4 SWORD OF THE LORD August 5 , 2022
For this summer , I have selected several soul-winning columns written by my predecessor , Dr . Curtis Hutson , while he was editor of the Sword of the Lord . Dr . Hutson was not only a preacher par excellence , but he was also a diligent soul winner .
You Learn by Doing
I have often said , “ You learn by doing .” You learn to swim by getting into the water . The more you swim , the more you learn about swimming . Similarly , I am constantly learning about soul winning .
A sweet little Jewish lady came to hear me in a revival in New York State . Tuesday night during the invitation I went to her and asked if she would trust Christ as Saviour . She seemed to appreciate my concern but said , “ No , I cannot . I ’ m a Jew .”
Wanting another opportunity to witness to her , I asked if she would come back and hear me again before the revival closed . She agreed to do so . On Thursday night she was back . I preached from Isaiah 53 . She came again Friday night and brought her teenage son .
When the service concluded , I went to the back table where I spoke to a number of precious friends who had driven several miles to be in the service . Other people were waiting to see me , among them my Jewish friend .
She introduced her son and I tried to win them both to Christ . Opening the Bible to Isaiah 53 , I read several verses , emphasizing “ he ,” “ him ” and “ his ,” as I read . “ But he was wounded for our trans - gressions , he was bruised for our iniquities : the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we are healed . All we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own way ; and the
LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all ” ( vss . 5 , 6 ).
I stopped and asked the young man , “ When I read those verses , what did you think about ?”
He replied , “ The Messiah .” When his mother was asked the same question , she agreed .
I explained that Jesus died for their sins and that they must accept Him . Quoting John 3:36 , “ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life : and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him ,” I said , “ You must believe . You must trust Christ . The Bible says , ‘ He that believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him .’ ”
By the expression on her face , I knew the lady wanted to do some - thing about the matter of salvation . “ Let me ask you a question ,” she said . “ Suppose someone trusts Christ as Saviour , then later has doubts . If that one dies during the time he is doubting , will he still go to Heaven ?”
I replied , “ Oh , yes . The promise is ‘ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life .’ God wants you to be sure , but you are not saved be - cause you are sure . You are saved because you trust Jesus Christ as Saviour . Everyone at some time or other has doubts .”
I made sure that she and her son both understood the plan of salvation and then asked if I could pray before they left . They hesitated and I said , “ All right , if I lead you in a simple prayer , will you repeat it after me if you mean it ?”
The son said , “ I ’ m not sure that I can mean it .”
“ In that case , let ’ s take a few words at a time . I will say a few words and if you cannot repeat the prayer , simply tell me so .”
He and his mother agreed and I led them in a simple sinner ’ s prayer : “ Dear Lord Jesus .”
The boy spoke up , “ I can ’ t say that .”
Laying my hand on the mother ’ s shoulder , I said , “ What about you ? Can you say it ?”
“ Oh , yes ,” she said and then she repeated , “ Dear Lord Jesus .”
I continued , “ I know that I ’ m a sinner .”
Again she said , “ I can say that ” and prayed , “ I know that I ’ m a sinner .”
When I continued , “ I know that Jesus Christ died for my sins ,” I wondered if she would repeat it . She never hesitated . Repeating every word , she prayed and trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour .
I turned to John 3:36 and showed
I will open my mouth in a parable : I will utter dark sayings of old : Which we have heard and known , and our fathers have told us . We will not hide them from their children , shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD , and his strength , and his wonderful works that he hath done .
Psalm 78:2 – 4
her that according to the promise of God , she had everlasting life . She agreed . I asked for her name and address so I could send a gift subscription to the Sword of the Lord . She smiled and said , “ We have already subscribed . We took an envelope in the service to - night .”
The young man promised to read the Sword every week and call or write me if and when he decided to trust Christ as Saviour .
I don ’ t ever remember praying with an unsaved person , asking him to repeat as much of the prayer as he could and saying that if I said something he could not repeat , to stop and tell me so . Though the young man found a place in the prayer where he felt he must stop , his mother repeated the prayer and trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour .
We learn by doing . I am con - stantly learning new things , new questions , new approaches and new ways to present the Gospel .||
“ Then What ?”
Charles G . Finney , a young lawyer , was sitting in a village law office in the state of New York . He had just come into the old squire ’ s office . It was very early in the day and he was all alone when the Lord began to deal with him .
“ Finney , what are you going to do when you finish your course ?”
“ Put out a shingle and practice law .” “ Then what ?” “ Get rich .” “ Then what ?” “ Retire .” “ Then what ?” “ Die .” “ Then what ?” And the words came tremblingly ,
“ The judgment .” He ran for the woods , and all day he prayed , vowing never to leave until he had made his peace with God .
He saw himself at the judgment bar of God . For four years he had studied law ; now the vanity of a selfish life , lived for the enjoyment of the things of this world , was made clear to him .
After a long struggle , Finney came out of the woods that evening with the high purpose of living hence - forth to the glory of God . From that moment , God used him in a mighty way , not as a lawyer but as a preacher , to bring thousands to conversion over a useful period of fifty years . ||