*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*THE PASSIONATE SOUL WINNER (5).*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Rom.9:3: 10:1
*For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,.*
*Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
Paul, not only wished himself accursed in order to win his lost kinsmen, he prayed for them.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
Paul reminded us again of the essence of prayer.
He not only wished himself accursed, but he expressed a deep heart's desire with prayer for their salvation.
We must not only evangelize, we must engage in fervent prayer for the salvation of others.
He pitifully wrote in Rom 10:2-4,
*For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.*
*For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.*
*For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.*
Paul's statements here are touching, and they
evoke strong emotions, sadness, sympathy, or pity.
Israel, the Hebrews, God's most loved of all the nations of the world that He chose to bear His name have the zeal for God but not according to knowledge.
They were enthusiastic for God, but it is with a misdirected zeal and misplaced priority because they sought to establish a righteousness of their own.
Paul was not informed of this or did he need to be told this. He knew this. He saw it and bore a record of it.
So Paul saw that though he had shown sacrificial love by accursing himself, evangelized with zeal by carrying their burdens and identified with them, but praying for them was inevitable.
Paul is by implication teaching us here that there are people who are in the Church, who have heard God's word, the principles of God, His promises, *"...adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;...."*
people whom *"......as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.*......yet *"......the word of God hath taken none effect....."*, Rom 9:4-6.
He finally wrote in Rom 9:7 saying *"....For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:"*
This he wrote implying that not all who call themselves children of God are God's.
People abandon God in one fellowship, yet they go about to another still calling themselves children of God.
People disobey God under a fellowship but go to other fellowships, still calling themselves children of God.
Paul was writing about people who call themselves children whom God delivered and set aside to Himself as He delivered Israel, yet they are not truly Israel and so do not belong to the Commonwealth of Israel.
This he explained further in Rom 10:5-6 that though Ishmael and Isaac were both sons and seeds of Abraham, only in Isaac was the true descendant of Israel.
To this, he wrote, *Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.*
*That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.*
Children of the flesh are aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel, ref Eph 2:12.
We must not be too familiar to treat God anyhow. We must not be too comfortable to deceive ourselves that we are in Christ when we are not.
We are counted as lost, though we may think we are in the Shepherd's fold, yet we are not counted as the children of God who are counted for the seed. People who are in this category and those who are not in Christ are counted as one. They are counted as children of the flesh.
Paul wished a great risk for himself, but he knew praying for his lost kinsmen was praying for himself.
Pray for yourself to be counted as both a child of the promise and for the seed.
Pray also for the redemption of lost souls.
*Remorse corner.*
We must be careful and pray not to lose the salvation we have once received, ref Jude 1:3.
*Call to Word action.*
We must pray for the lost souls also.
People can be comfortable with the erroneous belief that the Christ's free offer to be part of those *".....to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;* are enough to save.
They must know that only those who hear these teachings, obey, and truly surrender to Jesus are *"....children of the promise are counted for the seed."*, Rom 9:4, 8.
*The Christian clarion duty.*
We must pray for others that they might be saved.
*Prayer.*
Lord, help me as l pray for lost souls. Help me to win them for You in Jesus name.
Good morning, and welcome to the month of February.
It is our month of *PRAY FOR A SOUL*
We must never undermine the love to pray for those we must win for Christ. As you pray for them, you are praying for yourself.
As you win them, you are winning for Christ as a winner.
Be a passionate soul winner!
Happy New Month.
Be blessed as you go today.
God bless you.
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