4 So you will find favor and a good reputation
In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and
turn away from evil. Proverbs 3:4-7
All Bibler verses taken from the NASB
Panic and pitfall have come upon us, Devastation and destruction; Lamentations 3:47. Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. proverbs 11:14. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6.
We will have pitfalls in our lives as it pertains to this series on our TVs. There is no way of getting rid of pitfalls but there is a way we can deal with them. there are many pitfalls that we can deal with on or when we deal with our TVs. I will talk about a few of the pitfalls then if time permits, I will talk about the way or ways to deal with the pitfalls of our TVs. If there is not time I will talk about it tomorrow, as I said this series will take as long as it takes.
The first pitfall is one that is out of your control and that is if some suggest something you need to watch or sends it to watch on your TV. My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill, They have forgotten their resting place. Jeremiah 50:6. People will try to lead you astray on purpose or not intentionally but still lead you astray.
I want to touch on a point and that is not intentionally part of what I just said. People may not think that the thing they send you or suggest watching is a pitfall but if can be, it may not have been for them, or they do not know that it is a pitfall even for them, they may not be Christian or do not have good discernment. In terms of the unintentional part this can be true, they might not know that they are doing this. an example of this can be found in Deuteronomy 4:42, for one to flee there who unintentionally killed his neighbor, without having hatred for him in time past; and by fleeing to one of these cities he might live. To explain this verse someone kills unintentionally he is not to be put to death because he did not hate. The same can be said in the same way for our series, if someone leads you unintentionally to have you watch something on your TV they are not at fault because they did not know.
Now let's talk about the on-purpose part of what I said above. They can be trying to lead you astray from Jesus and His Kingdom on-purpose. For people do want to do us harm just because we are Christian. For as the bible says, If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. John 15:18. They will want to do it on-purpose just because also they do not like you or just hate you and not in the Christian sense. Whatever it is here this can be a pitfall for us on our TVs. if we are Christians, they will send of a movie that has stuff unholy on it and they, do it on-purpose because they know we are Christian and mock us for trying to be holy. There are many ways they might do it but it all culminated to it being a pitfall for us.
We have a choice to look at what they suggested or to not. They can create peer pressure for you to watch or others can know of it can say you should also watch it. Either way the decision is yours. This is all I got to talk about today I will continue to talk about this tomorrow about pitfalls. I do not want to rush through this stuff because I think it is so important to know and understand.
Today I want to end with a verse I used in the beginning, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6.
All Bible Verse taken from the ESV, NASB
44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Luke 6:44-45
All Bible verse taken from the NASB
What are you watching? Just as there is so much good things you can watch on your TV, there is just as much bad, negative stuff if not more. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. romans 12:21. We have a choose to be overcome with evil and what we do that which is unholy on our TVs, or we have the choose to seek that which is from Jesus and seek the things that are holy on our TVs. The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. Matthew 6:22. We cannot feel TV, or smell TV but we can see and hear TV and by that the eye is the lamp of what we watch on our TV, so if we watch what is good and what is holy and not what is evil our eyes will be clear and in turn our whole body will be clear.
There is so much negative stuff on our TVs today that is sometimes hard to find things that are good on our TVs. The evil that is on our TVs keeps getting worse, things you would have never seen back in the day is being shown today and being considered normal now. Evil is evil and needs to be called out as such. TV seem to be shoving down our throat's evil things such as same sex stuff and other things. We would rather watch that juicy soap opera or reality TV than watch that which is holy. Why is this because we like drama and juicy stories not some story of someone dying on a cross. I am here to tell you that the story of a man dying on the cross is better for us and will lead us to heaven. No soap opera or anything like that can bring us closer to Jesus and have the same power as something holy.
So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27. We are created in the image of God so we should act accordantly. so, seek the things that are holy not the things that are unholy. Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23. We need to guard what we watch on our TV's because if we do not the spring of life will not flow, and we will have to do what the verse says next. Now if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5:29. Harsh right, but the point of that verse is getting you to think of what is causing you to sin and if it is causing you to sin turn from it or your whole body will be thrown into hell.
In all things like the verse above says we have to have diligence with our hearts. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Luke 6:45 We have a choose to do what is evil and seek evil in terms of this series on our TV or we have the choose to seek that which is holy and pure in Jesus' sight on our TVs. What will you choose to do?
A road map to end for today, tomorrow we will talk about pitfalls in our TVS. Then we will talk about drowning out that which is evil because of good things on our TV. and that is as far as the map is taking me right now. and even the map might change between now and tomorrow I led by the spirit on what to write.
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
48 For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.
50 And His mercy is to generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him. Luke 1:48-50
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
50Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Rejoice in the fact that we have TV, pray for your TV, and give thanks for all circumstances that deals with your TV.
My thought for today is if we use and sanctify that which may not be holy to be holy by praying to Jesus to sanctify it and make it holy and we rejoice in the good things on the thing we use in this case TV, that we will only do that which is good on the TV instead of doing harm or negative stuff and things that create pitfalls. Everything we use is a thing that will lead us to Jesus or further away from Jesus. What will TV be for you, a thing that leads you closer to Jesus or will it be a thing that leads you further away from Jesus? So, if you rejoice in good you will do good but if you rejoice in negative you will do negative stuff and create pitfalls.
There are so many things that are on our TV that are pleasing to God. We need to seek the things that are of Jesus and let the other things that are not just let them fall away and no longer exist. Rejoice in the things that are good on our TVs. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4. we are to always be rejoicing in the Lord and I believe that we can go further and say rejoice in all things that are holy as well as long as we do not put those things above God.
We know that God in heaven will make that which is unholy holy by our prayers and how we use it. Take time today to pray for your TV and making it a holy instrument for us to use to seek and glorify Jesus.
God today I praise You and thank You for all things in heaven and on earth
I pray for You to sanctify the things I use in this case my TV
Be with me to have the discernment in how I use my TV
Let me rejoice in my TV and that it is a holy instrument because you sanctified it.
You are the Alpha and Omega
The beginning and the end
We thank you for that today
We pray for all good things on my TV and in my life
It is by you all things are made and I thank you For the TV being made and that we can use it for your glory
In Jesus Name
Amen
Rejoice today we have a God that can create such awesome things like the TV. but that is only if we use it for us being brought closer to Jesus and not for things that are unholy, TV unto itself is not evil or unholy it is what is on it and how we choose to use it that makes it evil or unholy. So, if you leave a TV alone and do nothing it will not do anything, it takes an action to make it work and by that, we can know what it will be used for evil or for Good. It is that which is on the TV that makes it useful for holiness or unholiness, not the TV itself. It takes an action by us to use the TV for holy or unholiness. To end Rejoice in the Good things on your TV and you will seek good things.
Tomorrow I will talk about the pitfalls and dangers and negatives that come with our TVs.
All Bible verses taken from the ESV
14 We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit, 20 do not utterly reject prophecies, 21 but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, 22 abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22
Let's go watch TV, wait what is it we are to watch. Today we continue our talk about media Jesus. with anything dealing with media, there are so many pitfalls. Today I'm feeling in my spirit like instead of talking about the negatives start off with the positive.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8. Just like there are so many negative/pitfalls on our TVs which we will get into soon there are so many good things too. what just like the verse says is worthy of our praise and that is anything that leads us to Jesus and His Kingdom. You have at your fingertips so many messages on our TVs, uplifting movies and videos, and such that it can seem endless.
TV can go two ways; it can be used for Good or for evil. Today we are talking about the good. I know I always talk a lot about the negative things, but it gets you to wake up to the fact that you may be sinning and not even know it or being brought farther from Christ. Good is anything we do we just need to find it and exploit that instead of something else. You can lift someone up or lift up yourself on your TV. you can encourage someone or yourself on your TV. You can worship on your TV. You can share a message on your TV with someone or to yourself. there are so many things you can do on your TV to bring you closer to God. Let's like the verses above says to think of those things which are worthy of praise.
I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. Psalms 101:3. There is so much that is worthless on our TVs, but I have said there is so much good stuff on our TVs to bring us closer to Jesus and to bring people to Jesus. I keep saying this because I want it to sink into your minds and you to get this, so you do not fall into pitfalls. So, think about that as you use your TVs. that which the evil can use for evil, Jesus can use for His glory. we can use our TVs for evil or to bring us closer to Jesus and to bring others closer to Jesus. Let's turn our TVs into a vessel we can use to bring people to Christ and lead us closer to Christ.
Instead of dreading the TV as evil, rejoice in the fact that You can do so much on your TV that can lead us closer and others to Jesus. I say the first part because when people get more holy or deeper in their faith, they start to dread things or fear the things that may have caused them to not be holy or brought them further from Christ.
Rejoice in the tools we have today like the TV to bring people to Jesus and ourselves closer to Jesus. Glorify that which is good today and let the negative wash away like sand in the ocean.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. Romans 1:22-24
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/evaluation-playlist/pl.u-XkD0jG0TDDWr1x
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
24 The Son of Man is going away just as it is written about Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” 25 And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself.” 26 Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Matthew 26: 24-26
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
For the last two days, I have talked about the company you keep, and people can lead you astray. I want to further drive this point home, so today we will look at Jesus and the company that He kept. For those who don't know or forgot Jesus before He started His ministry, He chose 12 disciples. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles: Luke 6:13. 16 And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); 18 and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. Mark 3 16-19. These are the names of the people that Jesus Chose to be his disciples, the company He chose to have. These were to be the ones Jesus would do ministry with, spend time with, and pour out His wisdom to. They were hand-chosen By Jesus.
15 and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from then on he looked for a good opportunity to betray Jesus. Matthew 26: 15-17. One of Jesus' own disciples was to betray Him. They were hand-chosen by Jesus, how could this be? Jesus choose his company but for money, he chose to betray him. Judas chosen by Jesus was to stab him in the back as you would say it today. It had to happen for a prophecy to come true. When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me. John 13:21. Jesus knew that one of His disciples would betray Him.
Jesus knew who would betray Him, but we do not who we keep as company will not betray us or lead us astray. Not everyone we choose will have our best interest at heart. we can have some discernment, but we will not ultimately know if someone will betray us or lead us astray. There will be signs that they may not be good company, but we can become blind to those things.
Now if we look at our cell phones, we have so many ways to keep company on our cell phones like Facebook Instagram, Twitter, contact and so much more. We choose who we want to keep as Friends or as company on our cell phones. having a million followers seems great but how many of those who are your followers have your best interest at heart. Having friends just to call them friends is not the best idea, is it? if you have the missionary mindset yes but still know that even then you might have to cut some people out of that mindset if they do not change and start to lead you astray or start to betray you. So, who you keep on your cell phone matters? Indeed it does.
To end today let's look at what happened to Jesus who knew he was to be betrayed by one of His own. 47 While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading the way for them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss? 54 Now they arrested Him and led Him away, and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. 2 And they began to bring charges against Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King. 11 And Herod, together with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, dressing Him in a brightly shining robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. 63 The men who were holding Jesus in custody began mocking Him and beating Him, 33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. Luke 22,23: 47,48,54, 2,11,63,33.
Think about that and let that mediate in your mind that Jesus went through all that because of the company He chose and He knew what was to come, we do not. So choose who in terms of this series on our cell phones and in life pick, carefully choose who you keep as your company.
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
12 Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil people and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 2 Timothy 3:12-14
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
Even a man of faith can lead us astray or off our mission in terms of this series that would be reaching people on our cell phones for Jesus. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. Matthew 23:23. Even the religious leaders of the day who were the holiest of the holies were not doing the right thing and leading people astray. They killed Jesus and tried to lead people away from Him and His mission just because they didn't believe and they were the Christians of that time.
Anyone can deceive us even fellow Christians. So, be on Guard even a fellow Christian can lead you astray. Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:12. It is so sad to see so many Christians who call themselves, lead people astray and off the mission of reaching people, and in terms, we do not reach people on our cell phones, we would rather see that cat video.
I talked yesterday about keeping bad company but there is such a thing that as a bad Christian. A bad Christian hears the word but does not apply it to their lives, knows what a Christian is supposed to do, and does the opposite, or know the commandments of Jesus but does not keep them. I may have said this about something else but I feel in my whole body that the greatest threat to us as Christian is fellow Christians. So watch who you keep in your inner circle because they can come in and destroy you and the lives around you. Christian can send you a cute video of cats or dogs and mean well but what is their ultimate motive, is it to just send the video because they know you like animals, or is it to take you off your mission and not get you to reach people for this series to use our cell phones. I have friends and know their hearts and where they come from. I had to learn the hard way who to keep as friends, I do not let people in for that reason very well.
But evil people and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:13. Even in Jesus' day, there were many impostors who tried to lead Christian astray. As I have said there is so much on our cell phones that can lead us away from Christ not like the people of Jesus' day, but both have the same number of impostors leading us astray right? No, there is more today than in Jesus' day, it is everywhere and it is constantly in our faces. The last time I looked it says in a poll that 68% of people call themselves Christians. Then why is our country the way it is? In terms of this series, why do so many who call themselves Christian lead us to non-Christian things because they are not true Christians. we are trying to reach people and they are trying to show us things that will not help us accomplish the mission of reaching people and that is just on our cell phones there is much that we can get distracted but to lead us away from our mission.
I leave it there for today and want one thing is for what I talked about today to sink in and take it to heart.
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces [a]in its direction; [b]they [c]will come so that they may join themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. “My people have become lost sheep;
Their shepherds have led them astray.
They have made them turn aside on the mountains.
They have gone from mountain to hill,
They have forgotten their resting place.
All who found them have devoured them;
And their adversaries have said, ‘We are not guilty,
Since they have sinned against the Lord who is the habitation of righteousness,
The Lord, the hope of their fathers.’ Jeremiah 50: 5-7
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
Something that I got in my heart to share this morning was this and that is the people you keep on your phone is leading you to Christ or further away from Christ and does it lead you to reach people for Jesus or lead you away from that. We have been looking at how to reach people for Jesus on our cell phones and today's message will be two-fold. the first will be about who we keep that keeps us from Jesus and then tomorrow we will look at the second fold will be about the people we keep keeping us from reaching people. The first goes with the second, if we are keeping people who are not leading us to Christ then how will we go and reach people on our cell phones. Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals. 1 Corinthians 15:33.
There are people who will lead you away from Christ, cut them out, cut them off, defriend them, or kick them out, whatever you want to call it, do it now. But it's my uncle, my cousin, it's my girlfriend, my best friend. And if your right hand is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. Matthew 5:30. No matter who it is to you in your life there are people who you will need to cut out of your life. If we take the verse and use it as an example, the right hand being someone who is leading you away from Christ, what does it say to do, keep it and go on or leave it to the side, no it says cut it off and throw it away from you? Do you want to go to hell for having one person in your life that leads you away from Christ? I know for myself I do not want that, and I have learned that the hard way. This can mean people in your contacts, Facebook, Instagram, or any other app that has people on it.
But family is family, and my love is my love. I am here to say that is better to cut those people who lead you away from Christ, even the love of your life than being led to the fiery pit of hell. God should be front and center in our lives and if people are leading away from that, we should cut them off. And if your foot is causing you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life without a foot, than, having your two feet, to be thrown into hell. Mark 9:45. You can use the same example here as well. This so important to get this because people will try to keep us from the Love of God, and many will be led astray because of those people. the bible talks about false profits and people who will ed us astray and we should not follow them. My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill, They have forgotten their resting place. Jeremiah 50:6.
What about the people I cannot cut off like a coworker or coworkers, or parents? I sit before you and tell you that not one person is worth going to hell for. if it's a coworker or coworkers change jobs right this minute, I need money, God will bless you by doing this act. If its parents cut them out. Let no one lead you astray. For this world will try and lead you astray but keep your eyes on Jesus and we will lead you down the path of righteousness.
So to end for today, see if there are people you need to cut out of your life, and in terms of this series your cell phone and all that is on it.
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Luke 6:44-45
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
If you choose to do this reach people on your cell phones for Jesus; know that the enemy will come to kill, steal, and destroy what you are trying to do. when we advance in Jesus and His kingdom so does evil try to advance. Jesus wins every time but that doesn't mean evil won't come and try to derail what we are trying to accomplish. this can apply to reaching people on our cell phones and just plain our cell phones altogether. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Luke 6:45. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unscrupulous people and lose your own firm commitment, 2 Peter 3:17.
So, if we are seeking the things of His kingdom, the good treasure in our hearts as the verse says we will bring good treasure. So, if we bring good treasure from our hearts and bring that into our cell phones, we will produce good treasure and that will bring souls to Christ. It is as simple as this good treasure (right things and acting) will produce good treasure which will spill over into all that we do in our lives like our cell phones, and we will bring souls to Christ by that.
But evil treasure is lurking around the corner, and it will try to derail us from what we are trying to do in this instance bringing souls to Christ on our cell phones. We are to be on our guard but the battle between good and evil is not ours it is God's. We are to pray for the battle and give up the battle to Jesus. So, when the devil comes and tries to derail us on our cell phones in general and for reaching people, tell the devil the battle is not mine but Jesus's, and then let Jesus battle.
When we try to do anything for the advancement of the Kingdom of God the devil will try to derail us. I keep saying that, but I want that to sink in your mind. So be careful what you do in bringing souls to Christ on your cell phone. Know that the devil loses, and God wins. I could go on and on about the evil ways and how God overcome those things for us but what you need to know is that God wins and if we stay the courses guarded by God in His arms, we will face evil but we will trample on it like dirt on the ground.
So to end for today, be on your guard but know that Jesus has won the victory over the devil and evil. the devil will try to come and mess up, derail us and even try to kill us but Jesus won the victory. let that sink in all that I have said today about the evil one (devil) trying to derail us but Jesus Wins.
All Bible verses taken from the NASB.
For behold, Your enemies make an uproar,
And those who hate You have exalted themselves.
3 They make shrewd plans against Your people,
And conspire together against Your treasured ones.
4 They have said, “Come, and let’s wipe them out as a nation,
So that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered. Psalms 83:2-4
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21. Today I want to talk about where is your treasure because that is where your heart will be. Let me put it another way, the person who you are trying to win over for Christ, are you doing with the right treasure mindset so, your heart is right or are you trying to build up a treasure of just souls so you can boast about I have brought this many souls to Christ. This is the fourth key thing in bringing people to Christ, know what your treasure mindset is and understand by that where your heart will be. If all you are doing is bringing in treasure to just bring in treasure so you can boast I brought in the most treasure is that really helping the Kingdom or is it hurting the Kingdom and not creating lasting treasure.
We can bring people just to bring them on our cell phones but will that create lasting treasure or treasure at the first sign of trouble will fade away. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19. We are not to store up treasure on earth and we can use this measure to say that we cannot store up souls we have won for Christ on a list like treasure to boast about it later or at all.
We need to check our hearts and make sure that the souls we want to bring to Christ is coming from the right heart and mindset. Examine me, Lord, and put me to the test; Refine my mind and my heart. Psalm 26:2. Just like this verse as the Lord will do we should also do and that is to examine our hearts to make sure it comes from the right place and that place for this series is the winning of souls using our cell phones. Because if we are coming not with the right heart to win for souls for Christ on our cell phones it will not create lasting souls for Christ and lead to the destruction of many lives if you brought many souls to Christ. It can ultimately destroy your life as well because of pride for having so many souls for Christ, just seeking souls so much so that it is just a job, or the souls you bring leave and take you with them, and there are many others ways you can be destroyed.
So, with all that said what kind of heart are we supposed to have? However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah. 2 Chronicles 32:26. We are to have a humble heart, a heart that is not boastful or prideful but as I said humble. Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will make Your ear attentive. Psalms 10:17. God loves the humble but despises the prideful. If we are humble God will give us strength in our hearts.
Examine me, Lord, and put me to the test; Refine my mind and my heart. Psalms 26:2. So as you go forth and bring souls for Jesus using your cell phone examine your heart so you can have a humble heart so that the souls you bring to Christ will be lasting treasures not for us but for God in Heaven.
God I praise You and thank You
For Your Glory is thine and thine alone
I Pray today for the right heart in bringing souls to Christ.
To be humble in doing the work which you command us to do
You are the great I am
And I worship and Give you reverence for that
In Jesus Name
Amen
I want to clarify one thing before I am done; when I use the word treasure, I use it as Christ thinks of us, we are His treasured ones.
All bible verses taken from the NASB
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Matthew 9:37. Continuing with what we were talking about yesterday we will look at more key things you can do on your cell phone to bring people to Christ.
The third one is to be intentional in what you do on your cell phone to bring people to Christ. You can put a post out there for everyone to see inviting them to church, a life group, for coffee, or just proclaim the good news on the phone. Posting a blanket post or a blanket text or blanket tweet is not as effective as being intentional. That may reach somebody, but will that last for that person? I do not have an answer for whether it could last or it could not last. What I am here and know is that the more intentional we are, the more of what we pour into someone's life will last and be lasting verse not being intentional.
So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise, Ephesians 5:15. Just like the verse says we are to be careful, I think you could insert intentional, and it has the same meaning. We are not to walk like the unwise but be intentional about how we walk so as to walk like the wise. Jesus didn't just do something to do something He was always intentional in what He did, we should do and be the same. In our cell phones, we should be intentional in everything we do as it pertains to this message of using our cell phones to bring people to Christ. As I said the more intentional, we are the more what we pour into someone's life will last and be lasting. I will keep mentioning that because I want that to sink into your brain. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14. Paul was intentional in going towards that which God had called Him to do.
The tools we use today may be different as I said, from years ago, but the message is still the same to win souls for Christ and His Kingdom. So, we need to be intentional about how we use these tools and use them for the purpose of bringing people to Christ.
Earlier in the message, you talked about in a sense what not to do in bringing people on our cell phones. But I never talked about how to be intentional in what we are to do on our cell phones to bring people to Christ that was intentional. To close the message for today I felt led to end with how to be intentional in bringing people to Christ on our cell phones.
6 things you can do to be intentional to bring people to Christ.
Select one person you can message and invite them to a life group or church or coffee.
Write a note or message that you are praying for a specific person.
Create a conversation with one person and ask them about what they know about Jesus and His Kingdom.
Go out of your way and call the person whom you selected. What a concept we cannot fathom today actually calling someone.
Send a picture of a verse or of Jesus to that one person you selected.
See what I did there, I only said select one and bring them to Christ. that is more intentional than telling everyone to come to Christ. In all things I listed and everything you can come up with because I do not have time to mention them all pray for what you will do and be intentional in what you do, and when you do it. that doesn't mean you cannot have more than one but only bring one at a time for you are more personal and intentional in who you bring to Christ. So, the more intentional, we are the more what we pour into someone's life will last and be lasting.
All Bible verses taken from the NASB
25 I was made a minister of this church according to the commission from God granted to me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, the mystery which had been hidden from the past ages and generations, but now has been revealed to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what the wealth of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles is, the mystery that is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also labor, striving according to His power which works mightily within me. Colossians 1:25:29
All bible verses taken from the NASB
Today we will look at key things you can do on your cell phone to bring people to Christ. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Matthew 9:37.
First things first we need to seek His kingdom and everything else will follow. If we are not first seeking His kingdom, then all that we do will be in vain. The foundation of this all is seeking His Kingdom. We cannot reach out to others and proclaim the good news if we are not seeking His Kingdom because we cannot ask someone to do something we are not doing ourselves. do as I say not as I do, is very a real thing here. We may say seek the Kingdom, but we are not ourselves. So, what does that look like on our cell phones? I have already talked about this and that is to seek Jesus on your cell phone first, getting rid of things that lead us farther from Jesus and such.
We are Christ's ambassadors. God is using us to speak to you: we beg you, as though Christ Himself were here pleading with you, receive the love He offers you—be reconciled to God. II Corinthians 5:20. The way we reach people is different than what they did 20 years ago, 30 years ago, or 100 years ago. The second key thing is once we are seeking the Kingdom, we are to have a missionary mindset like I have talked about before. Just like the verse say we are Christ's ambassadors; we are to show the world Jesus and to bring them the good news so that all things on heaven and on earth that Jesus has for us will come to fruition. In terms of our cell phones, we can still have a missionary mindset but instead of in-person missions, we use Facebook, texting, Facetime, and other methods to reach the least, the last, and the lost.
Instead of posting, the things that are unholy why not post things that lead people to Christ. Post that you are in church worshipping Jesus or post you are in prayer, or post you are praying for people today, or post anything that you can use to bring people to Jesus. Use your cell phones to invite people to church or your life group. Use your cell phone to preach the good news. Use your cell phone to tell someone a story that leads them to the Bible and them to Jesus. Use your cell phone any way you can to bring people to Jesus and His kingdom. The cat video can wait or seeing what Kardashian are up to can wait, what can't wait in this time and hour is bringing people to Jesus and His Kingdom. Every tool we have needs to be used for this purpose and our cell phones in one of those tools. So everywhere we go we talk about Christ to all who will listen, warning them and teaching them as well as we know-how. We want to be able to present each one to God, perfect because of what Christ has done for each of them. This is my work, and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me. Colossians 1:26-29. So, as we are talking about cell phones and bringing people to Christ, where every we go on our cell phones, we need to talk about Jesus where we can.
I will put a pin on it for today and finish where I left off tomorrow. I do not want to rush this because I know these things are so important for reaching lost souls on our cell phones for Christ. As I have said this series will take as long as in the spirit of Jesus that it takes because it is from Him that I write these things, not by my own will but His alone.
All Bible verses taken from the NASB, TLB
35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. 36 Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38
All Bible verses taken from the NASB