THE MINISTRY OF BLEEDING HEARTS

THE MINISTRY OF BLEEDING HEARTS

"How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?" Romans 10:14‭ (CEV)

Few years ago, I was privileged to work with a group of believers in witnessing to people within a particular community during Easter Let's Go A Fishing Program. Prior to the set date, a detailed location mapping was carried out and workers divided into groups for effective door to door evangelism. However, on that fateful day, over 60 percent of the people expected never showed up. Interestingly, majority of these people are Ordained/Altar Ministers, Choristers, Ushers, Sunday School teachers and House Fellowship leaders. So, the question is why were they not available? Don't they understand the importance of winning souls? Are they not concerned about the eternal damnation and horrible plights of sinners? 

"In fact it's dreadful for me if I don't share the good news" 1 Corinthians 9:16b (FBV)

"Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then, you're not saved yourself, be sure of that" - Charles H Spurgeon. 

Beloved, what is your attitude towards evangelism? Are you always available or are you always too busy? It is obvious that many believers in this generation are seriously exhibiting unusual complacency in reaching unbelievers with the gospel. However, we must never forget that God expects us to go after those who are unsaved and prayerfully bring them to the Saviour. We are expected to be passionate for souls like John Knox, whose only prayer point was "Father, give me Scotland or I die". God wants us to have deep burden and great passion for souls like Apostle Paul. God wants us to have an unquenchable passion for souls that will move us to pray for sinners and also drive us to go out and plead with them to repent. The passion for souls that will change our tearless hearts to bleeding hearts like that of Apostle Paul (Romans 10 : 1).

"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is, that they may be saved" -Romans  10:1 (ESV)

"The gospel of a broken heart demands the ministry of bleeding hearts. When our sympathy loses its pang we can no longer be the servants of the passion. We can never heal the needs we do not feel. Tearless hearts can never be heralds of the passion. We must pity if we would redeem. We must bleed if we would be ministers of the saving blood." - Dr. Jowett

Beloved, which group do you belong to - those who are eagerly looking for opportunity to witness or those who detest evangelism? Those with bleeding hearts or those with tearless hearts? Although, many of us look like serious Christians but something has gone wrong within us. We have become self-centred and out of tune with God and His agenda for our lives. We have lost our passion for souls and a tearless heart have replaced the bleeding heart that we once had. Oh! This is really saddening.

Friends, another Easter Let's Go A Fishing is here. Please be sincere with yourself. Don't you think you desperately need a heart transplant before the season of harvest on earth is over? Don’t you think you need a bleeding heart like Apostle Paul and John Knox?. A compassionate heart that will move you to pray and also seek for opportunity to reach sinners with the gospel. If your answer is "yes", then, please join me to make the lyrics of this wonderful hymn below your prayer focus today. The hymn which is titled "Lord, Give Us Souls" summarises the heart beat of God, the prayers of Apostle Paul and John Knox:  

LORD, GIVE US SOULS

Gathered are we in the name of our God,

Lord, give us souls, Lord, give us souls;

Trusting His grace and His wonderful Word,

Lord, give us souls, we pray.

Refrain:

        Seals to our labor, and souls for our hire,

        This blessèd Lord, is our one great desire;

        Souls for whom Jesus His precious life gave,

        Lord, give us souls, we pray.

Loved ones are lost, and our friends are astray,

Lord, give us souls, Lord, give us souls;

Help us to win them while yet it is day,

Lord, give us souls, we pray.

Come, Holy Ghost, on Thy people descend,

Lord, give us souls, Lord, give us souls;

Make our hearts holy, Thy kingdom extend,

Lord, give us souls, we pray.

Harvest is passing, yes, soon ’twill be gone,

Lord, give us souls, Lord, give us souls;

Bring us at last to our heavenly home,

Lord, give us souls, we pray.

My prayer for you and my humble self is that God will rend our tearless hearts this week and replace it with bleeding hearts of a true Disciple/Christian. As the Lord lives, before the end time harvest is over on earth, God will use us mightily to reach many sinners and bring them into His Glorious kingdom. And when we finally bid farewell to this world, may we receive a standing ovation as we step our feet on the City of Gold and walk into our mansions above.

I want to invite you to the April 2021 Let's Go A Fishing Program. Date: Monday-April 5th,  2021. Theme: The Dawning of A New Day. Time: 4pm. Venue: 18 Ifelodun Street, by Pentagon Bustop, off Shasha Road, Egbeda, Lagos, Nigeria.  Ministering: Our beloved Daddy, Pastor Babatunde Omishogbon ( PICA -19, LP38) and other anointed Ministers of God.

Happy new month and Happy Easter in advance. God bless you. 

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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