Gather your family and pull
up a chair for the next exciting
00:00:01.98\00:00:04.21
edition of Walking With
Jesus is about to begin.
00:00:04.25\00:00:06.44
Welcome, and thank
you for joining me.
00:00:22.91\00:00:24.44
I'm Eric Garloff, your
host for Walking With Jesus.
00:00:24.47\00:00:27.44
I'd like to begin this
episode by saying this:
00:00:27.47\00:00:30.31
If you apply what you're
about to hear to your life,
00:00:30.34\00:00:33.03
you'll experience a type of joy
in your life that you wouldn't
00:00:33.07\00:00:36.58
trade for anything in the world.
00:00:36.61\00:00:38.54
What am I
talking about, you ask?
00:00:38.58\00:00:40.44
I'm talking about working
for the happiness of others.
00:00:40.48\00:00:43.70
You see, my friend, when you
find yourself working for the
00:00:43.73\00:00:46.92
happiness of others, you
will find that God has a way of
00:00:46.93\00:00:50.12
giving you a peace, and a
type of joy in your life beyond
00:00:50.15\00:00:53.66
what you can imagine.
00:00:53.69\00:00:54.96
It's a totally satisfying
feeling that energizes you
00:00:55.00\00:00:59.66
and propels you into a
life of serving others.
00:00:59.70\00:01:02.37
It seems in the world today
everyone is out for themselves,
00:01:03.70\00:01:07.44
and they're
looking out for number one.
00:01:07.47\00:01:09.17
The attitude seems to
be that nobody is going to
00:01:09.21\00:01:12.04
get ahead of me.
00:01:12.07\00:01:13.04
I've got to have
the latest electronics,
00:01:13.05\00:01:15.33
the most prestigious
car, the best clothes,
00:01:15.36\00:01:18.20
and the biggest
house, the best job,
00:01:18.23\00:01:20.72
the highest salary, and the
list goes on, and on, and on.
00:01:20.75\00:01:24.25
These things foster the
attitude that I'm better
00:01:24.29\00:01:27.43
than those around me.
00:01:27.47\00:01:28.44
It fosters the attitude
that what I have is mine,
00:01:28.45\00:01:31.45
and nobody else is
going to get any of it.
00:01:31.48\00:01:33.21
I worked for it
and it belongs to me.
00:01:33.24\00:01:35.70
In short, it's
nothing more than selfishness
00:01:35.73\00:01:38.95
and the inability to
see life as it really is.
00:01:38.98\00:01:41.31
This kind of thinking hardens
as persons heart towards others.
00:01:41.35\00:01:45.37
It blinds their eyes from seeing
the needs of those around them,
00:01:45.41\00:01:49.40
and thus it prevents them
from lending a helping hand,
00:01:49.41\00:01:52.63
or giving of
themselves to relieve a burden
00:01:52.66\00:01:55.24
from someone else.
00:01:55.25\00:01:56.57
People like this
never seem to be satisfied.
00:01:56.60\00:02:00.43
They never seem to find what
they are looking for in life,
00:02:00.46\00:02:04.09
and with everything that they've
obtained, they're still empty
00:02:04.12\00:02:07.71
inside, so they go on
searching for some new thing
00:02:07.75\00:02:11.27
that they think
will satisfy them.
00:02:11.30\00:02:13.64
I'd like to suggest that if this
sounds even remotely like you
00:02:15.24\00:02:18.81
then the answers you're
looking for are right here,
00:02:18.85\00:02:21.23
and they're found in the
life and teachings of Jesus.
00:02:21.27\00:02:23.62
Matthew 20:28 records
Jesus' saying of Himself,
00:02:23.65\00:02:26.96
The Son of Man came
not to be ministered unto,
00:02:27.00\00:02:30.23
but to minister, and to
give His life a ransom for many.
00:02:30.27\00:02:33.81
Yes, it's in this type of
selfless service that peace
00:02:33.85\00:02:37.36
and joy can be
found in our lives.
00:02:37.40\00:02:39.41
Also, in the book Steps
to Christ, page 54, we read:
00:02:39.45\00:02:43.43
So you see, it's in working
for others that we ourselves
00:03:17.11\00:03:20.99
will draw closer to God.
00:03:21.02\00:03:22.75
The Bible tells us in
John 4 that one day as Jesus
00:03:22.79\00:03:26.68
sat near Jacob's well in Samaria
that a woman came to draw water
00:03:26.71\00:03:30.38
from the well.
00:03:30.41\00:03:31.38
Jesus engaged her into
conversation by asking her to
00:03:31.39\00:03:35.87
give Him a drink of water.
00:03:35.90\00:03:37.30
As the conversation continued,
Jesus revealed to the woman
00:03:37.34\00:03:40.98
that He was the Messiah, and
that in Him was eternal life.
00:03:41.01\00:03:44.60
This news caused the woman
to go and tell the other people
00:03:44.63\00:03:48.18
in her village about Jesus,
and they came out to see Him
00:03:48.21\00:03:51.74
for themselves.
00:03:51.78\00:03:52.83
And after speaking with Jesus
they truly believed that He was
00:03:52.87\00:03:57.07
the Messiah for whom
they had been waiting.
00:03:57.10\00:03:59.54
Now the disciples were not
with Jesus as He began talking
00:04:01.09\00:04:04.40
to the woman because they
had gone into town to buy food.
00:04:04.44\00:04:07.69
When they returned with the food
Jesus told them that He had food
00:04:07.72\00:04:11.68
which they didn't know about.
00:04:11.72\00:04:12.76
Here's what Jesus
said in John 4:34-38.
00:04:12.79\00:04:17.34
He said:
00:04:17.37\00:04:18.54
Now, what did Jesus mean
when He said that He had food
00:04:55.46\00:04:58.89
that they did not know about?
00:04:58.93\00:05:00.02
And what lessons can we
learn from this interaction
00:05:00.06\00:05:02.82
between Jesus, the
woman, and the disciples?
00:05:02.86\00:05:06.12
Personally, I find it to be true
in my own life that when I'm
00:05:06.16\00:05:09.38
excited about doing something,
say something like working
00:05:09.41\00:05:12.60
around the
house, or landscaping,
00:05:12.63\00:05:14.82
or even making these videos,
or anything along these lines,
00:05:14.85\00:05:18.48
I find that I can
work right through lunch
00:05:18.51\00:05:21.15
and not even realize
it, or hardly even miss it.
00:05:21.19\00:05:24.59
It's because I'm engaged
in work that I love doing.
00:05:24.63\00:05:28.00
My mind if focused
on the task at hand.
00:05:28.03\00:05:30.46
The excitement of doing
the work causes the time
00:05:30.49\00:05:33.49
to go by quickly, and it takes
away the feelings of hunger
00:05:33.53\00:05:36.71
that I would usually have.
00:05:36.74\00:05:37.72
I suppose Jesus was
feeling somewhat the same
00:05:37.75\00:05:41.02
as He spoke with
the woman at the well.
00:05:41.06\00:05:43.08
He was excited to do
the will of the Father,
00:05:43.12\00:05:46.07
to share the knowledge and the
gift of eternal life with her.
00:05:46.11\00:05:51.06
His mind was concentrating on
completing His task; the task of
00:05:51.10\00:05:56.01
pointing souls to God.
00:05:56.02\00:05:57.76
He no longer had a
hunger for the physical food
00:05:57.80\00:06:01.90
that His disciples
went into town to purchase.
00:06:01.93\00:06:04.34
The spiritual food is what
was filling Jesus as He shared
00:06:04.38\00:06:08.82
the gospel with others.
00:06:08.86\00:06:10.51
One thing I'd like to point
out is that Jesus said the sower
00:06:10.55\00:06:15.31
and the reaper
will be glad together.
00:06:15.40\00:06:17.16
It's important to note
that sometimes we sow the seed,
00:06:17.20\00:06:20.99
and sometimes we
reap the harvest.
00:06:21.02\00:06:22.90
It doesn't matter if
you sow and another reaps,
00:06:22.93\00:06:26.34
or whether you reap
what you did not sow.
00:06:26.38\00:06:28.97
What matters is that you're
found doing the will of God
00:06:29.01\00:06:32.85
by reaching out to others.
00:06:32.88\00:06:34.52
God promises that whether you
sow or reap, you will rejoice
00:06:34.55\00:06:39.14
and be glad in
the time of harvest.
00:06:39.17\00:06:41.09
I'd like to share with
you another passage from
00:06:41.12\00:06:44.28
Steps to Christ, page 53.
00:06:44.31\00:06:45.84
As I read it to you,
please listen closely,
00:06:45.87\00:06:48.96
and pray that the Lord
will make this experience yours.
00:06:48.99\00:06:52.30
This passage says:
00:06:52.33\00:06:53.74
There will be an earnest longing
that those around us may behold
00:07:39.31\00:07:43.51
the Lamb of God which taketh
away the sin of the world,
00:07:43.55\00:07:46.50
John 1:29.
00:07:46.54\00:07:47.76
And the effort to bless
others others will react in
00:07:47.79\00:07:51.38
blessings upon ourselves.
00:07:51.41\00:07:52.98
This was the purpose of
God in giving us a part to act
00:07:53.01\00:07:57.09
in the plan of redemption.
00:07:57.12\00:07:58.39
Now let me ask you, think
back to a time when you helped
00:08:21.75\00:08:25.80
someone draw closer to God.
00:08:25.84\00:08:27.04
Isn't it true from your
own experience that you also
00:08:27.07\00:08:30.84
drew closer to God?
00:08:30.88\00:08:31.85
Isn't it true that God
poured out spiritual blessing
00:08:31.86\00:08:35.32
upon you through the
work that you were doing?
00:08:35.35\00:08:37.84
I know it's true because
I've experienced it myself.
00:08:37.88\00:08:41.61
If the Spirit of God is within
you will find yourself wanting
00:08:42.75\00:08:45.82
to share what
Jesus has done for you.
00:08:45.86\00:08:47.87
You'll be praying that
God grants you opportunities
00:08:47.91\00:08:50.74
to share with others
those things which you have
00:08:50.77\00:08:53.53
experienced yourself
concerning the love, compassion,
00:08:53.56\00:08:56.45
and salvation that
you found in Jesus Christ.
00:08:56.48\00:08:59.12
If we ask God to grant us
these opportunities, however,
00:08:59.15\00:09:03.28
that means when these
opportunities come knocking
00:09:03.32\00:09:05.71
on our door we must be prepared
to give an answer for our faith.
00:09:05.74\00:09:10.27
So let's talk about how we
do this in our daily lives.
00:09:10.31\00:09:14.02
Different people have different
personalities, but we have all
00:09:14.05\00:09:18.35
been called to share Jesus
even if it means that we have
00:09:18.39\00:09:21.95
to step out of our
comfort zone in order to do so.
00:09:21.99\00:09:25.01
Speaking of comfort zones,
let me ask you these questions:
00:09:25.04\00:09:29.01
How comfortable do you think
Jesus was when He was beaten
00:09:29.04\00:09:32.97
and whipped for you?
00:09:33.01\00:09:34.10
How comfortable do you
think Jesus was when He wore
00:09:34.13\00:09:37.76
a crown of thorns for you?
00:09:37.79\00:09:39.24
How comfortable do you think
Jesus was when He was nailed
00:09:39.28\00:09:43.86
to the cross of Calvary for you?
00:09:43.90\00:09:45.88
Do you get my point, friends?
00:09:45.91\00:09:47.82
We are all asked to do
something, but what we're asked
00:09:47.85\00:09:51.33
to do is to open our mouths and
share what God has done for us,
00:09:51.37\00:09:54.63
giving Him the praise, honor,
and glory which He deserves.
00:09:54.66\00:09:58.31
Now just how uncomfortable can
this be anyway compared to what
00:09:58.34\00:10:01.96
Jesus went through for you?
00:10:01.99\00:10:03.91
Here are some examples of
how different people share their
00:10:04.98\00:10:07.62
faith and witness for Jesus.
00:10:07.65\00:10:08.90
My wife Theresa and I go
for walks in our community,
00:10:08.94\00:10:12.39
and once in awhile we
come across a lady who came out
00:10:12.43\00:10:15.85
to one of our prophecy
seminars a few years ago.
00:10:15.88\00:10:19.00
Every time we see her
she raises her hand and says,
00:10:19.03\00:10:22.12
Glory be to God in the highest.
00:10:22.15\00:10:23.51
He is all powerful
and worthy to be praised.
00:10:23.54\00:10:26.23
She then tells us to have a
blessed day as she passes on by
00:10:26.24\00:10:30.06
and continues her own walk.
00:10:30.10\00:10:31.24
Another person we work
with attends a mid-week men's
00:10:31.27\00:10:35.45
Bible study and breakfast.
00:10:35.48\00:10:36.99
When he returns from his
breakfast he e-mails the Bible
00:10:37.03\00:10:40.20
study to people that he thinks
have a spiritual interest.
00:10:40.23\00:10:43.33
I've seen another person that
we both work with approach a man
00:10:43.37\00:10:47.40
who was wearing a
crucifix around his neck.
00:10:47.43\00:10:50.23
He told him that even more
importantly than carrying the
00:10:50.27\00:10:53.25
crucifix around his neck is
to carry Jesus in his heart.
00:10:53.28\00:10:56.66
He than began speaking with
the man and encouraged him to
00:10:56.70\00:11:00.08
develop a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:11:00.11\00:11:02.68
The point is
everybody's style is different.
00:11:02.71\00:11:05.66
Some are subdued like the man
who e-mails the study lesson,
00:11:05.70\00:11:09.37
and some are more open
like the woman who praises God
00:11:09.40\00:11:13.01
to those whom she
meets on the street.
00:11:13.04\00:11:14.69
My point is this, everyone
is called to use their influence
00:11:14.72\00:11:19.02
in spreading the good news
of Jesus Christ to reach others.
00:11:19.05\00:11:23.32
That's the purpose for
it; that they, too, may be
00:11:23.35\00:11:25.98
brought to Jesus.
00:11:26.01\00:11:26.98
Steps to Christ, page 56 says:
00:11:26.99\00:11:29.63
This is not only for the
business man, but for all
00:11:45.03\00:11:48.63
Christian men,
women, and children.
00:11:48.67\00:11:50.96
As we close this program,
I'd like to leave with you
00:11:53.27\00:11:56.46
one final quote from this
wonderful book, Steps to Christ,
00:11:56.50\00:12:00.40
found on page 55
and 56, which says:
00:12:00.44\00:12:03.21
And with this, my friends, I
ask you: How will you fulfill
00:12:56.26\00:12:59.85
your duty of
sharing Jesus with others?
00:12:59.88\00:13:01.99
Please remember this: If
you're truly walking with Jesus,
00:13:02.03\00:13:05.10
you'll be encouraging others
to walk with Jesus as well.
00:13:05.14\00:13:08.14
May God bless you as you seek
ways to share Jesus with others.
00:13:08.18\00:13:12.07
We encourage you in
your walk with Jesus.
00:13:14.38\00:13:17.50
In Him we find eternal life.
00:13:17.54\00:13:20.39
We pray you draw close
to Jesus every day as you
00:13:20.42\00:13:24.61
study the Bible.
00:13:24.65\00:13:25.62
Our next episode will guide you
into a deeper knowledge of God,
00:13:25.63\00:13:30.45
so please join us again.
00:13:30.49\00:13:33.04