Ronda

You misunderstand Rhonda. You have my word that I am not sharpshooting anyone. The OP is extremely well thought out and your post to it is also.
My post was just a reminder to all of us to make sure we preach condemnation and hell along with Heaven or the cross is of none effect.
 
 

Ronda,
I do appreciate your thoughts and the time and effort in asking for clarification. You have not disrupted anything but added some fine thoughts to the devotion and study. 
Alan

Thank you so much, brother Alan, for explaining...and it makes perfect sense now!!! I'm sorry to have disrupted the study with my question, but I'm glad I asked since I now understand exactly what the reference to "sacrifice" was (Romans 12:1).  Very excellent study! And thank you again for the courteous answer. It was edifying to me. I pray the Lord will bless and keep you (and your entire family) in your devotion in mission work. Thank you again!!!

Brother Jim, Thank you for sharing those things with us. None of us would be worth a whit (or have any understanding at all) were it not for the Holy Spirit guiding us. To God be the glory.  I know many people who have graduated from colleges with "esteemed names" only to come out of those colleges thinking they know more than the Lord! Even some who have graduated Baptist seminary coming out thinking they now "know it all".  I don't think God gives it "all" to us at one time, nor do I think we ever should get to the point where we feel we've learned everything God's word has to teach us. And on the other hand, the gospel of grace by faith in Jesus alone is so simple and easy to understand a child can grasp it. 
 1 Corinthians 1:26-30 
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption

Brother Jim, Thank you for sharing those things with us. None of us would be worth a whit (or have any understanding at all) were it not for the Holy Spirit guiding us. To God be the glory.  I know many people who have graduated from colleges with "esteemed names" only to come out of those colleges thinking they know more than the Lord! Even some who have graduated Baptist seminary coming out thinking they now "know it all".  I don't think God gives it "all" to us at one time, nor do I think we ever should get to the point where we feel we've learned everything God's word has to teach us. And on the other hand, the gospel of grace by faith in Jesus alone is so simple and easy to understand a child can grasp it. 
 1 Corinthians 1:26-30 
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption

Thanks to both of you for your encouraging comments. I have not written any tracts or books either. I have written and been published professionally, but not anything in the religious realm.
I wouldn't know how to go about writing a tract. I think I am bit too "wordy" to be able to condense it down to tract size.
I have years worth of sermons and lessons, but unfortunately they were hand written before I ever had a computer. I did start to put them on computer, but that's a lot of work to type them all out.
Thank both of you again for your kind, encouraging comments. I can only thank God for anything I accomplish for Him. No one knows better than I do that I am not capable of preaching or teaching without the guidance and ability that was given to me. I have no education to speak of, I made the sixth grade, but didn't finish it. I do have a GED, but no bible college. I was taught by my original missionary pastor for four years in preparation to serve God in the ministry he called me to.
I have had the privilege of being one of a team of four pastors that trained two missionary families in preparation for mission work on the Russian mission field. They were there for five years and were successful in establishing two churches under very adverse conditions. They are pastoring back home now.
See what I mean about being "wordy"?
God bless you both as you serve our Lord in your respective callings.

I agree with brother Alan, Your sermon notes are excellent. And I also think (if possible) maybe you should consider making salvation tracts (if you feel the Lord leading you to do so). I buy (donate postage and add in at least $5 per hundred) tracts from fellowship tract league, from kristinsfriends.com, and I have also found other places to buy tracts as well. It takes many hours to sort through all of the various tracts, and find the gospel of grace presented clearly. I run across so many which tie in (or sometimes just mention) baptism, and I think that could be very confusing for an unsaved person to read.  Before my last laptop "bit the dust", I could print off my own typed presentation, and use many Bible verses as well (since the word of God itself is what speaks to the unsaved person's mind,and not human reasoning). But I had to buy a refurbished laptop to replace it, and can't print from it. I really like the way you present the vital parts of belief and faith in Jesus, brother Jim!!! God bless you as you serve Him and try to reach the lost!

Ronda,
Thank you for your post and link to the photographs taken by the Royal, KIng Edward VII, in 1862, photographer. Very enlightening. 
Jim,
I can see why people would want your notes. Have you ever thought of making a salvation tract from the above message? do you have any written books or phamplets that are available?
Alan

Thank you for your comments on my sermon Ronda. I write out my sermons and lessons completely because when I get to preach I most always have people who want my notes. If I gave them notes they would not be able to get the whole picture. I don't always follow my outline and adlib a lot as the Lord directs. But by writing them out completely anyone reading them will get the importance of the work.
I really enjoyed your recitation of your interaction with those on FaceBook too, thanks for sharing it. 

Brother Jim,
Excellent invitation to accept Christ!!!  That is (or should be) our main focus and goal, to bring others to Jesus! Faith and belief in the saving grace of Jesus (and He alone).
I spent most of the day (yesterday) on facebook, witnessing to the unsaved. It started out as a post about the differences between islam and Christianity.  The differences between the Bible and the qu'ran, then also the differences between sharia law and what the constitution states. It was (at first) a post to inform others (mostly unsaved/secular people on facebook) of the huge differences in what islam teaches in the qu'ran compared to what the Bible teaches... I was truly shocked by the mis-information the unsaved world has on both topics! I had a couple of "liberals" attempting to argue what (they thought) the Bible says. I quickly showed them (with scripture) their errors, and they also were misinformed about the evil of what the islamic faith believes. They were following the "party line" about Israeal, the "palestinians", and the false statements that islam is supposedly a "religion of peace".  I did spend a good deal of time showing them how the islamic faith is anything but "peaceful", and even so-called "moderate"  islamists believe what the qu'ran teaches (giving many evil qu'ran verses to prove the point). However, when the conversation spun off into Christianity (as a whole, at first, and then more specifically to what the Bible actually teaches) I was amazed by the lack of knowledge, even within those who were professing "christians" (small "c"). And so after answering each falsehood with a Bible verse (or verses in context), there were many of those professing "christians"(possibly from a catholic background?) who actually stated that the only "way to heaven" was to do good works!!! I presented MANY Bible verses to refute what they had falsely been taught, (John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9-10 and some others) I then presented John 3:16-18.  Every time I post those 3 verses on facebook, it is met with extreme hostility.  Letting them know that ALL people have a choice to make which is THE most IMPORTANT decision they will make in their lifetime... Believe and accept Jesus OR refuse to believe and deny Jesus. And by not making a choice, they HAVE made a choice, not to believe. This angers not only the unsaved (non-professing),  but also angers the professing "christians" who try to make "works" the means of salvation. I asked them why those verses upset them so much (the so-called professing "christians") and none had a good answer. And I left off the topic with those 3 verses again. I truly believe the Holy Spirit convicts with those verses especially, and even though they resist the conviction (with hostility), the word of God itself HAS reached them within. 
John 3:16-18; 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
I As for their falsehoods about Israel and the "palestinians", I showed them pictures of 1862 (taken by King Edward VII) showing no "palestinians", and only ghost towns of former Christian areas, the remains of where Christians were massacred by druze muslims. Photos showing no muslims, no so-called "palestinians" either. The muslims didn't even WANT the land until Jewish settlers started coming back. Here is the link for the photos of Israel (1862)if anyone is interested: 
https://palestineisraelconflict.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/jerusalem-photographs-1862-no-mosques-no-palestinians-only-ghost-towns-of-massacred-christian-areas/

One of my favorites as well.  Truly praising the Lord in song, as hymns should be. Imagine.... when one day we shall also be in the presence of the Holy One and I believe we will be in awe beyond description... at His holiness, His righteousness, His pureness and goodness. I believe we will fall down stunned by the true holiness of Him and worship Him with an understanding we never could fully grasp in these human bodies. He truly does deserve our reverence. Sadly I believe that very reverence is lacking in today's "modern professing christian", where the focus has been taken off of God and mistakenly placed on mankind's "feelings" and worldly desires.  I am eagerly awaiting the blessed hope and the desire to be away from all the evil sinfulness of this world. Imagine being in the very presence of He who never sinned! As we ourselves and those around us in glorified bodies will also have shed the sin nature forever. What wonderful promises we have to look forward to! Maranatha!

The essence of integrity is Holiness. Job purposed in his heart to have personal holiness, integrity, in his life.
May we purpose in our lives to be like Christ. In Holiness and Integrity.
Alan

What a blessing this site is already!  I agree with your posting... let me add... "2nd TImothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine."                             Now-days it seems to be "out of season" and more and more people not only see the gospel as foolishness but are downright offended.  But even though they may not seem "open" to the word of God, only God knows each heart and mind.  We plant the seed, and if there is to be any increase... that is up to God.  Only he knows what type of ground it is planted in...Every time I share the gospel I pray and ask for God's will in in how the message is received.  I also ask for His strength to hold me up to continue to spread His word... even if it makes me feel as though no-one is listening, I must trust the Lord, for only He knows who will or will not be receptive.  He didn't say... preach only to those who you think might like to hear... He makes it clear, whether or not it's the "in thing" or the "out of season" thing... do it always!  So glad to have found this site as it seems the world is really crumbling, and I lack true Christian friends to converse with.  Hoping to meet some here.