Ok. I am going to let you in a little early. Don't tell anyone else, but our theme for EASTER '08 is .... The Invitation. And I am excited about all God is putting together for us. Did you know that Easter and Christmas are the 2 most attended church services in the world? You knew that.
Lets take a look at some invitations for a few minutes today. First, we need to invite people to know Jesus. That can come in so many forms from a personal story in a conversation, to a letter written to a friend or even a personal invitation to church. Another way is through media...TV, radio, web site...letting people hear about Jesus. Thus, why we are issuing an invitation for Easter.
Matthew 22:9 (nlt) --- Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.
1 Corinthians 9:23 (nlt) --- I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
Hold the phone. There is another invitation we HAVE TO THINK about all the time. Who is it we are inviting to be part of our lives? Far too many people invite Satan, most of the time unknowingly, to join us on our daily walk. We give him all the space he wants. We listen to his every word and even watch his every move. It is kind of mesmerizing.
We don't want to do that. Our enemy has no place in our lives and in our business. But we let him in. It is time to kick him out. No invitation to you, nasty dude. It is time for JESUS to take over. Hear me out:
John 10:10 (nlt) --- The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
Philippians 2:5 (nlt) --- You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
2 Corinthians 10:5 (nlt) --- We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
Another version of that last verse tells us to take all of our thoughts captive. We are to take depression, realizing where it comes from, take it captive and kick it out the door. We are to take low self-esteem captive, knowing it comes from Satan, and remind it that no invitation was given to it and kick it out the door. We are take self pity and pride and anger, and the likes of them, and issue them the privilege of leaving us alone.
How are you inviting those things or others to enter your life? By the way, God made you a winner. Know it. Believe it. Live it. That is 'THE INVITATION' God offers you today!
Romans 8:37 (nlt) --- No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
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