We battle the unbelief of anxiety with the promises of God. When I am anxious about some risky new venture or meeting, I battle unbelief with the promise: 'Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God; I will help you, I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand' (Isaiah 41:10). When I am anxious about my ministry being useless and empty, I fight unbelief with the promise, 'So shall my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not come back to me empty but accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it' (Isaiah 55:11). When I am anxious about being too weak to do my work, I battle unbelief with the promise of Christ, 'My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness' (2 Corinthians 12:9), and 'As your days so shall your strength be' (Deuteronomy 33:25). When I am anxious about decisions I have to make about the future, I battle unbelief with the promise, 'I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you' (Psalm 32:8). When I am anxious about facing opponents, I battle unbelief with the promise, 'If God is for us who can be against us!' (Romans 8:31). When I am anxious about being sick, I battle unbelief with the promise that 'tribulation works patience, and patience approvedness, and approvedness hope, and hope does not make us ashamed' (Romans 5:3–5). When I am anxious about getting old, I battle unbelief with the promise, 'Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save' (Isaiah 46:4). When I am anxious about dying, I battle unbelief with the promise that 'none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself; if we live we live to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and rose again: that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living' (Romans 14:8–9). When I am anxious that I may make shipwreck of faith and fall away from God, I battle unbelief with the promise, 'He who began a good work in you will complete it unto the day of Christ' (Philippians 1:6). 'He who calls you is faithful. He will do it' (1 Thessalonians 5:23). 'He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them' (Hebrews 7:25).
John Piper

Forums

Forum Navigation
You need to log in to create posts and topics.

THE HOMELESS PREACHER - A Classic!

Forum Archives
2,519 Posts
#1 · July 26, 2013, 8:18 am

Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>

THE HOMELESS PREACHER - A Classic!
-Author Unknown

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless
person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be
introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around
his soon-to-be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people
for service....only 3 people out of the 7 - 10,000 people said
hello to him.

He asked people for change to buy food... NO ONE in the church
gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the
front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please
sit in the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares
and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.

As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church
announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders
went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the
church to the congregation...... "We would like to introduce to
you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"... The congregation looked around
clapping with joy and anticipation... The homeless man sitting in
the back stood up... and started walking down the aisle... the
clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him... he walked up the altar
and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this)
and paused for a moment... then he recited-

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are
blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared
for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you
gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me some-
thing to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed
clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me,
I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will
answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or
thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a
stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The
King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the
least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told
them all what he had experienced that morning... many began to
cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said....
Today I see a gathering of people.... not a church of Jesus Christ.
The world has enough people, but not enough disciples... when
will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service
until next week... Being a Christian is more than something you
claim. I'ts something you live by and share with others...

-PLEASE COMMENT on this article at the following website-

http://www.revivalschool.com/

Click for thumbs down.0Click for thumbs up.0