Soul Winning Word: Exhort (Acts 2:37-40)
Soul-winning is more than handing out a tract or sharing a brief gospel presentation at someone’s doorstep. Those are good and right, but there is much more involved in the process that we must not overlook. The Bible uses many different words to describe how the gospel was given out and how the lost were urged to accept Christ as their Savior.
For instance, Acts 2:40 describes Peter’s evangelistic preaching this way: “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” To testify is to share what you have seen. It is what a witness does when they are sharing the facts about what they say.
To “exhort” is to summon or to invite someone to come to where you are. Peter exhorted those listening to him with a direct appeal to them to believe the truth that he had shared with them. He was sharing the gospel with a definite goal in mind. He wanted people to repent, believe the gospel, and be saved. Therefore, he invited them to make a decision about what they heard.
In our soul-winning efforts, we must always be working toward bringing people to the point of decision. If all we do is share the facts of the gospel and never invite them to believe it for themselves, we have not finished the job. For people to be saved, they must receive the gift of salvation by grace through faith, and we should invite them to do just that. We must “exhort” people to be saved.
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- Mar 9, 2025Soul Winning Word: Exhort (Acts 2:37-40)
Soul Winning Word: Exhort (Acts 2:37-40)Soul-winning is more than handing out a tract or sharing a brief gospel presentation at someone’s doorstep. Those are good and right, but there is much more involved in the process that we must not overlook. The Bible uses many different words to describe how the gospel was given out and how the lost were urged to accept Christ as their Savior.For instance, Acts 2:40 describes Peter’s evangelistic preaching this way: “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” To testify is to share what you have seen. It is what a witness does when they are sharing the facts about what they say.To “exhort” is to summon or to invite someone to come to where you are. Peter exhorted those listening to him with a direct appeal to them to believe the truth that he had shared with them. He was sharing the gospel with a definite goal in mind. He wanted people to repent, believe the gospel, and be saved. Therefore, he invited them to make a decision about what they heard.In our soul-winning efforts, we must always be working toward bringing people to the point of decision. If all we do is share the facts of the gospel and never invite them to believe it for themselves, we have not finished the job. For people to be saved, they must receive the gift of salvation by grace through faith, and we should invite them to do just that. We must “exhort” people to be saved.
- Feb 23, 2025A Parent’s Priority (Job 1:1)
A Parent’s Priority (Job 1:1)In Job 1:1, we are told that Job “was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” He was a godly man who had been blessed by God in many ways, including the blessing of ten children. One of the pieces of evidence of Job’s godliness and personal walk with the Lord is the way that Job cared for the spiritual well-being of his children.
At the time of the events in Job 1-2, Job’s children were adults with homes of their own, and yet Job still felt a responsibility to them. Job cared for the spiritual needs of his children. His care for them was a priority. He set aside a specific time, early in the morning, to go to God on their behalf and to offer sacrifices for them.
His care for them was personal and individual. He did not treat them as a collective, but offered individual sacrifices, one for each of his ten children. There was no favoritism in the way that he cared for them.
His care for them was pious. His biggest concern was not their wealth or their physical health. His biggest concern was the condition of their hearts.
He knew that if they gained the whole world but their souls were lost, then all of his efforts as a father would be wasted. There may be many things about Job’s story that we would not like to copy in our lives.
However, this aspect is one that every Christian parent should imitate. No matter the age of your children, if you are a parent, then you, too, must prioritize your children's spiritual health as a part of your walk with God.
February 23, 2025 at Philadelphia Baptist Church in Rutledge, GA.
Livestream CCLI Streaming License 22309027 - Feb 16, 2025An Aaron’s Heart (Exodus 4:14)
An Aaron’s Heart (Exodus 4:14)When your arms grow weak,
And it’s hard to speak;
We will do our part,
With an Aaron’s Heart.We’ll bear your burdens
and will show God’s love.
We will hold your hands
with strength from Above.When your heart cries out,
To grieve or rejoice,
But words will not come,
We will be your voice.If your arms are weak,
And it’s hard to speak,
Let us do our part,
With an Aaron’s heart. - Feb 9, 2025Keep Thy Heart (Proverbs 4:23)
Keep Thy Heart (Proverbs 4:23)It has been rightly said, “The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.” The output and the outcome of our lives are not determined by external causes, such as our environment or upbringing. They are not determined by physical causes, such as diseases and disorders. Those things certainly influence our lives but do not ultimately determine what we think, say, or do. What we think, say, and do are determined by the condition of our hearts. If our heart is right, our life will be right. If our heart is wrong, our life will be wrong.While we tend to focus on undesirable external behaviors as being the problem, the bigger problem is what happened in the heart that brought about that behavior. If our heart is ruled by sinful attitudes and affections, then sinful actions will result. If our heart is ruled by holy attitudes and affection, then righteous actions will result.To correct your sinful behavior, you must correct the heart condition that caused it. This requires repentance and renewing of the heart. To prevent sinful behavior, you must guard your heart against external sinful influences and internal sinful tendencies. To ensure righteous behavior, you must enthrone God in your heart and keep His word “in the midst of thine heart.” (Proverbs 4:21)
- Jan 26, 2025Strongholds (II Corinthians 10:3)
Strongholds (II Corinthians 10:3)
- Jan 19, 2025Abraham and the Gospel (Genesis 15:6)
Abraham and the Gospel (Genesis 15:6)No character in history other than Jesus Christ has had more influence in the world than the man Abraham. Three major world religions have come from his family line: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. His story is a journey of faith in the unbreakable promises of God. His faith in God led him to do things that, to the natural man, seem irrational, but because of that faith, he saw God do extraordinary things.The key verse repeated multiple times to summarize Abraham’s legacy is Genesis 15:6, which says, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” The core of the gospel is found in those words. The gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again to offer us eternal life. All who believe in Him are saved from their sin and made righteous in the eyes of God. Salvation is by grace through faith and not by works.Abraham did not earn righteousness through his extraordinary accomplishments. Abraham believed in God’s promises, and God “counted it to him for righteousness.” The same truth that applied to him also applies to you. To be saved from your sin and made righteous, you must have faith in God alone. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31)
- Jan 12, 2025The Blessing of Forgiveness (Psalms 32:1-2)
The Blessing of Forgiveness (Psalms 32:1-2)“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” (Psalms 32:1-2)There is a lot of misery in the world. Not many people are truly and consistently happy. What happiness people experience is short-lived because it is the pleasure of sin that is just for a season. Sin is a transgression against God’s law. It is when we fail to live up to God’s standard and fall short of his perfection.Our iniquities and transgressions may bring momentary pleasure, but after sin comes guilt and shame. Though we don’t often think of them this way, guilt and shame are gracious gifts from God, designed to bring us to a point of repentance. They are the result of God actively working in our lives to make us uncomfortable with the sin that separates us from Him.When we repent and confess our sin, we experience the blessing of God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness brings us into a right relationship with God. It replaces guilt and shame with peace and joy. We need “forever” forgiveness for our sin to be saved and receive eternal life in heaven. After that, we need frequent, ongoing forgiveness as we are sanctified day by day.Forgiveness is a blessing because by it God turns our misery into a celebration. When we are feeling the miser of conviction, we must acknowledge and confess our sin, and then we will experience the blessing of forgiveness.
- Jan 5, 2025Striving Together (Philippians 1:27)
Striving Together (Philippians 1:27)The importance of unity among any group of people cannot be overstated, especially among the body of Christ in the local church. Satan knows that if he can divide us, he can defeat us, and therefore, he works hard to cause divisions in the church. Often, these divisions are not about sinful things, but merely the result of small groups of people pursuing their own interests instead of working together with the entire body of Christ for the good of the whole church.Paul addressed the urgency of unity in Philippians 1:27 when he said: “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” It was his burden that the believers in the church at Philippi would be unified in their efforts to live out and to give out the gospel.For this to happen, their conversation had to agree with the gospel. They had to behave in a way that demonstrated the beauty and holiness of the gospel that they believed. They had to cooperate with each other, being one in spirit and in mind. They had to be unified in a common cause, which was the promotion of the gospel of Jesus Christ and not their own personal agendas.God has work for us to do in 2025, but unless we strive together, we will not be able to accomplish it. Each member must do their part by God’s grace. If we do not strive together, we will fall short of God’s best for us.
- Dec 8, 2024Seasons of Sorrow: Godly Grief (Job 1:21)
Seasons of Sorrow: Godly Grief (Job 1:21)In 1969, researcher Elizabeth Kübler-Ross published a book entitled “Death and Dying” in which she outlined what is commonly called the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. While her observations were likely very accurate, it is important to know that she was not a Biblical counselor. Secularists are often very good at describing the problems we face, but they are terrible at finding solutions because they do not seek them from God and His word.The Bible is filled with instructions and examples about how we experience grief and both the right and wrong ways to respond to loss. When we compare what Kübler-Ross found in her research to the Bible, we see that her five stages of grief are descriptive of five common temptations we experience when grieving. Furthermore, we learn that there is a better way to respond than to give in to those temptations. (1 Corinthians 10:31)It is possible to grieve in a godly way. (Job 1:21) For every temptation we face in grief, there is a Biblical response. Instead of denial, we must trust in the sovereignty of God. Rather than indulging fleshly anger, we can express godly sorrow. Instead of bargaining, we should live in true surrender. In the place of depression, God gives us hope in the Savior. And instead of hopeless acceptance, we can be fully satisfied because God is enough. We can and should grieve, but we must grieve in a godly way because it is best for us, and it honors the Lord.
- Dec 1, 2024Seasons of Sorrow (Isaiah 53:3-4)
Seasons of Sorrow (Isaiah 53:3-4)Christmas time is generally associated with extra happiness, if the popular Christmas songs are any indication.“We wish you a merry Christ,” “Have A Holly Jolly Christmas,” and even “Jingle Bells” all tell us that the Christmas season is supposed to filled with joy.Thinking about and celebrating the birth of our Savior should cause us to rejoice. But all the emphasis put on the happiness of Christmas time can accentuate another reality. For many, the happiness of the season is mixed with intense grief. For those who have experienced significant losses, the sorrow they feel can overwhelm the feelings of merriment. Grief does not vanish when the Christmas décor comes out. For some, “’Tis the season to be jolly.” For many, many others, it is a season mixed with sorrow.This can lead a person to feel severe guilt since they aren’t in “the Christmas spirit.” But it is not a sin to be sad or to grieve. In fact, the first instance of grief mentioned in the Bible is the grief felt by God over the sin of the world. Jesus experienced grief when He walked this earth. The Holy Spirit, too, can be grieved by the actions of God’s children. It is obvious, then, that grief by itself is not wrong. In fact, the right kind of grief, is a good thing.God knows the grief that you feel in your seasons of sorrow and He invites you to come to Him with your grief. He does not promise you an anesthetic that will numb the pain, but something far better. He offers you the grace to walk with Him through the suffering and see that your sorrow, in the end, will turn to eternal joy.
- Nov 24, 2024The Necessity of Unity (Philippians 4:2)
The Necessity of Unity (Philippians 4:2)Any time two sinners interact with each other, there is the potential for conflict. Sometimes, that conflict can rise to such a level that it creates a rift. Whereas before, there was friendship and fellowship, there now are hurt feelings and avoidance. Their conflict can even spill over and involve others in the strife.Satan knows the power of strife and division to hinder the work of God both privately and publicly. That is why God warns us about the danger of division. “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark 3:25)One place where unity is not just preferable but an absolute necessity is in the local church. In John 17, Jesus prayed four times that his followers would “be one.” Imagine how disturbed the Apostle Paul was when he heard that two women in the church at Philippi were at odds with each other. Imagine the church’s surprise when the letter Paul wrote to them was read aloud, and the reader came to Philippians 4:2: “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.” Whatever the cause of the contention between these two, their rift has been recorded for eternity. Does that seem drastic to you and perhaps even unfair to those two? God the Holy Spirit did not think so. It was more important that they be reconciled and unified in the Lord.Since unity is that important to God, we need to go to extreme lengths to be reconciled with those who have wronged us and those that we have wronged. Whatever drastic steps it might take, it is worth it to be right with God and each other.
- Nov 10, 2024The Blessed Man (Psalm 1)
The Blessed Man (Psalm 1)Everyone likes the idea of living a life that is blessed, but how can one ensure that their life is a blessed life? The only way is to live your life as God instructs us to in the Bible. For instance, the first Psalm begins with these words, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly…”To be blessed, you must choose the right influence. You have two basic options when it comes to the primary influencer in your life. Either you can be influenced by the world or be influenced by God’s word.If you choose to delight in God’s word and meditate in it, then your life will be blessed, flourishing and fruitful. The scripture is like a river that provides a constant source of spiritual nourishment so that, even in times of difficulty, you will continue to thrive.If you choose to follow the world’s influence, you will be what the Bible calls “ungodly.” You will be like chaff, which is the dried-up leftovers from wheat harvesting. It crumbles and gets blown away by the wind because it is dead and withered.The ungodly who follow the world perish, but the righteous who follow God’s word are blessed by Him. Which influence will you choose?
- Nov 3, 2024Habits of Joyfulness (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Habits of Joyfulness (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)Life is not always happy. There are times when sad things happen, and it is good for us to feel sad and grieve during those times. But it is not good for us to be unhappy all the time or to let the unhappy things take away the joy that God wants us to have in our hearts all the time. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 gives three commands that bring us joy when we consistently obey them.The first habit of joyfulness is to “rejoice evermore.” To rejoice means to express gladness. There is always something that we can be glad of, even in the worst circumstances, because our joy comes from God, Who never changes.The second habit of joyfulness is to “pray without ceasing.” We should constantly pray, talking to God and letting our requests be made known. When we pray, and God answers, that results in joy for us.The third habit of happiness we must practice is giving thanks. We must express our gratitude to God. Whining and complaining rob us of our joy and will lead to a loss of faith. It is the result of focusing on the problems instead of the promises of God. Giving thanks fixes our focus. It causes us to dwell on the things that are good more than the bad things.You can be a joyful Christian, even if your circumstances are sad. But for that to happen, you must follow God’s instructions. As you build the habits of rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks, you will find that God will keep His promise and give you His joy, a joy that no one can take away from you.
- Oct 13, 2024A Healthy Church Part 1 (Acts 9:31)
A Healthy Church Part 1 (Acts 9:31)Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.When we are first introduced to Saul in the New Testament, he is the ringleader of the persecution of the church. But one day, he met Jesus, and that changed everything. He stopped persecuting Christians and started preaching the gospel.After Saul’s conversion, the believers enjoyed a season of less persecution. But while they were resting, they were still very active. Acts 9:31 says, “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”This verse describes four characteristics of a spiritually healthy church: Edification, Sanctification, Consolation, and Multiplication. We can also say that these traits will be found in the life of a spiritually healthy Christian since the character of the church is a reflection of the character of its members. The church will only be as healthy as the members who make up the church. Therefore, we must each be growing spiritually and walking with God.
- Oct 6, 2024Jesus Our Sacrificial Lamb
Jesus Our Sacrificial LambMissions Conference 2024
