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Riverside Apostolic Church.
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It's All About Souls

 

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2 Corinthians 5:11
[11] Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. KJV

[11] That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure.
It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. THE MESSAGE

Matthew 13:38
[38] The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Spotlight the World and the importance of reaching the world:
• We are aware of the scriptures:

Mark 16:15 "…go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature"

WHAT A MANDATE

John 4:35 "Say not ye, there are yet four months and then cometh the harvest? Behold I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."

Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
• World population: 6 Billion 412 Million…………..STAGGERING!

Although this is beyond my comprehension somehow we have to put this into bite-size portions that we can digest.
• We look at America:

Population approaching 300 Million……………Again STAGGERING!
• West Virginia

Population of 1.8 Million……………Still a lot of people to attempt to reach!
• Morgantown

Population of Monongalia County is 82,000………..We are getting closer!
Population of Morgantown is 42,000………….We can somehow manage that in our mind.
• Ancestry of Morgantown:
German……….21%
Irish …………..16%
English ……….12%
Italian…………12%
Polish…………..5%

And I know there are some Hungarian and Slavic
Races in Morgantown:
• White Non-Hispanic (88.6%)
• Black (4.2%)
• Chinese (1.5%)
• Hispanic (1.5%)
• Asian Indian (1.5%)
• Two or more races (1.5%)
• Other race (0.5%)

• 50% of Morgantown have a college degree

• Median resident age: 23.1 years

• # 1 SMALL CITY IN AMERICA

• West Virginia University
25,000 Students
70 + Nations represented

You know how you eat an elephant? ON BITE AT A TIME!

To get down to the bottom line of where we live and what is truly feasible we know our sphere of influence is our neighborhoods, our work place, our schools, our families. I'm talking about the person over the backyard fence, across the street, at the store, in the post office, wherever an open door comes.

The Apostle Paul said that after I have preached to others he did not want to become a castaway. If we gain the whole world but we lose our soul, our family, what have we profited?
Have you every truly considered what it is going to be like to stand before God someday? Have you ever considered God's terror?

Consider:
• Noah's Day - only 8 people saved from the Flood

• Day Sodom & Gommorah were destroyed - 3 people saved from the twin cities

• Korah and his collegues + 250 princes of the assembly, men of renown(knew the consequences and were not novices - Earth opened and swallowed up Korah and his collegues + fire from heaven fell and consumed the 250 princes + 14,700 more died in one day because of sticking up for Korah.

• The wrath of God revealed in Revelation 6 tells us that in 3 ½ years half of the worlds population is to perish - Can you imagine 3 billion people perishing???……Can you imagine taking 7 months to bury the dead???

It is imperative that we do more. Something has got to grip us, to stir us, to affect passion in us. We must see the man and woman we come in contact with as Jesus would see them. We must have eyes and hearts of compassion. It must effect how we pray for people.

"Lord, open a door of opportunity that I can skillfully with wisdom and patience talk to this person"

"Bring conviction upon their very soul"

"Bring conviction upon their mate and children"

"Let them see Jesus in my life"

ITS ALL ABOUT SOULS WHETHER IT IS AROUND THE WORLD OR AROUND THE BLOCK.


Ten Questions To Help You Evaluate Your Life

1. Is the pursuit of the knowledge of God the main focus of your life? Would those closest to you draw that conclusion?

…Everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have put aside all else, counting it worth less than nothing, in order that I can have Christ. (Phil. 3:8 - Living)

2. Is your life dictated by Biblical priorities? Have you made peace with the fact that because you are human, you have limited resources (time, money, energy, etc.)? Are your children attracted to or repelled by the tone, focus and tempo of your life?

My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways. (Prov. 23:26)

3. Is your family life a healthy and attractive Biblical model for your broader ministry outside the home? How is the quality of your relationship with your spouse? How is the quality of training, instruction and discipline you are giving your children?

[An elder] must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) (I Tim. 3:4,5)

4. Are there fears you have not been able to release to God? Why? What effect is this having on your walk with God? Marriage? Ministry? Are there other crippling areas of bondage in your life? Do you believe God can heal? Deliver? Whom are you allowing into your life to help you?

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed...I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. (John 8:36; Psalm 34:4)

5. Do you have a fresh, crisp, compelling vision for your life? Your ministry? Or are you simply muddling through?

Where there is no vision, the people perish..(Prov. 29:18a KJV)

6. Is there a healthy balance in your life between relating to and cultivating the lost?

"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." (Col. 1:28 Living)

7. Is there a sense of "movement" in your life? Or are you stagnated?

"On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles." (Act. 14:27)

8. Are you fruitful? Or just busy?

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." (Jn. 15:16)

9. Is your life characterized by love? That is, by the fruit of the Spirit? (Gal. 5:22,23) Or by frustration, anger, disappointment and cynicism?

"…Everything you do must be done with love." (I Cor. 16:14b NLT)

10. If you died today, would the Lord greet you with, "…Well done, good and faithful servant…"? (Matt. 25:23b)

I'm praying about appointing a "Council On Evangelism"

CONCLUSION AND ALTAR CALL:

I AM ASKING ANYONE IN THIS BUILDING TONIGHT THAT WILL MAKE AN ALL-OUT COMITTMENT TO REACH ONE SOUL IN 6 MONTHS TO PRESENT YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT THAT.