I really had to pray about whether or not I should post this article. I am convicted because I am ashamed to say that I don't live like this and I don't want to be a hypocrite. Never the less, the book's message is of utmost importance and is one that all of us in the church of America needs to hear and apply.
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Almighty God, please allow the truths posted here to pierce and convict the hearts of those who read it and give us faith and courage to live like this. For your glory and your Kingdom Lord Jesus.
Amen.
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Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ~Matthew 28:18-20
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| With a heart to reach their people, national missionaries share the Gospel with whomever they meet. |
Reality-
1: the quality or state of being real
2: a real event, entity or state of affairs; the totality of real things
and events
Who we claim to be is disconnected from what we know, and what we know is even more removed from what we do. We are living in a way that is contradictory to what we claim to believe. K.P. Yohannan calls this "a deadly dichotomy". A dichotomy is a division into two parts. And because of this spiritual dichotomy, millions of people die and fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation message even once. We have been given the command to change this reality.
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| Because women are the least likely to hear the Gospel, this woman might never hear the name of Jesus. |
The Road
Sacrifice, service, suffering, discipline, obedience. Asking God for the privilege of self denial. Giving up the demands of the body such as food and sleep in order to pray for others. Waiting and depending on God. Empowerment by the Holy Spirit. Looking for ways to plan an act of sacrifice in order to give more. Sacrificing our own image and reputation to share Jesus with other people. Most of these ideas are foreign to us. This is not the Christianity we were brought up to know or what we signed up for when we prayed the prayer of salvation. It is however, what the Bible teaches as the lifestyle of a true follower of Jesus Christ.
Hard Questions
Ask yourself these hard questions: Since when has obedience become optional? Does this activity or event fulfill the Great Commission? Will this help bring His kingdom? If your Christian service were to end today, would it make any difference in eternity?
A Challenging Life
I am extremely challenged by the thought of implementing these things into my life and actually living this way. Truth be told, it frightens me, although I believe it is necessary as a follower of Christ. What is more frightening: living this way and facing the consequences of man, or not living this way and facing the consequences of God? For some, these may be things you have never considered in your Christian walk. Many Christians today believe that Christianity is about reading Christian books to learn how to be a better Christian, being involved in Bible studies and partaking in and being entertained by "Christian" activities and events. Although these are not bad things, this is a false belief of what the Bible really teaches about how followers of Christ are supposed to live and they can isolate us from "the world" and miss the life God calls us for: to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you . The Bible teaches more along the line of how a disciple of Jesus will suffer and face persecution, for a servant is not greater than his master,and our master suffered greatly and faced severe persecution.
A Challenging Life
I am extremely challenged by the thought of implementing these things into my life and actually living this way. Truth be told, it frightens me, although I believe it is necessary as a follower of Christ. What is more frightening: living this way and facing the consequences of man, or not living this way and facing the consequences of God? For some, these may be things you have never considered in your Christian walk. Many Christians today believe that Christianity is about reading Christian books to learn how to be a better Christian, being involved in Bible studies and partaking in and being entertained by "Christian" activities and events. Although these are not bad things, this is a false belief of what the Bible really teaches about how followers of Christ are supposed to live and they can isolate us from "the world" and miss the life God calls us for: to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you . The Bible teaches more along the line of how a disciple of Jesus will suffer and face persecution, for a servant is not greater than his master,and our master suffered greatly and faced severe persecution.
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| Before they go out witnessing, this women's team always begins the day with prayer. |
The Book
In The Road to Reality, Gospel For Asia founder, K.P. Yohannan, challenges followers of Christ on each of these topics and to take up his cross daily and follow Jesus .
Some of the topics Dr. Yohannan challenges his readers on:
- that the U.S. has fulfilled the prophecy of 2 Timothy 3:1-8: "You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.) These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith."
- with all of our Christian books and Bible studies, we have become students of Christianity rather than disciples of Christ. Most of us are substituting learning and information for practical obedience.
- missions is not something we do, but something we are
- God is not asking us to give money to missions, but to make missions the central passion of our lives
- not only some, but all followers of Christ are called to help fulfill the Great Commission
- the church exists only to fulfill His will and His will is: "He is not willing that any should parish, but that all should come to repentance." ~2 Peter 3:9
- the importance of seeking God through prayer and waiting on Him for an answer before going ahead with your own plans and then asking for His blessing on your plans
- We don't pray because in our hearts we don't think we really need God. We don't know how to pray because true prayer can only originate from a life emptied of self- sufficiency.
- We are a culture who gorge and indulge ourselves in materialism
- We are weak and powerless because we don't pray and allow the Holy Spirit to empower us.
- Equality in giving, generous giving and reaping what you sow (2 Corinthians 8-9)
- Suggestions on how to get involved in the Great Commission of building God's Kingdom
It Is Time
The fact of the matter is, untold millions on this earth will go to their graves without ever hearing about Jesus and the love that he has for them, if we do not repent and continue to live to satisfy our own selfish desires. Our motivation to do this should be driven not by religious duty or legalism, but by love- love for God and love for people.
Because we may have salvation does not mean that we can sit back and do nothing but take God's blessings. There are millions of people who need to hear that Jesus loves them. As much as we want Jesus to return and take us all away with him, he will not return until the Good News of the Kingdom is preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it (Matthew 24:14). That means that we can't just sit back and wait, but that we who call ourselves followers of Christ have a lot of work ahead of us before Jesus returns. It is time for us to awaken from our life of fantasy and step into reality.
Because we may have salvation does not mean that we can sit back and do nothing but take God's blessings. There are millions of people who need to hear that Jesus loves them. As much as we want Jesus to return and take us all away with him, he will not return until the Good News of the Kingdom is preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it (Matthew 24:14). That means that we can't just sit back and wait, but that we who call ourselves followers of Christ have a lot of work ahead of us before Jesus returns. It is time for us to awaken from our life of fantasy and step into reality.
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| In places where illiteracy rates are high, films on the life of Jesus are hugely effective in sharing the Gospel. |
The Road to Reality is a warning to the church of the western hemisphere and undoubtedly one of the most challenging books I've read. If you are a "luke warm" follower, who has no desire to be challenged to grow in your faith or to really live for God, then I would not recommend this book for you. But if you are a man or woman who desires to live in humble obedience to God and live life by the Spirit, then I would challenge you to DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY OF THE ROAD TO REALITY HERE and start living as a Biblical follower of Christ, reaching the lost millions for God's Kingdom.
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