Evangelism
Regional Coordinator
Brother Glen Whiteside
Monthly Devotion
December 2022
"ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS"
"...WIST YE NOT THAT I MUST BE ABOUT MY FATHER'S BUSINESS?"
(LUKE 2:49)
As we are rapidly finishing the end of another year, we are once again walking through the doorway of another Christmas season. It is during this time that many of us spend time with family and friends, get more than our fill of good food, do much shopping and get engaged in decorating and buying gifts for one another. And we go to blessed church services and hear beautiful sermons preached on the coming of the Saviour into this world, and how He was wrapped up in swaddling clothes and layed in a manger, for the purpose of bringing salvation into the world. We get caught up in the lift and dream of the season and the beauty of all the decorations, fellowship and activity. Truly this is a beautiful season with many warm and wonderful things to enjoy and experience and above it all, as the children of light, we know that, "JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!"
Now let us put the Lord at the center of our focus. "Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. and when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it." (Luke 2:41-43) As Mary and Joseph along with Jesus and their kindred went up to Jerusalem to celebrate this annual feast, this was a yearly custom and celebration where many others from around Israel and Jews from around the world came to feast and celebrate this great and joyous occasion and memorial of the salvation that God brought to His people. Surely this time of the year was a time of great feasting and much celebration for many people and their families.
As many other families and people began to leave and head back to their cities and homelands, so also Mary and Joseph along with their family returned on their journey back home. "The child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it." They were so busy in their regular routine and activities and focused on their trip, that they were not aware that Jesus was not among their company for a whole day. "But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinisfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him." (Luke 2:44-45) In the middle of all the festivities, activities and celebration of the feast, Jesus went down to Jerusalem with his famliy and yes He was among them for a time, but His focus was on the will of His Father in heaven. While everyone around Him was busy with the festivities, activities and celebration, Jesus was focused on the will of the Father and about His Father's business.
"And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions... And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:46, 48-49) According to (1Peter 2:21), Christ left us an example that we should follow in His steps. While we are involved in all of our feasting, activities, festivities and celebrations and dwelling in such cozy comfort with our family and friends, let us not become numb and forgetful of the reality of the spiritual warfare, spiritual conditions and spiritual needs all around us. Let us not forget the REASON FOR THE SEASON! Let us remember that Jesus came to bring salvation to a lost and dying world that is perishing all around us in the midst of all the comfort, feasting, activities and celebration! We all have people in our own families, we have friends and souls all around us who are perishing, hurting, dying and headed to hell. People whose hearts and lives are broken.
Let us be about our Father's business this Christmas season and set aside extra time for prayer and seeking God and ingage in personal evangelism. Let us us this time wisely and seek out souls to minister to and get the message of Jesus Christ out to the lost and the perishing. Our family functions are an opportunity to be a light and seek out and minister to the perishing in our own families, our friends and people we come accross as we are out and about doing our activities. Remember the world and think of the perishing. Let us cast out our nets in an effort to win souls for Christ this Christmas season. Many people will not make it through this Christmas season and will end up in eternity before this holiday season is done. Many of us may come across the path of many of them. May we be awake and aware and sensitive to the Holy Ghost that God can speak to us and use us in those moments. Let us BE ABOUT OUR FATHER'S BUSINESS.
Merry Christmas and God bless you all. Remember, JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!
The Double, Double In Everything Spirit!
July 2022
"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:57-58) "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place."
(2 Corinthians 2:14)
As the the flame under a water pot heats up the pot and the water comes to a boil, so does the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man, intensify the white heat of God's power and stirs up the movement of the Holy Ghost! It's going to take nothing less than this kind and calibre of prayer. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." (Matthew 11:12) It is that violent, effectual, and fervent prayer, that will intensify the White Heat of God's Power within us and stir up the movement of the Holy Ghost within our vessels, lives and ministries.
This is that lethal combustion and deadly combination of force that will forcefully compel us and move us into that "Double, Double In Everything Spirit! Causing us to double our efforts for Christ in everything and in every area of our life. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12) It is time! It has arrived!! This is the moment for us to get locked away in our chambers and pray down a heavier weight of glory and a stronger and greater measure of explosive power from heaven.
It is time! It has arrived!! This is the moment for us to lay hold of holy, heavenly, spiritual violence and begin aggressively forcing back the ranks of the enemy. The strongholds of the enemy are strong and are loaded with souls held captive. The defenses of the enemy, are like iron and brass that are designed to detain and hold back souls from coming to Christ and to eliminate our advancements and efforts in reaching them that we might deliver them from the satanic dungeons and prisons they are bound inside of and winning them for Christ and getting them safely into the fold! BUT!!!.... It is written, "I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:" (Isaiah 45:2) Hallelujah!!! If God Almighty did this for a heathen king, Cyrus King of Persia, then what will He do for The Church of God!?!?!
If we will, then God will!!! It is time! It has arrived!! This is the moment for us to lay hold of that Double, Double In Everything Spirit!!! It is the hour to push and to press in doubling our efforts in prayer! Doubling our efforts in anguish and travail before the throne! Doubling our efforts in fasting! Doubling our efforts in planting seed and watering seed! Doubling our efforts in searching, seeking, studying and digging deeper into the Word Of God! It is time! It has arrived!! This is the moment for us to involve ourselves in everything that it is going to take and cost us to prevail with God and get ahold of that, DOUBLE, DOUBLE IN EVERYTHING SPIRIT!!!
"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision." (Joel 3:14) Billions of souls are hanging in the balance and are near to being swallowed up in the eternal flames of hell! O, let everyone of us who claim Christ, get a mighty and miraculous "Vision For Evangelism: Without A Vision The People Perish!"
For This They Willingly Are Ignorant Of
June 2022
"For this they willingly are ignorant of..." (2 Peter 3:5) "For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity..." (Isaiah 26:21)
Willful Ignorance: "The term willfully (or willingly) ignorant refers to those who lack the information or facts because they refuse to acknowledge them. (For them) "Ignorance is a matter of choice." Willful ignorance also refers to those who know the truth but deliberately refuse to acknowledge or accept the truth, so that they don't have to be accountable or be made to answer for their errors or violations. (For these also) "Ignorance is a matter of choice." "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7)
This world is full of souls who are hanging in the balance. Some of them are innocently ignorant, because they simply have not yet been reached with the truth, others are willfully ignorant, because they know if they hear the truth, they will be accountable for their lives and still there are others, who have been reached with the truth and ignore it thinking that they will not be brought into judgement for their sins. "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:11-12)
"For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity..." (Isaiah 26:21) The wrath of God is building like a raging storm and judgement is coming. Souls are in great danger of God's wrath and of eternal destruction. 1). Do we have a Vision For Evangelism? 2). How much do we love Christ? 3). How devoted and committed are we to our commission? 4). Do we have a passion for souls? 5). How much love do we have for the lost? 6). Do we count our own lives dear and precious unto ourselves? 7). Do we consider our own business as more important and precious than the Father's business? I felt impressed to present these questions because the time has come that we must all make a thorough examination and take serious inventory of our present state and conditions.
We are running out of precious time. At this precious moment, let us search deep into our souls and ask ourselves, 1). How can I get a vision or get a greater Vision For Evangelism? 2). What must I do to plunge deeper into the love of Christ? 3). What sacrifices must I make in my life to become more wholly devoted and more consistently committed to our commission? 4). How much passion do I have for souls? 5). What must I do to obtain and possess a deeper and greater love for the lost? 6). How must I crucify that dearness and preciousness that I have for my own life? 7). What do I need to do in my own life, so that the Father's business can become the most important and precious business above everything else?
Souls are ready! The world is waiting!! Let us all get a VISION FOR EVANGELISM! Catch the vision and pray about it until becomes a raging inferno in your soul.
TIME - SENSITIVE.
May, 2022
"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time."
(Colossians 4:5)
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,"
(Ephesians 5:15)
In the context of this theme, the title "TIME - SENSITIVE," suggests that one would need to maximize their time, that is, make the most of all the time that they have. "TIME - SENSITIVE," also expresses the state of being on high alert, awake and fully aware of the time and conditions of this present hour, as well as being alert to and being aware of the deplorable conditions of the human beings all around us. As well as fully realizing we have but a short time to do and to complete literally a world of work. It is going to take great surrender, great obedience, and great power to accomplish and finish this great mission by the appointed time.
The scripture instructs us to "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time." (Colossians 4:5) Walking in wisdom in this context, expresses going about our daily lives, warfare, service, and ministry with a good sense of judgement/ discernment. If there has ever been a time that the child of God needs to be walking with a good and sharp sense of judgement/discernment, it is now at this very time and moment. Every day that the human being takes breath, his life is a target, and his soul's eternal destruction is the goal and aim of the devil and his angels. We have but a short time remaining and if God calls the child of God before the appointed time of the rapture, then his time is even shorter. As Christians, we need to be much more "TIME - SENSITIVE." We need to be making greater efforts to maximize and make the most of our time for God, whatever that means for us and whatever it takes to do so. So be it! O, God help us!!
As we are told to "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without," we are to walk with a good and sharp sense of judgement/discernment toward the unsaved and the other sheep (Those that are saved who are not yet in The Church). The lost are in desperate need of the Savior and the other sheep are in desperate need of a resting place, The Church of God where they will be corrected and perfected. As the Church of God, this includes every covenanted member of the Body, we have double the work to do, then the other sheep who are outside of the Church at this present time. Though they are virtuously making great efforts to evangelize this world for Christ, The Church of God is to excelle them all in evangelizing the whole world with the whole Gospel and working with our brothers and sisters outside The Church, to get them to The Church and into The Church.
We are not in competition with other human beings, but we are in competition with time as well as the devil and his angels. I recently heard a quote by an individual saying something to the effect of, "If we could see the devil and his angels while they are at work, we would be alarmed at how sluggish we are." This presents me with a great thought, these wicked beings who are not bound in a flesh and blood body, do not get weary or discouraged. These are intelligent, diligent, tenacious, vicious, and powerful beings. They work non-stop around the clock without rest. How much more active must we become in witnessing, testifying, planting seed, watering seed, teaching, preaching, and praying! We need a double portion of the Holy Ghost and power in every area and on every level. As you lay your eyes on the words of this message, the battle for souls is a raging inferno! As mightily as this battle is raging, that's how mightily the fire of Heaven and the power of the Holy Ghost should be raging within our hearts, minds and souls. "Our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29) O! We need to get so filled, saturated, and consumed with God and His fire!!!
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." (Luke 21-34) Let us lay aside every weight (non-sinful things) and the sin (violations, offences, and errors of any kind) that hem us in and trap us. Any and everything that will diminish the light of Jesus Christ and extinguish the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives. Let us separate ourselves from this world and all that is in the world, so that we can get to the souls without blockage, hinderances, obstacles and anything that would sabotage our focus and mission to win as many souls as possible for Christ and His Church! Jesus commanded, "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning." (Luke 12:35) The world needs to see the light of Jesus Christ burning in us with brightness and powerful intensity. They need to see and experience the white heat of God's power radiating from our lives with an awesome intensity! Let us become "TIME - SENSITIVE" like we never have before!!!
MAKE A GREATER EFFORT IN PERSONAL EVANGELISM:
IT SHOULD BE A LIFESTYLE.
April, 2022
"Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:14-17)
We are living in an appointed time and an appointed hour, which calls for high alert and high activity. Our adversary the devil, has covered many Christians in this country with a thick, warm, comfortable and cozy blanket of satisfaction, complacency, slumber, the deadness of inactivity and comatose. The Holy Ghost is calling the Christian to awaken out of a sleepy and dead Christianity to fervency, diligence and vigilance, because our adversary the devil is more subtle than any other creature, walking about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. We must awakened out of this spirit of lethargy and slumber. Even the late Bishop A.J. Tomlinson had stated that even the most zealous of us are not even half awake.
For the Christian who pays close attention to this call and responds with strict and complete obedience to the instruction of the Holy Ghost, Christ will give them (light): awareness, alertness, deep and clear understanding, discernment and hightened sensitivity to the urgency of the hour and to the state of emergancy that is all around us. We are admonished in the scriptures above to walk circumspectly. This is a unique and interesting word. The word circumspectly means: "To be careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences."
From a closer look at this scripture, we can see the depth of instruction given to us. We are to see that we GO about our daily lives and walk in Christ continually being careful to consider all of the dire situations and circumstances in the lives of the people around us. We are to be careful to consider all possible consequences (temporal and eternal) that could befall them in the midst of their current state and condition, as well as the possible eternal consequences that could befall us, if we fail in throwing them a lifeline and presenting them with an opportunity to escaspe utter destruction through presenting the Gospel. Now, is the most urgent, vital and critical hour in which we must MAKE A GREATER EFFORT IN PERSONAL EVANGELISM. IT SHOULD BE A LIFESTYLE.
We need A PASSION FOR SOULS! A passion that will compel us and drive us above and beyond the effort and labour that we have been doing up to this point. We need a double portion of the Holy Ghost! We need a double portion of the Spirit of prayer! We need a double portion of strength!! We need a double portion of power!!! We need that double, double in everything spirit for Christ and The Church of God!! "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:9,10)
In order for us to finish our course with joy and the ministry which every one of us has been given from Him and our service and labour be accepted of Him at the end of the way, sacrifices are going to have to be made, things might have to cancelled. Some things might have to be rescheduled and other things may have to go undone. But remember, it is all for Christ, His Church, getting the other sheep into the fold and eternal souls that are in ever present danger of eternal destruction. Let all of us, who love the Saviour and have a real born-again experience in Him MAKE A GREATER EFFORT IN PERSONAL EVANGELISM: IT SHOULD BE A LIFESTYLE!!!
* Get "A Vision For Evangelism"- (Where There Is No Vision, The People Perish)
For Such A Time As This
"For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
(Esther 4:14)
The children of Israel had been carried away into Persian captivity. During their time in Persian captivity, a wicked man named Haman had been promoted by the king of Persia. The king "advanced him and set his seat above all the princes that were with him." This wicked man took advantage of his position, created a decree, and manipulated the king and convinced him to sign the decree, making it an official document with power to be enforced.
This decree declared the slaughter and destruction of all Jewish people in every part of the Persian empire. If it had not been for the Lord, many, many souls would have perished in a great destruction. News of this great destruction that was coming had reached every part of the empire. When Esther had gotten news of this great destruction from her maids and her chamberlains, she was exceedingly grieved. She then sent one of her attendants, the kings chamberlain, Hatach "and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was and why it was." (Esther 4:5)
Mordecai gave Hatach all the details and "Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree... to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people." (Esther 4:8) Esther was exceedingly grieved for the lives of her people and because of the great destruction that was to come but she was "reluctant." The definition of this word reluctant is: feeling or showing aversion (to avoid), hesitation, or unwillingness. The answer she sends back to Mordecai reveals her reluctance and her reason for it. "All the king's servants, and the people of the knig's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days." (Esther 4:11)
Mordecai had to advise her and warn her, "For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) If Esther had avoided this opportunity and had continued to hesitate and been unwilling to sacrifice and put her life on the line and at risk for souls, Mordecai declared that "enlargement and deliverance" would arise from another place. If she would have not fulfilled her mission, she would have ultimately been destroyed and lost! Surely, she had been risen up and brought to the kingdom For Such A Time As This.
Surely we, as children of the Most High, and covenanted members of The Body of Christ have been risen from the deadness of our sins and born into Kingdom of God and brought into The Church of God For Such A Time As This! God is soon bringing and pouring out a great destruction upon this earth which will destroy humanity for their sins and refusal to repent and serve the Most High God. You and I, upon whom the ends of the earth are come have been called, commissioned, and given a mission to share the full extent of the Good News with every creature under Heaven. Yet we also must advise and warn them of the great destruction that is coming upon this world and the eternal destruction that awaits every soul that leaves this world in sin.
If we fail in answering the call, fulfilling our commission, and completing the mission given to us, "enlargement and deliverance" will arise from another place and we as well as millions will ultimately be destroyed and lost! We cannot afford to be "Reluctant" any longer, especially at this present hour. The Word of God warns us through demonstrations of Him removing things from people and giving them to others. Removing birthrights from some and giving them to others. Removing chances from one generation and giving it to another and ultimately removing kingdoms from men and nations and giving them to another.
Jesus Christ Himself declared unto the chief priests and the elders of the people of Israel, "...Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore I say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." (Matthew 21: 42,43) We cannot afford for this thing to be shifted or "Taken and given" to another people or generation. For this to happen would be to our own peril and destruction and that of millions of other souls. So let's get ourselves Ready and Set to GO! win and gather the lost of this world and the other Sheep of our Leader and Commander, so that we can truly finish the work which He has given us to do in this world.
By Brother Glen Whiteside, November 2021
"Be all you can be and give all you can give for Christ and his Church
Read 1 Timothy Chapter 6.
Becoming a mark of honor before Christ and walking in Christian excellence to the best of our knowledge and ability is our calling. All that we do must honor him. We are required to have a wholehearted dependency on the promises of God and a wholehearted obedience to the
words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness.
Read Psalm Chapter 16
We are to put all our trust in God. We are to trust in him with all our heart, mind, body, soul, spirit, strength and might! All that we could ever desire, achieve, or possess in life and in this world should lose its importance and priority in the presence of God. The Lord is the portion of our inheritance. He is all that we need. In Him we will find the source of all things! He can and will help us and sustain us if we will believe and depend on all his promises with all our hearts. We are also to obey him with all our hearts in all things. We are to set the Lord Jesus Christ before us always. He is our only aim. He is our focus. He is everything. He will soon return with his reward in his hand ready to reward every man according to his work. There will soon be two major resurrections when he returns, by the word of his power. He will bring about the first and great resurrection and all who have done good and have been faithful and loyal to him will have a part.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:25-29)
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.“ (Matthew 28:18)
As the scriptures testify of Christ and of how he desired only the will of the Father and honor that cometh from God only; we are required to follow in the exact same steps of Christ, to desire only the will of the Father in all things and to do the will of the Father in all things. Our entire focus and efforts should be to seek the honor that comes from God alone. There is great honor and great reward in this life and in the life to come, for those who depend on Him with all their heart and obey with all their heart. He is faithful that promised.
By Brother Glen Whiteside, October 2019