Rescue the Perishing
Rescue the Perishing
In the last Praiseletter I shared my desire to challenge each of us to be more bold and intentional in sharing our faith.
One need only to turn on the TV and watch the news to know that the world is continually situated in a most precarious position.
In our own country we feel the tension and stress of inflation, crime, woke ideological turmoil, and political upheaval. The recent presidential address to the joint session of congress highlighted, for all to see, the deep divide that exists within our own government between our elected officials.
I hope and pray that sanity, wisdom, and common sense return to those in leadership. However, no matter how the political landscape may change, no matter if the economy greatly improves, and even if we successfully address all the ideological craziness out there, lost people are still going to need Jesus!
We are all well aware of the many who perish daily all around the world, due to war, famine, crime, and disease.
What if somehow there was a daily death toll posted that accounted for all who had perished without Christ? What if that list contained the locations of those who died? How many would have perished in astonishingly close proximity to where we live?
What opportunities do we often miss to show the love of Jesus and share the hope of the gospel with those around us who are perishing?
Continuing on the theme of “Gospel Missionaries” from the last Praiseletter, I implore you to ever consider the call He has placed on each of our lives to rescue the perishing and care for the dying.
You are the most qualified person in the universe to reach someone God has placed in your sphere of influence with the message of the gospel!
They won’t come to my concert, they won’t come to your church or perhaps any church, but because of the relationship they have with you (in God’s divine order) they may find life in Christ.
Then the question becomes, “Are you prepared to share the gospel of Jesus Christ when the opportunity arises?”
I was blessed just a couple days ago to have a conversation with the man who led me to faith in Christ. I thanked him for his obedience and concern to all those years ago talk to a young man who had a lot of “rough edges,” about the love of Jesus and His power to save and forgive. I also reminded him of a piece of advice he gave me early on in my Christian walk, which I now regard as perhaps the single most important piece of advice I’ve ever received.
One Sunday morning as I was making my way to sit down in church, my pastor (the one who led me to Christ) asked if he might have a word with me. I responded, “Yes, of course.” During this early season of my Christian life I began to receive many invitations to come to various churches and sing and share my testimony. I was occupied many a weekend with this new and exciting ministry opportunity.
This particular Sunday morning to which I refer, my pastor gave me the following advice: “Dallas, you’re going to have all of your life to minister, but only this one chance to prepare. Stay home (in church), let me teach you, disciple you, and build a foundation for your life and ministry on the Word of God. Go out occasionally to develop your ministry and necessary skills, but most importantly take this time to prepare, study, and grow in the knowledge of His Word.”
So many Christians have experienced the life changing reality of the truth of the gospel because someone shared that truth with them. Yet, they have not taken the time or effort to prepare and build a foundation on the Word of God so that they might present that same gospel to others.
We must be, as the saying goes, “ready, willing and able” to, at any moment as the Spirit guides, share the truth of the gospel message with those who are perishing.
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Rescue the perishing, duty demands it
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide
Beck to the narrow way, patiently win them
Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died
My challenge in this letter to each and every one of us is to be sure we are prepared to share the wonderful saving, healing, and comforting message of the gospel with those all around us who are perishing and dying. Remember, we have each been commissioned to go, preach, and disciple!
Direction for the “going” will be guided by His Word and His Spirit. The words of our mouths and examples of our lives must “preach” the reality of the gospel. “Disciples” will only be made as we build a foundation of the Word of God under their feet.
We can’t expect to replicate if we can’t articulate! Let us each consider this an assignment to dig deeper, study more, and prepare so we might effectively present the gospel to the needy who surround us every day. In so doing we will Rescue the Perishing.
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save
In Christ,
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Dallas Holm
