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365 Devotionals: Hope For God’s People

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22 AMP

The Seeds of Promise Devotional Series

Keys to Evangelism

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 AMP

Song of The Day

Watch “If We Are The Body” by Casting Crowns.

Bible Basis

August	Book	Read From	Read To	Devotional
2^nd	Isaiah	Chapter 5	Chapter 9

Memory Verses

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw [in a vision] the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted, with the train of His royal robe filling the [most holy part of the] temple. ²Above Him seraphim (heavenly beings) stood; each one had six wings: with two wings he covered his face, with two wings he covered his feet, and with two wings he flew. ³And one called out to another, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is filled with His glory.” Isaiah 6:1-3 AMP

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 AMP

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the ^f]”>[f]virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us). Isaiah 7:14 AMP

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,²⁰teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 AMP

Key people

Here is a list of key people found in today’s reading (in order of appearance) with bios from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Isaiah. The 8th-century BC Israelite prophet after whom the Book of Isaiah is named.

Today’s Devotional Reading: Isaiah 5 – 9

Isaiah 5 Amplified Version (AMP)
Isaiah 6 Amplified Version (AMP)
Isaiah 7 Amplified Version (AMP)
Isaiah 8 Amplified Version (AMP)
Isaiah 9 Amplified Version (AMP)

From Matthew Henry’s Commentary

III. The renewing of the prophet’s mission, Isa. 6:8. Here is a communication between God and Isaiah about this matter. Those that would assist others in their correspondence with God must not themselves be strangers to it; for how can we expect that God should speak by us if we never heard him speaking to us, or that we should be accepted as the mouth of others to God if we never spoke to him heartily for ourselves? Observe here,

1. The counsel of God concerning Isaiah’s mission. God is here brought in, after the manner of men, deliberating and advising with himself: Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? God needs not either to be counselled by others or to consult with himself; he knows what he will do, but thus he would show us that there is a counsel in his whole will, and teach us to consider our ways, and particularly that the sending forth of ministers is a work not to be done but upon mature deliberation. Observe, (1.) Who it is that is consulting. It is the Lord God in his glory, whom he saw upon the throne high and lifted up. It puts an honour upon the ministry that, when God would send a prophet to speak in his name, he appeared in all the glories of the upper world. Ministers are the ambassadors of the King of kings; how mean soever they are, he who sends them is great; it is God in three persons (Who will go for us? as Gen. 1:26; Let us make man), Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. They all concur, as in the creating, so in the redeeming and governing of man. Ministers are ordained in the same name into which all Christians are baptized. (2.) What the consultation is: Whom shall I send? And who will go? Some think this refers to the particular message of wrath against Israel, Isa. 6:9, 10. “Who will be willing to go on such a melancholy errand, on which they will go in the bitterness of their souls?” Ezek. 3:14. But I rather take it more largely for all those messages which the prophet was entrusted to deliver, in God’s name, to that people, in which that hardening work was by no means the primary intention, but a secondary effect of them, 2 Cor. 2:16. Whom shall I send? intimating that the business was such as required a choice and well-accomplished messenger, Jer. 49:19. God now appeared, attended with holy angels, and yet asks, Whom shall I send? For he would send them a prophet from among their brethren, Heb. 2:17. Note, [1.] It is the unspeakable favour of God to us that he is pleased to send us his mind by men like ourselves, whose terror shall not make us afraid, and who are themselves concerned in the messages they bring. Those who are workers together with God are sinners and sufferers together with us. [2.] It is a rare thing to find one who is fit to go for God, and carry his messages to the children of men: Whom shall I send? Who is sufficient? Such a degree of courage for God and concern for the souls of men as is necessary to make a man faithful, and withal such an insight into the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as is necessary to make a man skilful, are seldom to be met with. Such an interpreter of the mind of God is one of a thousand, Job 33:23. [3.] None are allowed to go for God but those who are sent by him; he will own none but those whom he appoints, Rom. 10:15. It is Christ’s work to put men into the ministry, 1 Tim. 1:12.

2. The consent of Isaiah to it: Then said I, Here am I; send me. He was to go on a melancholy errand; the office seemed to go a begging, and every body declined it, and yet Isaiah offered himself to the service. It is an honour to be singular in appeari 3849 ng for God, Jdg. 5:7. We must not say, “I would go if I thought I should have success;” but, “I will go, and leave the success to God. Here am I; send me.” Isaiah had been himself in a melancholy frame (Isa. 6:5), full of doubts and fears; but now that he had the assurance of the pardon of his sin the clouds were blown over, and he was fit for service and forward to it. What he says denotes, (1.) His readiness: “Here am I, a volunteer, not pressed into the service.” Behold me; so the word is. God says to us, Behold me (Isa. 65:1), and, Here I am (Isa. 58:9), even before we call; let us say so to him when he does call. (2.) His resolution; “Here I am, ready to encounter the greatest difficulties. I have set my face as a flint.” Compare this with Isa. 50:4-7. (3.) His referring himself to God: “Send me whither thou wilt; make what use thou pleasest of me. Send me, that is, Lord, give me commission and full instruction; send me, and then, no doubt, thou wilt stand by me.” It is a great comfort to those whom God sends that they go for God, and may therefore speak in his name, as having authority, and be assured that he will bear them out.

Reflection

The Prophet Isaiah received his great commission in chapter 6, verse 8. We who profess Christ are also ambassadors of His hands, reaching out to our fellow travelers on this earth. I had a spark with this verse, to do some teaching on that very faithful occupation of outreach to a dying world. The following content is from an online course curriculum I am writing on evangelism.

Introduction to Traditional Evangelism

What Every Evangelist Should Know (Part 1)

This course is part of the Internet Evangelism Curriculum. Traditional evangelism should be taught as a requisite skill for anyone who is called to ministry. The job of the evangelist is to share the Gospel effectively, bringing souls to repentance. The goal is to win souls to Christ who can grow and be nurtured in the faith and then also become soul winners. This lesson prepares the student for traditional evangelism and provides a solid foundation for Internet evangelism.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is evangelism?

Evangelism is the proper response to the Great Commission. It is the ministry of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. It is a blessing to be an evangelist.

Matthew 28:19-20 KJV

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Isaiah 52:7 KJV

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

What is the Good News?

The Good News of Jesus Christ is that He lived a sinless life; died on a cross for your sins and mine; GOD raised Him from the dead; and He now lives in you when you accept Him as Savior.

John 3:16-21 KJV

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ¹⁸He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. ²¹But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

What if I don’t have answers?

If you are sharing your faith and someone asks you a question that you don’t know the answer to, do not bluff. Refer him or her to your Pastor or other ministry leader. This is why it is important to be connected with a local church. You should also research common questions so that you will be better equipped to deal with objections. Watch “Answering Difficult Questions Non-Believers Ask” for answers to some frequently asked questions. Watch “Hot Button Issues (With Greg Laurie)” for a Biblical worldview on some common questions.

What scriptures support salvation that I can share to ask if a person wants to be saved?

Romans 10:9-13 KJV

⁹That 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. ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ¹²For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ¹³For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 4:12 KJV

¹²Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Hebrews 2:3 KJV

³How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

How do I pray for repentance and salvation?

Ultimately you want to guide those you encounter to acknowledge sin, repent, ask forgiveness, and accept Christ as personal Savior. Lead him or her in this prayer:

LORD JESUS, I know that I am a sinner. I ask you to forgive me of my sins. I believe that you are and that you died on the cross for my sins. I believe that GOD raised you from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures. Come into my heart. I accept you as my Lord and Savior.

If he or she says yes, what’s next after the confession of faith and prayer of salvation?

Encourage the new convert to join a Bible believing church. Invite him or her to your church. Give a gospel tract, flyer, business card, or other outreach tool with your church’s information and or your contact information. Ask for and record his or her contact information and add it to your ministry converts list. Provide him or her with a Bible if possible and one is not available. Follow up within 24-48 hours: call or send an email.

What If he or she says no?

Still encourage finding a church. Ask if he or she would be open to staying in touch. If so, exchange contact information, add the contact to your undecided list, and follow up within 24-48 hours. If contact information is not provided, thank him or her for their time and let them know you will keep him or her in your prayers. Go in peace. Add him or her to your prayer list of people who have not yet made a decision for Christ. Pray for the seed of salvation that has been planted.

Did you know that women were the first evangelists?

Matthew 28:5-8 KJV

⁵And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. ⁶He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. ⁷And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. ⁸And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

9 fundamentals of traditional evangelism

Preach what you know. When you can just minister the Gospel without notes, you can better interact with whomever is receiving the Word.
Study. Increase what you know so you can preach more of what you know. Converts to Christianity are like sheep who need a Shepherd. An evangelist is not a new sheep who is a spiritual babe. An evangelist is a trained soldier for GOD. This does not mean that you need a theology degree to share the Gospel. It means that you should be a perpetual student of the Word.
Practice your ice breakers. Role play successful evangelism.
Teach repentance unto salvation. Do not promise a good life to entice one to accept Jesus. Require repentance from the state of sin which is the true purpose of evangelism.
Seek anointing and wait for appointment. An evangelist should be anointed and appointed by GOD. Watch “Anointing vs Gifting” by Christine Caine.
Use available resources. You do not need to reinvent the wheel. There are all kinds of resources online to help you in outreach. Visit revival.com/soulwinningtools for evangelism resources.
Avoid arguments about the Gospel. ²³But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. ²⁴And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, ²⁵In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; II Timothy 2:23-25 KJV
Anchor your evangelism on these four things: Aim at the heart. Talk about the law of GOD. Preach the Cross. Introduce the Holy Spirit. The heart contains the issues of life. You need to awaken the conscience and convict the heart of sin and need for a Savior. Introduce the Cross as the solution.
Connect with a local church. If you take up the reigns of evangelism, you should be connected with a local church. It is here that you will refer new converts to get Bible teaching and as a place for corporate worship, Christian fellowship and service.

Traditional Evangelism Video Training Series

Watch “Evangelism Training Course” (6 videos) for a thorough look at traditional evangelism today.
Watch “Power Evangelism Soul Winning Training” for practical evangelism tools.
Watch “The Who, Where, Why, and What of Evangelism“.
Watch “How to Lead Others to Christ” for encouragement to start witnessing.
Watch “Anointing vs Gifting” to learn about being qualified for ministry.
Watch “Four things for effective evangelism” to gather four tools.
Watch “Answering Difficult Questions Non-Believers Ask.”For
Watch “Hot Button Issues (With Greg Laurie)” for a Biblical worldview on some common questions.

Introduction to Internet Evangelism

What Every Internet Evangelist Should Know (Part 2)

This course is part of the Internet Evangelism curriculum. Answering the call of today’s generation for everything online, this course introduces the fundamental principles of evangelism to the online world.

Benefits of Internet Evangelism

Internet evangelism is cost effective, with minimal or no cost per convert.
It is available 24/7.
It can engage the user in a life changing dialogue in the comfort of anywhere the user choses.
It provides access to billions of potential converts from over 60 countries around the world.
Online forms facilitate building contact lists.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Internet evangelism?

Internet evangelism takes the fundamental truths of traditional evangelism ministry and tailors them to the online community using several different internet tools. It is a uniquely qualified and legitimate ministry, an online mission field.

A prayer for you

LORD JESUS, thank you for the ambition and the ability to reach out to a lost world. Anoint me with your Spirit to be an effective witness. You said to open my mouth and you would fill it. Give me what to say and how to say it. Keep my heart in subjection to you. Let me be humble and you be exalted. Reach the hearts of those who encounter me or my website today. Let some ask what must I do to be saved? Let them receive you.

9 principles of Internet evangelism

Fast, pray, and seek GOD as if it was traditional evangelism from a local church. Internet evangelism an online ministry is as important as local ministry and evangelism. It requires the same or similar prayer life, fasting regimen, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
Incorporate the fundamentals of traditional evangelism. Internet evangelism needs the solid foundation of traditional evangelism.
Maintain a personal website. Linked to your church’s website, create an evangelism website to serve as an outreach net. Refer contacts and new converts to your website for faith formation tools and more information about the Good News.
Connect with an online church. Before evangelizing online, you should have a connection with a local church. If that church has a website, you should anchor your online ministry to that site. If your church does not have a website, volunteer to create one. This way, you can refer the unchurched to a place where they can grow in the faith.
Update your website often. Just like a church needs cleaning regularly, websites need maintenance to remain fresh and relevant. An evangelism website is not a set it and forget it tool. If you want to drive visitors to your site, you need to keep your site content fresh and relevant.
Use social media to connect with people online. Reaching out on social media is low stress and low intimidation.
Use e-mail for follow-up within 24-48 hours. Attach a resource with reminder of your site address and the site address of your church.
Use social media to update your site with fresh content. You can save time and effort by using social media to deliver new content to your site. When you properly configure social media tools, you post to social media and every configured webpage displays the post.
Use consistent style elements. An inconsistent style is not user friendly nor inviting and may make your site more difficult to read and understand.