Wake Up

You have a disease that is killing you and here are the symptoms:

1. Worshiping things other than God
2. Creating for yourself false gods and bowing down to them
3. Taking the name of the Lord your God in vain
4. Not setting aside time to spend with God and His people
5. Dishonoring your father and mother
6. Anger, hatred, and murder
7. Sexual immoralities
8. Stealing
9. Lying
10. Coveting what belongs to your neighbor

These are symptoms of the disease called sin, and unless you repent, and believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God you will die in your sin.  Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and He was buried, and He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures; presenting Himself alive after His suffering to His disciples by many convincing proofs.  He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God and is presently making intercession on behalf of everyone who comes to God through faith in Him.  Jesus first coming was for redemption.  Jesus will return at a time of the Father’s choosing as King; salvation for His people and judgment for His enemies.  “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

In Christ alone,

Mike Peek

Bibliography

The Holy Bible, Updated New American Standard Bible. The Lockman Foundation, 1995.

(Romans 3:19-20, Deuteronomy 5:1-21, 1 Corinthians 15:1-6, Acts 1:1-11, Romans 8:34, Matthew 24) 

The Three Aspects of Faith

Faith is made up of three things: knowledge, belief, and trust…Faith is believing that Christ is what He is said to be and that He will do what He has promised to do. (Spurgeon, C.H.)

“Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?..So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Romans 10:13-14, 17)

When sharing the gospel publicly, and more specifically through open-air preaching you will likely be stopped from preaching by someone who claims to be a Christian.  Oftentimes when preaching in open-air, you will be preaching to a moving crowd.  Someone may walk by and hear you talking about sin and judgment.  Another may walk by and hear you talking about Christ redemptive work on the cross.  I use to think that there was the possibility that those who claimed to be Christian, who stopped the preaching of the gospel, were simply judging the snippet that they heard as being the whole message.  But then I began to preach in open-air the historical story about Jesus as witnessed by the apostle John and I noticed that I was still being stopped, when it was obvious that I was reciting a story.

So let me ask a series of questions to those of you who claim to be Christian, and yet do not think that the gospel should be preached publicly in open-air: 

1. Are you trusting in Jesus Christ alone as your Lord and Savior? 
2. Do you believe that whoever will call on the name of Lord will be saved? 
3. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
4. How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?
5. How will they hear without a preacher?

In order for someone to trust in Jesus promise of eternal life they have to first believe in Him.  In order for them to believe in Him someone has to tell them about Him.  Evangelism is simply imparting the knowledge that we have been given about the Lord to other people.  I cannot make anyone believe in Jesus, and I certainly cannot make anyone trust in His promise, but I can tell people about Him; so that is what I aim to do for as long as I draw breath.

In Christ alone,

Mike Peek

The Lord's Ministry

            The Lord is Sovereign over all things.  The Lord has given me a ministry that is so incredibly simplistic.  We men try to make everything complicated.  I continually complicate what the Lord has given me to do, but when I capitulate, and do what He has given me to do I get to see the working of His hand.  The ministry that the Lord has given me is evangelism through preaching the Gospel According to John in open-air, passing out Gospels of John, and availing myself to talk with people about Jesus Christ our Lord.

            When I do this I see scripture unfold before my eyes.  I see a division between the sheep and the goats.  I will see those who curse the Lord and myself and I will see those who praise the Lord and give me kind words of encouragement.  When I speak, I am neither speaking for or against anyone, but simply giving the eye witness testimony of the apostle John.  Some will stop and listen, take a gospel of John, and rejoice.  Others will gnash their teeth and say horrible things.  Both reactions come from the same message, the Gospel According to John which is an eye witness testimony about Jesus.

            "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.” (Mt 25:31-33)

            Most times this happens on a college campus, because I go to the local junior college, Tyler Junior College, one day each week.  I am always surprised when young people speak so abruptly to an older man, but then I remember what Jesus said, “Remember the word that I said to you, ' A slave is not greater than his master.  'If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” (Jn 15:20)  Prior semesters I have had others with me, but this semester I have had much difficulty in getting other brethren to come along.  Nevertheless, I will continue to go, because it is what the Lord has given me to do.

In Christ alone,

Mike Peek

Jesus Died For US

(Picture Source Unknown)

            “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep…My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.  I and the Father are one.” (Jn 10:11…27-30)

            The gospel is the good news that although we have all sinned against God and deserve death; Jesus died for us.  The “US” are His sheep and Jesus is the good shepherd.  His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.  Therefore, evangelism is telling the sheep the good news, and we do not know who the sheep are, therefore, we tell everyone.

            People often ask me after a time of preaching the gospel on campus or after an evangelism trip, “How did it go?”  I always feel uncomfortable with this question, because I do not have an answer.  Here is what I do know: I know that Jesus is the good shepherd and He laid down His life for His sheep.  I also know that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him, but as the apostle Paul said, they cannot hear Him without a preacher and they cannot preach unless they are sent (Rom 10:14-15).

            Jesus told His disciples to go preach the good news indiscriminately.  “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mk 16:15)  Although it is said differently in each gospel account, and also again in Acts.  It is a sending out of His church to preach the good news without regards for race, social standing, wealth, intelligence, or niceness.  Preach the gospel to everyone!

In Christ alone,

Mike Peek