The evil one will tolerate unopposed many church activities, but he knows that preaching the gospel and making disciples is the greatest threat to his kingdom. If we are easily intimidated, he will push us back and try to crush our resolve.

The post The Evangelist: Part 4 – Front Line Soldiers first appeared on Third Peter.

The evil one will tolerate unopposed many church activities, but he knows that preaching the gospel and making disciples is the greatest threat to his kingdom. If we are easily intimidated, he will push us back and try to crush our resolve.

Evangelists learn to use the art of conversation as a springboard for sharing the gospel.  They understand how to present Jesus in a way that arouses their curiosity and interest.

The post The Evangelist: Part 3 – Fishers of Men first appeared on Third Peter.

Evangelists pin on their listeners the responsibility for Christ's death. Our sin nailed him to the cross. They also proclaim the good news that Jesus also rose from the dead as the Lord of lords.  They look for the appropriate Spirit-inspired response of repentance coupled with surrender and a declaration of allegiance to Christ.

Complaining against authority derives from a lack of faith in God's sovereignty and his promise to work things for our good and his glory. It shows that we do not understand that all authority ultimately derives from God himself and must be respected. It reveals that we lack a proper fear of God regarding what happens to those who rebel against God's delegated authority.

The final outcome for those who trust in Christ is completely the reverse of what it will be like for those who refuse his generous offer.

When followers of Christ choose to distance themselves from the flock and shepherds, we can be sure that they are ripe for being picked off by the enemy.

Then we will have come full circle, so to speak. The Logos (the eternal Word of God, Jesus) became flesh through what is called the incarnation so that humans could become like the divine Logos through the new birth (a repeat of the incarnation) and the ongoing inner transformation by the Spirit.

In summary, the three major feasts of Israel signify three major events in church history and in the life of every believer. Just as it was mandatory for each Israelite male to participate in these feasts, it is required that Christ fulfill all these feasts and that the church participate in each of those fulfillments. Individually every believer must also have his or her Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of the Ingathering. We are to experience the new birth, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the resurrection, or we have no part in Christ.

What will your life, your values, your priorities, your choices, and your actions say about you at the Last Judgment?