Wisdom for Soul Winning

Text: Acts 1:4-8
MORE LESSONS: John 1:37-40
Bible Reading in One Year: Haggai 1-2

The moment you give your life to Christ and get born again, your main responsibility is that of sharing the Gospel message of Christ with others, beginning from your home, your immediate family and relations to the uttermost part of the world. Sharing the Gospel of Christ is the most important thing a man can ever do in life. The people who believe your message will receive eternal life having crossed from death to life and will spend eternity in joy and bliss. Those who refuse to believe your message shall be damned forever in the lake of fire. So, it is such a serious matter that all diligence must be employed to get the best result. The following tips in addition to the Holy Ghost power upon you will be helpful in sharing the Gospel message.

1. Be natural while you are serious. Do not try to sound over righteous. Avoid holier-than-thou attitude that condemns people.
2. Be sensitive. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Watch the mood of the person you are to share with. Pick a common subject to start your conversation.
3. Be tactical. Avoid being dragged into irrelevant absurdity. Be focused on the main subject which is salvation. It takes wisdom to win souls.
4. Be prayerful. Use every opportunity to silently ask God to help you win the soul.
5. Use the Scripture wisely. Do not just quote the Word, explain the Scripture.
6. Share the testimony of your own encounter with Christ, it can be very powerful.
7. Gently, wisely but firmly press for a decision for Christ right away.
8. Pray with the person on receiving Christ, i.e. lead him or her in prayer to Christ.
9. Invite him to your church, or a Bible believing church close by.
10. Keep contact with him or her until they can stand firm in Christ. Go ahead and win a soul to Christ today. Great reward awaits soul winners.

Prayer /Action
* Pray that God will give you great passion for soul winning.
* Pray that God will lead you to a ripe soul who is ready to receive Christ today.
* Pray that God will anoint you to effectively share the Gospel message so that souls can be saved.
* Pray that your fruits will abide.
Make sure you speak with someone for Christ today.

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It is a Stepping Stone

Text: Phil.1:19-21
More Lessons: 2Cor .4:16-18
Bible Reading in one Year: Zephaniah 1-3

How can you say that the beating and stoning by the villagers is working out something great for the kingdom of God? This was a question asked by a young brother in the Faith who went out with a group of brethren to a village in Northern Nigeria for a crusade. Barely had they settled down to begin their preaching when some Muslim radicals came against them hurling stones and sticks. The brethren had to run for their precious lives. True to it, how can God's purpose be fulfilled and His kingdom increase in my pains? Exodus 1:12, 20 suggest an answer. Israelites were subjected to forced labour with rigour in Egypt and were afflicted on every side. But the more the Egyptians afflicted them, the more they multiplied. I perceived that the cruel treatment outside the home made the individual family members to come together in deep love and affection for one another. I could hear them say to one another, “if they hate us and maltreat us out there, Let us not maltreat one another inside our home, let us love one another. If they say they don't want to see us, let us see more of one another”. Since the Hebrew husbands had nowhere to go after field day; they had more time at home with their wives and children, and the resultant effect was increase and multiplication and stronger family ties. Apostle Paul was given a thorn in his flesh. He wrote: And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong: 2 Cor. 12:7-10. Apostle Paul summed it up this way: He wrote while he was in prison: For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. You will surely testify of victory before the people in Jesus name.

Prayer/Action
* Appreciate God for all you are going through
* Ask God to use your pains and difficulties to step you into greater height.

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Be a Blessing, not a Curse

Text: Est. 6:1-3
More Lessons: Lk. 5:1-8
Bible Reading in one Year: Habakkuk 1-3

One of the reasons why God granted you the opportunity to be alive, working, or studying in school is to be a blessing to all who come your way. It gives God pleasure to see you use your position, profession and occupation to bless humanity. God has also programmed that through that position you will enter into his blessings and increase for your life, if only you will discharge your responsibility with a sense of service, not as a hireling. Unfortunately, many believers don't know this truth, and they handle opportunities to bless those that come their way, their offices and their business centres carelessly. They discharge their duty without a sense of commitment. Some even use their position to oppress others. For such people, their promotion has become a symbol of pain and curse for men. In our passage today, Mordecai, an exile in Babylon, was privileged to serve as one of the keepers of the door of the King's chamber. It was his responsibility to defend the king. When his fellow door keepers plotted to assassinate the king, he exposed their plots. That was the beginning of his promotion in that land. If he had kept quiet, the plot may have succeeded. Mordecai may even have lost his job after all, because a new king may not likely retain the same gate keepers.

In Exodus 1:15-21, the Hebrew midwives were handed over a decree from Pharaoh: When you are on duty and you see a Hebrew woman give birth to a son, kill him; if it is a girl let her live. It was an order from Pharaoh and whoever disobeyed was doing so at the risk of her life. But the midwives approached their duties as midwives with the fear of God, and let the male children live. They were determined to be a blessing through their profession and not to be to tool in the hand of a superior officer to inflict pains on subordinates.

When these midwives were confronted for failing to carry out the king's order, they simply explained with wisdom why it was difficult to implement the king's decree. Therefore, God blessed them and provided for them and their household (vs 20, 21). Be determined to be a blessing to others through your profession, occupation, and position of authority. Make up your mind that no one will use you to cause pain and affliction on others. Be determined to discharge your responsibility with every sense of commitment and loyalty, expose every kind of wickedness as Mordecai did.

One thing is sure; your good deed will speak for you someday, somewhere, even in places where you are not physically present to speak for yourself. God will surely remember your good deeds. Y our day of honour is at hand.

Prayer/Action
* Repent of every mistake you made in using your position to cause pain for others.
* Ask the Lord to grant you the grace to serve humanity through your present occupation.

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You are Different

Text: 1Pet. 2:9-10
More Lessons: Exo. 1:15-19
Bible Reading in one Year: Nahum 1-3

There is a popular story about an eaglet that was hatched and grew up amidst some chicks. As long as the eaglet did not know the difference between itself and the chicks, it kept walking, hopping, and flying low and over a short distance. But the day the eaglet looked up and saw an eagle just like it flying and soaring high, it took off from the ground and went up high in the sky.

Many Christians do not know that they are unique, peculiar, and special people. The Bible passage says: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: v9 Once you give your life to Jesus, you are different from the common man walking on the street. God re-created you in Christ Jesus so that even when men around you are falling you should stand tall and be a shining light to them. Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising: Isaiah 60:1-3.

The story in Exodus 1:15-19 unveils how unique God's people are. The midwives testified before Pharaoh: the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered before the midwives come in unto them. Beloved, you are different from unbelievers. Allow this truth to sink into you and let it rule your day. The diseases and afflictions that overtake unbelievers cannot prevail over you because God has promised to keep such diseases away from you and to place them on your enemies (Deut.7:14-15). God has promised to preserve you when you go out and when you come in (Ps.121:8). Angels are all over you (Ps.34:7) and they have been given instructions to watch over you (Ps.91:12). So you cannot be involved in an accident. A thousand devils cannot touch your life, you need not fear to travel anywhere, any time. God said, because you have set your love upon Him, He will deliver you: He will set you on high because you have known His name. You shall call upon Him, and He will answer you. He will be with you in trouble. He will deliver you, and honour you. With long life will He satisfy you, and show you His salvation. You can find this promise in Psalm 91:14-16. You must be so special to God for Him to make such a sweet promise to you. As you begin your day today , walk with the consciousness that you are different from everyone you meet on the street because of Jesus in you, you are very special, you belong to the royal family of the great King.

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for making so great a promise to you.
* Make a promise to serve God with all that you have.
* Share with someone today a promise of God in the Bible to encourage him

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