Friday 8/17/12 Helping Others 4

2 Thessalonians 3:10 - For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule:  "If a man will not work, he shall not not eat."  (NIV)

Dear Father in Heaven, again this day we start with prayers, thanking You and giving You honor and glory for another night's rest and another day to work for You.  Please, please forgive us of our sins and start us off fresh today.  Help us if we start to stray, help us to repent and to work daily for You.  In Jesus' Name, I pray.  Amen.

Good  SALVATION Friday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters.  I am truly sorry about no message yesterday, but praise the Lord, about the time I was ready to start the message, we received a call to go and see our son Matthew.  We did, we picked him up and talked with him awhile and then took him to the mission in Harrisburg.  Matthew is as far down as we have seen him, and he needs to get back walking with the Lord.  We just heard from him this morning and he told us he has been to church services twice already.

Today is now the day we pray about salvation, changing it from Wednesdays.  Why do this?  Well, with Fridays being the day we pray for the workers in the fields of harvest for Jesus, He, Jesus, was telling me it would be a good way to send out the workers.  Of course we can keep praying for salvation each day.  Also on the prayer list today, Tom Sansoni who was told his work was finished on Tuesday.  Tom is a good man and works in the waste water management field.  Also pray for Stan Rockey as he has severe heart problems, he needs bypass surgery, but his heart is too bad for them to chance the surgery.  In other words, he is fully in the hands of God.  Prayers for healing from cancer for Tanya, Joe, Allison, and many others, plus prayers still for Ruby, Burt, Patsy, Barbara, Luella, and also Dolores.  Prayers also for those working the fields of harvest for Jesus.  Let's get to the message ...

Helping Others (Day Four).  I asked the question the other day how long should we be working for the Lord, and I said forever, for we should never stop working for Him.  Also the Bible tells us that if we do not work we should not eat.  Now let me tell you that we are also to take care of the poor and needy.  We are to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.  And brothers and sisters, there are people who are poor and needy that need help, and they also need to work to help others.  I know of very few people who can DO NOTHING.  Yet there are people out there that really do nothing, and for those able-bodied people who do nothing, the Lord has led me to the scripture of today.  If you are not willing to work, you should not eat.

Working for Jesus should be a labor of love, after all, He gave His life for us, for each of us.  He asks nothing of us other than our love in return, and yes, for us to work for Him.  Yes, our working for Him is just an outward showing of our faith.  The Bible tells us that "Faith without works is dead."

Ephesians 2:8 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.  9 Not by works, so that no one can boast.  10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  (NIV)

So with this scripture we see that we cannot work our way into heaven, but it is through our faith in Jesus we are saved.  So then what about this, "Faith without works is dead" I am talking about?  Hang in there with me, folks, I am getting to that.

James 2:14 - What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?  15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  (NIV)

And there you have it, my dear brothers and sisters!  So it is by faith Jesus Christ and our faith in Him we are saved.  But brothers and sisters, we must, and I say it again, we must work for Him.  So therefore, the lesson, we should never stop helping others, for helping others is working for Jesus.  AMEN!!

By the way, it is also from this scripture in James 2:15 - Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?"  (NIV) that Carry The Light Ministry partner Pamela Bower came up with the statement I quote so often ... "Put feet on your prayers" ... So today as we end this subject of helping others, and we pray for all those going into the fields of Harvest, put some "feet on your prayers" and do not just pray for people, but when you can, reach out and help, do it ... Here in scripture are our orders from our Lord Jesus ...

Matthew 9:37 - Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field."  (NIV)

Matthew 28:18 - Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  20 And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  (NIV)

Dear Father in Heaven, clean us up now to do Your work and send us out, let us walk by faith, helping others and working for You, and let us please do this to honor and glorify You.  Lord, please honor our prayer requests according to Your will.  In Jesus' name, I pray.  Amen.

Now go forth, sharing your blessings, walking with Jesus and telling the good news of a Salvation through Jesus, and please remember WE ALL CAN WORK FOR JESUS!!  Amen.  Love ya, Pastor Dan.