1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV)

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

What Happens When I Die ? !

By brother george

We have all asked that question. Sooner or later someone will ask
you,”What happens to us after we die ?” I believe the Bible reveals
many truths about death, afterlife, eternal life, and heaven .

The Bible Scriptures tell us that, Believers will never perish, never
die, have eternal life, everlasting life, live forever. Included in the
Scriptures are also the Scripture verses that are spoken by Jesus. I
believe those verses are giving you the truth directly from God’s Son.

If you believe in God and accept the Bible as God’s Word, there you
will find your true answers. I have selected a few of the Scripture
verses that You could find in the New Testament as examples of
God’s plan for us.

That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
( John,3:15 )

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
( John,3:16 )

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes
in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into
judgment, but has passed from death into life.( John,5:24 )

Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when
the Dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear
will live. ( John,5:25 )

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which
endures To everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you,
because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” ( John,6:27 )

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting
life. ( John,6:47 )

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone
eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give
is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” ( John,6:51 )

"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither
shall Anyone snatch them out of My hand." ( John,10:28 )

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live". ( John,11:25 )

"And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you
believe this ?” (John,11:26)

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this
life is in His Son. ( 1 John,5:11 )

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God
does not have life. ( 1 John 5:12 )

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that
you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
( 1 John 5:13 )

but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus
Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel, ( 2 Timothy 1:10 )

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we
have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in
the heavens. ( 2 Corinthians 5:1 )

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait
for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ( Philippians 3:20 )

who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His
glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to
subdue all things to Himself. ( Philippians 3:21 )

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will
bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:14 )

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are
alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means
precede those who are asleep. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:15 )

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the
dead in Christ will rise first. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16 )

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall
always be with the Lord. ( 1 Thessalonians 4:17 )

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John,14:2)

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive
you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John,14:3)

Consider that we may exist as a physical body with a individual soul
and spirit. We know our physical body dies and we know from the
Bible that the physical body can be resurrected. We know that, when
our physical body dies our soul and spirit leaves the Body. Your soul
and spirit, that is you and you leave your body and face God upon
death of that body. The flesh body may be considered sleeping or at
rest as it can be (regardless of it’s form) resurrected by God. The
spirit and Soul of a believer is eternal and will be united with Christ
at the very moment that the Physical body ceases to be awake. The
physical body of the believer is mortal and will perish or sleep until
the day of the final resurrection.

The Bible says we will be changed and that Salvation is your choice.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Four Ways To Do One to One

(Starting Well - Chapter Twelve)
By Joan Esherick

This author realized discipling was a gift, that she needed to
give to others. She wrote there are more ways to disciple than
you might think. Joan gives us four of her discipling experiences
to show what God can do when one believer invests into another.

Case One; “The Study Method”, for a new believer; set a weekly
meeting day, a session duration time, and a finish date. Show
this new believer by your example how to pray before and after
each study session. You invest the effort and entrust all the
results to God.

Case Two; “The Grow Method”, to deepen your disciples faith set
a biweekly meeting day, session duration time, monthly special
outing dates, and a mini-retreat date, also a finish date. Examine
Bible study methods and devotional practices of your disciple.
The results of your examination may give you some good places to
start strengthening this disciple.

Open your library and show your study tools; Topical Bibles,
Bible Dictionaries, concordances, commentaries, Christian Classics.
Then explain how useful these are as study tools. Encourage your
disciples to do study on their own and afterwards discuss their
findings. Spend time together outside of the study sessions to
discuss the everyday type of challenges.

Case Three; “Walk Method”, frequent informal meetings over a long
duration. Welcome your new disciple into your home and life. This
is a life to life relationship that is a friendship of conversations,
helping each other, also sharing struggles and victories.

Case Four; “Help Method”, contact by phone and informal get
together in person as needed. This is a short term crisis intervention
until the proper support group is established. You are Comforting,
listening, and encouraging them. As others begin to fulfill the
needs you may withdraw.

You “seek God first” (we can not repeat that enough) and follow
His guidance for the method best suited for the disciple to whom
He leads you.

Recommended by brother george

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Scratching Where They Itch

(Starting Well - Chapter Eleven)
By Mistie Hutchison

“Discerning your disciple’s needs”, that is the hard part of discipling.
Obvious, is how Mistie described asking God for guidance.
(chapter ten, ”Tell God first”. Let us keep repeating that principle)
God will reveal needs that you may not normally see. Jesus spent
time in prayer before major decisions, such as choosing His disciples.
(Luke 6:12-13)

Listen attentively to what your disciples are saying. You need to
know what is going on inside them, if you are to serve their real
needs. This means you really hear them and you are seeing their
emotions and circumstances.

Asking good questions can be helpful in finding those needs.
Mistie suggested a few questions to ask in the beginning of a
discipling relationship;
“Where would you like to improve your life ?”
“What do you feel your needs are ?”
“How can I help you ?”

When someone is asked; ”What are your needs ?”
There may be a difference between their felt need and their real
need. Felt needs are what a person thinks is most important for
their life. A real need can be defined as a need that God has placed
in our lives. The process of finding someone’s real needs may
require time, careful listening, asking questions, and getting into
the Scriptures.

Being a part of God’s work in another person’s life will be worth the
time and effort if you ask God first and you follow His guidance.

Recommended by brother george

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Contagious Love

(Starting Well - Chapter Ten)
“Passing on your passion for God”
By Cindi McMenamin

Think about, How do we pass on our love for God ?

This is how Cindi moved from knowing about God to
having a loving relationship with God. She tells of her
three basic principles that deepened her relationship
with Jesus.

One; “Tell God first”, going to God first shows
that He is the most important part of your life.

Two; “Take God seriously”, this means prioritize
your life so nothing takes away from your relationship
with Him.

Three; “Trust God fully”, means you take your
greatest needs to Him and allow nothing to separate
you from God.

Cindi explains we should look for God everywhere and
in everything we do. Our Worship may be incorporated
into everything in our lives. Just by appreciating and
giving thanks to God for all He has provided. Cindi found
that the more time she spends with God the more her
love grows and the more she wants to be with Him.

“How can you pass along your love for God ?”
When your passion for God is visible in what ever you do,
that relationship will be wanted by others.

Recommended by brother george

Monday, August 2, 2010

Outreach 101

(Starting Well - Chapter Nine)
By Evan R. Griffin

Evan offers his methods for helping new believers
tell others about their relationship with Jesus.

Help them remember all the changes by comparing
old life with the new life and write down those changes.

Help them research Gods word of how the Lord feels for
the lost to give them that feeling for the lost.
Examples; (Matt.9:35-38)(Luke 15)

Help them understand people by taking a prayer walk
around the places they normally frequent. Pray together
for God to prepare those peoples hearts. Pray for God to
prepare the new believers for sharing their faith.

Evan gives good advice; for them to begin with casual
friendly conversation and for them to realize that they do
not have to accomplish everything in the first conversation.
Tell them to Let the Spirit lead their progress. In some
encounters they may simply be leading some one just a step
closer to Christ.

The new believer may engage someone by asking questions.
Some examples of questions Evan used;
How do you feel your life is working these days ?
What is your religious background ?
Have you ever read stories about Jesus ?
Did you ever hear a story about answered prayer ?

Evan feels that the relational depth and camaraderie of
people who have Christ in common will attract others to
Christ.

Help our new believers launch into a lifetime of outreach,
pray for God to lead the new believers, pray others will
be drawn to Christ by them.

Recommended by brother george