“Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” -1 Peter 2:12
Live in such a way that those who know you but don’t know God will come to know God because they know you. -Anonymous
“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” -Daniel 12:3
Here is something to wake me up. This is worth living for. To be wise is a noble thing in itself: in this place it refers to a divine wisdom which only the Lord Himself can bestow. Oh, to know myself, my God, my Savior! May I be so divinely taught that I may carry into practice heavenly truth and live in the light of it! Is my life a wise one? Am I seeking that which I ought to seek? Am I living as I shall wish I had lived when I come to die? Only such wisdom can secure for me eternal brightness as of yonder sunlit skies.
To be a winner of souls is a glorious attainment. I had need to be wise if I am to turn even one to righteousness; much more if I am to turn many, Oh, for the knowledge of God, of men, of the Word, and of Christ, which will enable me to convert my fellowmen and to convert large numbers of them! I would give myself to this, and never rest till I accomplish it. This will be better than winning stars at court. This will make me a star, a shining star, a star shining forever and ever; yea, more, it will make me shine as many stars. My soul, arouse thyself. Lord, quicken me!
[from Faith’s Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon]
“Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.” -Titus 2:10
Are you an ornament of God’s grace? Are you beautifying the teaching of our Lord? Don’t underestimate how God can use your witness even when you’re not speaking.
–excerpt from Steve Wainright’s Sunday Morning Sermon: “Are You an Ornament?“
They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. -John 20:13-14
The first witness to the Resurrection of Christ was Mary Magdalene, a woman whose life had been transformed (7 demons had previously possessed her) and who greatly loved the Lord Jesus Christ.
We see her weeping at the tomb of Jesus. There is no thought of God in her mind at this point. Death had brought her despondency. Her mind rushed to a quick judgment and wrong perceptions.
Our vision is often blurred like Mary Magdalene’s and we don’t see the big picture.
When you lose sight of Christ in your life, you will start making bad judgments. Your life will be out of focus. When you lose sight of God’s sovereignty, you will suffer. Are you looking beyond the cross and the grave? -excerpts from Pastor Steve Wainright’s Sunday Evening Sermon
“but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” -John 4:14
-excerpts from Anthony Vance’s Evening Sermon
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Sunday Morning Sermon: A Deeper Look at the Cross | Romans 3:25 | Steve Wainright
Sunday Evening Sermon: The Master Evangelist | John 4:1-30 | Anthony Vance
“The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.” -John 1:43-44
Who’s your Philip? And will you take him to the throne of grace, knowing that Philip’s only hope is Jesus? And will you ask Jesus to go find Philip–to call him and make him His own? -Anthony Vance
from Sunday Evening Sermon Audio: The Calling of Philip | John 1:35-44 | Pastor Anthony Vance
“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” -John 1:29
To be a faithful witness, we must understand our assignment. We have some “splainin'” to do!
John the Baptist, an exemplary faithful witness, not only pointed people to Jesus but also explained Jesus to people. We want people to know HIM–not just know ABOUT Him.
[from Sunday Evening Sermon: The Assignment of God’s Faithful Witness | John 1:29-34]
Sunday Morning | Pastor Steve Wainright
Paul: His Master, His Office, & His Purpose | Romans 1:1
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…” -Romans 1:1
In the first verse of Romans, Paul shares three simple facts about himself: his Master, his office, and his purpose.
He was a servant of Christ Jesus, who loved him and gave Himself for him. He was an apostle, sent by God to speak of Him…to be His witness. He was set apart for the Gospel of God before he was even born.
The point of your life is to be a witness of the Gospel of God. Are you being one?
——-Audio——-
Sunday Morning Sermon Audio: Paul: His Master, His Office, & His Purpose | Romans 1:1
“For thou shalt be His witnesses unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.” -Acts 22:15
Paul was chosen to see and hear the Lord speaking to him out of heaven. This divine election was a high privilege for himself; but it was not intended to end with him; it was meant to have an influence upon others, yea, upon all men. It is to Paul that Europe owes the gospel at this hour.
It is ours in our measure to be witnesses of that which the Lord has revealed to us, and it is at our peril that we hide the precious revelation. First, we must see and hear, or we shall have nothing to tell; but when we have done so, we must be eager to bear our testimony. It must be personal: “Thou shalt be.” It must be for Christ: “Thou shalt be his witness.” It must be constant and all absorbing; we are to be this above all other things and to the exclusion of many other matters. Our witness must not be to a select few who will cheerfully receive us but to “all men” — to all whom we can reach, young or old, rich or poor, good or bad. We must never be silent like those who are possessed by a dumb spirit; for the text before us is a command, and a promise, and we must not miss it — “Thou shalt be his witness.” “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord.”
[from Faith’s Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon]
New Life Baptist Church 