For the sake of the Christ

 I have come to the realization that if I go out and preach the gospel, sure people may get saved, but I also need to help train up these young men so that they might also go out and preach the gospel and that they might also go out and train even more young men to preach the gospel and so on and so forth. The war we face in America with apathy and ungodliness does not stop at our border. It goes out into all the other countries. There is a need for godliness and righteousness and holiness and a fear of the Lord wherever believers are at and that is where a revival begins. If someone wants to follow after Christ it is not going to be easy. If we are in a war we must always be on our guard, and ready to fight for the sake of the gospel no matter what. We sit back and we say well if I say I am a Christian at this job interview then I probably won’t get the job or if I sit back in this class and say nothing about my belief no one will know that I am a Christian and they won’t hate me then. We are to be hated, friends. We are to be despised and we should count it a great joy to be persecuted for the sake of Christ, because that means that we are doing something right. If there is no one who hates you for the sake of the gospel there is something drastically wrong with your walk with Christ. More than likely you look too much like the world to be known to be anything set apart from the World.  Maybe you do not proclaim the name of Christ because you are scared or afraid or just plain do not care.  Is it worth it to be silent as we wait for the coming of our Savior? Is it worth it to just give up and not fight for the gospel? Is there any soul in this world that does not have a right to the inheritance of our heavenly Father? Do we not care about what is going to happen to the people of this world?

 I come back again and again to a passage in Romans 10:12 -15 “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for ‘WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’ How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!’” (NASB)

Friends, we have been sent, by Jesus Christ Himself do go and preach the gospel, to make disciples and to teach them to observe all that He commanded. We are to be training others up to go out and preach the gospel, but how can we train others up if we ourselves do not go out and preach it. We need to preach it with boldness and strength. The Lord is our strength, do we actually believe that the Lord will help us in this? If we do, we will go out and preach the gospel and rely on the Lord for the boldness and the strength we need.

There is an elderly man in Nigeria who said that he would continue to go out and do evangelism and preach the gospel until he could no longer move and he has been relying on the Lord for his strength. When he was younger, he became very sick for several years. During that time no one went out to preach the gospel or to do any evangelism. When he became well he said that he would continue to go out until he could no longer go. The Lord has allowed him to continue to go. He will take his walker with him and he will go to wherever they are doing evangelism that particular time and he will sit and pray the whole time they are out sharing the gospel. This man desires to see the Word of the Lord go out into Nigeria so much so that he himself will do whatever it takes to get people to go out. He, himself, would go out if he still could. This elderly man should be an example to all of us that it is not just those who are young that can go out and preach the gospel, but also those of all different ages, from young to old.There is a need, not only to preach the gospel , but also to pray for the people that are preaching it and for the hearts of the people who hear it.

You may continue to say that you do not want to go out and preach the gospel, that you want to stay in your little comfort zone with all of your believing friends around you. That you don’t have the gift of evangelism, so that is not how the Lord is going to use you. That is a lie that Satan has been telling Christians for years. 

We are to be willing to be used by God in whatever way He sees fit and we are to be willing to do things that are even out of our comfort zones. All of us are supposed to preach the gospel, by proclaiming Christ first, followed by our actions to show Christ’s love to others. If any of you feel that you have any excuse whatsoever you need to look into your life and your heart and see what is holding you back from giving Christ your all and telling others about Him. There is a great war out there and there is a greater need for believers to fight for the souls of men. Will you join with me in this battle or will you turn your back on those you are fighting with and retreat and give up the fight? It is your decision. Stop saying you’re a follower of Christ if your life does not reflect it and if you truly want to follow after Him then stand with Him and fight. Are you willing to follow after Him even to death?  That is a question you need to answer. Where is your loyalty? Is it in Christ or is it in the World? The two cannot mix. They must be separate from one another.

Ministry in Bozeman, MT (Spring 2012)

I wanted to update all of you on the ministry that I have been a part of this spring here in Bozeman, Montana, before I leave to go to Nigeria this summer. Throughout this spring I have done some street evangelism here in Bozeman with several different people, but primarily with Chris Jones and Jessica Jones.  During the winter months there weren’t a lot of people that were out on the streets during the day, but we handed out many gospel tracts. This Saturday was a really nice day. Praise the Lord for such nice weather. There was tons of people downtown to share the gospel with.

I want to tell you a little bit about what happened this Saturday.  We (Chris , Jessica and Aedine)  went out and people were willing to talk. We handed out a bunch of gospel tracts. Chris and I got the opportunity to talk with a fellow that is very lost. He kept telling us that we were wasting our time on telling people about an event that happened 2000 years ago and that we needed to get into politics so that we could change America that way. He went on to tell us that Republicans are going to turn this country into a dictatorship. He said he was a part of the Bahia religion and that he did not need God and proceeded to tell us that we were ignorant fools. He told me I had a big ego to think that my religion was right and that I was selfish for sharing the gospel. All of this happened with us unable to get much of a word in. Final, after listening to him and not getting to finish a thought with him, I decided it was time to straight up preach, and as I got going on it, he decided that it was time for him to leave. He told me that he was 75 years old and he could not believe that I would not listen to him and warned me that I should stop sharing the gospel and make my life into something worthwhile. Then he proceeded to walk off. A man stumbled up the street, toward him, yelling and walked right past him. I handed him a gospel tract and the fellow that we had just been talking with yelled back at us that we had a lot of guts to give out more gospel tracts, after what he had just told us. The only verse I could think of was Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. “ (NASB)

Here are some other verses that have also come to mind.

2 Timothy 1:8-13 “ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,  for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” (NASB)

2Ti 3:14-17  You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (NASB)

I am convinced of these things. I am convinced that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and that He rose again to show that He conquered sin and death.  I am convinced that He is the Son of God. I am convinced that the only way that a person can have true peace is through Jesus Christ. I must boldly preach the gospel for that is what Christ has commanded every believer to do and there may be persecution and people that hate it and try to tell you that you are wrong, like this fellow did, but we are convinced that our Savior Jesus Christ abolished death and brought life and immortality (eternal life) to light through the gospel. For if we are not convinced of these things then, what do we have to stand on? What do we have to cling to?  These are some questions to think about. Are you convinced of these things?

To continue on we kept on going and preaching the gospel. There were a few other people that we got to talk to briefly. Please pray for all of the people that received gospel tracts, that they might be convinced also of these things. Pray for this fellow we talked with that he would read the gospel of John that we gave him and that he might be convicted and that he might also be convinced of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray for Tyler, Andrew, Dave 1, Dave 2, Paul, and Fen.  Praise the Lord for such excellent opportunities.

That was little about the evangelism that is going on here in Bozeman recently. Jessica and Chris will continue to go out and share the gospel with people this summer. Please pray for them and that the hearts of the people in Bozeman would be softened to the gospel.

I have also been helping out with a ministry called International student ministry this year. This spring has been really good and I have enjoyed getting to know the international students. It has been such a blessing to be able to share the gospel with them and to become friends with many of them. I will miss them a lot.  I am excited about next year as I will be helping out with it again this next year also.  Praise the Lord for such great opportunities.

I will be writing an update soon for my trip to Nigeria. It is coming very soon in less than a month. Please pray for the rest of the preparations for that. Thank you.

What if Christ had not risen?

1Co 15:1 -20 “ Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,   and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” (NASB)

I was thinking this week of how important the resurrection of Jesus Christ is to us. Paul tells us in this passage how important it really is.  He tells us that he delivers it of first importance. It is more important than anything else. That Christ died for our sins, that He was buried and that He rose again. This is the most important thing to Paul. He tells us this is why it is true: He was seen by many people like the apostles over 500 people at one time and He appeared to Paul.  He is telling them, here is the proof you need to know this is true. There are eye witnesses who saw Him. Then Paul goes on and He says if you preach Christ, that He was raised from the dead then why do some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead. Paul in the way He argues most of His things and in the way He writes goes on with logic. He says if there is no resurrection of the dead then not even Christ was raised from the death. If Christ was not raised from the dead then, everything we are preaching, what we stand for is in vain, it is worthless; we are following after a dead man. Our faith is in vain. Not only that we have sinned against God because we have lied about God raising Jesus from the dead. And in this case it was something God did not do so therefore there is no resurrection from the dead. Then He goes through the argument again, just to make sure they understand it.  He ends with “You are still in your sins.” Then everyone who believed it and died has perished. If our hope was in Christ alone then we should be pitied. This is how man in this day and age looks at us, because they do not understand that we serve a living Savior. Paul says “BUT NOW CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD.”

What a case for the resurrection of Christ, Paul made. If Christ has not been raised, we are fools following a dead man. Paul’s confidence is great. Christ has been raised from the dead and we serve a risen Savior not a dead man. We serve the one who has conquered death for all time and who has made a way for us to go to heaven for all time.

Do we have the same confidence to say, “Christ has been raised from the dead”? Do we really believe that He has been raised from the dead? Or do we just say it, because that is what the Bible says or that is what we have been told? In our hearts do we really believe it and does that reflect in our lives?

Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead. We do indeed serve a risen Savior and not a dead man. Let us not forget that our faith would be in vain, without Christ being raised from the dead three days later.

HE IS RISEN!!!

Godliness

Here is a link that I think many of you will enjoy. The Chapel in Helena is starting a series on Godliness. Here is the link for it. http://cbf.thelivingword.us/Messages/Godliness/Godliness.html

Missionaries: A Lifetime of Running the Race

I want to dedicate this article to the late Caroline Gross, who went home February 8, 2012 at the age of 88. She was a missionary to Nigeria for over many years with her husband, Paul Gross, who went home several years ago. Also, I want to dedicate this article to Phyllis Dibble who went home June 23, 2011. She was also a missionary to Nigeria with her husband, Spencer Dibble, who is still there doing the Lord’s work.

There are many elderly(though some of them would not say they are) men and women on the mission field awaiting the time they will finally see their Savior’s face. Awaiting the day that they will finally be called home, to heaven, to be with their Savior. For years they have served in foreign countries. They would rather die there, than give up their ministry and retire. What is the drive within them that makes them not give up when it gets hard or when something bad happens, but to continue on until the day they die? It is the fact that they serve the living God. They are followers of Jesus Christ and they believe the promise that He has given to us. That He will be with us always even to the end of the age. They cling to that and know that the God who made the whole universe will protect them and be with them no matter what happens. Whether they lose a child or something happens to their kids or to themselves, they continue on, because they know the God of the universe is in control. They know He will provide for their every need even though they do not know where the money or the next meal will come from. They have seen the Lord work and they are faithful to Him, because they love Him. They have watched His faithfulness to them over the years, as they have pursued Him. They do not need a fancy house or a nice car. All they need is what they have. They don’t need the latest technology to preach God’s word. All they need is their Bible and they may not even need that. My heart is filled with gladness when I see these elderly people who have been and still are on the mission field sharing the gospel, teaching the people, loving the people they are working with. They are showing the love of Christ to the nations. It brings me sorrow to see them leave this earth. They will be missed greatly, but it also brings me joy to know that they have run the race and finished it. They finally get to see the Savior face to face. What amazing examples they are for us and what great encouragement they are to remind us to continue on in the race.

The Word of God or Entertainment?

How many people have also read the Bible, before us and seen the truths we can now read for ourselves? Millions? They have held God's word in their hands or they have heard it and memorized it. How many went to great lengths for a copy of it, even for a week, to be with it and memorize it. God's word is a powerful thing and many people in other countries know it. Why is it that we, in the US, take it for granted? We have the Word of God right here in our hands and we act like it is the programs in the church that will change lives or a great speaker that will save people. The Word of God is more powerful than any of these things. Yet in sermons it might be mention once or twice. It is not the focus of the message; it has become a supplement to it. Many times there are more stories told then verses read. Many preachers* believe that people need to be entertained, not convicted. Many want the big crowds to flock to their local church; because that makes them look good. Many (preachers, teachers and believers) have no fear of God. They do fear man. They fear what man might think of them if they don't give him something entertaining or something to make him feel good. They fear that the masses of people church hopping might leave their church and go to another because the message was not entertaining enough or they don’t have the right program. They fear man more than God.

If they truly feared God, they would preach God's Word and would not stop even if everyone left. Scripture would be the focus of their teaching, instead of entertaining stories. People would remember the message not because of a funny story, but because they were convicted and they desired to changed. The example of God fearing preachers would go out and create a fear of God in the heart of man.

Many think that if you don't have a crowd of people then you must be doing something wrong. If you don't have a crowd of people many times you are doing something right and you are preaching God's Word and you have a fear of God in your heart. (This is not the case for all places, there are churches that preach the Word that have big crowds)

All the music and the programs and the elegant speech might bring people in, but is that why you want people to come? Or do you want them to come, because they desire to hear the Truth being preached and they have a desire to grow closer to God, by knowing what His Word says? Do you want to be the latest flavor church for a couple of months or do you desire to follow Christ and fear God and preach His Word? This is the sad truth of “Christianity” today. Many have taken their eyes off of Christ and put them on man and what he desires, not on what God desires.(Hebrews 12:1-2) Our eyes should be fixed on Jesus in such a way that they do not move away from Him. This is God’s Word to us, not just a study guide or something that might be useful every once in a while. This is what everything we believe is based off of and if it is not the basis for what we believe then there is something drastically wrong with what we believe.

*Note when I say preacher I am not making a distinction between teacher and preacher in this particular article.

** Note I am making a generalization when saying that many churches use programs and music and elegant speech to bring people in. This does not mean that every church that does this does not teach the Word nor does it mean that those things are bad. Rather, if they take the place of God’s Word and push it to a secondary position it becomes a problem.

*** Note I am not saying that small churches without programs are preaching from the Word or that a small church is preaching the Word. I am simply saying as I said before we need to be careful about falling into the trap of pushing the Word of God into a dark corner and very rarely looking at it.

Nigeria Update 2012

Hello Friends,

I want to first thank you for all your prayers in these past months. They have been greatly appreciated. As most of you know I have been to Nigeria, Africa about two years ago and I loved the people and the country over there and wish to go back very soon. Right now, we are in the process of sending in our (my sister, Shana and I) visas to see if the Lord will open the door. I am planning on going over this summer as I have to be back in the fall for school and Shana is planning to go from 3 to 8 months. We are hoping and praying that it will go through, but more importantly we are praying for God’s will to be done. I hope that you also will pray about this with us. The Lord is good and we would love to have the opportunity to go back once again this summer. This is a great and exciting opportunity ahead of us. :)

Thank you again for your prayers.
Your brother in Christ,
T.J. Kerttula

New Year Update 2012

Hello friends,
I want to give you a little bit of an update of everything that is happening here in Bozeman, Montana.

Right now I am in Bozeman, MT at Montana State University taking classes for a degree in Construction Engineering Technology. I am in the middle of my sophomore year here. The semester went very well this fall. There have been many opportunities here on campus to share the gospel and to encourage others. The Lord has really blessed me with so many Christians around that I can hang out with.

Some of the highlights of this last semester

1.The Lord gave me the opportunity to share the gospel at the end of the school year at a nursing home.

2.That same week several people came with me downtown to share the gospel at the Bozeman Christmas stroll, where over five hundred gospel tracts were handed out. The Lord is good.

3.Throughout the semester I went out and did some street evangelism.

4.I started to help out with a new group called International Student Ministries (ISM) through Intervarsity (a Christian group on campus). There have been many opportunities to share the gospel with the international students we have been working with.

5.Early on in the semester, I got a phone call from a brother in Christ in Washington, who I have never met. He told me that there were three Chinese students that needed a ride from Bozeman to Yellowstone and back again. I was more than willing to help. The Lord gave me the opportunity to share the gospel with them and we became very good friends. I had a lot of fun with them.

6.I passed all of my classes.:)

Some of the things that you can pray for this next semester

1.I am trying to decide whether to take 17 or 14 credits while I am working 12 hours a week. So wisdom in what to do in that matter.

2.We are starting a bible study for new believers in discipleship and in Basic Bible doctrines as well as how to study the Bible for themselves. You can pray that we would have wisdom and that the Lord would show us what to do.

3.For more opportunities to share the gospel with people here on campus and here in the Bozeman area.

4.That I would be diligent in my work for class and that I would persevere.

5.That I would focus on God and that I would not be drawn away from that by the things of this world.

6.I am planning a trip back to Nigeria this summer. ( special update for that will be post very soon after this one)

Thank you for your prayers. I really appreciate them. The Lord is good. Keep pressing on friends. Hebrews 12:1-3

Your brother in Christ,
T.J. Kerttula

Good News of Great Joy

As I was sitting here combing through the stories of Jesus birth, trying to find something new to write about, I realized everyone is trying to find something new, but what we forget about is what is old, the facts we know. The facts we know, but have not taken to heart.  In Matthew, I want to point out to you in Chapter 1 verse 21, an angel of the Lord tells Joseph “She will bear a Son and you shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” In Luke, a longer account is recorded. Let’s look at the announcement of Christ’s birth to the Shepherds. Luke 2:8-12 “In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’” 

We could go on and on about different aspects of the Christmas story and that would be great, but I want to leave you with a simple thought or two. God the Son came to this earth is the humblest form, as a baby. His purpose was simple, to save His people from their sins. He is the Savior of the world. The news from the angels was good news of great joy which will be for all people. The shepherds may have thought, “Here will be a great leader, who will free us from the Romans.” I am glad that Jesus did not free the Jews physically from the Romans, but instead He freed the whole world from our greatest enemies: death and sin. He freed the whole world from the power of Satan. He gives the gift of salvation to all men.  If one believes in Jesus Christ, that He died on the cross for their sins and rose again, he has accepted this free gift.  This indeed is the greatest news of all time and yet we do not proclaim it to others. If we truly think that this is the greatest news of all time will we not yearn to tell others about the Savior of the world? Maybe that is our problem. Maybe, we don’t really believe it is the greatest thing that we have ever heard. Maybe, we think that our Savior is not worth other people’s time and maybe this holiday season has made us desire the things of this world, instead of what is really important. Friends, look to Christ and thank Him once again for all He has done. Remember Christ’s amazing and wonderful sacrifice, celebrate His birth with joy and make Him the reason why we celebrate Christmas. I will leave you with this hymn to dwell on.

1. I cannot tell why He, whom angels worship,
     Should set His love upon the sons of men,
   Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wand'rers,
     To bring them back, they know not how or when.
   But this I know, that He was born of Mary,
     When Bethl'hem's manger was His only home,
   And that He lived at Nazareth and labored,
     And so the Savior, Savior of the world, is come.

2. I cannot tell how silently He suffered,
     As with His peace He graced this place of tears,
   Or how His heart upon the Cross was broken,
     The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
   But this I know, He heals the broken-hearted,
     And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
   And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
     For yet the Savior, Savior of the world, is here.

3. I cannot tell how He will win the nations,
     How He will claim His earthly heritage,
   How satisfy the needs and aspirations
     Of east and west, of sinner and of sage.
   But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,
     And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,
   And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendor
     When He the Savior, Savior of the world, is known.

4. I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
     When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,
   Or who can say how great the jubilation
     When all the hearts of men with love are filled.
   But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
     And myriad, myriad human voices sing,
   And earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, will answer:
     At last the Savior, Savior of the world, is King.

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/934#ixzz1hPBwr4g6

Christmas Stroll Evangelism 2011

A chill in the air, numbness of fingers and toes, snow falling, music playing, people talking, Christmas in the air. That was the atmosphere of this evening’s Christmas stroll in Bozeman, MT. A group of us went out on Saturday to share the gospel and hand out gospel tracts to people in Downtown Bozeman. There were tons of people down there. So many that within the first hour and a half all five hundred of our Christmas gospel tracts were gone. We gave some other tracts, also. The Lord was good to us. Though there is not much to tell on my end. I would like to ask for prayer for all these people that received the gospel tracts this evening. We never know what the Lord will use or do with our faithfulness to go out and share the gospel. I would hope that someone would come to know the Savior through our efforts and maybe someday, when we get to heaven, we will find out what happened. Praise the Lord for the believers that came to help share the gospel. For many of them this was their first time out and a very new experience for them. I hope that they will continue to come with me in future times. Praise the Lord for everything that happened tonight. Without His help none of this would have even happened.