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Author
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Topic: Did Jesus make you a fisher of men, or not?
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becauseHElives
Advanced Member
Member # 87
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posted
quote:
Did Jesus make you a fisher of men, or not?
If He didn't, your probably not saved! ![[Bible]](graemlins/bible.gif) ![[Cross]](graemlins/cross.gif) ![[Prayer]](graemlins/prayer.gif)
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
if you are following Yahshua you are a fisher of men!
if you are not following Yahshua you not saved!
quote:
Jesus touches upon two important truths, our responsibility and His promise. In essence, He tells us: 1) Follow Me, and 2) If you do, you will evangelize men.
What does it mean to follow Jesus? Do we simply add Jesus to our life, or do we give up our life for Him?
Mark 8:34
And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me."
![[thumbsup2]](graemlins/thumbsup2.gif) Carol
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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )
Posts: 4578 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
Hi, MentorsRiddle, I do agree that at least there ARE times when my Christianity does shine through, or prayers are being answered and those are testimonies to unbelievers, and it is true that my interests have changed and that can be a testimony also, as in "I now like what before I did not like", and "I now dislike what before I liked" and that can be a testimony too.
And of course there is always the Word of God from which we can preach about the miracles and resurrection of Jesus.
So the answer is probably that there are times when our lifestyle also will speak for the Lord. But mostly I think the Lord speaks for Himself when unbelievers hear about what He did and said.
love, Eden
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
quote:
Other than some close acquaintances or friends that you know, when you walk on the street or go to Walmart, are you glowing so much that people are stopping you to "ask you what the hope is that is in you"?
Or, do you "pretty much look enough like most everybody on the street and in Walmart" so that "nobody is particularly noticing" this hope that is in you?
I agree with everything you are saying, Eden. I really do...
To answer your questions: no, I would not seem out of the ordinary to anyone. Yes, I do look like everyone else.
I think attracting people to Christ is not just something that you can pin a lable on and say, "There, this will bring them to Jesus."
I think that here are many avenues to find Jesus.
Some use their personality, while others use the Bible.
You propose very good questions and ones I just don't know how to answer.
I usually just follow my heart and do what God wants me to do -- what he leads my heart to do.
Rendering myself a perfect insturment for the Lord.
I wish I could answer your questions better, but I can't.
I suppose we just have to rely in God and trust in him to let us know when peoples hearts are ready to receive his word...
What do you think?
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
Hi, MentorsRiddle, thanks for your post.
1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
Other than some close acquaintances or friends that you know, when you walk on the street or go to Walmart, are you glowing so much that people are stopping you to "ask you what the hope is that is in you"?
Or, do you "pretty much look enough like most everybody on the street and in Walmart" so that "nobody is particularly noticing" this hope that is in you?
And I'll tell you why that is. Because, unless people know you more closely, you do mostly look just like everybody else; you can perhaps smile better and have a friendly look, but other people are able to generate that too, and it can be done by philosophy or psychology besides it being done by Christianity.
And what of the days when you are not feeling so good, or are anxious because you got laid off or something did you wrong and well, you're not "looking as good today as you did yesterday"?
The only thing therefore that will get people attention are the DIVINE miracles and DIVINE words of the Bible, THOSE are the things that ARE OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
Indeed, if someone WERE to ask you "what that hope is that you seem to have in you" (nobody has ever asked me that, by the way), what do we say then? Do we beginn to talk about our lifestyle? No, we begin immediately to tell them about the wonderful Lord who died for our sins and we turn to the Bible to relate the story of Jesus and His miracles, etc. It is PREACHING that is the bait that is ALWAYS FRESH, always new, and DIVINE that catches the attention of men.
But people? People will let you down, given the wrong circumstances. People need to find evidence of DIVINITY and that GOD EXISTS, that is the bait that catches people's attention unto salvation. Jesus, the same yesterday, today and forever.
love, Eden
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
quote:
MentorsRiddle wrote:
quote:
________________________________________
Got bait? Well, I think the perfect bait any Christian should have is the life-style that Christian leads.
________________________________________
Personally, I don't think our lifestyle is the perfect bait, because our feelings and thoughts are changeable and fickle.
I may be feeling good and happy, but there are others who are not Christians who are feeling good and happy.
I think that instead the unchangeable Written Word of God is our bait, because therein is found the miraculous, as in "Read the Bible about the miracles and resurrection of Jesus".
It was never anyone's behavior that drew me, but what drew me was reading about the miracles of Jesus in the Bible.
love, Eden
Hey, Eden,
I think our life styles are a good bait, because I know more Christians who are happy than non-Christians who are happy.
I think the “Written Word of God” is a good thing, as most Christians should, but non-Christians wouldn’t necessarily care about the Holy Bible – in my opinion.
I think the miracles of Jesus Christ is awesome!
I think anyone – Christian or not – would think that way.
But, the bible tells us that we are lights unto the world of darkness.
So what about is should shine?
I think it is everything about us that should shine, which would be our life style.
Our emotions are just a small part of it, but not all of it.
There are many parts that make up a life style: emotions, how we live, how we carry our selves, etc.
The Bible is what should then shine for Christians in the Darkness.
I am not saying we are above the bible, Lord forbid.
I am saying that non-Christians would look more to us than what we follow.
Once they see us, or the majority of us, they may choose to live that life-style, but you can’t have that life style without Jesus Christ.
What do you think?
--------------------
With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
MentorsRiddle wrote: quote:
Got bait? Well, I think the perfect bait any Christian should have is the life-style that Christian leads.
Personally, I don't think our lifestyle is the perfect bait, because our feelings and thoughts are changeable and fickle.
I may be feeling good and happy, but there are others who are not Christians who are feeling good and happy.
I think that instead the unchangeable Written Word of God is our bait, because therein is found the miraculous, as in "Read the Bible about the miracles and resurrection of Jesus".
It was never anyone's behavior that drew me, but what drew me was reading about the miracles of Jesus in the Bible.
love, Eden
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
quote:
Did Jesus make you a fisher of men, or not?
Matthew 4:19
And He {Jesus} said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Got bait? Are you fishin'?
love, Eden
Got bait? Well, I think the perfect bait any Christian should have is the life-style that Christian leads.
If a non-believer sees how happy you are, by nature they will be jealous of that happiness and want to know how you have it.
Now, not all non-believers will ask you about God, but will come around any way.
Just like Fish will nibble at your bait, but it is up to you to reel them in.
It is out job to plant the seeds of the Word of God within them – it’s God’s job to germinate those seeds.
I love talking about God to anyone who wants to listen.
Just like I believe every Christian feels.
--------------------
With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Carol Swenson
Admin
Member # 6929
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posted
Jesus touches upon two important truths, our responsibility and His promise. In essence, He tells us: 1) Follow Me, and 2) If you do, you will evangelize men.
What does it mean to follow Jesus? Do we simply add Jesus to our life, or do we give up our life for Him?
Mark 8:34
And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me."
Posts: 6787 | From: Colorado | Registered: Dec 2007
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
Did Jesus make you a fisher of men, or not?
Matthew 4:19
And He {Jesus} said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Got bait? Are you fishin'?
love, Eden
IP: Logged |
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