Bible Job Commentary
A Guide to Being a Good Christian Worker for God by Stephen M. Seabrook
The Great Commission from Jesus in Matthew 28: 19-20 states: "Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the ago."
The movement and sharing of Christianity around the world is based on human contact. Anyone who really knows and loves Jesus will want others to know HIM as well. "We need to be workmen who do not need to be ashamed" (2 Tim: 2:15).
Today and more than any time in civilized history, more lives are complicated by more sin than ever before! People who are lost need more than fancy slogans, false teaching, illusionary promises, and man based formulas. People need some very personal help! Just as a conscientious doctor must help and deal with each patient illness separately, a conscientious soul-winner for God must do the same, to help their patient overcome a life of continuous sin and come to know and serve God.
In order to be effective in this work, here are 10 guidelines paraphrased from the commentary in the New King James Open Bible to keep in mind and follow as you work to achieve the Great Commission in your life.
1.I Must Live It: I can't say to others, do as I say but don't do as I do. People must see Christ in me! My strongest testimony to that is the daily life I live that other people see.
2.I Must Love People: I cannot pretend to love or the other person will immediately know my false motive. When my concern and love for others is in line with the Holy Spirits love towards mankind, a community of individual interest begins which results in compulsion to love and follow.
3.I Must Meet the Public: Jesus was heaven's artist at this point as he never met a stranger! The Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor. 9:22, "I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." Genuine kindness will open many doors in life and bring positive responses.
4.I Must Look for Need: In Mark 2:17, Jesus said, "Those who are well have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." When a person has confidence in you, watch how excited, happy and ready they are to talk with you. Contact is a REAL human need!
5.I Must Communicate: Keep away from discussions about biblical technicalities and refuse to become involved in useless debate. The bible is perfect is every sense and does not contradict itself as some people actively promote!
6.I Must Concentrate on Christ: Don't put so much "I" in your testimony that your spiritual pride will offend the very person you are trying to reach. "Your business is to present Jesus (John 12:32)." Christ is the main attraction, not you, "HE must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).
7.I Must Use Tact: Remember to be sensitive to another person's feelings. It is done in a spirit of discernment. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5). Be a great listener, courteous, natural, and ask good questions.
8.I Must Bring a Person to a Decision: This can only be accomplished through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). Remember, Opportunity is God-Given and this chance may never come again! Don't gamble with this chance! Press for a decision, that person's soul is at stake! "Yet you do not have because you do not ask" (James 4:2). Don't let people say this about you on Judgment Day: He never asked me to become a Christian!
9.I Must Teach Them to Listen to God's Voice: How often when you meet someone the first time have you only ever introduced and talked about yourself? Your responsibility is to introduce them to the Savior, God. "Now, acquaint yourself with HIM, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you." (Job 22:21). Let a person you are talking to for the first time hear the voice of God speaking to them with reassurance and comfort. Do this by teaching the person two or three verses of scripture. Tie that person to God's Word and let your new friend know that God has spoken these words to him!
10.I Must Make it Crystal Clear That There is a Difference Between Knowing God and Knowing About God: Hearsay is simply not enough and birth is not something that is second-hand. "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers" (John 10: 4, 5).
Remember, if you do not associate the person with the Word of God, then that person will miss his way. The devil will deceive him before he even knows it. The deception will be so clever that the person will end up apologizing to their worldly associates before the day has even ended.
Is that how you want your first contact with a potentially new christian to be? If my soul and eternal life is at stake, my answer is a resounding NO!
You have the power and authority from the Word of God, use it often and wisely!
May the God of Peace bless you as you labor!
Stephen M. Seabrook, MBA
President, Nice Specialty Gifts, L.L.C.
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Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/A-Guide-to-Being-a-Good-Christian-Worker-for-God/316892
Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible (3 Volumes)
Several Tips On Studying The Scriptures
How sanctified we are to have God's Word written for us to read and enjoy every day! The Bible is brim-full of excellent stories of love, sacrifice and deliverance as well as poems, information and support. The Bible has been translated into masses of languages around the world and is still being translated as new languages are discovered in remote foreign countries!
Reading the Bible is different than studying the Bible. Revolutionizing the way you read or study this wonderful book can help you better understand what being Christlike is about, and what it implies to live your life as a Christian. Reading the Bible can offer you an idea of Christianity as well as info regarding people living in Biblical times. Studying the Bible can make allowance for a more in-depth experience as you immerse yourself in God's Word and literally pick apart the book, the chapter, the verse or the word!
If you would like to look at the Bible, here are a few tips to help you on the way. First, decide how you'd like to read through the Bible : do you want to read it cover-to-cover and then go back to examine areas that impacted you more than any others? Do you want to read only Old Testament books or New Testament books? Is there a particular topic you would like to study?
When you work out how you would like to begin, grab your Bible, a notebook ( a new journal would be perfect ) a pen and a highlighter. If you would actually like to get into the Bible, grab a concordance and a Bible dictionary. A concordance is a book that cross-references words and ideas in the Bible. For example, if you'd like to study leniency, a concordance will tell you every verse that "forgiveness" is used, as well as "forgive" and "forgiven." If you do not have a concordance, check for an online resource that is available to be used!
A Bible dictionary will help you to understand words or ideas that isn't seem clever to you. For instance, if you are not sure what "galbanum" is, you can look it up and discover the meaning behind the word! ( Galbanum is a spice ). Some Bible dictionaries will also supply information on Bible characters from a historical and genealogical perspective.When you start reading the Bible, do so slowly.
Taking a sentence and reading it through a few times, and then once aloud, can also give you a different idea or meaning. Stress each word, understanding it's individual meaning as well as the meaning in the sentence. As an example, read the following placing more accent on the bolded word than the non-bold word : "God is love." "God is love." "God is love." This one short verse speaks plenty of information regarding who God is.
Consider the writer of the book you are studying. Who were they? How old were they? Where did they live? Why did they write this particular book? Also consider the time of which the book was written : was there a war? What was the history that happened in this time?There are many resources available to help you learn more about the Bible to improve your reading experience! Pray and ask Almighty God to help understand His Word as you seek to be closer to Him! Click here : online bible study and http://bestsmallgroupbiblestudy.com/uncategorized/best-three-tips-for-successful-small-group-bible-study for more info.
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The MacArthur Bible Commentary
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DescriptionThe MacArthur Bible Commentary treats every passage of the OT and NT phrase by phrase, with hundreds of word studies as sidebars throughout. Additional Information The MacArthur Bible Commentar |
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Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible
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DescriptionMuch of the Old Testament seems strange to contemporary readers. However, as we begin to understand how ancient people viewed the world, the Old Testament becomes more clearly a book that stands within its ancient context as it also speaks against it... |
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The MacArthur Study Bible: Revised & Updated Edition
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DescriptionUnleashing God's Truth, One Verse at a Time! Featuring the word-for-word accuracy of the New King James Version, The MacArthur Study Bible is perfect for serious study. Dr. John MacArthur has com |