No Silent Witness
From The HeartPublish date: 03/20/2016
Foundation Scriptures:
Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. Matthew 26:31-35
Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:69-75
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
1. We cannot be undercover Christians
a. We should not try to live under the radar.
b. The Middle East - India - USA
c. Do you know you are saved, beyond a shadow of a doubt?
d. Because of compromise, or fear, many hold back.
e. Marriage (husband and wife) commitment - ring - travels and takes it off.
f. Some Christians are embarrassed and shy about Jesus.
g. Peter loved Jesus; however, he denied him three times.
2. Will your life count?
a. Take a bold stand.
b. It takes a decision and it takes Holy Ghost empowerment, like Peter on the day of Pentecost.
c. God has not given you a spirit of fear (timidity) but of love, power and a sound mind.
d. Do your family, friends, and acquaintances know your commitment to Jesus?
e. Paul said: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:6).
f. Acts 4:13 KJV - "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
3. Jesus asked: When I come back, will I find faith on the earth?
a. Luke 18:8b KJV - "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"
b. Matthew 11:12 KJV - "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
c. Stephen was stoned.
d. The Apostles died terrible deaths.
e. Mark 13:13 KJV – “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
f. Philippians 1:21 KJV - "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
g. Romans 14:8 KJV - "Whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."
4. The great cloud of witnesses is watching over the banisters of heaven.
a. Hebrews 11 - the hall of faith.
b. Hebrews 11:1-2 KJV - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report."
c. Hebrews 11:32-40 KJV - "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."
d. Hebrews 12:1 KJV - "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"
5. This is not the hour to be lukewarm, but to be radically on fire for God.
a. Will you be counted?