Learn to hear the voice of God through the Scriptures. Join us as Erwin McManus, Ralph Neighbour, and others share their conversations with God.
| Date Aug 5th Aug 12th Aug 19th Aug 26th Sep 2nd |
Pasadena 10am Erwin McManus Cindy Norman Rickey Williams Chad Becker Steve Saccone |
Inland 10am Dave Auda Scot Burbank Ralph Neighbour Ralph Neighbour Dave Mushegan |
| Date Aug 5th Aug 12th Aug 19th Aug 26th Sep 2nd |
Mayan 5pm Erwin McManus Gabriel Lawrence Rafael Lopez Charity Marquis Octavio Martinez |
Mayan 7pm Erwin McManus Dana Elliott Steve Saccone Adrian Koehler Sarah Auda |
* Marvin Moore will speak on Passages at the Westside gathering on September 2nd.
May 23rd, 2007 at 12:31 pm
I enjoyed Pastor Erwin’s sermon last Sunday where he stated that although we spend most of our Christian lives applying and experiencing the Word of God , that we should spend as much of our time as we can reading and studying the Word of God.
“But continue though in the things which thou has learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou has learned them;
And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
2nd Timothy 3:14-17
May 29th, 2007 at 9:18 am
I don’t have an exact ‘life’ verse, but more seasonal verses of what I’m dealing with at the moment. One thing i was struggling with was trusting God fully in letting go of thing’s that brought shame and gilt to me after i was completely forgiven, and honestly I still kind of struggle with feeling alone. The verse that helps ease this and remind me of Gods ability to provide all that my heart needs, which is Him. Would be:
Hosea 2:14-21
“And now, here’s what I’m going to do:
I’m going to start all over again.
I’m taking her back out into the wilderness
where we had our first date, and I’ll court her.
I’ll give her bouquets of roses.
I’ll turn Heartbreak Valley into Acres of Hope.
She’ll respond like she did as a young girl,
those days when she was fresh out of Egypt.
“At that time”—this is God’s Message still—
“you’ll address me, ‘Dear husband!’
Never again will you address me,
‘My slave-master!’
I’ll wash your mouth out with soap,
get rid of all the dirty false-god names,
not so much as a whisper of those names again.
At the same time I’ll make a peace treaty between you
and wild animals and birds and reptiles,
And get rid of all weapons of war.
Think of it! Safe from beasts and bullies!
And then I’ll marry you for good—forever!
I’ll marry you true and proper, in love and tenderness.
Yes, I’ll marry you and neither leave you nor let you go.
You’ll know me, God, for who I really am.
“On the very same day, I’ll answer”—this is God’s Message—
“I’ll answer the sky, sky will answer earth,
Earth will answer grain and wine and olive oil,
and they’ll all answer Jezreel.
I’ll plant her in the good earth.
I’ll have mercy on No-Mercy.
I’ll say to Nobody, ‘You’re my dear Somebody,’
and he’ll say ‘You’re my God!’”
Jun 4th, 2007 at 6:38 am
Passages 01 is an absolutely incredible message. I can’t get over it…I think I will, quite literally just stay stuck with Jeremiah for some time; and grow there.
Thanks Erwin & Mosaic.
Jun 6th, 2007 at 11:01 am
I am a firm believer that the outside of our Bibles need to change Its text from “Holy Bible” to “James 1:22″. This scripture has always helped me in keeping the focus that I believe we should all have. Doing what it is we are supposed to be doing. Do what? Read the rest and find out. It breaks my heart that the Scriptures have received the reputation of being a Book of “do nots” when the entire purpose of Scripture is to show us how to “do” life.
“Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!” - James 1:22
Jun 11th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
I don’t usually comment on this space but thought I might suggest to Geoffrey to go back and listen to the message again. I actually said the opposite of what you heard. I am grateful for the comment and the compliment but thought clarity would be better.
Jun 18th, 2007 at 10:01 am
I recently visited Mosaic Inland and heard Ralph Neighbour speak. Are you planning on making that podcast available anytime soon?
Jun 18th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Rickie,
At the moment, we often podcast the Mayan gathering for audio. The video podcast is always from the Pasadena gathering. I don’t believe there are any immediate plans to begin podcasting the Inland gathering, but I’ll inquire about that.
-alan
Jul 7th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
I live in PA. pastor Erwin tapes were givento my by a lady that takes blood, to see how the cancer is. I’m glad to say that I am inremission and healed by the blood of Jesus. I have been so blessed by the tapes I recieved from this sweet lady. I am a Christian, but the salt in my life was loosing it’s effectiveness for other. Pastor Erwin I thank you for the the word that has sparked hunger & thirst after righteouness. I’m listening to the Stand, Barbarian way, Carla gave me 10 of your CD’s. I was like a Barbarian in my earlier years in Christ but I saw Christian ministring to Christians and not reaching out to other and and be coming a social club to keep us entertained,tell you the truth I just got tired and fed up in trying to fit into this mode of you have to do this or that to be accepted. Clickish You have sparked the fire again in my heart for other no matter what and it is as I go to bless others as Christ. Thank you again and I know that it is God speaking to me to get up and get started.
Jul 10th, 2007 at 5:48 am
thank you for the works that l see God doing in all amen ,,l.am a lady that God 4 years ago help to read and spell ,,bless his name ,,l have not pike a book up all my life ..thanks to God 4 years he help me amen…
Jul 11th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
What the world is clamouring to see is the grace of God lived out buy the children of God. We need to be grace givers. Do something kind, something very undeserved to the most despised person at work. Our attitudes and responses need to be as seen in Matt. 5:38-48. The world will try to pull your chain, tick you off, etc. They are expecting anger, bitterness, backbiting, holding a grudge, etc. We need to smile instead of frown, bless them instead of curse them and then maybe they will listen when you present The Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Jul 11th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Jason J…
You did a fabulous job on Sunday at Pasadena! I was very encouraged by your words, and I SOOO appreciate your authenticity and willingness to be real. Sermons like yours are why my hubby and I have chosen to be a part of Mosaic. That’s what “church” should be about-people being real (puke and all). Bless you and your ministry to the students of Mosaic (and us adults).
Jenny and Jeremy Green
Jul 15th, 2007 at 2:48 am
passages was great my hubby and i arent at church right now, and your words speak sence and humility to us. your honesty is the most touching part of your ministry. thankyou for allowing God to use you. your openness is your sword.
kind love from ireland
olga
Jul 15th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
why does it take 3-4 days to upload the podcast? it should be up by monday night. please fix this. I am waiting til the middle of the week to hear the only church I go to. Thank you.
Jul 16th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Dear frustrated,
It sounds like you are subscribed to our VIDEO podcast subscription? It does take a few days to get that up, because our staff needs to edit the video for that, before we upload, and editing can be a time-consuming process.
On the other hand, as our other listeners will attest to, our AUDIO podcast is up by Monday night, so you can access that fairly quickly
FYI, I tried emailing you to explain this, but it seems the email you left was not valid
-alan
Jul 18th, 2007 at 8:46 am
I am a subscriber to the podcasts but lately I keep having issues getting the files to download. It seems like each time iTunes comes up with an upgrade it wrecks my podcast downloading ability.
I am open to the possibility that my computer is smarter than me, and I am just doing something wrong , but I was hoping that someone from your team might be able to give me some insights on how I can get the weekly audio podcasts to load.
Thanks for all you do!
Jul 18th, 2007 at 8:54 am
For the record…the whole “my computer might be smarter than me” comment was supposed to be in brackets to indicate it was a joke. Truthfully, my 4 year old’s Fisher-Price cell phone is probably smarter than me!
:)
Jul 18th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Dear Todd,
yes it does seem that sometimes a new iTunes upgrade does mess things up. have you tried unsubscribing to our podcast subscription and then re-subscribing? that seems to help in some cases.
-alan
Jul 18th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
I just finished reading “Soul Cravings” and predictably,(since I have read most of Mr.McManus’s books) I am left filled with hope and affirmation of beliefs previously held on the nature of God. There are so many things to comment on but in the interest of brevity I will only say this; the book helped me to sort out the nature of the despondency of my two late brothers, both of whom died of alcoholism at ages 36 and 41. Live only for yourself and seek comfort in “medicine” and you will be lost to the world. I pray that God forgives them for squandering the beauty and opportunity life offered to them. A childhood of neglegt and abuse turned them from Christ…why not me? Firmly in faith,
Denise
Jul 24th, 2007 at 1:30 am
Hi, I’m a faithful listener in Brazil and I’m really enjoying the series. Thanks folks!
Jul 24th, 2007 at 2:28 am
Hi everyone,
Could someone tell me who the band was performing at the start of the July 22 podcast, and how I can get that song?!
Thanks!
Danny
Jul 24th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Dear Danny,
The band at the beginning of the July 22nd podcast is called the Glare of Rockets, with Mariah McManus on lead vocals and others from the Mosaic community
They do have a myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/theglareofrockets
-alan
Jul 26th, 2007 at 5:38 am
Just heart Erin for the first time on Life Today so came to the site to see more - It looks as tho he’s out of Calif - how does one living in Tx get the downloads etc?
Thelma
Jul 26th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Dear Thelma,
Thanks for the comment on our website. You can get some audio or video of Erwin and others from our church in one of two places. You can “subscribe” to our “Mosaic” audio subscription or “Mosaic Video Podcast” subscription through iTunes, which is free.
You can also download them directly from our mosaic.org/podcast page. Available podcasts are listed down the right hand side of that webpage, and are also free.
Hope that helps!
-alan
Jul 26th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
I also heard you on Life Today, its so refreshing to hear someone remind us of who we are.My everyday prayer is GOD bring us back to rememberance of who we are. It’s start with reading the BIBLE most Christians don’t seem to know that the HOLY GHOST will reveal to you what you need when you need it and give you understanding. I’m always amaze when I have that moment. We are children of GOD HE wants us to know him. Take that walk in Faith. With LOVE
Jul 26th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Understanding The Word is by far the hardest thing to do next to believing it. Humilty will usually fix that right quick like save the idiot who has put himself above others.
I think God would rather embrace the seeker than the found.
Too many people think because they are Decons or givers to the coffer it makes the journey for them a solid deal into His kingdom.
This is a fools errand.
Peace when you can get it, love when you can’t is the ultimate message that seems to get missed and is a crying shame considering His sacrifice.
Sincerely,
The Words in red are all that TRULY matter
Jul 27th, 2007 at 3:52 am
To Erwin and all of Mosaic: I am so thankful for your ministry…you continually inspire and bless me with your messages on podcast, books, etc.
This week, as I listened to “Acts 1:8 and More” start out with that amazing song, I couldn’t help but think how much it sounded like Kim McManus on vocals–though I’ve never heard her sing…so, I was quite amused to discover that it was actually her daughter (…clearly that apple didn’t fall far from the tree!) I think Mariah’s band is fantastic!
Anyway, thanks again…specifically for the way you’re able to do church “by the Book”, and yet so “out of the box”…it’s very refreshing!
May God continue to bless you all!
In His Love and Grace…
Gregory Todd
Jul 27th, 2007 at 5:04 am
Also saw the Life for Today program which struck a chord. Listened to the Acts 1:8 podcast and to my surprise it struck yet another deep chord–some of the teaching reflected part of a poem i had written about my husband (of 39 years)a few years ago.
“My husband is a man
My husband is a sinner
Most of all my husband is living proof
that the love of God
still flows through men’s hearts today”
Needless to say, i related well to the “proof of God” line of thought presented in the message.
Am looking forward to reading and listening to more from this site.
Dorothy
Jul 30th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I just finished listening to the podcast on John 10. I appreciated Erwin’s honesty in relating his disappointment with sales for Soul Cravings. I actually bought the book and read it shortly after it was released. After finishing it, I felt as though I should pass it on to a friend who is not a follower of Christ. I have never gotten around to it. After hearing Erwin comment on what his hopes were for the book, I feel even more strongly that I need to pass this on to him — no more procrastinating!!
Aug 9th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Hello saints and seekers- I am writing this from Chapel Hill (Erwin’s old stomping ground), North Carolina. I just listened to this past Sunday’s message about spiritual warfare and want to thank you Erwin and Mosaic for going there. I don’t hear many conversations concerning “good and evil” and it frustrates me because it is very real. I must admit that it scares me at times but praise God that we have the victory in Jesus! Love wins! Thanks and God bless.
Aug 10th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Erwin’s message last Sunday lit up my life! Seriously, honestly I was bored @ Mosaic, and last Sunday the “daring” subject of living in a spiritual world has opened soo much conversation between me and my friends its been phenomenal. Thakns Erwin for talking about it, it was a brave move but its what it is. The bible says it and we should talk about it!
Aug 11th, 2007 at 9:09 am
Dearest Erwin and Mosaic - I was very moved by the Passages series and recently read Soul Cravings. What Erwin does best is to help us get in touch with our soul and it’s connection with our God. We are truly spiritual beings having a brief physical experience on this earth. This fact brings new dimensions into walking with Jesus and how we all can receive his power and spirit and find love which is the most exhilirating and empowering gift offered!!
Aug 13th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Passages is rocking my life!! Gabriel and Dana TORE it up at the Mayan like I’ve never experienced before!!Thank you both for sharing from your heart!
Aug 14th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Hey,
Loved the Philippians talk. thanks
There’s a story in C.S. Lewis Weight of Glory that describes some children playing with mud-pies and when someone tells them about the great ocean resort with many mansions the children say no thanks ..we are content playing in the mud.
makes me look at it all so differently.. we want to tell the children ..we have deep compassion for them to know the seaside resort is real but we can’t force them ..
and conflicts in the mud are about what really? (the mud slinging like we see in our world each day) they are about rubbish as Paul says in Philippians 3 ..compared to the incredible trip to the ocean resort ..they are trivial ..it’s easy to forgive when we realize the mud we were just hit with is inconsequential.
Thanks be to God for His unconditional love.
Aug 14th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
P.S. Soul Cravings book is making it’s way thru the fingers of some terrific barristas here in Toronto at a Starbucks. Ironic that the opening scenes of the book are set in Starbucks..maybe God is using this coincidence for good :) thanks again.
Aug 14th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
What passage of the Bible would the Church says addresses best the scene from the recent movie “The Exorcist: The Beginning”.
In that film, the protagonist, the Jesuit Priest Father Merrin is sure that he has lost his faith; in fact, he seems to have consciously repudiated it. He states at one point, “I believe in nothing.”
But that is not quite true: He is no empty-headed nihilist. His memory overflows with images of terrifying evil, deeds in which he was in some measure complicit. In repeated flashbacks — we are shown a scene of a Nazi soldier executing a young girl in Fr. Merrin’s presence.
The Nazi taunts Merrin, “God is not here today, priest.” He then forces Merrin to select ten victims, a demand with which Merrin complies so that he can save the children from extermination.
Father Merrin is haunted by the ten people he selects for the Nazi soldiers to execute to save the rest of the townspeople and the children of the town. He loses his faith in the face of terrible evil.
Terrible evil still confronts us today, from Rwanda and Cambodia’s killing fields to the civil war in Bosnia and Serbia and the Balkans to the current massacres in the Sudan and the Congo; the wars all over the globe from Iraq and Afghanistain to Burma and Sri Lanka and to Columbia; the terrible suffering of the poor in Mexico, China, Russia, Africa, Brazil, etc.; the apathy in our society in the face of loneliness, hedonism, materialism, drugs, poverty and suffering in our culture and in foreign lands.
What passage of the Bible, would the Church select today and now to address the mocking statement:
“God is not here today, priest” ??
What passage of the Bible best addresses this haunting question posed by the Devil himself….2000 years after the crucifixion and the Resurrection of our Lord ??
Aug 15th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
My response to the last comment is not so much to suggest which passage of the Bible BEST addresses Geoffrey’s question. It is rather to point out several messages offered here at Mosaic that speaks along that theme.
In fact, Cindy Norman just spoke at the Pasadena gathering this past Sunday. In her message, she referred to Gideon’s story in Judges 6. In verse 13, after an angel had appeared saying to Gideon, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior,” Gideon responds by saying, “Sir, if the Lord is with us, why are we having so much trouble?”
Chapter 6 and 7 continue to describe how Gideon, under God’s guidance, defeated the forces that were suppressing his people.
I would suggest Cindy’s message, available for download in video on our mosaic.org/podcast page. Also, Erwin spoke during the Life’s Toughest Questions series on the topic, “Does God Care?” His audio message is also available for download from our podcast page.
These messages are also available thru our iTunes subscriptions.
Aug 15th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Thank you for your response Alan.
Perhaps it is only in our own intense pain, our own loneliness and in our suffering and in our deepest trials that we can understand the Love of God. ……. When we are betrayed by a friend; or rejected when we fall in love romantically with someone;
when our business is failing; when we lose our job; when we are fighting an addiction; when a family member abandons us or in the middle of a divorce; or death of a relative………maybe it is only in these darkest times that we can appreciate the loneliness, the shame, the passionate suffering of the Cross that our Lord Christ endured for each of us………
Maybe when the Devil, the Evil One comes to us and taunts us and tempts us to abandon our faith……we must turn to the Cross and like Father Merrin in that film, and we must point to the Love of God demonstrated by the passionate sacrifice of our Savior Jesus. For it is only in Jesus that we have any hope of salvation.
St. Paul knew a little about suffering, pain and loneliness:
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
ROMANS 8:38-39
Aug 16th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
I missed the Aug.12 service @ 7pm in the Mayan. I just looked at the schedule and noticed that Dana Elliott was speaking. She is my favorite vocalist! … I am curios to hear what passage she spoke about and her story behind it. Is there any way that I can get the audio podcast for that?
Aug 17th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Melissa,
Dana’s message is already available for download thru iTunes and on our mosaic.org/podcast page. Her message was called “Proverbs 25:2″
we made two audio podcasts available this week, hers and Gabriel Lawrence’s message entitled Matthew 25:14-30
Aug 17th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
hey, really enjoyed viewing Erwin’s podcast message on warfare (passages series). Keep em coming! Enjoy viewing from across the pond.
Aug 29th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is quite brief but very moving to me:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”
HEBREWS 11:1
Faith in God for most of us, followers of Christ, at times can be a very difficult if not, seemingly impossible thing. The darkness of doubts at times for some is almost suffocating and too painful to endure.
Recently, it has come to light that Mother Teresa, the Roman Catholic nun and the beloved symbol of saintly devotion to the poor, spent her last 50 years secretly and intensely struggling with doubts about her faith in God.
A recent book publishing Mother Teresa’s letters over the last 66 years of her 87 year long life show an extreme and prolonged crisis of faith.
At one time in 1961, she wrote: “I have come to love the darkness for I believe now that it is part of a very, very small part of Jesus’ darkness and pain on earth.”
The nun coped with what she termed her “spiritual dryness” by likening it to Christ’s suffering and pain on the cross.
Mother Teresa was a 36-year old convent school teacher riding on a train in India on Sept. 10, 1946, when she said Christ spoke to her directly, telling her to become a missionary in the slums of Calcutta, India to help the poorest of the poor. She said “Come be My light” is what she heard.
Despite her long decades of suffering the painful darkness of doubts about her faith in God, she never abandoned her work.
She remained until her death in 1996 with the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta which she set up in the late 1940’s to help India’s poor.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”
Aug 29th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
This Sunday’s sermon in Pasadena is very refreshing and I enjoyed Chad’s sincere sharing. Just one suggestion for Chad: you didn’t mention how you got out of the unclean(I mean your full time job) and transit into full time ministry? I mean your words from the Bible is very great to be understood but how do you teach your members to apply it at various stages?
Also, you encourage us that it’s ok to eat cakes, quoting the wedding you and your family just recently attended. In a more balanced way, it would be good to mention that there are time to fast and there are time to feast! People in America tend to overeat and overweight in comparison with other Christians in other nations. I think some super rigid fasters need to learn to eat more cakes while those overeaters of banquet cakes need to learn to eat less in regards to spiritual discipline, this of course includes fasting.
Also the centality of Jesus’s crucifixion is the foundation for all sermons which is worth to be mentioned in every sermon.
I have prayed for you because I see you are a great man of God and I pray God enlarge your capacity: in quantity and in depth!
May God bless you!
Angela
Aug 29th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Adrian, from one prodigal to another, welcome home. I really enjoyed hearing you speak honestly the way you did! God Bless, Alicia
Aug 30th, 2007 at 9:24 am
My other favorite passage in the Bible is quite long but shows Christ’s gentleness and his deep love for those who are empty and who seek Him, find Him and worship Him:
Luke 7:36-50 which reads as follows:
“And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
And behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a sinner.
And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven: for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”
ST. LUKE 7:36-50
This passage shows that with sinners Jesus was very gentle. Christ treats the prostitute in Luke 7:36-50 with love and gentleness. He looks deep into her heart and soul and sees her emptiness but also her faith in Him and her love for Him.
Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery? He said to her, “Where are those accusers of yours?”
“No one, Lord,” she told Him.
Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (see John 8:10–11).
Does this mean Jesus approved of the way she lived? Far from it—God is very clear about how He wants us to live. Jesus knew the real problem was that her sin needed to be resolved.
It was the same thing with the Samaritan woman at the well, who was known for her immorality. Yet as Jesus spoke to her that day in Samaria, He did not condemn her for her lifestyle as much as He appealed to her inner spiritual thirst.
The bottom line is that people are empty, and they need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Expend your energy there. Expend your energy in proclaiming the gospel. The heart of the matter is that people are lost. They need Christ. And we need to take that message to them.
Blessings and Shalom.
Sep 1st, 2007 at 9:39 am
I really like the passage from Matthew 4:19 where Jesus says:
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Most People get too involved with everyday life and their families, hobbies, careers, materialism, politics, entertainment, relationships, consumerism and petty squabbles at work and with relatives, with family, etc. and they completely forget why Jesus puts each of us here on Earth:
To follow HIM and to become FISHERS of men and women.
Jesus gathered a band of ordinary yet extraordinary men and women to follow Him. Fishermen, a Zealot, a Tax collector, a Prostitute, etc.
With these men and women through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the entire world was forever changed by the preaching of the Gospel and Jesus’ passionate sacrifice for all of us on the Cross.
Jesus called these men and women like he calls us to be missionaries and to forever change our world with the preaching of the Gospel from then 2000 years ago right up to today in 2007 A.D.
Jesus Himself was the first missionary! He did not sit by passively and let those who happened to be interested in His teaching come to Him. He went out where the sick, the sorrowing, and the sad were, and expounded His message of joy, healing, and salvation.
Even at a tender age, He went to the Temple and “taught” the doctors and lawyers who were entrenched in the old traditions. He found His way to the seaside and intruded upon the life of the commonest of laborers, saying, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Wherever He went He challenged, uprooted, and changed men. And at length they nailed Him to a cross because He had upset their selfish, secure, smug way of life. Not only was Jesus a missionary, but He pledged His followers to be missionaries, too!
The toughest question in life is whether to follow the cares and the things of this world, the treasures and fortunes of this temporary world…, or to follow the call of Jesus made so simply 2000 years ago…………..
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Sep 3rd, 2007 at 5:05 pm
With regard to the Acts 1:8 message: Erwin’s comment about the Lord’s assumption that we, the body of believers, should start by conquering a whole city; I think that Erwin hit the nail on the head (big time). Christians (pastors included) don’t seem to realize that we have the power (dynamite) to get this done. The essence of Romans 1:16 is: “The gospel is the power of God!”
Use the gospel to capture each city for the Lord’s kingdom! We need to believe that we can! Then we need to “DO IT”! Turn your church into an army that is on the offensive and gaining territory every day. Every christian should take up their sword and wield it with love. Drive it into the battle and take no prisoners. “The gates of hell” are no match for it! Every christian should witness every day!
Oct 3rd, 2007 at 8:10 am
Thank you Charity.
God used you in my healing process.