By All Means

 BY ALL MEANS

"I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." - 1 Corinthians 9:22

The mighty ship, “The Titanic,” sank during its maiden voyage. It was a shocking event because many thought the massive boat was unsinkable --- but it wasn't. To make things worse, the fateful ship was not equipped with an adequate number of lifeboats. The ship was equipped with enough lifeboats for about half of the ship's occupants. It was probably thought that lifeboats would never be needed.

However, when the unthinkable occurred, the lifeboats were employed, but many of them were not filled. Think about it. Hundreds of people drowned. Some of them could have been rescued if they could have made it to a lifeboat. We are told that once they had occupants, most of the lifeboats were rowed away from the ship, even though they were not full. Only two of the twenty lifeboats returned to the ship to rescue more people

Today, many people are sinking in the waters of sin. As Christians, we have been rescued from the chilly waters of iniquity. We are in the lifeboat of grace. Still, all around us many souls are going down. Are we simply satisfied to be on the lifeboat ourselves, or do we seek to help rescue others? I fear that most of us are rowing away from souls. Sadly, we may reach the heavenly shore with a nearly empty lifeboat. That would be the ultimate tragedy, wouldn't it?

The Apostle Paul wrote, "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." Paul wanted God to use him to rescue as many souls as possible. He wanted his lifeboat to be full. He was not rowing away from drowning souls. He was rowing into harm's way to rescue all he could.

Paul realized that he could not win everyone. Some would refuse to be rescued. They would rather drown rather than climb aboard a lifeboat of grace. Instead, Paul was confident that he could, “save some.”

Notice the use of the word, “all,” in Paul's statement: "I am made ALL things to ALL men, that I might by ALL means save some” (emphasis added). In other words, Paul was going to do whatever it would take to rescue as many souls as possible.

I want us to focus on the final phrase, “... that I might by all means save some.” Paul was willing to use whatever means necessary to rescue souls. No, he was not going to do anything unethical. Neither was he going to compromise the Gospel. Yet he was willing to use all the means at his disposal to reach souls.

What about you? What about me? Are we willing to use all means available to win souls? Believe it or not, we have more means available to us than Paul had. Today, the Gospel is being spread by satellite, internet, TV and radio. Millions are being exposed to the Gospel through these channels.

To be honest, I will never have a TV program. Neither will I be able to afford satellite broadcasting. More than likely you can't either. However, we have many avenues available for us to spread the Word. Let me give you a few examples.

First of all, we have email accounts. Do you use your email account to spread the Word? I have placed a link in my email signature to point people to an evangelistic website. Others post a Scripture or evangelistic quote in their email signature.

Also, we have social media accounts. I must confess that I am disappointed with the way many Christians use Facebook. They will post endless links and quotes about politics, but very little about the Gospel. We should use social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others to blanket the internet with the Good News.

Consider Youtube for a moment. I separate this social media channel from the others because it gives us an opportunity to visually and verbally spread a message. This is among the many means we have available to us. Let's use it to spread the Gospel!

Then there is your phone. Whether you still have a landline phone or cellphone, you can still call someone and have a one-on-one conversation. By the way, when you get a wrong number or a telemarketer call, consider telling them about Jesus. I read of a church that had its members use the phone book and engage with people. They would start with the first name on the first page of the book and call each number until they got all the way through the book. They were able to pray with many. Some came to the Lord directly or indirectly through this effort.

We still have the privilege of sending letters and cards, via US Mail. You can still write an evangelistic letter, send a card or mail a package (with a book, CD or video) to someone.

Utilize personal conversations. Offer to pray for the waitress who takes your order at a restaurant. Offer to pray for someone who shares a burden or problem with you. Visit hospitals and nursing homes. Reach out to those who are going through tough times. Invest in young people.

Be creative with Gospel tracts. Hand them out wherever you go. I usually include a Gospel tract with every bill I pay. I've included them in letters. Find good, creative and Biblical Gospel tracts and give them away.  I recommend tracts from livingwaters.com and tractplanet.com.  Don't underestimate the power of a Gospel tract.

I could go on, but you get the idea. I want to use all available means to win souls. I don't want my lifeboat to be nearly empty as I reach the shore. I want to row as close as possible to perishing souls and offer them a seat on the lifeboat. I want my motto be like Paul's, "I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."

What about you?

How To Be Useful In God's Work

 HOW TO BE USEFUL IN GOD'S WORK

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” - Ephesians 5:18

I have a pair of gloves that I use when I work outside. Whether I am mowing grass, cutting weeds or moving items, I use these gloves. They are unimpressive to look at. They are not very valuable. Yet I use them often.

Do you want to be useful in God's work? Do you long for the Lord to use you to impact the lives of others? I think there are some lessons we need to learn from my old work gloves.

First of all, my pair of work gloves are rather useless on their own. My gloves can't do anything by themselves. It would be nice if my gloves could mow the yard without my involvement, but they can't do that. As an independent object, gloves are powerless. The same can said of us. Although this is contrary to our human reasoning and pride, we are unable to do anything of significance on our own. Jesus said, “Without me, ye can do nothing.” Like a pair of gloves, we are useless on our own.

Secondly, a pair of gloves are only useful when they are filled with competent hands. We are only useful when we are filled with the Lord. That's why Paul wrote, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” We need a divine filling if we wish to be useful in God's work. Gloves can be filled with the wrong things. Dirt can fill up a glove, but what does that accomplish? Water can fill gloves, but this can ruin certain gloves. If a glove is to be used properly, a competent hand must fill it and use it.

The same thing is true of our lives. Yes, you can be filled with drugs or alcohol, but these will lead to death. You can be stuffed with food, but this is ultimately unhealthy. Some have been possessed by demons and became dangerously violent. Rather than being filled with sin, we need to be saved and filled with the Spirit. When the Lord fills a person's life, he or she is fit for service.

I once owned a vehicle that had a gas pedal that would occasionally get stuck in the accelerated position. To say the least, this was a dangerous thing. When you cannot control an automobile, it is unreliable. The same thing is true of our lives. As long as we are in control, dangerous things can happen. If God is in control, He will lead us on the right path. A carpenter will use the tools that can easily accomplish what he wants. In a similar manner, our Lord uses those who are surrendered and led by Him.

If you want to be used by the Lord, you must be saved and surrendered. The filling of the Spirit is for our employment rather than our enjoyment.

Of course, when a job is completed, no one ever praises the gloves. Instead, praise always goes to the man with the competent hands who wore the gloves. If anything good work is accomplished through my life, only the Lord should receive the praise. He is the competent One, not me.

Still, I am thankful that God still uses people like me.  We don't have to be rich, or have numerous college degrees to be used by God. He uses common folk like us. As Paul wrote, “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” God typically uses people who are devoted to Him, obey Him and humble enough to give all the praise to Him.

Are you such a person?

High-Octane Living

HIGH OCTANE LIVING

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” - Acts 20:24

I'm old enough to remember when most gas stations offered full service. When you pulled your car up to a gas pump, there would be a staff member there to fill your gas tank for you. Typically, he would ask two questions: Which fuel did you want (which octane) and the dollar amount you wanted to spend. Growing up, I often heard my father respond to the attendant, “Fill 'er up with high test.”

These days, younger folks don't know what “high test” refers to. “High Test,” is the highest octane fuel available. When I was growing up, fuel was rather inexpensive. Back then, many thought that high octane fuel produced the best engine response. These days, it is tough to afford even the lowest octane fuel.

When it comes to life, I fear that we often operate with low octane fuel. We want the cheapest version of Christianity available. We want to give the least amount of time and money necessary at church. Low octane living produces low-level results.

Where are the Christians who live and work at a higher level? It is rare to find someone who is wide open for Jesus, living a high octane lifestyle. I believe the Apostle Paul lived a high octane life. Speaking of himself, Paul stated, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” That is high octane living!

Notice three things about Paul's high octane life:

AN UNCHANGING POSITION

Paul wrote, “But none of these things move me...” Persecution, problems and pain would not deter him. He was resolved to stand for the Lord. These days, many professing believers are compromising on very basic matters. We should never compromise when it comes to Biblical truth. It is sad to hear of pastors being so wishy-washy about the truth. Rather than boldly standing upon the Word, too many are seeking worldly praise.

Let me be perfectly clear. As Christians, we should be loving and compassionate. We should never seek to deliberately hurt or offend people. However, we are not to compromise when it comes to the Scriptures. Love compels us to stand for the truth, live for the Lord and proclaim the Gospel, even if it offends many. We would rather offend men with the truth than offend God with our disobedience.

AN UNPOPULAR PESPECTIVE

Paul continued to write, “... neither count I my life dear unto myself...” One reason that Paul was used so greatly was that he loved the Lord more than he loved his own life. Many American Christians claim to love the Lord --- but they don't necessarily love Him more than their own lives. The Psalmist wrote that the lovingkindness of the Lord is better than life (Psalm 63:3). It is difficult for us to believe that there is something better than our lives, but there is. Jesus said, “I am … the life,” (John 14:6). Only in Him do we truly live. In fact, He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10).

Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” According to Jesus, the first step in following Him is to deny ourselves. In other words, we give up our lives to receive His. Jesus said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.” Paul epitomized this. No wonder God used him so greatly.

AN UNDENIABLE PASSION

Paul continued, “... so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Paul had a strong passion to proclaim the Gospel. He wanted to finish strong, taking the Gospel to the world.

Paul was a man driven by a mission. He lived a high octane lifestyle. He was sold out to the Lord Jesus. As a result, God used Paul in such a dynamic way that his influence is still being felt today.

What about you? Are you running low on spiritual fuel? It is tempting to seek a quick-fix to remedy the problem. However, there isn't a band-aid solution that will really bring lasting results. No, you can't pull into a gas station to get filled up with spiritual high octane fuel. Instead, you must enter the prayer closet and seek God. He still fills empty hearts. There is no fuel shortage at the throne of grace. God still provides high octane fuel for those who will refuse to be satisfied with anything less. Perhaps, we need to reverently ask God, “Fill me up with high test.”

Come today and get a fresh filling … for free!

Why Sit We Here Until We Die?

WHY SIT WE HERE UNTIL WE DIE?

“And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?” - 2 Kings 7:3

Desperate times call for desperate measures. That was certainly the case for the people of Samaria in 2 Kings chapter 7. The city had been under a Syrian blockade and the people were starving to death. The economy was ruined. Hope was gone. The situation was so bad that two mothers covenanted together to eat their infant children.

At the height of the crisis, the Bible says, “Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.” Up to this point, food was so scarce that a donkey's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver. A donkey's head is hardly considered food, and yet this was being sold for an outrageous price. So when Elisha prophesied that, in 24 hours, food would be cheap, this word was met with skepticism. One cynic said, “If God were to open the windows of heaven, could this thing be?” In response, Elisha told the cynic he would see this event unfold, but would not enjoy it himself.

On the outskirts of town, four lepers began to say, “Why sit we here until we die? Let us flee to the Syrians. If we flee to the enemy, we may get fed. Even if they decide to kill us, that's the same plight we face now.”

The next morning, the lepers set out for the enemy's camp. During the previous night, however, God caused the Syrians to hear the sound of chariots, causing the entire army to think they were being attacked. In a panic, the Syrians fled during the night, leaving their tents, their food and their supplies. So when the lepers arrived, they found the camp empty. The hungry lepers began devouring the food that was left behind.

Eventually, one of the lepers said, “We need to share this information with out people, because they are going hungry.” They went back and shared the news that the enemy's camp was now empty and food was available. At first, this news seemed impossible to believe. The king actually sent some men to check out the authenticity of the story. When the story was verified, there was a great stampede of hungry people, eager to find food. Food became inexpensive immediately. The cynic who had questioned whether God could turn a famine into a feast saw this take place, but then died in the stampede.

I want us to look back at the lepers. Things began to turn around when they said, “Why sit we here till we die?”

I believe it is time for Christians to question the status quo. For too long we've experienced spiritual hunger in our land. Churches are dying. Families are being attacked the enemy. Marriages are failing. Substance abuse abounds. Our nation is being destroyed by the cancer of sin. Worst of all, souls are perishing before our very eyes. Like the lepers, we should be saying, “Why sit we here till we die?”

Most Christians are good at sitting. They will sit on the sidelines and complain about things, but never leave the comfort of their chair to help solve problems. Many will sit in church pews on Sunday, but their involvement in spiritual matters is practically nil. Others will sit in a rocking chair and long for a harvest, but never go out and sow seed themselves.

We like to hear stories of those whom God has used to impact lives of others. Whether it is a soul-winner who leads many to Jesus or a missionary who takes the Gospel into dangerous areas, we get inspired by their stories. However, God is looking for people who will be like the four lepers. People who will say, “Why sit we here until we die?” Will that person be you?

Consider some things about these fours lepers. First of all, they were outcasts. Because of their contagious medical condition, they were isolated from “normal” people. Secondly, they remain unnamed. We don't know who they were. Finally, we find no record that they were rewarded or honored by the very people they rescued. But we know that God used them.

If God can use four lepers, He can use you. You don't have to have a seminary degree or attend Bible college to be useful in God's work. You just need to be available.

While everything seems to be burning to the ground around us, we need more and more people who will say, “Why sit we here until we die?” God has not called us to the rocking chair. Instead, He has called us to the mission field. Instead of complaining about the state of affairs around you, why not go to God and say, like Isaiah, “Lord, here am I, send me.” We need less complainers and more doers of the Word. There's no reason why you can't be such a person.

Why sit we here until we die?