October 31, 2006
He said to his disciples, “A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers. Matthew 9:37 (Contemporary English Version)
Are you ready? Ok then, “Let’s roll“. With 2.1 billion adherents, Christianity is the world’s largest religion. Christ told his apostles that, “…A ‘large’ crop is in the fields…” (emphasis is mine). This statement holds true today. He finished with, “…but there are only a few workers.” How accurate a declaration!
As Christians we are part of that crop, a crop of 2.1 billion. Now, that’s a crop! But without workers, that number matters not. Without those to tend the field, the crop can die off, get eaten by surrounding predators or worst yet, never blossom!
We are both seed and worker. Seeds when we first come to the saving knowledge of Christ. We need to be tended to and feed a healthy dose of Scripture to grow. A worker of Christ supplied us with guidance.
We then, in turn should become workers, a living testimony of the One True GOD. We should reflect His image on earth. In all aspects, we should emulate Christ-likeness. (To me, someone who is content with only allowing the way they live, become their witness, is a passive participant, a silent witness for Christ).
The “workers are few”!!! With 2.1 billion Christians, we should have an over abundance of workers. How many of you can be considered “a passive participant, a silent witness for Christ”!?! We serve a GOD that is bold. Christ Himself flung tables around and proclaimed the Word of the Lord without fear (read Matthew 21:12 and Mark 11:15).
For how much longer will you linger on the pew? How much longer will you find excuses “not” to be an active and verbal witness for Christ?!? Ephesians 4:11-12 reads: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Notice “pew warmer” is not on that list, notice that “excuse makers” is not listed; there are no cowards, “part-time Christians”, “fence walkers” or bystanders!!! We are all saints being equipped “…for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
We are to put in work. Not kick back and watch while our brothers and sisters do it all. And in some counties, our brothers and sisters die for this kind of work. Where are you? Where do you fit in? Are you a laborer or warrior, helping to raise an army for Christ? Or are you a benchwarmer, content with the work, pain and sometimes blood spilled by those that are active in Him?!?
Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
October 30, 2006
“I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop.” John 12:24 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
We can all be considered a grain of wheat. Regarding the crop, we play a dual role. Both roles are indistinguishable from one another. We are the seeds that grow the crop (read John 12:24) and we are the laborers of the harvest (read Matthew 9:37).
Have you died to self yet? Are you willing to? What good is our knowledge of the Truth in Christ, if we keep it to ourselves? What good is our testimony, if our lives don’t reflect what we know and we walk not in the image of Christ?!
As the seed, we must die. The death of our flesh, to our desires, to our wants, to our sinful nature, will be what produces the crop. We want to do so much for God and His Kingdom, but most of the time we try to do it on our own. In this we fail. Our flesh will always desire the things of the world, while our spirit will fight for the righteousness of our Lord (read Galatians 5:17).
Our hearts may be in the right place and our plans may be filled with prayer, but the problem is that we always try on our own; we are not willing to die to self. Our flesh, the identity that “we” have created gets involved in accomplishing our plans. But our Lord tells us that we are new creatures (read Ephesians 4:22-24) and that, the identity which we have created is no longer who we are.
Christ submitted His life, His friends and His fears, all to the will of GOD. It caused Him to suffer insurmountable and unbearable pain, the cost of which was His life. But he died and rose again. With that, the harvest was His.
Are you willing to die to self? Do you still have aspects in your life, yet not surrendered to GOD? Are you ready to grow the crop, which the Lord has set up for you? If not, are you truly walking with Christ? Plug in to a church, fellowship with mature believers, study the word. And in time you too shall fall to the ground, die and produce a crop. Only then can we talk about being a laborer in the harvest.
Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
October 25, 2006
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Mark 8:36 (NKJV)
I wanted to share a letter with you; I hope that no explanation will be needed. It’s from an atheist. Imagine if we Christians carried out his view. What an effect on the world that would be.
If I firmly believed, ‘as millions say they do’, that the knowledge and practice of religion (Christianity) in this life influences destiny in another, then religion (Christianity) would mean to me everything.
I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion (Christianity) would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone.
I would take thought for the morrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven, worth a life of suffering.
Earthly consequences would never stay my hand, or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its grieves, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable.
‘I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season, and my text would be:’ ‘WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?” Mark 8:36.
Remember this is a letter form an atheist. It changed the world of C.T. Studd, a famous British athlete and founder of Worldwide Evangelization Crusade (WEC International Home page). He gave up all his achievements in this life for Christ’s sake. Will it change your world, your view, your witness as well?
Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
October 19, 2006
So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:16 (New King James Version)
This was written to the church in Laodicea. In short it talks of a church, a group of believers losing their impact, their identity, their power. It’s referring to a group of believers that didn’t take a strong stand, and lost their power, lost their witness upon the community. They went from being a flaming burning Holy Spirit filled fire for CHRIST to sliding into a comfortable warmth in just knowing of HIM. The LORD said that since they were lukewarm, He would vomit them out!!!
Answer me this. Is your life a halfhearted witness in CHRIST? Do you speak christianese, but act indifferent to your knowledge of CHRIST, as circumstances arise?
After looking to your witness, after thinking about your actions and reactions are you on fire for CHRIST or are you like that church in
Laodicea, like those that lost their enthusiasm? Brethren, are you lukewarm? Will you be vomited out?
Come back, return to your father and embrace His TRUTH. Come back to worshipping Him. Come back home and share in His full glory. Fan the flames with His Word, with worship in song and dance. Come; shout praise out to our ABBA Father. Come, light the darkness around you. I pray that you are found neither cold nor warm, neither stagnant nor lukewarm, but rather that you be found a Man a Woman on fire for CHRIST. Amen!!!
Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
October 18, 2006
So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:8 (NKJV)
In this verse “in the flesh” can be reread as “sinful nature”. For if you live in the flesh it becomes the thing that you feed. It becomes that thing that rules you. Your decisions will be based on what will amuse and arouse your flesh. For the flesh is carnal and, “… the carnal mind is enmity against God (Romans 8:7 NKJV)…”
Scripture reminds us, “…the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit (Galatians 6:8 Holman Christian Standard Bible).”
As followers in CHRIST we should be reaping life eternal. But, we must come to realize that there are those of us who call ourselves CHRISTIANS, and knowingly refuse to sow into the Spirit, occasionally calling upon the name of our GOD and all the while sowing into our flesh. Hypocrites!!! That’s what the BIBLE calls them, Mark 7:6.
There is a price to pay for these actions. Romans 8:13 (NKJV) tells us; “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Brethren, look into your lives, search your hearts, confront your deeds and see where it is that you sow. Is it in the flesh or in the Spirit? Have you produced fruit or have you produced spoiled rotten meat? Will you be found pleasing to GOD, will you die or will you celebrate life eternal? Take your place now. The time for decision is here. Will you continue to serve the flesh or will you stand in the Spirit?!
Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
October 17, 2006
“… I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Genesis 3:10 (NKJV)
This was the reply that Adam gave when, “…the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ (Genesis 3:9 NKJV)”. Pretty straight forward answer. Adam heard GOD in the garden, and then hid because he was naked. But wasn’t Adam always naked before GOD, to begin with? What happened to make him hide?
After eating from “…the tree of the knowledge of good and evil… (Book of Genesis).”
Adam realized that he was now naked before GOD. Naked is defined as; defenseless, exposed, vulnerable or unprotected. Adam, felt “all” these things once he knew that he had sinned before GOD.
For most people, followers in CHRIST or not, exposing ourselves to GOD can be a nightmare from the pit itself. In the eyes of our LORD we are exposed for who and what we really are. There is “no” hiding. We maybe able to cover up our deeds, or don a mask to fit the occasion and our family and friends may each think that they know “the real” you. But once we come face to face with the TRUTH of CHRIST, we are fully exposed, we are vulnerable. We are not protected behind the mask. And even with our best defenses up, we realize that we are merely defenseless in face of HIS glory.
This revelation can be shocking. Knowing this truth, some will undoubtedly deny CHRIST. The fear of being stripped of all defenses, having no power, before the Creator, can be overwhelming. That’s why, some refuse to come to accept CHRIST. And still, some believers have yet to come to terms with this TRUTH. They fear being exposed before HIM. So when the LORD walks with them, they hide as Adam did. For they call him with their tongues, but continue to hammer the nails with their actions!!!
Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
October 2, 2006
Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. Romans 13:5 (NIV)
Scripture reads to “…submit to the authorities…” Which authorities? The answer is further explained in 1 Peter 2:13-14 (NIV) “…to every authority instituted among men…” Hebrews 13:17 (NIV) “…They keep watch over you as men who must give an account…”
How many of us speed when driving? Looking out just in time to see that police cruiser hiding in the bush or at the top of the hill? Slowing down just in time to avoid them catching us, but still looking into the rear view mirror to make sure that they didn’t pull out after us? Now imagine CHRIST was riding with you. Would you have been speeding? Imagine HIM asking you to explain why you slowed down so fast. Imagine HIM asking you to explain what it was that you were looking for in the mirror. How would you answer?
As followers of CHRIST we are told to obey the law. Why? For fear of punishment? Of course!!! The “…authorities…” are those that will give an account of our actions against the law. We will be ticketed or jailed. If a law is broken there must be an outcome of punishment that follows!!! No matter how minor it may seem we are to follow the laws that the LORD has allowed to be set before us. And if those laws are unfair or unjust we must take it to prayer and do battle with the authorities on their grounds!!!
But as followers of CHRIST we must allow the conscience of GOD to lead us. The HOLY SPIRIT to guide us in what we do. What does it show the world if we only followed the law when it suited us, if we only followed the law because we might get caught? Without using words our actions would already answer the question that CHRIST asked. Without using words our actions become our witness.
How have your actions witnessed to those around you? Pray. Pray for our submitting, not only to those in authority, but to the WORD of CHRIST!!! AMEN.
Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
September 29, 2006
Can you relate?
It’s a Wednesday night and you are at a church prayer meeting when somebody runs in from the parking lot yelling, “Turn on a radio, turn on a radio!” And while the church listens to a radio with a microphone stuck up to it, the announcement is made: “Two women are lying in a
Long Island hospital dying from’mystery’ flu.” Within hours it seems this thing just sweeps across the country. People are working around the clock trying to find an antidote. Nothing is working! California, Oregon, Arizona, Florida,
Massachusetts. It’s as though it’s just sweeping in from the borders
Then, all of a sudden, the news comes out. The code has been broken. A cure can be found. A vaccine can be made. It’s going to take the blood of somebody who hasn’t been infected, and so, sure enough, all through the
Midwest, through all those channels of emergency broadcasting, everyone is asked to do one simple thing: “Go to your downtown hospital and have your blood type taken. That’s all we ask of you.
When you hear the sirens go off in your neighborhood, please make your way quickly, quietly, and safely to the hospitals.” Sure enough, when you and your family get down there late on that Friday night, there is a long line, and they’ve got nurses and doctors coming out and pricking fingers and taking blood and putting labels on it.
Your wife and your kids are out there, and they take your blood type and they say, “Wait here in the parking lot and if we call your name, you can be dismissed and go home.” You stand around, scared, with your neighbors, wondering what in the world is going on and if this is the end of the world.
Suddenly a young man comes running out of the hospital screaming. He’s yelling a name and waving a clipboard. What? He yells it again! And your son tugs on your jacket and says, “Daddy, that’s me.” Before you know it, they have grabbed your little boy, “Wait a minute! Hold on!” And they say, “It’s okay, his blood is clean. His blood is pure. We want to make sure he doesn’t have the disease. We think he has got the right type.” Five tense minutes later, out come the doctors and nurses, crying and hugging one another … some are even laughing. It’s the first time you have seen anybody laugh in a week, and an old doctor walks up to you and says, “Thank you, sir. Your son’s blood type is perfect. It’s clean, it is pure, and we can make the vaccine.” As the word begins to spread all across that parking lot full of folks, people are screaming and praying and laughing and crying. Then the gray-haired doctor pulls you and your wife aside and says, “May we see you for moment? We didn’t realize that the donor would be a minor and we need ……. we need you to sign a consent form.” You begin to sign and then you see that the number of pints of blood to be taken has been left blank. “H-h-how many pints?” you ask.
And that is when the old doctor’s smile fades and he says, “We had no idea it would be little child. We weren’t prepared. I’m sorry sir, we need it all!”
“But, but… You don’t understand.” “We are talking about the world here. Please sign, we need it all!” “But can’t you give him a transfusion?” “If we had clean blood we would. Can you sign? Would you sign?” In numb silence, you do. Then they say, “Would you like to have a moment with him before we begin?” Can you walk back? Can you walk back to that room where he sits on a table saying, “Daddy? Mommy? What’s going on?” Can you take his little hands and say, “Son, your mommy and I love you, and we would never ever let anything happen to you that didn’t just have to be. Do you understand that?” And when that old doctor comes back in and says, “I’m sorry; we’ve GOT to get started! People all over the world are dying.” Can you leave? Can you walk out while he is saying, “Daddy? Mommy? Daddy? Why, why have you forsaken me?” Then next week, when they have the ceremony to honor your son, some folks sleep through it … some folks don’t even come because they go to the lake or the seashore. Some folks come with a pretentious smile and just “pretend” to care. Would you want to jump up and say, “MY SON DIED FOR YOU! DON’T YOU CARE?”
Is that what GOD wants to say? “MY SON DIED FOR YOU. DON’T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE?” “FATHER, seeing it from YOUR eyes breaks our hearts. Maybe now we can begin to comprehend the great Love YOU have for us.”
Author Unknown
Thanks to Barbara Heywood for the story. God Bless you. Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
September 19, 2006
“Where there is no vision, the people perish…” Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)
“Where there is no vision…” Vision or having a goal is an absolute necessity to anyone who is going anywhere in life. As seen in different versions of scripture, vision can be translated as “revelation” or “divine guidance”.
Imagine a world with no vision of GOD, no revelations from the LORD no divine guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT. Picture a place with no prophets to expound on the law, no priest of the Levitical order to instruct in the good news of our LORD, no known means of grace or forgiveness, picture the WORD of GOD as being scarce maybe even illegal (can we as a nation be already headed in that direction?). That would be a dark, empty and cold world. We would all fall easy prey to the enemy of our souls (some, at this time already do.)
We then can reread this as “Without divine guidance, people cast off restraint” or as written in The Living Bible Translation, “Where there is no revelation, the people run wild!” This can be said of the state of our world today. Without restraint people will do as they please, whatever desire they will try to fulfill, whatever acts they commit will be for their own lusts, morals will fall by the waste side as each will differ from the next.
Easily said, the people will run contrary to the direction of GODS will. Those without His vision, His revelation, His divine guidance, will live a life that is purposeless. And as seen in society today, those who stand in ignorance of GOD, either willfully or unintentionally, can cause a societal breakdown.
Think hard, think deep. Look around you today, envision your tomorrow. Are you living with His vision? Are you sharing His revelation with those around you? Is your heart open to divine guidance from the SPIRIT? Have you opened your WORD in order to bath in his vision, in His revelation. Study and apply the power of the HOLY SPIRIT to your walk. AMEN.
Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
September 18, 2006
“He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30 (NASB)
Not many words spoken in time will convey as much truth as these do. Do you know who spoke these famous words and why?
John (the Baptist) rightly declared that he must decrease so that CHRIST will increase. John spoke these words so that his followers would not lift him beyond “The one who comes from above…” and “… is above all…” (Read John 3:31). Here’s a quick history lesson on John. Thru his bloodline John automatically held the priesthood of Aaron (and he was a blood cousin to our Lord CHRIST JESUS), which gave him authority to baptize in the name of God. John insisted that his baptism is a prelude to the Messiah’s baptism “with the Holy Spirit and with fire”. Many became his disciples exercising acts of repentance and urging others to do the same. In this, when CHRIST appeared on the scene, his disciples felt that John’s ministry was threatened. But when approached on the issue of JESUS baptizing followers, “To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him (John 3:27-28).”
Hence the declaration that, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” What does this have to do with me, you may ask?!? Plenty, before we come to CHRIST, “we” are the ones running the show. “We” made decisions based on what “we” wanted. “We” act as the world does and sometimes we lead in the immoral, contemptible degrading behaviors!
But when we accept CHRIST, when He comes into His place in our lives, “we” must decrease in order for Him to increase. We must allow Him to rule over all aspects of our lives. As we decrease and allow the LORD to increase within us, our thoughts change, our actions and reactions should now represent CHRIST. The things that do not align with CHRIST should be tossed to the side and we become new. We no longer walk in darkness, but in light, we walk in His Holy Ghost Power!!! And only then can we realize that we survived not by our power, but by the power of the LORD, only then can we realize that our accomplishments were not reached by us alone, but by ordination of the LORD!!! AMEN.
Your Brother in Arms for CHRIST
M.Banuchi
Todays Devotions 