the ship afloat. The vessel rocked crazily in the rough sea, taking on so much water that he and the other members of the crew had to lash them selves to the deck to keep from being swept overboard. I t seemed like pun ishment from the Almighty for his constant cursing. Only a few days be fore, the captain had begged this prof ligate sailor to cease his blood-curdling blasphemy. His epithets against the Lord expressed his bitterness concern ing the very idea of God’s existence. Then the storm hit with its full fury. Seven fearful days passed with no land in sight. Food supplies were shrinking; one man died. The worried captain, not knowing what else to do, called his crew together. With an eye on this wicked sailor, he explained, “You men know I picked this fellow up on the African coast. He wanted me to take him home to England. While he may know how to navigate, ever since he’s come on board we’ve had nothing but trouble. He says he’s a free thinker. His blasphemies, however, are enough to make the sea cough up her dead. He reminds me of Jonah in the Bible. I think he’s a curse! What do you say we toss him over?” The muscu lar giant stepped up proudly, showing his strength and brawn. No one would dare to take him on. Somewhat fear fully, the C a p ta in countered, “All right, we’ll wait, but if you value your hide, you’d better join us in prayer.” Instead, the sailor turned and stalked back to his post. Suddenly, a verse of Scripture, remembered from childhood, flashed into his mind: “I f ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is m heaven give good gifts to them that ask Him.” For the first time since he was a boy, the sailor prayed, “God, if you’re true, make good your word and cleanse my vile heart.” Four weeks later, on April 171,8, the ship limped into an Irish harbor. The converted sailor went to church and professed salvation. What a transformation: a former slave trad er and free thinker had become a born- again Christian! In the years that followed the Lord used him as an evan gelist and made him a writer of hymns. His name was John Newton, and per haps his most beloved composition is “Amazing Grace!” 18
The sixth reason for personal evangelism is that a man is human and human things cannot inherit that which is divine. This is one rea son why we have more than 240 brands of religion in the United States. Unsaved people figure out some phrase out of context so they can start a new cult with their own views. You see, it is as simple as th is: a man has to have eternal life to un derstand eternal things. No dog, no matter how fine it may be, can under stand human things. No horse, no matter how expensive it may be, can understand huma n things. There must be new life imparted and im planted in our souls. This is the only way we can understand the things that are holy and righteous. The last reason I want to point out to you is basic for, without Christ, man is lost. He doesn’t know where he is going and usually he doesn’t care. Only the S a v i ou r could say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” He wants to find us, for “He came to seek and to save that which was lost.” Take cour age; go right to the Lord Jesus Christ and He will save your soul. Again, a sinner is dead, blind, wicked, unclean, an enemy, human and lost. These are the seven condi tions of an unsaved person which should compel us to fulfill our re sponsibility of soul-winning. Have you responded to your duty? Will there be someone else in Heaven be cause of what you have done? Out side of the joy that fills a man’s heart through salvation, there is nothing else to compare with the ex hilaration which comes in leading another into the pathway of eternal life! * * * A person is merely inviting future in juries if he tries to revenge past ones. * * * "A M A Z IN G G RAC E" Many years ago, an ungodly sailor found himself almost helpless on ship board, manning bilge pumps to keep
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