Cod Liver Oil Coercion

John 16:8-11 (New International Version)

When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

A woman bought a bottle of cod liver oil to give to her dog so he could have a healthier and shinier coat. Every morning, she pried the dog’s jaws open and forced the liquid down his throat. He struggled, but she persisted. He doesn’t know what’s good for him! she thought. Faithfully, each day she repeated the process.

One day, however, the bottle tipped over and she released her grip on the dog for just a moment to wipe up the mess. The dog sniffed at the fishy liquid and began lapping up what she had spilled. He actually loved the stuff. He had simply objected to being coerced!

Sometimes we use a similar method in telling others about Christ. Called buttonholing, it’s an intense, in-your-face kind of confrontation. While earnestly desiring to share the gospel, we may end up repelling people instead. In our sincere but overly enthusiastic attempt, we create resistance.

We are called to share the good news, but we are not responsible for someone’s acceptance or rejection of Christ. It’s not our job to try to convict someone of sin. That’s the Holy Spirit’s responsibility (John 16:8).

As you tell others of Christ’s sacrifice, be sensitive. Know when to slow down and let God and His Word do the convicting and drawing to Himself. — Cindy Hess Kasper

The Spirit’s role is to convict

The world of all their sin

So they will seek forgiveness and

Be cleansed and changed within. —Sper

The Spirit convicts so that Christ might cleanse.

Every Thursday, we gather as a group to go for Street E. I've learnt over time that sometimes forcing the gospel down someone's throat may be a turn-off to that person. What people is looking for is true love. When they see or experience God's love for themselves, then they will be drawn to the true and living God.

I need to change my approach in the way I deal with people around me. I need to remember that people are looking at my life first, to see if God's love is evident and demostrated in my life before they will be willing to open their hearts to the good news. I guess I have been really forceful many times, trying to win the debate or influence the mind rather than the heart. I realised that I need to touch the heart, before the person's soul will be touched.

May the Lord grant me the strength and love that I need to live and shine for Him.

Being a more 'mind' person rather than a 'heart' person has caused me to approach a matter in the wrong way. I know that only God can work in my life and I'm asking that He will make me more sensitive and someone who hears and feels with his heart and not only his head.

God is love and people should be seeing the glory and majesty of God. But so many times, it is us, Christians, who block and prevent people from coming to know the Lord. Forgive us.

James 1:9-11

One thing that's inevitable.
One thing that will come to all.
One thing that everyone will experience.
One thing that has no escape.
DEATH!

Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. James 1:9-11

whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. James 4:14

Life is like a flower that perish away. Life is like a vapour that appears for little while and then vanishes away. No one knows how long he or she can live for. No one knows when we'll pass away.

Yet, when you do pass away, what legacy are you leaving behind? What do people remember you for? What have you done with your life? What have you done with Jesus?

It is possible to live under a delusion. You think you are kind, considerate and gracious when you are really not. You think you are building positive stuff into your children when in reality, if you could check with them twenty years later, you really didn't. What if you could read your own obituary? How do people really see you? Here is the story of a man who did.

One morning in 1888 Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite, awoke to read his own obituary. The obituary was printed as a result of a simple journalistic error. You see, it was Alfred's brother that had died and the reporter carelessly reported the death of the wrong brother. Any man would be disturbed under the circumstances, but to Alfred the shock was overwhelming because he saw himself as the world saw him.

The "Dynamite King," the great industrialist who had made an immense fortune from explosives. This, as far as the general public was concerned, was the entire purpose of Alfred's life. None of his true intentions to break down the barriers that separated men and ideas for peace were recognized or given serious consideration. He was simply a merchant of death. And for that alone he would be remembered.

As he read the obituary with horror, he resolved to make clear to the world the true meaning and purpose of his life. This could be done through the final disposition of his fortune. His last will and testament--an endowment of five annual prizes for outstanding contributions in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace (the sixth category of economics was added later)--would be the expression of his life's ideals and ultimately would be why we would remember him.

The result was the most valuable of prizes given to those who had done the most for the cause of world peace. It is called today, the "Nobel Peace Prize."

For Alfred Nobel, he left a legacy of being the founder of the Nobel Peace Prize. Today, what legacy are you leaving behind?

Christians, what are you doing for God on this earth? What have you done for Him? Have you been serving Him and giving your time, effort, energy, resources for His work and glory? Have you been living a life that's pleasing to His sight? Have you been living each day in anticipation of His second coming?

Non-Christians, where are you headed for after you die? Heaven or hell? What have you done with Jesus today? Have you rejected Him and think that you can do it by yourself? Have you thought that you can make it to heaven in your own strength and merits? What have you done with the free gift of salvation that God has given you?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. Hebrews 3:15

Open you hearts to receive Jesus today.

Death is real, what preparation have you made yet?

3 John 4

Currently reading the Book of Third John.

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." (3 John 4)

As the aged apostle, John refers to his coverts and other believers under his guidance as his children. And according to John, he derives no greater joy than to hear his children walking in truth. So what is the truth?

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (John 17:17)

And here we have our answer! The Word of God is truth! Knowing what is the truth, so what does walking in the truth means?

Walking brings the idea of following a certain path. For example, when you walk to school, you are following a certain way or path to school. In this case, when we say that we are to walk in the truth, it means that we are to follow in God's Word and abide in His truth. Simply put it, we are to follow in His Word and obey His commandments!

Are we walking in His Word today?