This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International. As always, it is so good to be with you today to challenge you, encourage you, exhort you, and motivate you to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ right where you are to those who are not believers in Christ. Even though we will share some instructions on how to witness for the Lord from time to time, we believe that most Christians do not need to learn how to witness for the Lord, they just need to go and do it; so our aim is more motivational than instructional.
Our soul winning passage from the Word of God today is Colossians 4:6 which reads: “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
Our soul winning quote today is from Simon Greenleaf. He said: “I must say, that having for many years made the evidences of Christianity the subject of close study, the result has been a firm and increasing conviction of the authenticity and plenary inspiration of the Bible. It is indeed the Word of God.”
Our soul winning devotional is part 82 of our series titled “What Evangelism Is” from Dave Earley and David Wheeler.
Evangelism Is…Answering Common Questions Seekers Ask (Part 1)
The key to effectively evangelizing skeptics and seekers is not only knowing what you believe and why but also being careful first to win the heart and then to win the argument.
Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher. He was the first to create a comprehensive system of Western philosophy, encompassing morality and aesthetics, logic and science, politics and metaphysics. In training future philosophers to win others to their perspective, he taught that they should first earn trust, then give arguments or evidence. They were not to begin by trying to prove the other view was incorrect. Rather, they would first prove themselves trustworthy. Only after earning the trust of the skeptic, they were next to consider the questions/issues/problems facing those they hoped to reach. Then Aristotle’s students were to show that their view was the right view.
Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States. He is famous for being able to win his opponents over to his point of view and making his enemies become his most loyal friends. He shared his secret: “If you want to win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his true friend. Therein is the drop of honey that will catch his heart — which, say what you will, is the greater high road to his reason. When you have gained his heart, you will have little trouble convincing his judgment of the justices of your cause, if indeed your cause is really just.”
Dr. Gary Habermas is the distinguished professor of apologetics and philosophy and chairman of the Department of Philosophy and Theology for Liberty University and Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a prolific author, lecturer, and is considered the leading expert on the reliability of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has debated atheists in such lofty academic settings as Oxford, Edinburgh, and Cambridge universities.
When asked about the role of argument and apologetics in evangelism, he said: “Let one thing be clear. I have never argued anyone into heaven. Arguments alone will only build walls. The people I have helped come to Christ have been first won through love, then answering their questions.”
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Dear friend, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, may I encourage you to get to know Him today.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Until next time,
Keep the soul winner’s fire!
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry which publishes a monthly magazine called The Torch Leader. He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica for over twenty-seven years. God has blessed their union with seven children. Find out more at www.danielwhyte3.com. Follow Daniel Whyte III on Twitter @prophetdaniel3 or on Facebook.
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