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Last week, I finished a “7” week series on prayer. We called it “7” because of the numerous references in the Bible connecting prayer and the number “7.”
Admittedly, preaching seven messages on prayer with a goal to have seven points each week was…strange. So I won’t do that again. HOWEVER, what a wealth of principles surfaced during these seven weeks. I’ve listed a few points (seven!). 1. When you see great things happening, they are the tip of the iceberg. PRAYER is the iceberg. Want to see great things? Get under them in prayer. 2. God is looking for people who will pray big prayers. He tells us His eyes are roaming to and fro. Watchman Nee says, “Why do we pray such small prayers?” 3. If you don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive you. And you’ll have a terrible prayer life if you don’t walk in relational forgiveness with God and others. 4. Prayer is a battle. It’s hard. It’s hardest on our flesh. When we pray, we overcome the flesh – and that’s a big part of the whole war! God overcomes the rest. 5. Pray and keep praying until God comes through. He’s not a reluctant God – not at all. 6. Pray for the people around you – ask God to move the hearts of people who influence nations, and people who you have influence with. 7. Pray for the lost. How can we change the world if we don’t pray for those IN the world that need change? I’m convinced that prayer is life and life is prayer. “It is the life that prays,” said Ron Dunn. How’s life?
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Baptism is both awesome and awkward. It’s an interesting thing!
Why would someone want to stand in a tank of water in front of a crowd of people, hold their nose, and allow themselves to be lowered backward into the water to be fully immersed, and then be pulled up and out again? To some, that seems awkward. And I can tell you some funny baptism stories that are hard to believe. It sounds…different. Because it is! No one else but Jesus (and His church) asks us to do symbolically what really, truly happens literally at salvation. Here’s where it’s awesome. Jesus promises new life that takes place when the old life is buried, and the new “resurrected life” is initiated by salvation. When you are baptized you are symbolizing death and burial to the old life (being lowered into the water), full immersion (being surrounded and filled with the Holy Spirit) and being raised up out of that water (resurrection to new life). It’s an awesome picture of what happens when you come to faith in Christ. It’s an awesome experience to feel that happening, knowing what it means! It’s awesome that the church and friends who gather celebrate this supernatural new life that’s occurred in you. It’s an awesome way for you to preach the Gospel to those who see it. It’s an awesome way to say, “I am not ashamed of Jesus!” Ask those who’ve been baptized – they’ll say, “It was awesome!” Who needs to be baptized? 1. Those who have placed their faith in Christ for salvation – prayed for Him to save them from their sins – but who have not been immersed since then. 2. This may mean those who were baptized as a young child, but had a genuine salvation experience later – and were never baptized since that experience. 3. Those who were baptized as infants, but realize now that baptism symbolizes YOUR faith in Christ, not your parents or grandparents. 4. Those who suddenly realize that they were in a process of learning to believe, but never have had that moment of full trust, and want it now! 5. Those who were baptized after their salvation by some method other than immersion, which is the only biblical method of baptism. Please don’t miss our awesome day of baptism at First Euless on July 24. It’s an incredible time of celebration and joy! If you’re interested in being baptized, let us know by e-mailing us at [email protected] or register online from this page: http://www.firsteuless.com/notashamed/ (this article was originally written in 2014, and updated) Most of us love to talk about “life-change.” We want our lives to change for the better and we honestly want others to experience the best life has to offer.
Many of us also realize that involves the Gospel. There is no fundamental change in human nature and life without it! The “behold, all things become new!” cannot happen without the “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!” But the Gospel doesn’t really exist for those who’ve never heard it! And if we don’t tell them, no one will. That much we know. So, how can you change someone’s life in two hours? By sharing the Gospel with them. For two hours on Sunday evening, August 10, from 6 pm to 8 pm, First Euless “Can We Talk?” leaders will lead teams into the community to share this good news with people who may have never heard the Gospel before. We call this “Night of Bringing Hope,” because Christ IS hope. I want YOU to join us. Several weeks ago, our teams shared Christ with 48 people and 10 people accepted Christ – and were changed forever. I don’t know what God is going to do this week, but I wouldn’t miss it if I were you. We even have leaders from other churches joining us as we go – they’ve heard what God is doing with “Can We Talk?” and want to see it for themselves. You’ll get a chance to walk by faith and pray like never before. You may have an opportunity to hear the Gospel presented and a person respond to it. You can know that you’re doing your part to change someone’s life in two hours. I don’t know what else is happening over a two hour period that can bring more hope, more change, or more joy on heaven and earth than this! |
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