“Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” - Psalm 126:5,6

“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. And those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved. And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”   Luke 8:11-15

• The great 19th century preacher Charles Spurgeon said:
  “I well remember distributing them in a town in England where tracts had never been distributed before, and going from house to house, and telling in humble language the things of the kingdom of God. I might have done nothing, if I had not been encouraged by finding myself able to do something … [Tracts are] adapted to those persons who have but little power and little ability, but nevertheless, wish to do something for Christ. They have not the tongue of the eloquent, but they may have the hand of the diligent. They cannot stand and preach, but they can stand and distribute here and there these silent preachers … They may buy their thousand tracts, and these they can distribute broadcast.”




• “I look upon the giving away of a religious tract as only the first step for action not to be compared with many another deed done for Christ; but were it not for the first step we might never reach to the second, but that first attained, we are encouraged to take another, and so at the last … There is a real service of Christ in the distribution of the gospel in its printed form, a service the result of which heaven alone shall disclose, and the judgment day alone discover. How many thousands have been carried to heaven instrumentally upon the wings of these tracts, none can tell …” - Charles Spurgeon




• “Let each one of us, if we have done nothing for Christ, begin to do something now. The distribution of tracts is the first thing.” - Charles Spurgeon




• “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.” - Charles Spurgeon




• “Do you want arguments for soul winning? Look up to Heaven, and ask yourself how sinners can ever reach those harps of gold and learn their everlasting song, unless they have someone to tell them of Jesus, who is mighty to save. But the best argument of all is to be found in the wounds of Jesus. You want to honor Him, you desire to put many crowns upon His head, and this you can best do by winning souls for Him. These are the spoils that He covets, these are the trophies for which He fights, these are the jewels that shall be His best adornment.” - Charles Spurgeon




• “Lost! Lost! Lost! Better a whole world on fire than a soul lost! Better every star quenched and the skies a wreck than a single soul to be lost!” - Charles Spurgeon




• “I would sooner bring one sinner to Jesus Christ than unravel all the mysteries of the divine Word, for salvation is the one thing we are to live for.” - Charles Spurgeon




• “If there be any one point in which the Christian church ought to keep its fervor at a white heat, it is concerning missions. If there be anything about which we cannot tolerate lukewarmness, it is the matter of sending the gospel to a dying world.” - Charles Spurgeon




• “When preaching and private talk are not available, you need to have a tract ready….Get good striking tracts, or none at all. But a touching gospel tract may be the seed of eternal life. Therefore, do not go out without your tracts.” - Charles Spurgeon




• “To be a soul winner is the happiest thing in the world. And with every soul you bring to Jesus Christ, you seem to get a new heaven here upon earth.” - Charles Spurgeon




• “If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.” - Charles Spurgeon
  




• “If there existed only one man or woman who did not love the Savior, and if that person lived among the wilds of Siberia, and if it were necessary that all the millions of believers on the face of the earth should journey there, and every one of them plead with him to come to Jesus before he could be converted, it would be well worth all the zeal, labor, and expense. If we had to preach to thousands year after year, and never rescued but one soul, that one soul would be full reward for all our labor, for a soul is of countless price.” - Charles Spurgeon




• I have many in this city who are my people. – Acts 18:10
  “This should be a great encouragement in proclaiming the Gospel, since among the people in our communities—the disinterested, the rebellious, the careless—God has an elect people who must be saved. When you take the Word to them, you do so because God has ordained you to be the messenger of life to their souls, and they must receive it, for so the decree of predestination runs. They are as much redeemed by blood as the saints before the eternal throne. They are Christ’s property, and yet perhaps they are lovers of selfish pleasures and haters of holiness; but if Jesus Christ purchased them, He will have them. God is not unfaithful to forget the price that His Son has paid. He will not suffer His substitution to be in any case an ineffectual, dead thing. Tens of thousands of redeemed ones are not regenerated yet, but regenerated they must be; and this is our comfort when we go to them with the quickening Word of God.” - Charles Spurgeon




• If We Really Love The Souls Of Men, Don’t Flatter But Prove It With Honest Speech About One’s Soul ~Charles Spurgeon
  “A farmer who is too tender-hearted to tear up and harrow the land will never see a harvest. Here is the failing of certain divines, they are afraid of hurting anyone’s feelings, and so they keep clear of all the truths which are likely to excite fear or grief. They have not a sharp ploughshare on their premises, and are never likely to have a stack in their rickyard. They angle without hooks for fear of hurting the fish, and fire without bullets out of respect to the feelings of the birds. This kind of love is real cruelty to men’s souls. It is much the same as if a surgeon should permit a patient to die because he would not pain him with the lancet, or by the necessary removal of a limb. It is a terrible tenderness which leaves men to sink into hell rather than distress their minds. It is pleasant to prophesy smooth things, but woe unto the man who thus degrades himself. Is this the spirit of Christ? Did he conceal the sinner’s peril? Did he cast doubts upon the unquenchable fire and the undying worm? Did he lull souls into slumber by smooth strains of flattery? Nay, but with honest love and anxious concern he warned men of the wrathe to come, and bade them repent or perish. Let the servant of the Lord Jesus in this thing follow his Master, and plough deep with a sharp ploughshare, which will not be baulked by the hardest clods. This we must school ourselves to do. If we really love the souls of men, let us prove it by honest speech. The hard heart must be broken, or it will still refuse the Saviour who was sent to bind up the broken-hearted. There are some things which men may or may not have, and yet may be saved; but those things which go with the ploughing of the heart are indispensable; there must be a holy fear and a humble trembling before God, there must be an acknowledgment of guilt and a penitent petition for mercy; there must, in a word, be a thorough ploughing of the soul before we can expect the seed to bring forth fruit.”    - Charles Spurgeon




• Spurgeon on Having a Burden for the Lost:
  “I remember, when I have preached at different times in the country, and sometimes here, that my whole soul has agonized over men, every nerve of my body has been strained and I could have wept my very being out of my eyes and carried my whole frame away in a flood of tears, if I could but win souls.”   Spurgeon, by Arnold Dallimore




• “Does it not thrill our hearts to learn that we do not go forward in our own strength. Think of it, God Himself is with us for our captain! The Lord of Hosts is present in every field of conflict, to encourage us and fight with us. With such a Leader, who never lost a battle, or deserted a soldier in distress, or failed to get through the needed supplies, who would not accept the challenge to go forward, “bearing precious seed”?”" John Stam,   To Die Is Gain: The Triumph of John and Betty Stam




• “Remember also, the present is your only time to be saved. There is no believing, no repenting, no conversion in the grave—no minister will speak to you there. This is the time of conversion.”
  




• “Do not fear the face of man. Remember how small their anger will appear in eternity.” ~Robert Murray McCheyne (1813-1843),a godly evangelical pastor and evangelist with a great love for souls minister of St Peter’s Church Dundee (1836 – 1843)




•  ”The Word of God is like a lion.  You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.” - Charles Spurgeon

“What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” -Mark 8:36

“Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father, but through Me.”” -John 14:6

These, and many other portions of truth from the Bible, are the message we are seeking to proclaim to the lost world around us. We communicate these life-giving truths to people by our words and by our actions. The words of men are weak and changeable, but the Word of God is powerful and lasts forever.

How can we best communicate the message of the Glorious Gospel to those around us, especially to those with whom we only come in contact briefly? The God-ordained method of proclaiming the truth of the Scriptures is preaching (1 Corinthians 1:21). Preaching would normally be in the form of a gathering of people, a Bible study, or in a conversation with someone. Tracts should help us to share words of life and truth with the lost people around us. Most of the lost world that we are seeking to reach will never enter a church building to hear the truth proclaimed through preaching from a pulpit. So, we must go to the people with the precious seed of the Gospel!

Gospel tracts, sometimes referred to as « Paper Missionaries » or « Silent Preachers », are very useful to start a conversation about God and eternity and plant a seed of the Gospel. There have been untold millions who have been reached by the message of the Gospel through this method. In my own life I discovered a gospel tract on the ground in the subway system in one of the major cities on the east coast. That gospel tract was one of many things God used to work in my life and to draw me to Himself.

A good gospel tract contains portions of Scripture and an exhortation to the reader to turn to God. The purpose of gospel tracts is not to entertain people but to stir their spirits and challenge their intellect. A tract should not give the wrong message concerning what true Christianity is all about. After all, no one can be tricked into becoming a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. The « new birth » is not signing your name at the end of a gospel tract or a Bible. The goal of every good gospel tract is to show the readers their need of a Savior and to point them to Christ, because one day we will all stand before a Holy God.

If we are truly burdened for those around us, then we will look for ways to reach them for Christ. It is important to be ready to share the gospel any time we are in contact with people, one-on-one or in a group. Since we are planting the seed of the gospel, we may not see many visible results immediately, but we can be certain that God is at work even when we are not aware of it or cannot actually see what He is doing in lives. Gospel tracts are a very good tool to reach students on a university campus, people at a bus stop, walking in the streets, at the bakery, cinema, newsstand, a park, beach, etc. People may read the gospel tracts at the time they receive them or sometimes even much later.

It is good to be reminded that the « Paper Missionaries » or « Silent Preachers » can go on speaking to people long after we have no further contact with them. Even if they are thrown away, someone may later pick them up and read them. The Apostle Paul said, « I might by any means save some. » If Paul had access to the printed page as we do, we can be sure that he would carry his convictions to the full. We should all carry gospel tracts with us everywhere we go and open our eyes to hundreds of opportunities before us, to either give them to an individual or simply leave them behind (phone booth, elevator, bus seat, etc.).

We are called to go and share the good news of forgiveness of sins and eternal life with those around us. It is very easy to distribute Gospel tracts; they are very effective in starting a conversation that leads into the full gospel message. We should use tracts constant and frequently… just because God can use them in lives.

When preaching and private talk are not available, you need to have a tract ready . . . Get good striking tracts, or none at all. But a touching gospel tract may be the seed of eternal life. Therefore, do not go out without your tracts.
- Charles Spurgeon

If you would be interested in a free sample of good gospel tracts contact us
at: http://lakeroadchapel.org

Dear friends,

I was waiting for Jared to post this on my Journal, but he and his family are in Conn. on some assignment and I am thinking the hurricane has hindered.

Terri and I were at the Menorah Medical Center in KC Thursday and had an hour’s conversation with one of the cyber-knife (robotic radiation) doctors.  They are willing to proceed, but want an MRI regarding the two small, suspicious spots on the liver, which were not big enough for the biopsy a month ago.  It is very unusual that the cancer would not have spread long ago to the liver.  If those two spots on the liver are cancer, they could be hit at the same time as the pancreas tumor for “no extra charge.”  The doctor discussed all treatment options.  He confirmed that this sounds the best.  There is some hope, and even some hope of somehow having the “permanent” stent removed, if the tumor shrinks enough.  The doctor said I’ve beaten the odds even without treatment.  It is the Lord.  It is the Lord.  Psa 124:1  ”Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,” Let Israel now say, “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side, then…”  So we told them to go ahead, unless the MRI indicates something entirely different.   So we wait for an MRI appointment and then the preparations for CK, unless the MRI shows something very different.  Thank you very much for praying to God for me.
 

The Weights
Luke 21:34  ”Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and thatday will not come on you suddenly like a trap;
Luke 21:35  for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.
Luke 21:36  ”But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

What are the weights?  The Lord Jesus gives us three, really two:
1)     dissipation and drunkenness – too loose.
2)     worries of life, decisions, – too many.

Results?  ”The day” – of the Lord’s return or of death – catches us “suddenly like a trap.”

Rare?  No, the masses of humanity (“all who dwell on the face of the earth”) get caught in the trap.

What to do?  1)  Watch – “keep on the alert.”  Watch yourself, your choices, your heart.  2)  ”Pray.”  Ask for strength to escape.  I’ve seen wrestlers escape the hold because they had the    strength.  A firefighter I know had a wall fall on him in a fire.  He had strength enough to lift the weight off of him and escape. Be strong in the Lord.  Only deep awareness of spiritual and eternal realities will withstand the lure of things, things, “all these things.”

Essential?  Only those who withstand it now, can “stand before the Son of Man” then.  Keep the weights thrown off if you will stand.  All others are banished to eternal destruction – hell.

The essence?  There are various duties and callings, but keep your “heart” free of the weights and full of God.
 

Bob Jennings

Recently the Lord graciously provided zealous brothers and sisters who were able to help translate the site and content into Portuguese, Hungarian and Slovak.  We are still working on launching the site in Arabic, German, French, Korean, Hindi, Dutch.  It is glorious to see the burden people have to get the videos translated in their native tongue, and it is incredible the power we have on the Internet to get the gospel out.  There is indeed so much to do!

Today I saw the statistic that 48 hours of video is being uploaded to YouTube every minute… I couldn’t believe that, it is incredible what our culture has done with the Internet and we must take advantage of this for the Glory of God.  Brethren please pray for the translators who are helping out that they will translate accurately and please pray that the Lord will provide more translators, Arabic and Hindi ones are what I specifically have a burden for right now.

I am currently working on finishing some video tutorials to help train people to type up the 1)transcripts, 2)timecode, and 3)cooperate with a group while translating the timecoded transcript.  Time is short, and we must maximize on our time and be more organized, with greater teamwork, to get more truth out while we have this window open on the Internet.  If you’re out there and know another language well enough to have confidence in translating theological terms, then please contact us. The harvest is pentliful, about 8billion, and the laborers are few.  Translating videos that people can run into on the Internet is no small deal, consider William Tyndale who long ago lost his life translating the bible into another language.  I do not think he regretted that investment.  I also do not think the person who translated the Shocking Message into Portuguese regrets the hours invested into that, it has 1.3million views on YouTube, and that’s just in Portuguese.

Press on,
James

Our churches fortnightly men’s group study looking at Spiritual Disciplines For The Purpose of Godliness has been such a great blessing to my soul. Last night we looked at journaling which has been I think the most helpful to me so far. Inspired by George Whitefield I have compiled a list of 10 daily personal goals for me to be accountable for and examine my progress each day, which I share with you below for your edification and encouragement. Reading and considering these Scriptures alone is a worthwhile exercise (Please PRAY that the Lord would give me much grace in keeping these)

Have I:
1. been looking unto Jesus (Heb 12:2), keeping His glory (1 Cor 10:31) & me becoming like Him (1 John 3:2-3) at the centre of all these goals and in all that I do (Matt 6:33).

• Heb 12:2-3 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
• 1 Cor 10:31 “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
• 1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
• Matt 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”

2. followed my Lord’s example and spent quality time in solitude with My Father in heaven (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16) in prayer and His Word seeking to know and have communion with Him (Matt 6:6; John 17:3).

• Mark 1:35 “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.”
• Luke 5:16 “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”
• Matt 6:6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
• John 17:3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

3. made the best use of the time and not mindlessly wasted it away (Eph 5:16; Psa 90:12; James 4:13-14).

• Eph 5:16 “making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
• Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”
• James 4:13-14 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

4. confessed all sin immediately as it’s known (1 John 1:6-9; 1 Cor 4:4; Psa 66:18).

• 1 John 1:6-9 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
• 1 Cor 4:4 “For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. “
• Psalm 66:18 “If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear”

5. been diligent in the study of God’s Word (Prov 2:1-6) in a spirit of reverence and humble submission to Him (Luke 10:39,42; Ex 3:5; Jam 1:21) with the aim of putting what I learn from Him into practice (Jam 1:22; Mat 7:24).

• Luke 10:39, 42 “She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. … 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her”
• Prov 2:1-6 “My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; 3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. ”
• Exodus 3:5 “Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
• James 1:21-22 “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”
• Matt 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock”

6. given immediate thanks for every pleasure the Lord has given me? (Jam 1:17; Col 3:15)

• James 1:17 ”Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
• Col 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

7. made careful use of my words for the glory of God (Mat 12:36-37; Jam 1:26; Prov 10:19, 29, 31; 29:20; Eph 4:15,29; Jam 1:19-20; Col 3:8; Col 4:6; Ecc 3:7).

• Matt 12:36-37 “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
• James 1:26 “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.”
• Prov 10:19 “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.”
• Prov 10:31 “The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out.”
• Prov 29:20 “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
• Eph 4:15 “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ”
• Eph 4:29 “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”
• James 1:19-20 “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”
• Col 3:8 “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.”
• Col 4:6 “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”
• Ecc 3:7 ”A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak.”

8. Loved and cared for my wife, living with her in an understanding way (1 Pet 3:7).

• 1 Pet 3:7 “You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”
• Eph 5:25-26 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word”

9. Instructed our children in the ways of the Lord (Prov 22:6; Eph 6:4), being diligent in this (Deut 6:7), but not exasperating them (Col 3:21).

• Prov 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
• Eph 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. ”
• Deut 6:7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. ”
• Col 3:21 “Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.”

10. Shared the Gospel with someone (Rom 10:14; Mar 16:15; Ecc 11:4; 2 Cor 5:20).

• Rom 10:14 “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? ”
• Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
• Ecc 11:4 “He who watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.”
• 2 Cor 5:20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

Mark 1:35 – And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Psalm 90:14 – Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

- Rise early and isolate yourself to pray to the Lord and be satisfied in His steadfast love so that you may rejoice and be glad, not depressed and anxious. Be totally dependent upon God in the morning or else you will rely upon the arm of the flesh to gain victory over sin and you will fall.

Psalm 119:9 – How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
Psalm 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

- Guard your decisions each day with God’s Word, make sure you are not contradicting what the scriptures teach. Make sure you are using the light of the Word to examine your path daily.

Proverbs 3:6 - In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
James 4:15 – “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
1 Thes 5:21 – but test everything; hold fast what is good.

- Be submissive to God’s will for your life.  Acknowledge the Lord in all of your ways.

Luke 9:23 – And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
1 Corinthians 15:31b - I die every day!

- Deny yourself. Say “No!” to the flesh and yes to Christ.  Be a good soldier and share in Christ’s sufferings. (2 Tim 2:3).  The flesh wants to sleep or be lazy, may it not be so.

1 Thes 5:18 – give thanks in all circumstances

Luke 10:39 – And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” Luke 10:41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

- Do not be caught in being very busy and trying to perform well. Go serve the Lord without an anxious heart.  Be satisfied in Christ alone.  Don’t work to gain your joy but find it in Christ’s work on the Cross on your behalf.

Psalm 16:8 – I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Isaiah 26:3 – You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

- Take every thought captive as 2 Cor 10:5 says, and keep your mind on Christ, resting in Him alone, always setting Him before you.

Philippians 2:4 – Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Hebrews 3:13 – But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 10:24-25 – And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

- Do not neglect to meet together with the saints. When you meet you should stir one another up to love and good works and exhort eachother that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulnes of sin. Also reaffirm your love(2 Cor 2:8)  towards them so that no slanders are believed and no place for the devil is given, that could cause division.  – Keep alert in prayer for your brethren at all times. (Eph 6:18)

Colossians 3:23 – Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
1 Corinthians 10:31 – So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Matthew 28:19 – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.
Mark 9:38 – therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Titus 2:14b – zealous for good works.

- Go! — Do not build up a kingdom on this earth, be prepared to go, don’t get comfortable. Don’t waste your life, but be zealous for good works.– Make disciples. Don’t just pray for God to save someone, but once God does save them, pour into them the truth, disciple them. Then pray that God will raise them up and send them out into the harvest.

Matthew 6:20 - lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven

Acts 5:42 – And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
1 Cor 2:2 – for I have determined to know nothing among you except for Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

- Everyday do not cease to preach Christ, not apologetics, but Christ. Not going from “house to house debating” but preaching and teaching Jesus as the Christ.

Hebrews 12:14 – Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

- Strive for holiness, to be set apart, to be more like Christ.  Strive for peace with everyone and make sure that you see to it that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble and division.

Acts 24:16 – So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

- Are you always taking pains to have a clear conscience? Paul said in 1 Cor 4:4 that he knew of nothing against himself.  1 Tim 1:19 says some reject the faith by not holding to a good conscience. — Are you holding to a good conscience?

Romans 8:13 – if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 13:14 – But put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 5:25 – If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

- Put on Christ, live by the Spirit, and mortify sin in your life by the Holy Spirit.

Luke 5:16 – But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
1 Thes 5:17 – pray without ceasing,

- Keep praying throughout the day. Withdraw from the busyness to be alone with the Lord so that you may be able to continue on with a pure heart working heartily unto the Lord and not for self.

Luke 21:35-36 – watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life… But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength.

- Do not be distracted by the things of this world and lose your eternal perspective, the end could come at any moment.

Matthew 24:44 – Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
1 Samuel 20:3b – “But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”

Psalm 63:5 – My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help,

- At the end of the day you are still satisfied in the Lord, not in your performance, but in His help, and you are praising the Lord for the victories He gave you. You are meditating on the Lord in your bed, not on self, not daydreaming, but thinking on the Lord. Ask yourself, when you get to the end of the day are you able to say “you have been my help’”? Can you say that to the Lord, or are you being self-reliant and not dependent upon God? Do you realize the great need for God to be your present help in a time of trouble, for Him to be the upholder of your life and your refuge.

These are very simple scriptural truths that I pray God does make a reality in all of our lives and that we live them out with consistency.

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I saw this pointed out once, and I thought it was helpful. It’s the story of the prodigal.

Luke 15:17“But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 ‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.“‘ 20 “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate  24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Let us look at Simon in Acts Chapter 8

(13a) “Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued…”

We see a person who believed, was baptized and is continuing on in the race. This may sound very similar to what has happened to some of you who are reading this article. What does your continuing on look like? What is motivating you to continue on in this race?  Let us look at what happens as Simon “continued…” and then look at what made him start the race to begin with.

(18) “Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also,”

Verse 18 shows his true motive for “continuing,” “Give me…power” he wanted power and he was going to try to use money to gain that power.  Many people are like that today, they hear a preacher like Paul Washer preaching and then find themselves desiring to preach like that and their motive is not for the Glory of God or for the edification of the hearers but for their own praise.

As you read on in Acts 8 it goes on to say how he was seeing great miracles performed by others and“he was amazed.” It is easy to be “amazed” by the powerful preaching of some of the preachers today, it is easy to love to hear it and enjoy seeing the passion, but what if your only desire is to have such power for yourself so that you may be praised by man?

Simon was not worried about the Glory of Christ. He said “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” He is desiring to have the power within his very own hands for his own glory.  He wants something that he can wield.  Yet for the Christian we do not boast in ourselves but the one whom wields us. (1 Co 1:31)

In Acts 8:20 Peter says

(20) “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money. 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.“

Peter, in boldness & love, tells Simon the most loving thing that he could hear at that moment… the truth. Peter told Simon “your heart is not right before God” some may say “Well Peter couldn’t know Simon’s heart.” Well the fact is Peter made a judgment and it was the right judgment.  As Matthew 12:34 says it is “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 7:5b says “…see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Peter saw clearly and he wasn’t going to allow fear of man to overcome his boldness to stand firm on the truth.

For the Christian our joy is not that we can be applauded by man and looked upon as “powerful” but rather that our joy may be full as we abide in God’s love. (John 15:10-11)

So what even motivated Simon to follow the Lord to begin with?

In Acts 8:9, before this entire encounter happened with Peter, we see Simon say a prideful comment about himself “that he himself was somebody great.” In Acts 8:11 it says “they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them“ We see that he was given attention because of his ability to amaze them. They would even say in verse 10 “this man is the power of God, that is called Great.” Simon was feeding off of attention that he was gaining as he amazed people. Then Philip came along and preached Christ and people were saved and were no longer going to give Simon the attention that he craved, so Simon got jealous, and wanted that power.

Is there something that you do well that gains you the attention of man? What happens when someone comes along who does what you do, but they do it far better and greater and then everyone who was giving you attention now gives them more attention than you?  Does envy, jealously, and pride come in? Do you find yourself pursuing to be better, to have greater gifts, and to get the attention and eyes of man back on you?

Eventually Simon died, and evidently without Christ, without any true repentance and will forever be abiding in eternal torment, and has been there for around 2,000 years without even a second of sleep (Rev 14:11).  I promise you this, there are many Simons out there now, but they have yet to have a Peter come up to them and boldly tell them the truth.

Matthew 7:22-23 – On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

These people are also in torment right now, and they did do these mighty works, or at-least think they did, they declared they did. When is the last time you declared that you did something “mighty”? Did anything really happen at all or are you just thinking of yourself highly and exalting yourself in your own imagination?

Why are you continuing in this race?  Is it for Christ, for His glory?  Or is it for the approval of man and the worthless glory that comes from man?  So many want applause, but oh how deadly it is.  So many want to be looked at as having some reputation that exhalts themselves, but what reputation do we need besides being a Child of the Living God?  What reputation do we need besides being clothed in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ and clothed in beauty not our own? To be precious in the eyes of God, loved, honored and chosen over others. (Isaiah 43:4). Do you want more than that? Are you in this race with another motive? If so, repent, forsake it, turn from it, stop worrying about the approval of man right this moment.  As Peter told Simon, I will say to you – May your seeking to be made much before man, perish with you, because you thought you could obtain joy and satisfaction from power and reputation and not from Christ.

Your heart is not right before God if your heart itself is not before the Lord worshiping Christ for what He has accomplished.

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. – Galatians 1:10

Put everything that you have “accomplished” and then look at what Christ has accomplished and ask yourself this: How could I possibly be praising what I have done? How? God forbid.

Romans 2:8 – but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

James Jennings

I have looked carefully over the lives of Gods saints in the Bible. I cannot find one of whose history much is told us, from Genesis to Revelation, who was not a man of prayer. I find it mentioned as a characteristic of the godly, that they call on the Father (I Peter 1:17), or the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. 1:2). Recorded as a characteristic of the wicked is the fact that they call not upon the Lord (Ps. 14:4).
I have read the lives of many eminent Christians who have been on earth since the Bible days. Some of them, I see, were rich, and some poor. Some were learned, and some unlearned. Some of them were Episcopalians, and some Christians of other names. Some were Calvinists, and some were Arminians. Some have loved to use a liturgy, and some to use none. But one thing, I see, they all had in common. They have all been men of prayer.
I study the reports of missionary societies in our own times. I see with joy that heathen men and women are receiving the gospel in various parts of the globe. There are conversions in Africa, in New Zealand, in Hindustan, in China. The people converted are naturally unlike one another in every respect. But one striking thing I observe at all the missionary stations: the converted people always pray.
I do not deny that a man may pray without heart and without sincerity. I do not for a moment pretend to say that the mere fact of a persons praying proves is everything about his soul. As in every other part of religion, so also in this, there may be deception and hypocrisy.

But this I do say, that not praying is a clear proof that a man is not yet a true Christian. He cannot really feel his sins. He cannot love God. He cannot feel himself a debtor to Christ. He cannot long after holiness. He cannot desire heaven. He has yet to be born again. He has yet to be made a new creature. He may boast confidently of election, grace, faith, hope, and knowledge, and deceive ignorant people. But you may rest assured it is all vain talk if he does not pray.

And I say, furthermore, that of all the evidences of the real work of the Spirit, a habit of hearty private prayer is one of the most satisfactory that can be named. A man may preach from false motives. A man may write books and make fine speeches and seem diligent in good works, and yet be a Judas Iscariot. But a man seldom goes into his closet, and pours out his soul before God in secret, unless he is in earnest. The Lord himself has set his stamp on prayer as the best proof of a true conversion. When he sent Ananias to Saul in Damascus, he gave him no other evidence of his change of heart than this, Behold, he prayeth (Acts 9: 11).

I know that much may go on in a man’s mind before he is brought to pray. He may have many convictions, desires, wishes, feelings, intentions, resolutions, hopes, and fears. But all these things are very uncertain evidences. They are to be found in ungodly people, and often come to nothing. In many a case they are not more lasting than the morning cloud, and the dew that passeth away. A real, hearty prayer, coming from a broken and contrite spirit, is worth all these things put together.

I know that the Holy Spirit, who calls sinners from their evil ways, does in many instances lead them by very slow degrees to acquaintance with Christ. But the eye of man can only judge by what it sees. I cannot call any one justified until he believes. I dare not say that any one believes until he prays. I cannot understand a dumb faith. The first act of faith will be to speak to God. Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to life. How a man can live and not breathe is past my comprehension, and how a man can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too.

Never be surprised if you hear ministers of the gospel dwelling much on the importance of prayer. This is the point we want to bring you to; we want to know that you pray. Your views of doctrine may be correct. Your love of Protestantism may be warm and unmistakable. But still this may be nothing more than head knowledge and party spirit. We want to know whether you are actually acquainted with the throne of grace, and whether you can speak to God as well as speak about God.

Do you wish to find out whether you are a true Christian? Then rest assured that my question is of the very first importance; Do you pray?