The Long Arm of the Lord - Greg Lauer
You are surrounded by neighbors, friends, coworkers, even fellow church members who are quite likely on the path to hell. God has placed you in their lives for a reason. Tell them. Stop with the small talk and take the conversation deeper! Tell them with urgency like you've never had before. Tell them the Good News with as much love and sincerity as you can, and trust God to do the rest. Trust God to prepare their hearts and open their ears and give you the words. But you must step out in faith.... You must act. You must plant the seed...now, as it will soon be time for the harvest.
As Greg puts it in his newest article: "It's crunch time. We're almost there, folks, and it's time for those last few precious sheep to make their way through the narrow gate."
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:14-15Below is a link to Greg's newest article. He tells a touching story about a lost friend. He shares more thoughts on the Revelation 12 Sign. But most of all, he urges us to use this time in the most God honoring way possible... by SHARING THE GOSPEL. Even if they don't accept it now before the Rapture, surely they will remember your talk after it... and that could be the one memory that keeps them from buying the lie.
In closing, if Greg's heartfelt writing/ plea doesn't light a fire in you to share your most precious gift with those around you at time like this... well, I am not sure anything will. Sure there is a chance the Rapture may not happen in 7 weeks, but surely there is a chance it does. Surely there is a chance it could be even sooner. It is one of those nothing to lose, everything to gain situations. God has given us more than enough signs to act... if we fail to do so then we will be without excuse and potentially without further chances.
If you wait until you know for sure when the Rapture will happen it will likely be already too late. The question is, do you love them enough to say something now? Yes, we should always have urgency in this matter, but now, so close to a sign from Revelation being fulfilled...what exactly are we waiting for?
http://www.alittlestrength.com/articles/2017/1707-long-arm.htm
Another moving work of art from Greg. I am now personally compelled to reached out to a long-lost childhood friend after reading it. I already wrote to Greg, telling him that I had a dream about my friend, Michael, two nights ago. Then I woke up and there was Greg's article as further confirmation.
ReplyDeleteLet's go sow some gospel seed!
Greg's article got to me, shifting gears here, from learning as much as one could about the Rev 12 sign to introspection, watching and reaching out (though this is difficult for me). We have about 50 days left until the Great Sign, time is very short. http://www.unsealed.org/p/the-sign.html
DeleteWonderful article. Makes you think or your own past and all those you knew for a season.
ReplyDeleteAll of us who are aware of this sign have been given this knowledge as a blessing by God.
DeleteJohn 16:13, John 14:17, John 14:26
Wow Brad....your comment made me think of Rev 1:3.
DeleteRev 1:3 - Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and TAKE TO HEART what is written in it, because the time is near.
I always wondered what the blessing was, and now I'm thinking it could be knowledge (or specifically, knowledge of God's sign).
A must read article as we stare down 7 weeks!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete"SALVATION IS OF THE LORD!"
Charles H. Spurgeon
And if GOD does require the sinner dead in sin that he should take the first step, then he requireth just that which renders salvation as impossible under the gospel as ever it was under the law, seeing man is as unable to believe as he is to obey, and is just as much without power to come to Christ as he is without power to go to heaven without Christ. The power must be given to him of the Spirit. He lieth dead in sin: the Spirit must quicken him. He is bound hand and foot, fettered by transgression; the Spirit must cut his bonds, and then he will leap to liberty. GOD must come and dash the iron bars out of their sockets, and then he can escape afterwards, but unless the first thing be done for him, he must perish as surely under the gospel as he would have done under the law.
I would cease to preach, if l believed that God, in the matter of salvation, required anything whatever of man which He Himself had not also engaged to furnish.. I am the messenger. I tell you the master's message; if you do not like the message quarrel with the Bible, not with me; so long as I have Scripture on my side I will dare and defy you to do anything against me. Salvation is of the Lord. The Lord has to apply it, to make the unwilling willing, to make the ungodly godly, and bring the vile rebel to the feet of Jesus, or else salvation will never be accomplished. Leave that one thing undone, and you have broken the link of the chain, the very link which was just necessary to its integrity. Take away the fact that God begins the good work, and that He sends us what the old divines call preventing grace-take that away, and you have spoilt the whole of salvation; you have just taken the key-stone out of the arch, and down it tumbles. There is nothing left then.
More from Brother Spurgeon
ReplyDelete"SALVATION IS OF THE LORD!"
Salvation is the work of God. It is he alone who quickens the soul dead in trespasses and sins, and it is he also who maintains the soul in its spiritual life. He is both Alpha and Omega. Salvation is of the Lord. If I am prayerful, God makes me prayerful; if I have graces, they are God's gifts to me; if I hold on in a consistent life, it is because he upholds me with his hand. I do nothing whatever towards my own preservation, except what God himself first does in me. Whatever I have, all my goodness is of the Lord alone. Wherein I sin, that is my own; but wherein I act rightly, that is of God, wholly and completely. If I have repulsed a spiritual enemy, the Lord's strength nerved my arm. Do I live before men a consecrated life? It is not I, but Christ who liveth in me. Am I sanctified? I did not cleanse myself: God's Holy Spirit sanctifies me. Am I weaned from the world? I am weaned by God's chastisements sanctified to my good. Do I grow in knowledge? The great Instructor teaches me. All my jewels were fashioned by heavenly art. I find in God all that I want; but I find in myself nothing but sin and misery. He only is my rock and my salvation. Do I feed on the Word? That Word would be no food for me unless the Lord made it food for my soul, and helped me to feed upon it. Do I live on the manna which comes down from heaven? What is that manna but Jesus Christ himself incarnate, whose body and whose blood I eat and drink? Am I continually receiving fresh increase of strength? Where do I gather my might? My help cometh from heaven's hills: without Jesus I can do nothing. As a branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abide in the vine, no more can I, except I abide in him. What Jonah learned in the great deep, let me learn this morning in my closet: Salvation is of the Lord.
ReplyDeleteSurgeon preached this sermon from Jonah 2:9
But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord .”
Brothers and sisters when sharing this sign remember to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ the focus of what you are sharing. To God be the glory! Thank you wonderful Lord Jesus for saving us all and may You reap a bountiful harvest and reward for Your suffering! Praise the Lord!
*Spurgeon not Surgeon
ReplyDeleteSorry, God bless!
Thank you Brad for posting this article, thank you Greg for all your loving thoughts and insight! For my part, all this commitment to family or old school friends etc. my husband and I have already had and done long before knowing about Rev12-sign; in fact we tried to reach out to every one right after we were saved. I think if we would start with this only now it would be far too late. As we were called into the vineyard quite late in our lifetime, I myself often had the impression to have wasted around 40 years of it. It made me sad not having been able to be used by God earlier and I felt guilty of not sharing the gospel at any occasion a lot. It took me quite a while to understand Gods full sovereignty in the act of election and salvation and how only He is capable and responsible for all that He does. John 1:13 / John 15:16 / Psalm 100:3 etc. I learned much about scripture like Job 33:12-30 / Proverbs 16:4 / Philippians 2:13 and what it means in everybody's life. I also learned to always pray before sharing the gospel and not preaching out of my own and how to discern 2 Timothy 4:2 from Amos 5:13 (which was necessary to do in my Christian life as well now and then). I learned about the truth behind the fact that I was called into the vineyard at a certain time by God and had not employed myself; thus, I could not be made responsible for the 40 wasted years hanging around on the marketplace Matthew 20 . I learned that another person - even my own child - is not my own creation and that I have no right to decide about his or her salvation in Christ. All I can do is share the gospel when GOD GIVES the opportunity and then leave the rest to Him. Ecclesiastes 11:1 / Mark 4:26-27 Having learned about all this from Him during my short Christian life of about 12 years now, not having left the region nor country for the great commission nor even having seen much fruit from all my effort like some Jeremiah 7:27 I have nevertheless absolute peace about this topic as I have learned to see Gods will in everything. Blessings to you! :)
ReplyDeleteAnnabel and Frank. Thanks for sharing this info. Yes, of course God is the one that saves. He calls us...and since HE predestined us HE is clearly works things out so that all of us would come to Him at some perfect point in to fulfill His plan.
DeleteRomans 8:29-30 For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those He predestined He also called, those He called He also justified, those He justified He also glorified.
My point is, and I think Greg's as well, is that many of us sometimes need a bit of urgency to muster up the boldness to share the Gospel with others, especially family and friends. So perhaps God is using this sign as an urgency increaser and evangelistic tool to help us fulfill His will by sharing the Gospel even more during this critical time. : )
Crushed it Greg...well done!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSadly, although I have thought of many ways to let people know what is happening, I find that even in those closest to me, there is a distinct desire NOT to discuss it. My own husband has come around, but it took weeks, and actual backing off before I was pleasantly surprised with his acknowledgement of the nearness of our Lord's return. Only one other (a friend) has fully embraced this truth. I think that the hour has come that the world around us has been fully saturated with the idea of the Lord's return; to the point that Christians are afraid to think about it and be 'disappointed again', so they shut out the wonderful answers that have been supplied to those having ears to hear, and to non-Christians it's just a joke. It seems to me that few are able to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Most are enamored with their lives...their families, their church, their comfort, their games, movies, food...they have a nice life...the Laodicean church. I have come to believe that those true believers will be raptured anyway, and their works judged, but that multitudes of church-goers may never have been true believers at all and will find themselves left behind, horrified, panicked and bewildered. I like to say they've come to the Door and camped there, being led to believe that 'works' or 'service', and/or certain behaviors and confessions equal salvation. They have a form of godliness, while denying the power. Christianity is not about repeating phraseology, nor is it about performing religious rites...it is about believing in the HEART that Christ has been raised from the dead, and leaning on Him. The wheat and the tares grow together and are indistinguishable from each other at that early stage, so we cannot tell when one confesses Christ. Fruit comes later in its season, and according to capacity and maturity. God will do the sorting. So, I say make your calling a election sure. Be sure that you stand on the foundation of the life and death of our Lord Jesus...that you are relying on His righteousness, and not anything you have done. His Blood is all that is acceptable to God for your (and my) salvation! Not every one that says, "Lord, Lord" will enter into the Kingdom. The devils 'believe' and tremble. Some 'belief' then is not to salvation. Even though they know the truth, they are not OF the truth. 2 Cor 13:5, " Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith". I will wait on the Lord's leading regarding who, what, where, when and how to relay His message. I have thought about it with a sinking heart, and it seems thus far that my only outlet has been FaceBook. The most important message is salvation, that's all that really matters, but again, I think that the rejection of the Lord by the Gentiles is the very reason we see that it's the season for His return.
ReplyDeletePamela, this was very well spoken as many have fallen asleep and there are many Christians who do not believe in their hearts that Jesus is the foundation of our salvation. Please friend me on Facebook as I would like to follow your posts on Jesus and scripture. You can find me @ Randy Sevy from Boise, Idaho. Thank you and God bless you for your heart for Jesus and all He has done for each of us.
Delete