{"id":2819,"date":"2022-01-21T01:57:39","date_gmt":"2022-01-21T01:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allthecounselofgod.com\/?p=2819"},"modified":"2022-01-21T01:57:39","modified_gmt":"2022-01-21T01:57:39","slug":"personal-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allthecounselofgod.com\/index.php\/2022\/01\/21\/personal-work\/","title":{"rendered":"PERSONAL WORK"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cAnd he brought him to Jesus \u2026 <\/strong>\u201d (John 1 :42).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By personal work we mean person-to-person work; the individual Christian dealing with the individual needing spiritual help. This personal work of a Christian dealing with one soul may be a great aid to the mass meeting where the preacher preaches to the people as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of inviting the individual to come to you, in personal work, you go to him. We are commanded to \u201cGo \u2026 and teach all nations \u2026 <\/strong>\u201d (Matthew 28:19).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JESUS DID PERSONAL WORK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was not beneath the dignity of Jesus to deal directly with a single lost soul. In John 1:43, He \u201c \u2026 findeth Philip \u2026 <\/strong>\u201d Jesus Himself won Philip. Philip did not come to Jesus; Jesus went to Philip. Jesus sought for him until He found him. In John 4, His spiritual hunger and thirst were satisfied as He dealt with and won the sinful woman of Sychar! In John 5, He wonderfully healed the impotent man at Bethesda\u2019s pool. In John 8, when Jesus was left alone with a sinful woman after all her accusers had fled, He spoke words that brought salvation to her heart. In John 9, He searched out the blind man whom He had previously healed, and when He had found him, led him into faith in Himself as the Son of God. In the three great parables of Luke 15, uttered by Himself, Jesus reveals His insatiable thirst for individual souls, placing the emphasis on one lost sheep, one lost piece of coin, and the one lost son. He left the many to go after the one, and when He had it, He brought it home rejoicing. Jesus was happy when He won a single soul. He died for the individual sinner. He \u201c\u2026loved me, and gave himself for me<\/strong>\u201d (Galatians 2:20). People are saved individually as they believe, not in groups. John 3:16 says, \u201c \u2026 whosoever believeth in him should not perish \u2026 <\/strong>\u201d This literally means, \u201cevery one believing in him shall not perish.<\/strong>\u201d Jesus honored personal work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE APOSTLE DID PERSONAL WORK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe first findeth his own brother Simon \u2026 And he brought him to Jesus \u2026<\/strong> \u201d (John 1:41-42). \u201cPhilip findeth Nathanael\u2026<\/strong>\u201d (John 1:45). Philip follows his great Master who sought and found him. So he seeks out Nathanael and brings him to Jesus. In Acts 8, we have a Spirit-inspired account of Philip, the evangelist, doing personal work in leading the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ and salvation. What a wonderful example of a Christian, led of the spirit of God, dealing with a lost soul over the open Bible until the soul is gloriously saved for eternity! Though they must part, the new convert goes on his way rejoicing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WE ARE TO DO PERSONAL WORK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All born again believers are to do personal work! We read of the great persecution against the Jerusalem church in Acts 8, which resulted in a great blessing as \u201c \u2026 they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word<\/strong>\u201d (verse 4). Notice that they \u201d \u2026 went every where \u2026 <\/strong>\u201c! All the church was scattered (verse 1) which certainly means the individual members. With burning hearts and flaming tongues, they did personal work- everywhere! Jesus says, \u201c \u2026 ye shall be witnesses unto me \u2026 <\/strong>\u201d (Acts 1:8). Christ\u2019s witnesses tell lost souls what they know about Christ and His salvation that they may be saved. Surely this is our main business of life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE BELIEVER\u2019S SOLEMN RESPONSIBILITY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An old man who was dying called me to his home. He had listened to me as I preached over the radio on the believer\u2019s responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tears began to roll down his cheeks. He reached under his pillow, pulled out a dollar bill, and handed it to me as he said, \u201cPreacher, I was raised in the country and spent most of my life there. Only recently when I became ill my boy brought me here to his home to take care of me. He bought me a radio. I never had listened to one much and did not care for it, but he urged me to tune in to your broadcast, so I began to listen. You were preaching on the responsibility of Christians to reach others for Jesus. I had never heard this before. I know I was saved when I was a boy in the little old country church. I thought that all I needed to do was to enjoy my salvation all to myself. Nobody ever told me I should try to win others until these last few days, and now it\u2019s too late. Preacher, I\u2019ve wasted my life! I\u2019m saved, but I\u2019ve wasted my life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, it was pitiful to see the anguish of this old man on the brink of eternity! I tell you, next to losing your soul, the most horrible thing I know is to lose your life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STIRRING CHRISTIANS TO PERSONAL WORK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The preacher must constantly remind Christians of their duty and privilege to win souls by personal contact. Certain truths from God\u2019s Word will shock and awaken Christians to this great work that God requires of us, and to the solemn fact that we must one day give an account of our Christian lives. These truths show us the great shame, the reproof, and the sorrow in store for those who disobey the Master\u2019s orders and refuse to do the work He outlines for us to do. Such themes and texts as the following should awaken the most careless: 1) The judgment of Christ; 2) The awful sin of not doing personal work when God had ordained this means to reach lost souls; 3) \u201cBlood required\u201d! or when God requires the sinners\u2019 blood at the hands of a Christian! 4) Disobedience \u2013 the Christian\u2019s sin of ignoring and refusing his Master\u2019s plain command!; 5) Multitudes of Christians who will lose the soul winner\u2019s crown!; 6) The awful punishment for unfaithfulness!; 7) \u201d \u2026 that servant, which knew his lord\u2019s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten \u2026 \u201d <\/strong>(Luke 12:47); 8) Christians who will shine as the stars forever!; 9) The glorious future and rewards for those who win many to Christ!<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"