Don't Tell Them About Jesus

sermonindex Jun 23, 2005

I was reading the thread about Keith Green in the Northwest. Somebody put up a song list from a Steve Camp album. The title of one of the songs is evidently "Don't Tell Them About Jesus". I sadly confess that I have not heard this song, or any of this man's work. From the witness in my spirit, I'm certain that this is my loss and I will hope to rectify this in short order. As I read the song list, my spirit really moved on the above title. One of those "groaning" moments.Don't tell them about Jesus....show them Jesus. Our preaching of the Gospel will never find reproduction if we do not live the Word we preach. We must live it in awe of God and His holiness. We must live it in so much respect for His commandments, that we set our heart by His power to obey Him. We must worship in Spirit and in Truth. We must be Christians. Ghandi said, after reading the bible, that if christians would live like the bible says, India would be won to Christ in one day. ONE DAY! That is over 1 billion people, beloved. How important is the way we live our lives? I'll tell you. Souls are in the balance. Souls that Jesus died for. Souls that are looking for Jesus. Will they see Him in you......or I? I pray that they do. Don't just tell them about Jesus.......show them our Master in the way you live a life disiplined into His image and likeness. Let Jesus be Jesus in you today. Oh I pray that He will be Himself in me as well. God bless you all.By the way, I have not read the lyrics to the above mentioned song. I hope too real soon. If the title moved me that much, I'm sure the song will bless me into worship.In Him,Lahry

sermonindex Jun 23, 2005

Lahry, it's a powerful song, and the chorus says: Dont tell them Jesus loves them, until you're ready to love them too...If I remember correctly, Camp was writing that song about how Christians react to the homosexual community, and those with AIDS.I agree with what he was conveying.Krispy

sermonindex Jun 23, 2005

Hey Krispy, How wonderful to see you back. We missed you beloved. Thanks for the post. I will make it my business to get this cd. God bless you all. Oh yes, I did read "No Compromise". Awesome book that will never fade.In Him,Lahry

sermonindex Jun 23, 2005

I've read No Compromise 4 times.There is also a DVD biography on Keith Green that is available too... worth getting.Good to see you too brother...Krispy

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_Disciple_ Jun 23, 2005

his book with journals and concert messages "Make my life a prayer to You" is also very good book, very radical, and powerful!and welcome back Krispy! :-)

sermonindex Jun 24, 2005

...no Compromise, I read the lyrics to that song, "Make my life a prayer to You, I want to do what You want me too", tears ran down my face. Oh if only, if only, my life would be such a life as to do only what He wanted me too. It still stirs my spirit deeply. "Nothing between, my soul and My Savior". Yes Lord. The the Lord showed me that the only way possible for there to be nothing between us is for His blood to be sprinkled on me by faith. It is the only Holiness that God can associate with in any form. His righteousness imputed to me moves aside all that would be between my soul and my Savior. Oh glory to God. Glory to God. Alleluia! Nothing between His love and me. Nothing between His provision and me. Oh God, help me to keep myself out of the way, so that there is nothing between my soul and my Savior. Make my life a prayer to You, I want to do what You want me too. Amen and amen.

C

ccchhhrrriiisss Jun 24, 2005

I agree! The lyrics of that song are very convicting. Don't Tell Them Jesus Loves Them is very haunting because it is directed to believers -- especially those who tend to shun those who need us the most! When I first became a christian, I noticed that there were many people in the Church who seemed to seperate themselves from the world, neglecting those who need us altogether. While we are supposed to be seperated from the world spiritually, we are still supposed to reach out to them. Remember how the Pharisees accused Jesus of fellowshipping with prostitutes and tax collectors? Jesus took it as a compliment. The Pharisees were actually accusing Jesus of caring about the "sinners." What an awesome testimony! Jesus reminded them that it is the "sick" who need a doctor. Wouldn't that be awesome if the world would accuse the Church of the same thing -- caring?!? Unfortunately, we often disregard those who are caught in sin (especially those who have already named the name of Jesus). God help us to hurt with the hurting! God help us ache for the sinful -- instead of neglecting them or gossipping about them!Like our brother said, the lyrics talk about caring for those whom many in the world and the church have "thrown away." It reminds me of Keith Green's song, Asleep in the Light. Like that song, the message behind Don't Tell Them Jesus Loves Them should be heard by all believers at least once. Here are some of the lyrics:Verse 1:Oh suffering soul, crying out for loveIn a world that seldom caresSee the hungry heart longing to be filledBy much more than our prayersAnd a young girl sells herself on Seventh AvenueAnd you hear her crying out for help,"My God, what will we do?"Chorus:Don't tell them Jesus loves them till you're ready to love them tooTill your heart breaks from the sorrow and the pain they're going throughWith a life full of compassion may we do what we must doDon't tell them Jesus loves them till you're ready to love them tooVerse 2Oh -- the desperate manAre we reaching for the souls that are sinking down in sin?Oh -- cry for the childWe've lost our passion for the lost and there are billions left to win...and another forty thousand children starve to death todayWould we risk all we have to see what of them saved?Repeat Chorus...Chorus II:Why have we waited so long -- to show them Jesus lives?To share salvation's song?Why have our hearts become so proud -- that we fail to see......to love them is to love God?Repeat ChorusThere are some other great songs by both Keith Green and Steve Camp that are just as powerfully convicting. The ones by Steve Camp that convict my heart the most are Consider the Cost and Living in Laodicea. Every time that I listen to them, they makes me get on my knees! But that is always quite a good thing. :-) -ChrisMatthew 5:8

sermonindex Jun 25, 2005

Dear brother, Thank you for your post. May I just add that those who are shunned are not necessarily outside the "church group". I was in this church once for 3 years. An event occured and the pastor wounded me deeply. I did not attend for 7 weeks. I was there 3 times a week normally. Not once did he or anyone else from that church call me to see what was going on. If one gets caught in a sin, we don't rush to them to restore them. We mark them for seperation. If someone comes to us with a need, or comes by us with a need 15 mins before church time, and the need will keep us out of church...guess what. You're going to have to wait, buddy, I'm going to church. This of course is quite the opposite of what Jesus taught. The whole mess is self centered, self ministry, and only those who appear "spiritual" are well thought of. Leaders are never percieved to have any difficulty what so ever. This helps in keeping the caste system in place. I didn't want to go there with this thread. But when we start looking for Jesus under our noses, lets not forget that yes, He may be in the gutter. But He also may be sitting next to us in the pew. About the songs; as I read the lyrics you posted, I could just feel the anointing in what was written. That's what makes the difference. The anointing...it breaks the yoke. Glory to God. It sets the captive free. It gives hope to the hopeless. But we have to cloth and feed them. Thank You Jesus. If you've missed it elsewhere, please read all of Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25:31-46. I've been in a 20 year rut here because I believe this is where the church should center most of it's organized effort. Sadly, so few do. There are some, thank God. But not many. Thank you again for sharing, beloved. You blessed this old saint today.Rejoicing in His love for us all,Lahry

sermonindex Jun 25, 2005

Don't tell them Jesus loves them till you're ready to love them too, till your heart breaks from the sorrow and the pain they're going through;With a life full of compassion may we do what we must do. Don't tell them Jesus loves them till you're ready to love them too... ...to love them is to love God.Lahry said: as I read the lyrics you posted, I could just feel the anointing in what was written. That's what makes the difference. The anointing...it breaks the yoke. Glory to God. It sets the captive free. It gives hope to the hopeless. But we have to cloth and feed them. Thank You Jesus.Praise the Lord for the enduring message left by Keith Gtreen's life and for music,which so quickly connects us to God's heart, which desires inner beauty.The last-line words of the song also remind me of the attitude Spurgeon encouraged toward giving to needy fellow man - that it is a way of lending to God; a way of putting by treasure for ourselves in heaven! So why does anyone hold back? :-(

C

Compton Jun 25, 2005

If one gets caught in a sin, we don't rush to them to restore them. We mark them for seperation. If someone comes to us with a need, or comes by us with a need 15 mins before church time, and the need will keep us out of church...guess what. You're going to have to wait, buddy, I'm going to church. This of course is quite the opposite of what Jesus taught. The whole mess is self centered, self ministry, and only those who appear "spiritual" are well thought of. Leaders are never percieved to have any difficulty what so ever. This helps in keeping the caste system in place. Lahry, What a vivid description of religion.Bro, even though the religous machinery you described is real, I appreciate your heart for the outcast. We cannot stop the pistons of religion, but we can tend to those sheep who were ground in it's cogs. We can be like Ruth picking up the precious harvest that was left behind. Our church consciousness has been influenced by the consumerism of mass communication ...in effect we no longer harvest by hand but instead attempt to harvest using combines. Individuals can be overlooked...it's the aggregate harvest, the bundles, that todays' pastor or church leader is forced to consider. They have their own challenges trying to pastor the choosy faithful.Yet I do believe that most pastors would appreciate your heart Lahry. I do not think they like the modern farm machinery of today's fields any more then you or I do...even though we see them in the drivers seat. Sometimes I think they might be even be envious that you and I still get to pick up the sheaves by hand...one at a time. You have a precious heart brother. May your tribe increase.MC

sermonindex Jun 26, 2005

Christian brotherly hugs, beloved,Lahry