Daily Devotions David H. Horner, Senior Pastor

Transcription

1 Day 1 Devoted to Christ In his biography about nineteenth century evangelist Charles Spurgeon, Ernest Bacon cited four characteristics that contributed to Spurgeon s great work of evangelism in London at the Metropolitan Tabernacle: intense devotion to Christ, wonderful knowledge of the Word of God, grasp of sound doctrine and deep passion for the salvation of souls. We cannot make any consistent effort in evangelism until we find ourselves truly loving Jesus Christ. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19) When we begin to understand the magnitude, and the unconditional, undeserved nature of Christ s love for us, then we will love Him more fully. As we gain a fervent love for the Savior, there will be no limit to our willingness to give our whole life to Him. An intense devotion to Christ will result in loyalty to Him, which will keep us true to Him as we forsake all other allegiances. Regardless of the call or appeal of another, our loyalty will be to Christ, when we are intensely devoted to Him. Spurgeon loved Jesus more than anything and shared His compassion for the lost. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore spray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. A call to evangelism is a call to a lifestyle, which incorporates our relationship with Christ into every relationship of which we are part. When we have come to love Christ, we will be ready to live for Him and share with others what a glorious Savior the Lord Jesus Christ is. If you feel less than devoted to Christ, ask the Lord to remove whatever might be hindering you from being fully devoted to Him.

2 Day 2 The Witness of the Word A wonderful knowledge of the Scriptures is one of the characteristics that defines the great work of evangelism done in the mid-nineteenth century by Pastor Charles Spurgeon. Likewise, the Apostle Paul understood the convincing power of the Word and used it to prove to the Jews at Damascus that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 9:22). When we allow God s Word to be the source of our testimony in leading others to Christ, we experience the eternal character of the Word. for All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever. (1 Peter 1:24-25) The effective nature of the Word gives us a powerful tool that allows us to bear witness to Christ. so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but sit shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) The truth of Christ fills the Scriptures, as shown when Philip shares the good news of the gospel in Acts. Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. (Acts 8:35) You can find Jesus anywhere in the Word, as He revealed to the two men on the road to Emmaus. And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27) As you study the Scriptures, you will learn that the Bible is an open source of limitless truth, a great expanse of knowledge about the Lord God, and a powerful tool to introduce others to our Savior and Lord. Ask the Lord to give you a hunger and thirst for His Word so that you may know Him and share His eternal truth with others.

3 Day 3 Grasping Sound Doctrine Learning what the Bible says is only part of what we need to know in order to effectively use God s Word in the ministry of evangelism. We also need to know how the Scriptures fit together. When we take the teaching of the whole counsel of God s Word and put it together in a systematic fashion, we develop doctrine. Like the great nineteenth century evangelist Charles Spurgeon, we should desire a profound grasp of sound doctrine. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, (2 Timothy 4:3) Today, much stands in the way of finding sound doctrine: ear-tickling teachers, lazy-minded hearers, unwilling readers and students, and unnecessary misconception. In order to be faithful to the gospel message of hope through Jesus Christ, doctrine must be a balance of reason and revelation. It must be thoroughly biblical, Christ-centered, consistent and logical, and not avoiding difficult issues. Some protest that doctrine divides, yet that is one of the very reasons it is necessary to separate fact from fiction, truth from falsehood, and living reality from deadly ideas. We need sound doctrine because it alone honors Christ and bears eternal fruit. When unsound doctrine creeps in, there may be a good result at first, but the fruit soon sours. Sound doctrine secures both the heart and the mind in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must understand something of sound doctrine if we have any intention of leading another person to the saving knowledge of Christ. Otherwise, we risk inoculating them with some weak strain of teaching which will eventually keep them from the truth! Ask the Lord to help you gain an understanding of sound doctrine so that you are able to reach out and help others come to know Jesus Christ.

4 Day 4 Soul Searching Passion I am speaking the truth in Christ I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. (Romans 9:1-3) Do you have deep passion for the salvation of souls? A passion so deep, that like Paul, you would be willing to be condemned in order for your loved ones, friends or others to be saved? Do we really care about the condition of people who need the Lord? Do we have any compassion for their despair, futility, pain or other things which we once knew until we found Christ? A passion for the salvation of the lost is one of the outstanding characteristics demonstrated in the life of nineteenth century evangelist Charles Spurgeon. With intense devotion to Jesus Christ, Spurgeon proclaimed the gospel in such a way that many, many lost souls were led to a saving knowledge of Christ. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) Armed with knowledge of the Scriptures and a thorough grasp of doctrine, Spurgeon consistently ministered to the lost, setting an example for all who profess to follow Jesus Christ. Like Spurgeon, we too must commit to seek the lost as the Lord does and long to see them find the light of His gracious glory in Christ! Examine you heart and ask the Lord to give you an abiding passion for introducing others to Jesus Christ.

5 Day 5 Unshakeable Commitment to Prayer Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! (Psalm 126:5) Behind his deep devotion to Jesus Christ and a commitment to ministry among the lost, nineteenth century evangelist Charles Spurgeon was girded with an unshakable commitment to prayer. Much of the effectiveness of his evangelistic preaching came directly from prayer, including prayer warriors who filled the downstairs hall of London s Metropolitan Tabernacle, while Spurgeon proclaimed the gospel to those assembled upstairs. For whom are you praying to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? Are you concerned about the eternal destiny of those who do not know the Lord? And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, (Hebrews 9:27) Faithful prayer is consistent, not just praying only once or twice for someone to come to know Christ, but praying steadfastly, pleading with the Lord for the salvation of those around us who need to know the Lord. Fervent prayer is costly. Have you shed any tears in prayer about the condition of lost family members, friends or neighbors? It costs time and demands disciplined intercession. We cannot intercede effectively if we intercede intermittently. Fearless prayer is confident. Who will we dare to pray for, and then to whom shall we go and speak of the love of Christ? We dare not pray for their salvation if we are unwilling ourselves to answer God s call to go personally and tell them the good news. None of us is called to share the gospel with every person we meet, but I can guarantee that we are called to share with more than we do. Let us look for opportunities to invite someone to know our Glorious Savior and Lord! If you feel you have held back in introducing Christ to others, surrender to the Lord and ask Him to prepare your heart so that you can tell others the good news of eternal life in Jesus Christ.