Living the Journey

Here is the third of twelve verses to be memorized by April 23rd as part of The Challenge II!

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“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned” – Romans 5:12

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Through this verse, we see that we are born into a world of iniquity – condemned and set apart from Jesus Christ. Adam brought sin into the world and thereby death by sin, both physical and spiritual. We are lost and perishing apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

It was His agonizing death on the cross that saved us as He bore the sins of the whole world; and it was His glorious resurrection that gave us the freedom to walk in newness of life and to keep His commands. As unregenerate sinners, we are at enmity against God. It is our sin that causes our hearts to be resistant towards God’s grace and His promptings and keeps us from entering into complete fellowship and oneness with Jesus Christ.

As you share the Gospel with others, you may meet those who would not necessarily describe themselves as “wicked” – yet remember that sin is wickedness no matter how small and trite it may seem from a human standpoint.

It would be good to remind them that God gave us all a conscience to discern between right and wrong. He gave us the Word of God that serves as a two-edged sword piercing to the dividing of soul and spirit. The law of God is written upon each of our hearts and we are under the burden of sin until we repent and follow the Lord in full assurance of salvation.

Then share with them the good news! Once we believe in Jesus Christ and His saving atonement on the cross, repent of sin, and follow him with a heart pure of offence toward Him, we are then changed and can begin to experience a life of freedom, joy, and peace. We are no longer under the bondage of death and sin but have become sons and daughters of the Heavenly King. We are called ambassadors of Jesus Christ ready and available to do great and mighty things for His name’s sake!

~ Sara

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Here is the second of twelve verses to be memorized by April 23rd as part of The Challenge II!

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“For whosoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet offend in one point,
he is guilty of all” – James 2:10

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We’ve read this verse how many hundreds of times? But in many cases I think we overlook its importance in the area of soulwinning.

So They Think They’re Not Guilty?

This verse is extremely effective in convicting a self-righteous person of their guilt before God. They hear “all have sinned” but somehow feel that even though all means all, it still doesn’t include them. The word sin is dark and awful, and they have convinced themselves that it only includes the very worst evils imaginable. So we constantly hear; “Well I’ve never killed anyone” which in their mind absolves them from all guilt.

Most people will admit to maybe lying, but only once or twice. They may even confess that they’ve wanted something that someone else possessed (coveting), but to most people these don’t really count as “sins.” However, by using this verse combined with the Ten Commandments, we can help them begin to realize that in God’s eyes they are not as innocent as they thought.

Can They Shock You?

Another important aspect of this verse is that a wicked vile sin does not condemn a sinner to hell one bit faster than a tiny little lie. Many sinners will try to shock you with the greatness of their sin. They believe that your reaction will be disgust and possibly even hatred. They want to see if you will recoil and reject them.

We must be in no way affected by the magnitude of their sin, other than allowing it to give us a greater burden for their soul. We must remember what Christ said. “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17).

Christ, throughout His ministry, was surrounded by the worst kinds of sinners, and yet He loved them. He even said to the adulterous women “Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more.” The key to remember is that it is not the amount of sin that condemns a soul to hell, it is simply the presence of sin.

~ Laura

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Here is the first of twelve verses to be memorized by April 23rd as part of The Challenge II!

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“For all have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23

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Don’t rush past the bad news in a hurry to get to the Good News! Otherwise, people will not realize how really good the good news really is.

How can a person be saved if they don’t realize that they are lost? The first step toward salvation is the realization that one needs a Savior. That is why knowing this verse by heart is so important when presenting the Gospel.

Jesus was very clear on this point. He said, “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17), and again, “the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

All have sinned. That’s all-inclusive. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). The Greek word for sin means to “miss the mark (and so not share in the prize).” God demands perfection and we have come up short. Actually, we haven’t even come close!  “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 46:6).

Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? When I was there and took this picture, I was absolutely amazed by the immensity of it. The idea that somebody might think that they could jump across that vast expanse was crazy! However much he might practice his long jump wouldn’t make a bit of difference. Whether he would jump out there one foot or twenty—he’s still going to fall short, way short! But the separation between God’s absolute perfection, holiness, and glory, and our sinfulness and depravity is much greater even than that.

So how can we effectively communicate this truth? Next time you’re in a conversation, try asking the following question:

“Would you consider yourself to be a Good Person?”

In this short and fun audio clip, Ray Comfort explains how he uses this practical question to start sharing the Gospel to four different types of people.

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Hell’s Best Kept Secret

This 40-minute video from Way of the Master with Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron shows in detail how you can help someone realize that they are a sinner in order to prepare them for the Gospel message.

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Welcome to the first phase of The Challenge II! Each person who successfully memorizes all of the following verses by April 23rd will receive a free Soulwinners Resource Kit! When you have successfully memorized and quoted all of these verses, have one of your parents call the Journey office at 630-323-9800 ext. 522.

The 12 verses that we have chosen are just a very few of the many that can be effectively used when sharing the good news of salvation. You do not have to use all of them in a Gospel presentation, though at least one from each section would be good. Sometimes God will bring different verses to mind in different conversations. The important thing is to memorize them and know them by heart so that you are ready to share them all without a moment’s notice.

Man Has Sinned

Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

James 2:10: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Sin Has Punishment:

Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Jesus Is the Only Way of Salvation:

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.”

John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Salvation—Believe in the Heart, Confess with the Mouth:

Romans 10:9: “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.”

Romans 10:13: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

I John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

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“Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields;
for they are white already to harvest.” John 4:35

A Challenge to Win Souls!

The only way we’ll ever succeed in soulwinning is if we actually step out in faith and start sharing the Gospel. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).

Our goal for this next Challenge is to motivate each one of us to get out of our comfort zones and to share the good news of God’s love with those around us! Here’s how it will work:

Phase One: Get Equipped!

Although you may have your own favorite verses you like to use when sharing the Gospel, the first part of this Challenge involves memorizing twelve specific verses, which are key in effectively presenting the salvation message. These will be were announced here at livingthejourney.com.

These verses must be memorized by Thursday, April 23rd.

Phase Two: Get a Free Soulwinners Resource Kit!

After you have successfully completed memorizing the verses, you will be mailed a package of soul winning resources (such as Ray Comfort tracks, a practical training DVD, and lots more!) that we trust will be helpful for you in sharing the Gospel with someone!

Meanwhile, keep checking back daily for the latest updates and online training!

Phase Three: Get Going!

Share the Gospel with someone during the week of May 3-9th.

Someone once said that an expert is a person who has already made every mistake possible. Success in soulwinning is not necessarily seeing the fruit, but following the leading of the Holy Spirit to plant the seed of God’s Word in the life of another person. Remember the promise found in Isaiah 55:11 that when God’s Word goes forth, it will not return unto Him void!

Everyone who takes on the Challenge will be required to write up a short report of what the Lord taught them through this experience.

Are you Ready?

Leave a comment and join us in taking on this Challenge!

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