey’s book, “Financial Peace,” explains why this happens and tells us how to avoid landing on the wrong side of that statistic.

Financial Peace is a reference book, how-to book and biography all in one. Ramsey gives financial advice based on his personal experience instead of what he learned in a classroom. It’s the best “school of hard knocks” book around and his approach has proven so useful to so many that he presently conducts a nationally syndicated daily call-in radio program, regular seminars and a twelve week training program (Financial Peace University) all dedicated to financial health.

But it wasn’t always great for Dave.

Ramsey was on top of the world or so it seemed before going bankrupt at the age of 26. Following popular trends he used borrowed money to invest in more than $4 million worth of Nashville, TN real estate only to realize that unexpected events can change everything. He learned that “high on the hog” can be synonymous with “brink of disaster.” Jaquars, designer suits and even a good name didn’t help much when the banks called in his loans. [Read more…] about “Financial Peace” by Dave Ramsey

John 3 – Evangelism One On One

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Jesus Teaches Us That The Most Important Question Is Not
“What Do You Say To Enquirers?”
But Rather
“How Do You Get Them To Enquire?”

Is your Christian life so compelling that people go out of their way to approach you with questions about Christianity or must you, like so many other Christians, chase people with the Gospel? We are called light and salt and these are elements that hungry searching people are drawn to. Unfortunately, it is not very often people ask us about God. It should be. That happened with Jesus on several occasions. A study of John 3 helps us understand why.

In John chapter 3 a very interesting exchange occurred between a priest of the Pharisees (Nicodemus) and Jesus. In fact, the whole chapter – 39 verses – is dedicated to Nic’s confusion and Jesus’ response.

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What people don’t always point out is the fact that John chapters 2 and 3 go together. Both cover Jesus’ visit to Jerusalem for the Passover which means, of course, what happened in the 3rd chapter was influenced by events in the 2nd.

In chapter 2 Jesus did the appropriate but outlandish thing – He threw everyone and everything involved in commerce out of the Temple. With that action, plus the many miracles He performed, He had everyone guessing. In response many, the Bible says, believed. Everyone else was confused, challenged or chagrined.

What Jesus did was exactly what the common people wanted (I’m sure they cheered Him under their breath) but no one before Him had the courage to take action. Everyone, including the priests, was amazed or shaken. Some priests found Jesus aggravating and they dismissed Him. Others found Him compelling and were drawn to Him.

Enter Nicodemus. [Read more…] about John 3 – Evangelism One On One