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Below you will find passages that speak to us about the need for saturating ourselves with the Word of God (the Bible): ACTS 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. NIV ACTS 17:10-12 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, along with a significant number of prominent Greek women and men. NASB 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. NIV MATTHEW 4:4 But He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." HCSB LUKE 10:38-2 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" " Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." NIV 2 TIMOTHY 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. NIV ROMANS 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. NASB JOHN 17:17 “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” NIV 1 PETER 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. NIV God is love and all love comes from him (1 John 4:7-8). Because those who know him have his love within them, he commands them to love one another (1 John 3:23). The following are some passages that describe what love is. You will find more as you study the Word of God: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not is honor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. NIV COLOSSIANS 3:12-15 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. NIV GALATIANS 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol. Against such things there is no law. NIV ROMANS 12:9-21 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. NIV (Back to Top) The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, along with a significant number of prominent Greek women and men. NASB Like those from the city of Berea, check out everything—even teaching that comes from our great spiritual leaders and those who seem to be great spiritual leaders—with the Word of God to see whether or not what they teach is true. This is very, very important! Satan’s workers secretly infiltrated God’s church with his people in the very beginning and still does. Here are some examples of what it is to be a Berean: • Someone preaches that Jesus is not God. Because you search the Scriptures, you run across this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Later, you run across this: “Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah [Jesus], who is God over all, forever praised!” (Romans 9:5 NASB). • Someone preaches that we get to heaven by our good works. Because you search the Scriptures, you run across this: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV). • Someone preaches that Jesus did not die for all. Because you search the Scriptures, you run across this: “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2 NIV). Here are some of the things concerning false teaching and false teachers you need to know. You will find more as you study the Bible: GALATIANS 1:8-9 DEUTERONOMY18:18-22 Note: The church is not commanded to put to death false prophets in the age of grace, but their teaching is as dangerous as it ever was. The shepherds of the church should protect the sheep from this false teaching, like the apostle taught the elders to do in his day. (See below.) ACTS 20:28-31 REVELATION 2:2 1 JOHN 4:1 You will not find the following in perfection (as there is no perfect church), but a good church is a place where:
1 TIMOTHY 3:1-7 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer [pastor], it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching, not overindulging in wine, not a bully, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. NASB TITUS 1:6-11 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God's household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. NIV TITUS 2:1 But you must say the things that are consistent with sound teaching. HCSB 2 PETER 3:16b The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures. HCSB ACTS 20:28-31 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers (pastors). Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. NIV 2 TIMOTHY 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. NIV EPHESIANS 4:11-16 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. NIV 2 PETER 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. NIV PROVERBS 30:5-6 Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. NIV ACTS 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. NIV 2 THESSALONIANS 1:3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater. NASB EPHESIANS 6:18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. HCSB GALATIANS 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! NET The more you become familiar with the Word of God, the better you will be at detecting what makes for a good church. Click here to watch a video that explains why new believers should get baptized. In the Bible are found many prayers. Since we are told that God answers prayers that are prayed in his will, it’s good to know the prayers found in the Bible. Here are a few of them: 2 THESSALONIANS 3:1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. NIV EPHESIANS 3:16-21 I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God's love, and to know the Messiah's love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. HCSB MATTHEW 9:38 “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” NIV HEBREWS 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. NIV 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. NIV MATTHEW 6:9-13 "Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” HCSB The gospel is the power of salvation (Romans 1:16). People cannot believe the gospel unless they hear it. Before we learn the different ways to share the gospel, let’s learn why we should share the gospel. ROMANS 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. NIV ACTS 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” NIV ROMANS 10:14b-15 And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" NIV 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. NIV MATTHEW 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." NIV 1 PETER 1:22-23 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. NIV Note: If you would like to join in sharing the gospel with Street Level Ministry, the organization that hosts this website and has it’s roots in Minneapolis, MN, please do. We meet every Friday night at 6:30pm, at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church (a church that kindly shares their facility with us), 1901 Portland Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404. Park in the lot off Portland Avenue. Enter in through the metal door on the right side of the building. If you would like to be on the text message list to be notified of our outreaches, email inowneedjesus@gmail.com, let us know you are interested in evangelizing with us, and give us your phone number. There are different ways to share the gospel. Some give out tracts. Some chat for a while about the weather or whatever before transitioning to the gospel. Some start sharing the gospel right away. Some preach to crowds. Some preach to individuals. Some give a lengthy message and some give a very short presentation. Don’t let anyone convince you that you have to share it their exact way! You have to be you, guided by the Holy Spirit; you can’t be someone else. The gospel, however, DOES have to be the pure, unadulterated gospel. It is a very simple message, but you need to know it well, and you need to be able to share why we need salvation. Therefore, it is important to learn what the gospel is and why everyone needs a savior. (See the page entitled, “Why Everyone Needs a Savior.” Click here to hear how two Jewish evangelists share the gospel. Click here to hear a very short presentation of the gospel. Click here to read a written presentation of the gospel. Click here to read a wonderful tract offered free by World Missionary Press, Inc. Click here to read a gospel tract that can be purchased from Evangelism Explosion entitled “Do You Know?” 1 JOHN 1:8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. NASB |