Focus: Burden For Souls

Text: Ps.142:4

"No man cared for my soul."

The words of the psalmist echo in many hearts today. Someone is asking himself, 'Who really cares about me in this world? Who cares about my wellbeing?' Such questions are ringing in the heads of myriads of people around the world. Someone close to you is feeling unwanted and unloved. Let it bother you that someone close to you is moving closer to hell each passing day than ever before, and there is nothing anyone is doing about it.

Who cares about hell-bound souls? As a Christian, are you doing anything to save a soul? Are you passionate for souls? Are you bothered that your loved ones are Christless and godless? Are you longing and praying for their salvation? Those who are not in Christ are eternally-doomed.

Peter writes that "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" (2Pet.3:9). 

It is not God's will for a single soul to die without being saved in Christ.

A Christian is meant to be passionate about what God is passionate about. Let me present a few men in the Bible who longed for souls and sacrifice a lot for them.

*Moses:

Moses said, "Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written" (Ex.32:32). Moses prayed for his name to be removed from the book of life rather than for God to let Israel perish. He stood for the people of God and pleaded on their behalf.

*Samuel:

Samuel said, "Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way" (1Sam.12:23). Samuel prayed ceaselessly and earnestly for Saul. In 1Sam.15:11 we read, "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night." God was displeased with Saul's failings, but Samuel yearned for a change in Saul's heart. He prayed for his soul's rescue. In verse 35 we read, "And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel MOURNED for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel." 

Samuel mourned for Saul. He grieved over Saul's spiritual foolishness and leadership failure. In 1Sam.16:1 we read, "And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?" Samuel longed to see Saul rescued from himself. He talked, mourned and prayed for him. Saul refused to be helped or salvaged.

*Paul:

Paul said, "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom.9:3). What a passion for souls! In 2Cor.5:11 Paul says, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." In verse 14 he says, "For the love of Christ constraineth us…" In verse 20 he says, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Paul also said, "I am DEBTOR both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise." In verse 15 he says, "So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you…"

In verse 16 he says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ…" And finally, in 1Cor.9:16 Paul says, "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!" God owned and possessed the hearts of Moses, Samuel, and Paul, and for that, they were wholly passionate about what God was passionate about, which was the salvation of souls.

What are you doing to bring a soul to Christ? What price are you paying? Are you interested in the social welfare of others more than you are in the salvation of their soul? Are you in any way Christ's witness? Are you telling someone about Christ?

God says to Ezekiel, "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand" (Ezk.3:18). What God said to Ezekiel He is saying to you. Go out there and win souls for Christ! Allow God to use you! Let the love of Christ stir your soul and move your hear! God is looking for men whose hearts beat for Him and who do His behest. Develop a burden for souls!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter