A Burden For Souls

When we become Christians we should have a burden for souls. Someone else cared enough to share the gospel with us and we ought to care enough to share it with others. While very few new Christians become overnight experts at winning souls, every new Christian ought to care. The first thing that happens before anyone becomes a Christian is that someone prays for them. It may take dozens or more of us praying for am individual*s salvation before it happens and a new Christian ought to pray that God will help him to win souls. When our sins are forgiven and we are filled with the Spirit we will have this concern for the lost. If we have no concern for the lost there is something wrong.

God has a burden for souls.

2 Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Jesus has a burden for souls.

Luke 19:10: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

The men in the Bible who knew the Lord best had a burden for souls. Noah had a burden for souls. He preached 120 years.

David had a burden for souls. Read what he said after his prayer of repentance.

Psalm 51:13: Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Solomon had at least a temporary burden for souls. Here is his prayer after he finished building the Temple.

1 Kings 8:46-50: If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name: Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:

Paul had a burden for souls.

Romans 9:3: For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Paul*s heart was that he was willing to be cursed so that his Jewish brethren might be saved. Sometimes we aren*t willing to take a chance on being criticized or ridiculed so we don*t share the gospel. Shame on us.

After those men received forgiveness they had compassion on others. That should happen to us too. If you have opportunity to share the gospel do it!! During much of my life I feel like a dud, not worth much of anything, not accomplishing anything, a bump on a log, a spare tire. But when I am preaching or witnessing something thrilling happens to me. I come to life spiritually. I am never as alive as I am when I am doing those things. I become energized and joyful. I cannot fully explain it. I think Jesus best described it in John 7.

John 7:38: He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

We should sometimes feel like Jeremiah or Paul who couldn*t stop preaching the Bible.

Jeremiah 20:9: Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

1 Corinthians 9:16: For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

Care to discuss A Burden For Souls with Ron?

He'd also like to hear your prayer requests