# Winning Souls

Category: Evangelism & Soul Winning
Key Passage: 1 Thessalonians 2:4
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: June 7, 2024

First Thessalonians, chapter two, of God’s Word. For a little while, we’re talking about the practicality of the gospel, giving the gospel out. For several Sunday nights, we’re preaching on prayer. And you keep praying about the building situation. They’re adjusting here. We’re working all. They’re getting it going there. But keep praying about that. God’s going to answer that prayer in His time. He is. And I’m excited about what He’s going to do and looking forward to it. So keep praying about that. But I feel like just a little change. God wants this course. Two Sundays ago, Brother Raised, and then last Sunday, Brother McNeese did a great job. Really, Brother McNeese kind of took us this way about winning souls.

And I just feel like the Lord kind of wants us to go that way. We’ve been praying this around my house and some of the prayer meetings around here. Just, Lord, would You put wind in ourselves? And sometimes we don’t have a sail up, you know? And if you’re not winning souls or trying to win souls, you’ve got about half a sail up for sure, no more than that, you know. And part of getting wind in your sails is putting your sail up.

And part of that is trying to cast the gospel net out. And we’re to be fishers of men. I’ve not seen a fisher, a true fisherman, but don’t cast a reel and rod out there once in a while, you know. Old Brother Fontaine, he’s been fishing for 40 forever, as I’m not sure. And he’s told me a time, he said, “My shoulders just give out. I’ve cast too many times,” you know. And that’s a true fisherman.

And a soul winner, someone trying to win souls, are always casting that net. And I don’t know if there is truly a good soul winner. It’s not us that does the work; it’s the Lord. But a good soul winner is one that’s just casting, just casting. He might not be—we had casting reel and rod at the men’s retreat. And, oh, it was Brother Ricky. I walked by, and you cast ten times. You try to cast inside this ring. And he was ringing just about every one of them. And I thought, “I might as well not even try.” I mean, I don’t want to embarrass myself after that right there. I just kept walking, you know. I think it got eight out of ten. And so next year, somebody’s going to break his elbow before it starts. Amen, we’ll give the rest of us a chance or something. I don’t know. But we ought to be casting. I just for a little while to talk about this casting gospel net.

And how to do it, practical, practical just how do you do that? We’re going to be in 1st Thessalonians chapter number two, just one verse tonight, 1st Thessalonians 2, and verse number 4. 1st Thessalonians 2, verse number 4. If you’re there, would you please stand if you’re able, just out of respect to the Word of God, who read that verse number 4, a wonderful verse from God’s word. First Thessalonians 2, verse number four, and the Bible says, “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”

Would you go to the Lord in prayer and ask us to speak to your heart? As I do the same… [Prayer omitted] …And the Lord, we’ll thank You for what You do. Father, we’re asking for this in the name of Jesus. We pray. Amen.

Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated. If you would, just notice that verse there. And where God says, “But as we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel,” God has entrusted to you the gospel. If you’re a born-again Christian, God’s entrusted you with that. You see, God’s plan is for those that have accepted and been saved by the gospel. It’s for those people to spread the gospel.

Now think about this: God, in His wisdom, He’s over all, He created all. He could have said, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’ll write the gospel in the clouds.” And on a cloudy day, people could go outside their house and look up. There it is: John 3:16. But God didn’t design it like that.

God could have had His angels. His angels are the messengers of God. They do the bidding of God. And they serve mankind under God’s direction. God could use angels, but He didn’t choose to use the angels to spread the gospel. I mean, I don’t know. Maybe from our study of demons, I think there’s millions and millions of demons and angels—two-thirds angels, one-third demons, and I think there’s millions of them. And God can have over every door in the world, I believe, an angel. When people go outside, they open their door to go outside, there’s an angel there giving the gospel. He’s not going to do it like that. He is God. But that’s not His plan.

God could have animals give the gospel out, you know? Birds instead of “tweet, tweet, tweet,” they could say, “John 3:16,” you know. Cows, when they moo, for “God so loved the world,” that gave the gospel. They could have did it that way. I don’t have the pulpit, you know, not quite as big for glasses. But God could have did it. He could have did it a thousand ways. He’s God. But God’s plan, His plan, is He put the gospel in your hands. If you’re saved, He has trusted you with the gospel. Now that’s an awesome trust, an awesome responsibility that God has put the gospel in our hands. That’s where He’s put it. That’s what He’s saying: “But as we’re allowed of God be put in trust with the gospel.”

That’s an awesome responsibility. And it’s our job. Can I say this? It’s sad in America how we often fail at spreading the gospel.

You say, “Well, it’s on the radio. It’s on the internet.” And praise the Lord for those things. But you cannot bypass one saved sinner telling an unsaved sinner personally the gospel of Jesus. You can’t bypass that. And there must be that personal connection involved in it. God uses people to get the gospel out.

I think about Brother Moe. He was here this morning. Brother Moe’s from Egypt. And Brother Moe told me, he said, “Man, I thought when I moved to America…” He thought there would be people everywhere, just ever trying to give the gospel out. And he said, “I was shocked. Nobody, nobody told me.” He said, “Nobody knocked on my door from any church besides”—and praise the Lord, it was the Lord that did it—“besides Rutherford County Baptist Church, and actually one of our young ladies from our church.” And he said, “When they knocked on my door and I knew they were trying to give me the gospel, I said, ‘Tell me which church it is. I’m going to go to that church right there.’” And that’s been several years ago, by the way. Praise the Lord, Moe has been out giving the gospel out there.

Now, it’s sad. We’re in conservative Bible Belt Tennessee, America. Now, you see somebody out walking streets—and that’s not the only way to give the gospel out, please do not. I don’t want to give off that appearance. There’s many different times and ways you can get the gospel out. But be honest, in America, if you see religious people going, trying to spread the religion out, just—this is what I think—JWs or Mormons? JWs, they do not even believe there’s a hell. They believe Jesus died on a stake. They do not even believe He rose again physically. They’re the ones that are so often people say, “Man, I thought you were the JWs.” No, I’m not the JFW—Jehovah False Witness. I’m the true witness for Jehovah Jesus. Amen. Or Mormons that believe Satan and Jesus are brothers. And that’s what we have for the most part going up in mass, I’m told, in neighborhoods. That’s so often what you find. And God said, “I’m entrusting the gospel to My people.”

That’s what He’s saying there. It’s our responsibility. I say again, not everyone can go door to door, and I’m not saying that. Man, it can be at work. It can be with your neighbors. It can be at school. Our young people are about to start school. I understand you were having a good night until the pastor mentioned that. Some of the parents are happy right now, though, you hear that, you know. It can be at school. It can be at work. Many a neighbor has had a neighbor come over and tell them about the gospel. Relatives. I think about somebody in our church—I won’t mention their name, they’re not here tonight—but they have a friend, one of the ladies of a church has a friend that has severe cancer, stage four, can’t remember what kind of cancer. And she told her about Jesus, and she got saved. Recently, in many different ways, you give the gospel out. But the honest truth is the gospel has been entrusted to me and to you. That’s awesome. Awesome.

And here’s the thing: when we give the gospel out, that’s where the power is. Look over in Romans chapter number one, if you would please. Romans chapter number one, verse number 16, a wonderful verse. Romans 1:16. God here speaking through Apostle Paul, Romans 1:16. I like this. He says, Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” That ought to be our attitude. I’m not ashamed of that right there. “But I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation.”

I’ve got to have all the power, and it’s me and my technique and all this, and now I’ve got a little fear. But that’s not where the power is; the power is in the gospel of Christ. I’m just supposed to be getting that power out. He said, “I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Everybody. It’s the power of God.

Now, isn’t it a shame we’ve got this power if we don’t give it out? I mean, that’s just our job to get the gospel out. There’s power in the gospel. And that’s my job. I’m not a good soul winner, and I mean that. I really don’t think I am. And I’ve seen people that are much better soul winners than I. But, you know, you just get the—God, if they’ll just let you give them the gospel, it works.

Thursday night, me and Brother Patterson was out. And, oh, man, maybe 25—I had a little married three years and got two little ones, one on the way. And praise the Lord, he let us share of the gospel. We didn’t do anything fancy in giving them the gospel. We just kind of plain old, “Let’s just give you the simple plan of salvation.” Nothing fancy about it, just the gospel. But that gospel’s power is in there. And that guy standing in front of his apartment in that hallway there, somebody just came in the door over there and said, “Man, would you like to accept that gift that Jesus purchased for you? And would you like to, by faith, put your trust in Jesus alone to save you?” He said, “Man, I’m ready.” And right there, he bowed his head and asked Christ to save him right there. I’m about to leave him, and I said, “Hey, now let me ask you one more time. If you were to die right now, where did you go?” “I’d go to heaven.” “Why would you go to heaven?” “Because He gave me that gift.”

I said, “I’m going to be the bad guy. What if a little while down the road, a couple weeks down the road or something, you’re driving and someone cuts you off or makes you mad and you let off a string of some bad words?” He kind of smiled a little bit like maybe that had been true a time or two, you know, and he was like, “Oh, man,” you know. I said, “Boy, you’re in a car accident and you die. Where would you go?” “To heaven.” “Why would you go to heaven?” “Because He gave me that gift.” Hey, friend, man, there’s power in the gospel, just getting the gospel to people. That’s where it’s at.

The fall is right around the corner here. And, boy, our church has some great opportunities. We’re going to the Tennessee State Fair. Last year, we went to the Wilson County Fair, a great fair. If I was to take my family to a fair, I’d go to the Wilson. But so many people we spoke to last year when we had that booth rented and we tried to give the gospel. So many people, “Yes, I’m saved,” or they’re already kind of grounded in church or Christ, whatever it may be. But this year we’re going to go—I think most would agree—maybe to a little bit darker place. By the way, light shines brighter in darkness. Might as well, if we’re going to shine the gospel light, might as well go to a needy place. Amen.

I’m excited about going up there in Nashville. It’s five weekdays—we won’t do it on Wednesday or Sunday, but it’s open on those—September the 6th to the 15th. But we’ll have five weekdays, five to ten; ten the gates close. Somewhere on there, we’ll be out there, and we’ll need a lot of soul winners going out. Saturday, it’s open hours after. We’ll have three different shifts on Saturday. We’ll have two different Saturdays. All together, we have seven days that we’re out there. Man, one needs people. They got to be talented and all that? No, just somebody give the gospel out. That’s all. You got to be flashy and have it all together? No, none of us have it all together, friends. Somebody just give the gospel out, that’s all. You got to know the Bible from Genesis to Revelation? No, none of us are there, friends. Just somebody to give the simple plan of salvation. See it?

Our soul winning campaign starts a little bit into September. It’s a little bit later because of the Tennessee Fair. It’s only nine Saturdays. I’ve already mentioned—let me say on that for just a second: 9:30, we’ll be here for breakfast, and then we’ll have a training time. Then we’ll go out. We’ll load up on a bus and just go somewhere to give the gospel out to people. No fanfare. My old friend, man, that’s where the action’s at—out there telling people about the gospel. Wonderful.

Now here’s the thing: that’s not—and I want to say it again—that’s not the only way to give the gospel. I don’t think that. But I would say if you want to be a soul winner, man, it’s a great way to get a good start. You kind of get in the habit, you learn. You say, “I’ve never did anything like that.” Man, go on the soul winning campaign. We’ll pair you up with someone that has been out before, and you’re just kind of the one there praying as they’re witnessing. It’s wonderful. It’s amazing how many people say, “I’m not going to talk.” “I’m not going to talk.” “All right, fine.” We’ll pair you up with someone, you just pray. They get out there and they start seeing God work, and lights and people start to witness, and they’re talking before they know it. We’re like, “Be quiet, be quiet! We’re trying to witness over here.” It’s exciting, and it gets your soul and juices flowing and gives you a boost in your boldness. By the way, we’ll have Team One, Team Two again. Some physically you can’t go door to door; we understand that. But just saying of soul winning, it would be a shame for maybe God to give us another building and give us more people and all those other things, and us not be winning souls. That would be a shame. It would be better to stay this size and this big and win souls and grow than not win souls.

Now, we can win more souls, more people we have, and we’re not going to change directions on that. But I’m saying we can’t lose this thing of winning souls. We have to stay after that. At the end of the day, that’s what matters right there, folks. The Book of Acts—I’ve said it so often—the Book of Acts, in every court, how many attended church? They can’t. How many people got saved? Amen. We have to stay after this thing, just getting the gospel out.

Let’s look at it. First of all, He entrusted the gospel with us. Look at something else about this verse. Back over there in 1st Thessalonians 2, verse number 4. It’s an amazing verse. 1st Thessalonians 2, verse number 4. “But as we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we…” What’s the next word? Speak. Speak.

You see, winning souls is more than just living it. I’m for living it, by the way. If I don’t live it, often they’re not going to listen to me because I know my life doesn’t back it up. But the Bible is for more than just living it. We’ve been into this thing of lifestyle evangelists. “Well, I just stand and shine for Jesus and people come to you.” Every once in a while, maybe, but for the most part, you’re going to go get them.

We were putting up—when we first started the church—we were putting up a church sign, a little just sign we were putting up. Somebody stopped by the church and they said, “Oh man, middle Tennessee, you put a sign up starting a church? They’ll come all over the place.” That fellow’s got a hole in his truck big enough to drive a Mack truck through. I didn’t say it, but I thought it. No man, you got to go get them. By the way, our first service, we didn’t have one person showing up. That proves you: you got to go get them. No, we’re not supposed to just live it; we’re just to speak it.

Faith cometh by seeing. Is that what the Bible says? No. Faith cometh by what? You’ve got to hear it. How should they hear without a preacher? That’s not necessarily talking about just from a pulpit. What is it said over there, Mark 16:15? “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every…” It doesn’t say, “to every congregation,” to every creature. It’s talking about giving the good—heralding the good news there. That’s what it’s talking about. But every creature—I mean, that’s all of us. I mean, just getting the gospel out to every creature, to tell it. More than just living it, or to tell it, we’re to speak it. That’s what Jesus said in Matthew 28. He said, “Go therefore, and what? Teach all nations.” Matthew 28:19, you look it up.

Yeah, I’m to tell them the gospel. I’m not just supposed to stand. By the way, what’s the first two letters of the gospel? G. O. Go. “Go ye therefore, he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Listen, I’m to go and speak the gospel.

I mean, in love, let me just talk to you. Apostle Paul, when he’d come to a town, you’d find him in the synagogue telling them about Jesus. Over by the riverside, telling somebody about Jesus. He’d be in prison. Onesimus, I mean, he’s in prison with him, telling him about Jesus. He’s on court trial, and even the king is there. He’s telling him about Jesus. He said, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” He said, “I would not just you, but everybody else listened.” I mean, he’s always just witnessing. That’s the example, that’s what God wants: just getting the gospel. Speaking, speaking the gospel. That’s what God’s called us to do.

I was so excited this morning. Brother Glenn and Ms. Reith, they had some friends of theirs from Kentucky, sweet people. They’ve been with us before, and he just went through cancer. And Brother Glenn said, “Man, you got one of those soul-winning handout things, you know? I want to give it to him.” And Brother Glenn is just trying to help them be soul winners. I love it. Trying to help them speak the gospel. And people can be led to the Lord all over. I thought about just some stories of people, different ones of you that led people to the Lord over the years. I thought about some of our people in the hospital and the nurses caring for them, hearing the gospel, getting saved.

I thought about one of our men, a salesman knocked on his door. He said, “I’ll listen to your spiel if you listen to my spiel.” He listened to his spiel. Then his spiel was the gospel, and the guy got saved. I mean, people get saved anywhere, any place, anytime. I mean, just getting the gospel out. I thought about cleaning maids in the hotels getting saved, somebody out in the woods praying and just walking with the Lord, and somebody in the middle of the woods shows up, and he said, “Well, I’ve been praying for God to bless my…” Well, go ahead and just witness in the middle of the woods. Somebody getting saved.

I mean, just getting the gospel out to people wherever you are and have them. I like it. I like it in our basketball ministry. Somebody comes out here. I was out there. Someone came this week. I was out there playing basketball, maybe 20, 23-year-old young man, tall fellow. And I went out, and I thought maybe I just couldn’t remember. And I went out to talk to him, and he said, “You told me and another guy about that.” And I prayed nationally. “You already told me about it.” I said, “Well, I couldn’t remember it all, just wanted to make sure.” And he said, “I don’t mind. He said, 'I get lonely anyway. He said, ‘I like somebody come and tell him about Jesus.’” And he said, “Be honest with you, that was maybe a month, a couple months ago when him and his buddy came. He said, ‘Years ago I was here, and you told him way back before anyway.’” He said, “Not only that, but he said, ‘Another guy’”—and I can’t remember what kind of car, I don’t know who it was—but he said, “Another guy.” God told you who was that? He’s breaking in on my soul any territory, you know. And driving a Ford or something, I don’t know. I was surprised people driving Fords are witnessing, but they are, amen, you know. And I love it. Man, anybody comes up here and plays basketball, somebody’s going to give them the gospel. I like it. That’s what it ought to be.

I mean, just with getting the gospel, it’s the power of God unto salvation. I thought about on sidewalks in front of restaurants, people have been saved over here. I thought about when we’re in a storefront, somebody’s walking by one time. One of our people said, “Man, they’re walking by our church, let me get a great—give you a tract.” They ran out and started with it, and they got saved. That’s what it ought to be. Just getting the gospel out. Some of our people over the place don’t have led even relatives to the Lord over the phone. I’m talking about people living up north in Yankee land, and they listened and got saved up there. What about that? Yeah.

I’m just talking about, it’s wonderful. We have our soul winning campaign, and we’ll go load up on the bus, and, you know, we’ll spread out, and then we’ll kind of ride around that bus trying to pick everybody up and whatnot and get about it together. And some of those soul winners are like bulldogs. Once they get a hold of somebody, they won’t let them go. And I say, “Man, we’ve got to go,” you know, and trying to give them on the bus. But I love it. I’ve rode by many a time, and I’ve rode by in a couple of soul winners and another person who be in the front yard, and they’re all got their heads bowed praying. More often than not, that person’s praying asking Jesus to save him. I remember driving by some of our men and another man, they were kneeling on the ground in the front yard of somebody’s house, and I love to see that. Wonderful. How does that happen? Somebody got the gospel out. It’s the power of God unto salvation. I want to speak it, tell it to people.

Now, sometimes we don’t witness just out of a lack of confidence. Just fear takes over. And out of fear, we don’t witness.

Can I say going on one of the soul winning campaigns will help you so much in that, going with somebody who’s been out before? But I’m going to do this: I want to just briefly give a little mock. We’re going to lead someone to the Lord here and just kind of let you watch. By the way, there’s many other ways to lead somebody to the Lord, and God leads so many different ways. But sometimes maybe seeing—and I hope it’s just got to help you get a little, maybe a little understanding of giving the gospel out. And you may do it different, and sometimes God leads me to do it different. They give you a little plan. If you want to get your little soul winning plan out, and we’re going to try to follow that, and I’m going to call someone up here, and just we’re going to do this. I was planning on being to this point of the message a lot earlier than this. I don’t know who’s—He keeps talking, won’t shut up, you know, my goodness.

But we’re going to pretend we’re in someone’s house in their living room. They’ve already said, “All right, I’ll let you tell me about how to go to heaven.” And we’re going to go through the plan of salvation. And I’ll tell you what, Drayshan, can I get you to help me? Can I get you to help me? Come on, love. I didn’t even ask him ahead of time. Look at that. He’s coming on love. My goodness, that’s pretty good. Drayshan, we’re going to get you sitting over here. We’re in your house, Drayshan. How big is your house? You might as well dream since you’re dreaming. Big. He said big. You got an indoor swimming pool in your house? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You’ve got a refrigerator full of food. Amen, amen, amen. You sit down right there, Drayshan. And we’re just going to go. And you can follow your plan if you’d like to do that. And we’re just going to kind of—we’re going to lead Drayshan to the Lord, all right?

And so we’re going to take just a few minutes and do that. Drayshan, I said there are four steps. We’re going to show you how we’re leading up to making sure you’re going to heaven, okay? And I’ll be honest: the first two are going to be a little bit negative of the problem. The last two are going to be the answer to the problem. So stick with me through the bad thing, okay? Let me show you this first thing. It’s over here in Romans 3:10. Right there it says, “As it is written, I’m not written in the Bible: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one.’” Now that righteous right there, Drayshan, that just means always right. He says there’s none, not even one. Brother Kevin thinks he’s pretty good, but he’s not righteous either, you know. I don’t say that out loud. I got to give Brother Kevin a hard time.

Then he says over here about the second thing, he says, “For all have sinned.” You ever heard the word sin before? Just doing bad, doing wrong, you know. We’re all sinners. I get mad at myself. I mess up a lot of times. And I’ve got sin for sure. Drayshan, yeah, me too, me too. And if we’re honest, we know that. That’s the first thing, Drayshan, just kind of know when we’re sinners. If we’re honest, we know that. And so many things can be seen. Here’s the second thing. He says over here. Now this is a tough one, but stick with me. It’s true, though. He says, “For the wages of sin is death.” Okay, a couple things about that, Drayshan. First of all, wages. You said you work at IBM, is it? Taco Bell. He does work at Taco Bell. That’s right. I was trying to give you a good job now. You know, Taco Bell. You’re the CEO of Taco Bell, right? And you go, you earn wages. You earn, what, $50 an hour, right? That’s what you earn, right? Well, the Bible says what we earn for our sin, we all have it. Now that word death, when I think of it, the first thing I think of is physical death. One day this body is going to die. When this body dies, I have a soul. That’s the real meaning. And that soul is going to go to heaven. Now this death here is talking about eternal death. It’s talking about that soul there.

Let me show you a verse over here in Revelation, Drayshan. Good verse about that. It’s over here in Revelation 20. And by the way, the only time I leave the book of Romans is I go over here typically because I like to see the Lake of Fire. I recently heard about some of those training somebody else to be soldiers. He said, “Boy, if you never leave Romans, you’ll lobby to be weak on hell.” I just like to go over there and show them a little bit. But anyway, so Drayshan, this verse here, he says that “death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.” This is the second death. Now that lake of fire, Drayshan, boy, that doesn’t sound good, does it? No, not at all. I think that’s Percy Priest Lake over here, boy, big old lake of water. And the Bible here is talking about a lake of fire. And he says that lake of fire, this is the second death. Well, over here it said the wages of sin, we admit it, I’ve got that, is death. That’s talking about that eternal death, second death. That’s a scary thing. Because from those two things there, we’re all sinners, and the penalty, the wages of sin is death and hell. From those two things there means Drayshan, I go to hell. Drayshan, I go to hell. Drayshan, all of us, you too.

Now, that’s a scary thought. I’d be a horrible guy to come and tell you that, and that’s it. That’d be awful of me, you know. But sometimes we think if we’re good enough, we do enough good works, we won’t go to hell. But honestly, even if I could be perfect from today on—but you couldn’t, but just say I could be perfect today on. Brother Ricky says he’s perfect, you know. But just say I was perfect from today on. You know, just say I could do that. There’s still sins in my past. It’s got to be paid for. And the payment is death and hell. That’s not good. Let’s get to the next part. That’s the problem. Okay, let’s get the answer to the problem. All right. Let’s rest of that verse right there. The rest of that verse, he says right there, he says, “But the gift of God is eternal life.” That’s opposite of that second death, eternal life, going to be heaven one day through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Drayshan, a couple things about the one thing: He says it’s a gift. Drayshan, if I came to your door and I said, “Hey, Drayshan, man, I’m glad to meet you last week. I went out, I bought you a Bible. I want you to have this Bible as a gift.” If you give me—man, you make a lot of money, you make $50 an hour—so I give you this Bible as a gift if he gives me $50? Would that be a gift? No, no, no, you’re right. Even if I said, “Drayshan, I give you this Bible as a gift if he gave me $0.50?” Would that be a gift? No. No. It would be a good deal, not a gift, though.

Now, same thing. God loves Drayshan so much He’s going to give it to you. It’s hard to understand because pretty much everything down here we have to work for. But this thing going to heaven, He gives it to us. That’s because He loves you. That’s what the Bible says, “the gift of God.” It’s eternal life. Last fraternity can end. And the only way God could just give you that is because of Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ.

Now, Drayshan, I’m sure you told me you went to church sometimes as a boy earlier. And I’m sure you’ve heard of Jesus dying on the cross to pay for our sin, right? This kind of makes it real for me. The other day, yesterday, I came up to church last night. I was here at church. And sure enough, I came out those doors, and there was a sheriff deputy sitting over there. And I went and said, “Sir, who are you looking for?” He said, “Is there a guy named Anthony Aaron works here?” And he said, “I’m looking for him.” No, he didn’t say that. But there was—there was a deputy sitting over there. And let’s just say he’s over there in the parking lot. And I’m driving down the road, and I’m in a hurry. And I’m going faster than a sheriff. And, man, he said, “Sir, you’re speeding.” And I got to go to court. And I stand before the judge. And the judge says, “Sir, you’re speeding. That’s a $150 fine.” Man, $150.00. I don’t have it. And we’ll say—well, say a man in our church, Warren—this guy in our church, he’s real rich. This guy, Warren, he comes in the courtroom, and he pulls out $150, and he says, “Your Honor, I want to pay Paul’s debt.” He didn’t do anything wrong. I was speeding, but he came in and he paid my debt. That’s what Jesus did when He died on the cross. He was dying on the cross to pay Drayshan Paul’s debt. And because He did that, God says, “I can give you heaven as a gift.”

What’s the greatest thing in all the world? There’s the last thing, okay? How do we take that gift? First of all, we said we’re all sinners. Then the penalty on sin is death and hell. But Jesus died to pay for that, offers us heaven as a gift. By the way, you notice how I’m reviewing? I want to make sure they understand. We’re to teach the gospel, so I’m just trying to make it simple. I don’t have to go into all the fancy terms and preach to it. Just simple: sinners, penalty, you know what I mean? And Christ paid the penalty, offers this heaven as a gift. Now, Drayshan, if I came to your door for six months and every—every Thursday night—said, “Drayshan, here I got your Bible. What’s a gift? It’s free. I want you to have it.” You said, “I’ll think about it.” You never took it, even though I went out and bought it for it, tried to give it to you. Who would have it? Who would have the gift? If I came—let me ask you again. Let me ask you again. You’re looking over there, John or Zach or one of them, I’m not sure. But I came by every Thursday for six months. I said, “Drayshan, I want you to have this Bible as a gift.” Went out and bought it for it. I want you to have it. And you said, “I’ll think about it. Maybe one day I’ll take it.” I walked away. You never took it. Who would have it? You. You. He says he’s trying to trick me, right? I’d still have it, even though I wanted you, I wanted—I bought it for you. Never would take it. That’s the same thing with heaven. Jesus paid for Drayshan to go to heaven. If you never take it, it’s not yours. Okay.

So here’s the last thing. How do you take? How do you receive this gift? Last thing. We’re done, Drayshan. Over here, a lot of good verses about it. Some good verses over here, Romans 10. Romans 10. Romans 10. And this verse over here, Romans 10, and verse number 10, he says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” Remember that first verse, unrighteous, no one? How can I be righteous before God knows everything? I’m a sinner. The Bible says in your heart you believe in the righteousness. Then he goes on, he says, “And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” I believe with my heart, I confess with my mouth. You say, “What do I believe? What do I confess?” By the way, someone says you got to confess all your sins, you know. You can’t remember all your sins. Not a matter of you confessing your sins; it matters confessing Jesus. That’s a little side note. But over here, it tells verse number nine: “He said 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.” I’m talking about believing in Jesus. The Bible talks a lot about that. In fact, the book of John, 21 chapters, 67 times, it’ll say believe or believeth. Not everyone, but most of them are talking about believing in or believing on Jesus. Okay.

When I receive that gift, how I receive is I say, “I’m going to believe on Jesus.” Look at Drayshan, I can say, “I believe that’s your chair.” It looks like a chair. It feels like a chair. Probably smells like a chair because the pastor has been sitting in it if I were to smell it, you know. And it’s got some stains like a chair. And it would be honest with you, this causes senior saints eat in their Sunday school class while it’s got stains on it there, you know. And no, I’m teasing with the senior saints here a little bit. But I’m believing about it when I say, “I believe that’s the chair.” And I walk over here, Drayshan.

Now I’m believing on that chair. In fact, if I kind of like this, halfway in the chair, halfway in my legs, that’s not in. When I believe all the way on Jesus to pay for my sins and save me, that’s when I get the gift. He loves you; He wants you to have a gift when you put your belief on Jesus. You may know John 3:16. Remember that in Sunday School? “For God so loved the world.” Remember that? Miss Teresa Cooper talked to that back in the day, didn’t you? Was you listening in that class? No, she taught the girls. He didn’t teach you that one. That’d say that’d be Brother Marlin nowadays. Amen. But anyway, the younger classes, ladies teach boys and girls, so it’d be before you’re way back in the day. But anyway, “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.” He’s just opening up believing on Him.

Now, Drayshan, that’s a decision in your heart to believe on Jesus. Okay? It’s a decision you make. Usually we confirm that decision with a prayer. Okay? But I’ll be honest with Drayshan: if you pray a prayer and you don’t mean it, it’s no good. But this is what this is talking about, that prayer. It says over there, it says, “For whosoever”—anybody, we could put Drayshan—“for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It goes on and explains that calling shows you belief in your heart. It was a good day for me when somebody told me that. Here’s the thing for me, Drayshan: I grew up in church. I mean, I was raised on drugs, Drayshan, because I was drugged at church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. It’s the honest truth that I tried to get out of it, but my mom and that wouldn’t let me out of them. They made me go. So I knew about heaven, knew about hell, knew about Jesus, and I believed all that was true when I got older like you, Drayshan. I had to put my belief on Jesus. Now I remember that day, sat in the back seat of a car, and I called on Jesus. I believed on Him. Best thing ever did. Drayshan, He loves you. He’d like to for you to have that gift. He’d like to give it to you. If you’d like to call on Him, put your belief on Him. Drayshan, since He loves you and He’s offered you heaven as a gift, would you want to take that gift? Okay, it’s what we do, Drayshan. We can pray. I’ll give you a chance to pray. You can say it in your own words, or you can repeat a prayer after me. Okay? But we’re going to pray. And here’s what we’re talking about: we’re all sinners. You understand that? We’re all sinners. You understand there’s a penalty, death and hell? You believe Jesus died on the cross for you? Drayshan rose again? Would you want to put your belief on Jesus to save you right now? Okay. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to pray. I’ll pray, then I’ll give you a chance to pray.

Would you like to say that in your own words, or would you like to repeat that after me? Okay, okay. Here’s the thing about that, Drayshan: it’s not just saying magical words. It’s not that. It’s in your heart. You send all Jesus. That’s true. I’m a sinner. I understand there’s a penalty. I believe He died for me. I want to trust You right now to pay for my sins. I’ll lead you how to do it, but it’s in your heart. You call on Jesus. We’ll pray. And let’s do that, Drayshan. Let’s go ahead and pray and ask Jesus to save you right now. Now, I’m not going to go through the prayer. But once they tell me, I’m just going to go, and I’m just going to keep going. And I’ll often caution them, it’s not just magical words. I’ll say that every time. I don’t want them thinking, “Yes, well, this prayer, and you’re safe.” No, if they say the prayer and they don’t mean it, they don’t understand it, it’s no good. A little prayer doesn’t save. But Catholics have a little prayer, see. It’s in their heart. They’re believing on Jesus Christ. But they need—they need someone, as in Acts chapter 8, remember the eunuch there? He said, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” They need someone to guide them. And that’s what they’re there for. So I’ll guide him to pray. And more often than not, if somebody’s standing around, you say, “How sincere are they?” Well, they’re sincere enough to pray in front of people. Pretty good. By the way, most of them haven’t prayed out loud ever in their life. So they’re nervous. They don’t know what to pray. And you’re some religious guy that knows the Bible. They say, “I don’t know how to pray.” So they’re probably going to take your guidance in it because they’re nervous and scared after death, and they don’t know how to religious lingo and the wording of it. But they got to know it’s in their heart. They’re believing on Jesus. And Jesus alone—that’s the key right there. But us guiding them in that.

Didn’t Drayshan do a good job? Let’s give him a hand. Thank you, Drayshan. I appreciate it. Thank you, Drayshan. Thank you so very, very much. Nothing complicated about it. You’re going to adapt it to the future. You’re going to change it when you’re dealing with certain different people. By the way, you say, “Well, the Holy Spirit can guide you.” Yes, He can guide you, but often He can guide you better if you have a plan. You’re not quite so nervous. You have a plan so He can lead you off of that. Work at it. Somebody will go in, they’re going to have a business deal for a billion dollars. I guarantee you they’ve got a plan how they’re going to try to seal that deal. We got something more important than a billion dollars. We got a soul that’s going to go to hell or heaven forever. We ought to have some kind of a plan. They work at that thing. We had somebody every day on their drive to work, they would lead the imaginary friend in the car to the Lord. I mean, that pastor’s seat got saved about a hundred times, you know. I mean, they needed a dummy to put over there. You know, we were in California. They have the lanes where you’ve got to have passengers that are very strict about—there’s traffic all over. I said, “John, you know, isn’t it bad when your pastor thinks like your criminal? Isn’t that a bad thing?” You know, I said, “What if somebody got a dummy? And they put it in there and they put a seatbelt around it, you know, whatnot.” He said, “Dad, they tried it, and they called him. They arrested them.” I didn’t know my son had already tried it. Well, look at that, you know. Anyway.

I’m teasing, but I mean, I mean, put a dummy over there. Some other right people there practice in the mirror giving the gospel out. The thing is just work at it. It’s going to look different to me, and that’s fine. But work at this thing. The gospel, it is the power of God unto salvation. It’s not a matter of being a good soul winner; it’s a matter of being faithful, consistent. So it’s amazing when we’re faithful and consistent to give the gospel, how God leads people that He’s been working in the heart across our paths. That’s how it works.

Yeah. He said, “As we’re allowed to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak.” Now look at the last part, and we’re done. We’re going to go home sometime tonight, I promise you. Look at that. Back over there in 1st Thessalonians 2. You’re back over there, 1st Thessalonians 2, verse number 4. Look at the last part of that verse. 1st Thessalonians 2, verse number 4: “But as we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”

You say, “I like to—anybody out there, you like to please the Lord? You like to please the Lord? Anybody?” I sure would. The Bible tells us how to speak the gospel: not as pleasing me. Not everybody’s going to be happy about it. Somebody’s going to say, “Well, I don’t talk about religion or politics.” Well, okay, but I do, you know. “Well, that’s a private matter.” I understand. You can’t force it on anyone. I’m not talking about that. Just go find somebody else and pray for them. But if you don’t please God, share the gospel.

Think about it. Think about it: if everybody in the world was infected with a horrible disease, terminal—everybody in the world. I mean, it just spread. I mean, I don’t know if mosquitoes spread it or what, but everybody’s got it. And your son was the only one that had the cure. You had to shed your son’s blood to come up with the cure. Some of you all, like Brother Marley, he’s got a daughter—your daughter. You laid your child down in death to come up with a cure. And you’ve got the cure. You’ve got enough cures for 7.5 billion people plus. You said, “I tell you what, I love you so much, I’m just going to give it out for free. Come and get—come and get the little bottle.” And it’s got three pills in there. I mean, you know, and you take it, and you’re cured. That’s for the three nails, you know, we’ll just say. And so, all right. Now here’s saying, when you come get it, I’m going to—I’m going to hold you responsible, those of you got the cure, to go give it out to everybody else in the world. And you come, I come. Praise the Lord, we get cured. And yet we never come back. People died all over the world. Wouldn’t that bother you? I gave my child’s life. The cure is there. And I’ve entrusted those that have taken the cure. Wouldn’t it be pleasing if anybody come along and say, “Hey, thank you so much for the gift”? I’m going to take it and share with somebody else. It’d be nice. And somebody comes on, “Thank you, thank you, thank you so very, very much for the gift.” You say, “That’s wonderful. I’m glad you appreciate it.” “Have you shared it with anybody else?” “Well, no, I appreciate it, though.” Wouldn’t that still bother you a little bit? Then let’s be honest, don’t it? It’d be nice to say thank you. That’d be a good thing. But it’d be even better to say, “Thank you. Now let me go share it with somebody else.” Yeah. Yeah, it pleases God. It pleases God. I would you share it?

Here’s a good thing about it: It’s not my job necessarily to win souls; it’s my job to warn souls. My job is just to give the gospel out. All I can do is tell them. That’s all I can do. I can’t make Drayshan or anybody else say it and mean it. I do my best to tell it. God’s the one that deals in their heart, and they’re the ones that let God. Not everybody’s going to listen. Not everybody that listens is going to get saved, but some will. Some will listen. Not everyone that listens to get saved is going to grow and become the Christian I want to become. But every instance, some will. Look, the honest truth is, the more we give the gospel out, the greater the number of people that say, “I’ll take it.” It’s the power of God unto salvation, the gospel.

Let’s bow our heads, if you would, please. Our heads bowed, our eyes are closed. You just say, “Preacher, with the Lord’s help, I want to be after this thing of trying to get the gospel out. Lord, would You help me just to be after souls? Would You help me to be busy casting the gospel net?” God spoke to my heart. I want to be after this sake of getting the gospel out to people. God spoke from the heart. God spoke to my heart. Just want to be busy. Give them the gospel. Get the gospel out to people. Everywhere, anywhere I can. Anywhere. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. It’s wonderful. I love it when sometimes our people—I see somebody raising their hand, and they say, “I was talking to talk to my friend.” Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Thank you so very, very much. You can put your hands down.

You hear tonight, you say, “Preacher, I’m going to work at a plan. It may be different. It might look totally different than mine, but it has the gospel in it, and I’m going to work at it.” Prepared. I realize God does a work in the heart, and I can’t win a soul, but I’m going to just do the best I can to get the gospel to them. I’m going to work at this thing a little bit, and I’m going to be prepared. “Our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Now, I want to be prepared. I want to try to work at being the gospel to people trying to—I try to get myself prepared for that. I’m going to work at that little bit. God spoke to my heart about that. Anyone like that tonight? “Preacher, I’m going to work at that a little bit.” God bless you. God bless you. That’s wonderful. That’s wonderful. That’s wonderful. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. You can put your hands down. Can I say nobody’s got it all together? Nobody does. We just do our best, and God blesses our little efforts. God just blesses our little efforts. God gave the increase after Paul planted and Apollos watered this. God gave the increase, but He did it after they worked.

You here tonight, you say, “Preacher, I’m going to ask You for this. I’m going to pray and I’m going to work at trying to see at least one soul saved before the end of the year.” Old friends, it’s August the 4th. We’ve got months ahead, and I’m going to pray, and I’m going to work. I’m trying to see at least one person. I understand you can’t make it happen, but I’m going to do all I can. I’m going to pass out tracts. I’m going to witness. I’m going to be after it. I’m going to be praying. Now I’m going to try to see at least one person saved by the end of the year by God’s power, God’s rest. I’m going to be after that. And preacher, God knows I won’t be perfect, but I’m going to be sincerely seeking and praying and working, trying to see at least one person saved by the end of the year." That’s you tonight. You slip in that, “Preacher, I’m going to do it. I’m going to sincerely work at this thing, pray and work and witness and do all I can. I know God brings the increase. I’m going to work at that thing.” God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. That’s wonderful. That’s wonderful. God blesses our little efforts. Yes, it’s God. I can’t save a soul. I can’t do that. But God blesses when I’m after Him.

Oh, let’s just be casting the gospel net. Say, “Lord, would You give me one?” It’s just one. Would You? By the way, so often it’s not just us. It’s any of this God’s been working and used and working in the heartline. So we’ll be a part of that. Let’s all stand, if you would, please. We’re going to have a word of prayer, and we’re going to sing the invitation song tonight. I’m not sure what the page number is tonight. We’ll get it for you just a second here. But let’s just come. Oh, man, let’s stay after this single lost souls. And the Lord, help us to stay focused on souls. Let’s pray. Would you come? We’re going to 286, 286, “Just As I Am.” Let’s pray and let’s ask the Father to use us to see people saved. Father, thank You for the privilege. Lord, I’m humbled with this trust that You put in our hands, the gospel. Lord, I pray, would You increase our faith? Give us boldness, Lord. Father, help us to sharpen our skills, if You will. But, Lord, we know at the end of the day it won’t be me that does the work. No, Lord, it’ll be You on Your gospel. Father, help us to be just, just avid at this thing of getting the gospel out to many, many people. Father, use these people to see many people saved. Father, we’ll thank You, brag on You, and praise You for what You do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Original File: Winning Souls - Pastor Paul Chisgar Sunday PM 8419