THE PASSIONATE SOUL WINNER (4).

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*THE PASSIONATE SOUL WINNER (4).*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Rom.9:3:

*For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

If you are a respecter of your person, you may see yourself too highly esteemed to labour for the lost.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

If you are too private, you may be too exclusive to include others in the plan of God.

If, however, you are not one who is conscious of yourself, you would see others as having equal access to God regardless of who they are.

To respect your person could make you picky, partial, choosy, and have favoritism to some while neglecting others.

Such a person sees some things, if not all things, too inferior or too low for him to do though it is imperative for him to do so.

This is why when dealing with us, respect for a person is not with God

God is not saying respecting our persons or the person of others is not good.

Though God offers differential treatment or adjudication at His will, Exd 33:19, Rom 9:15, when He is referred to as a no respecter of persons it means God loves, treats, offers the same opportunities to all people and will judge everyone equally. His standard of holiness and justice is equal to all.

He dealt with Moses, Deut 32:25, yet He reverenced him in Numb 12.

We must understand respecting our person as not taking ourselves for granted. We must respect ourselves to the point of being persons of good report.

Paul says we must be of *"....good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."*, 1 Tim 3:7.

We must, however, not to be too private and reserved if we are to achieve efficient soul-winning.

God would not respect anyone to the point of violating His holiness, but He would also not respect anyone more than another. He would ensure that everyone has equal access to His grace and salvation, regardless of their background.

So as you would respect yourself to the point of obtaining good report and not allowing anyone to violate your well behavior, you would also ensure everyone has access to God's Kingdom just the same way you have been shown the Way.

Paul teaches us that by accursing himself, he esteemed others more than himself, and saving the lost is an example of this.

Paul preached oneness in Christ. He sought out for those who were already encouraged in Christ, those who were already united with Christ, who already had a common sharing in the Spirit. He admonished them to show tenderness and support to the lost.

Paul said to them that by doing so, they would make his joy complete *"....by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.*

He further wrote saying, *Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.*

*Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.*

*Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:* Philippians 2:1-5.

You can not reason the way Paul reasoned if you see yourself distant not having a lowliness of mind.

A passion for soul winning by his statement in Rom 9:3 was a matter of life and death. Modern history tells us of people who told God not to take them until their target souls are won.

While Paul accursed himself, some in history said they must not die until a soul is won. Some told God they were ready to die if they could not win souls.

Such great love like Paul showed for the lost, and some people in modern history made them such powerful instruments in the hands of God.

John Knox reflected Paul’s great love when he prayed, “Give me Scotland or I die,” Henry Martyn when he said, “O that I were a flame of fire in the hand of God,” and David Brainerd, who prayed that he might burn out for God, which he did before he was thirty years old (Source; Church history)

Most of the early missionaries who left their nations for West Africa died in their quest for souls. The likes of David Livingstone, Mary Slessor, and other notable and unknown ones died of malaria. Others died from tuberculosis, many other health issues and bodily afflictions like injuries, etc, yet many more still came to the coast and other regions of nations.

Missionaries have died and still die in mission fields for the sake of breaking new grounds for the gospel.

Respect yourself, but do not be a respecter of yourself or persons to the point of seeing yourself too distinguished to not make disciples of them.

*Remorse corner.*

God honours Himself through His word, Ps 138:2, but was not a respecter of persons to the point of separating Himself from His people. He loved them by not showing favoritism or partiality towards any individual.

He treats everyone equally regardless, ref Acts 10:34.

*Call to Word action.*

God discipled people through Christ.

Acts 10:34 *Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

God loved us at a great personal cost to Him, so also Paul wished himself accursed. Sharing the gospel can be at a great personal cost!

*Prayer.*

Lord, give me a passionate zeal to share the gospel, even at great personal cost in Jesus name.

Good morning all, and have a blessed day.

God bless you.