As We Go, Tell Someone!

So everywhere we go, we tell everyone about Christ. We warn them and teach them with all the wisdom God has given us, for we want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. (Colossians 1:28)

What does it mean to make disciples? Matthew 28:20 describes it for us. Since I’m a simple man, I’ll put it simply, it means to teach others to study what Scripture say’s and especially what Jesus has said. To disciple people is to live out our faith in this world, to share it with others, to teach it by word, and to model it by example.

I have been blessed in this by having been discipled by a community and a Pastor that have taught me and shown me by the example of their lives serving as Jesus served here @ The Well and out in the world. The same plan of going into the entire world and making disciples is to share our faith with each other and the world, to seek to lead people to Christ, and then to the best of our ability, help them become spiritually mature. Every day God places opportunities before us to share His Word, His awesome love and graciousness with someone. But, we hold back in fear of offending or suddenly go brain dead, which is the best thing that could happen at these times. When we are dead to self is exactly the time the Holy Spirit given takes over. Praise Jesus my brain doesn’t have much to begin with, so simple is it there is not much left there to die. Amen?

But, somewhere the church has gotten sidetracked, we have separated evangelism from discipleship, yet no such difference is given in Scripture. They are part of each other, the idea is not just to share the gospel, lead someone to Christ, and then say, well God bless you, and I’ll catch you later. We wouldn’t do that any more than a doctor delivering a baby would give the newborn a package of diapers, set him out on the sidewalk, and then say, you are now on your own son. It has been good to know ya for this brief time, and I wish the best to you. A baby needs to be nurtured, loved, and cared for. And so does a new believer in Christ.

To make disciples is to help new believers grow spiritually and become dedicated, committed, faithful, mature disciples of Jesus, and in turn, they will repeat the process with someone else. To make disciples is to reproduce the same Christ likeness we have in ourselves. It is to bring others to Christ, help them get on their feet spiritually, and then do that again and again.

Father, for Your grace and merciful love shown to us in Christ Jesus, we are ever thankful. We pray You will guide us and strengthen us in our witness to the world all for Your honor and glory, and that Your kingdom come here now as it is in heaven. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

In Christ
Sandy Perry
06/26/09

The Cement of Society

Matthew 5:13-20 "You are the salt of the earth ..." (v.13)

One thing is becoming clear as we meditate on faithfulness and fidelity, nobody gets away with anything in a moral universe if that "anything" is dishonest and untrue. The whole history of humanity is an explanation on this. Remember the first lie uttered by Satan, "You shall not surely die"? He keeps on repeating that well worn but shameful lie to every member of the human race. Something dies in us the moment we are dishonest, especially in our witness and not to say the least, our self respect. Death from the lie eats away at our hearts the moment dishonesty is let in. We are not so much punished for sin as by sin. I came across a statement in a book in which the writer said: "There are two major principles for getting and keeping political power, I honestly know nothing about politics, but this sounds like our politicians today: (1) let nothing, least of all truth and honor, interfere with success; (2) be honest and trustworthy in the little things, but boldly dishonest in the large ones." What would be the result of someone getting political power by following those two principles? I will tell you. Like blind Samson, they would pull down the pillars of society around their heads and the heads of others also just as we are seeing in our government today.

Postmodernism in our government and our culture has brought on the whole political correctness and tolerance issues we deal with everyday. They say truth is relative and since they believe and sell this idea to our culture, they are building on this worldview that says there are no absolute truths, and since there are no absolute truth or truths there are no absolute morals for society. Our children are hearing this in school and through our politicians and it sound good to them. If Jesus is not Truth as He say’s He is and Scripture is not absolute Truth it as Scripture plainly states it is then they can do what they want and believe what they want simply because without absolute Truth there is no absolute morals we have to adhere too!
Will it be just the ten righteous men who spare the Sodoms of this world? Conformity is the cement that holds society together; take it away and it destroys itself. I may be stretching imagination too far by saying this, but in my opinion the Christian presence, especially as it represents conformity too Scripture and what the Bible says, holds the world on its course. Civilization would have disintegrated long ago were it not for the moral and Christian character that flows out of the Church and the Word into the world.
In my ministry I will proclaim the Truth, Jesus Christ and lately have been admonished and called down by fellow Christians for doing it. If it is false doctrine being taught or downright lies about our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus who is the Word of God I will do as we are called and commanded in 1 Peter 2: 15 always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in us. By doing this we are proclaiming it out of love. Yet people are still going to call you judgmental even when you love them enough to tell them they are believing the lie. To not tell them would be detrimental to what Jesus commanded in the Great Commission to make disciples in all the nations. So that said if my devotions should offend please e-mail me and let me know in what way they might have offended and I will lovingly and winsomely reply!
Prayer:
Father, help us to be the ones who hold the world together by our character. And let the point of our character be conformity to truth and righteousness and not the world. Give us the strength and the words through Your Holy Spirit that our witness be for Your glory. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

In Christ,
Sandy Perry
06/20/09

Jesus make our hearts your home

The past several day's the Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to talk with several people about their addictions. Most of my adult life I also struggled with these same longings for peace and rest in one drug or another until Jesus made my heart His home.I pray that whatever addiction might have you bound today my freinds the Lord will come into your hearts and dwell within you also giving you the peace and joy only to be found in Jesus.

Sweet Jesus come live inside of me
Show me Your will Lord
Make me the person You want me to be

Take these addictions that has me bound
Give me Your Spirit Lord set me free
Let Your peace and love surround
Lord, make me the child
You want me to be

Only by You Lord
Captives are set free
Cleansed form within
Forgiven and forgotten
By the only Begotten
Our Lord, Jesus Christ

Jesus make our hearts Your Home
Never more will we be alone
Your presence is near, so very near
Your voice so sweet to hear
Gently caressing our deepest part
Thank you Jesus
For coming into my heart
And taking out the doubt and fear
Lord we pray, You never depart
Amen

Sandy Perry
06/17/09

Reflections on John 3: 8

Reflections on John 3: 8 The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

There is a Wind that blows
It blows, like a rolling thunder
A gentle breeze that flows
Oh how it flows, filling us with wonder

So mighty is this Wind rushing where it may
It has calmed the seas and held oceans at bay
This Wind can gently lift the bird’s wings as it flies
And fill newborns delicate lungs for its very first cry

So powerful is this Wind no one can stand in its wake
Whole armies have fell as it made heaven and earth shake
When man hits bottom and cries out Jesus please save me
This very Wind lifts him up to the Father of grace and mercy

In the depths of our souls we can feel the Wind rumble
As we fall into the darkness in which we often stumble
Ever so gently as the last shadows are quickly closing in
We can hear His sweet voice call our name from deep within

As this Wind gently blows on the ember it ignited
God’s mighty breath, his very Wind fuels the flame
And then once again our hearts, minds and souls
With the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are united
Thank you Lord Jesus for coming to call
And setting us free one time for all

Sandy Perry

Reflections on my favorite Psalm 139

As you wake to a new day
Can you not hear the Father say;
Rest in Me, My beloved child
Let Me warm your heart for awhile
I am always gentle, loving and kind
I will always carry you, lest you fall behind

Look up to the stars at night and to the sky so blue
Deeper and wider than this, is My love for you
I Am your Creator and I put all this into your hands
Even the oceans so deep and the desert sands
Was yours from beginning, when We drew the Masters plans

Every breath you breathe, My very essence you receive
Every beat of your hear, My child I had to start
Ever thought or idea that crosses your mind
I put it there if it was loving, just and kind
As your Father, I have wonderful things in store
And give you My strength and all My love forevermore

So sweet child of Mine, do not doubt nor have no fear
When you come to Me, I Am always near and I always hear
Your prayers and pleas are always perfectly clear
Know you cannot hide, where would you go
I Am in your heart watching and listening, guiding
As more like Christ you continue to grow

Sandy Perry

All of What! 2

2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (NIV)

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! If we want to change our life, we have to change our mind first; we have to change what we believe. We will never think about our worldview unless we can sit down and ask, “Now what is the basis for what I make my decisions and how does it impact my daily life? That’s what we’re going to do for a number of weeks. Why? Because, more than likely without realizing it may be operating on an outdated, old-fashioned, out of order faulty or false worldview.

God says everything you’ve ever done wrong is completely forgiven. It’s completely forgotten. Everything you ever wished you hadn’t done is wiped out. It’s starting over. The Bible calls it being “born again.” John 3:1-8 It means you get a fresh start on life, I get to start over, I get a new identity in Christ.

Now, if you are like me you have stepped across the line many times in your life, hurting yourself and others in the process, but now through Jesus we have a new identity. The problem is in our mind, (me, I don’t have one, just kidding!) but I do find myself still playing old tapes.( if you still call them tapes as I do we are outdated) And those old tapes are tapes of things that people told me when I was growing up which may not be true.

We need to get a new view of ourselves, God’s view of us. When the guys in prison come to understand the role we are to play in creation it is an awesome transformation. We need to get a new view of God and a new view of the world and a new view of history and a new view of where are we headed in life and what is the purpose, and what is life all about, and stop playing these old tapes.

Why is that important? If we base our life on a faulty worldview, the results are devastating, not just on us but the culture around us.

Answers to worldview questions often change because of circumstances or they change because of culture or they change because people choose to. We’re shaped by a whole lot of influences in our lives. How can we see them from a Biblical perspective and how can we let the Bible shape our lives? That’s what I’ll be posting in the next several weeks.

How do we let the Bible shape our life? Our minds? Our behaviors?

How can we understand what is going on all around us?

Father we thank You for sending a Savior to redeem us, our Lord Jesus that makes us new from the inside out and past is wiped away. We pray Lord for your guidance as we seek Your will and purpose for our lives as we strive to be more like Jesus. And it is in His name we pray. Amen.

In Christ
Sandy Perry
06/02/09

Imprisoned by Stereotypes - Prison Fellowship

Imprisoned by Stereotypes - Prison Fellowship

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