 Praying For The Lost...
After you have reached out to someone with the greatest news they will ever hear (The Gospel), start praying for them. Pray that God will give them a dream. Many people, including myself, have come to faith as a result of a dream or vision. Job 33:15-18 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings, that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword. Pray that God would bring them under conviction regarding sin, righteousness and the judgment to come. Acts 24:25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you." Pray for those divine appointments where God brings someone else into their path to encourage them in the ways of the Lord. Acts 10:22 And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say." Also, pray that God would open their heart to the message of His love. Acts 16:14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. Pray for dreams, conviction, divine appointments and a move of God in the lives of others. Blessings, Scott
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When reaching out to Jewish people with the Gospel you will get a variety of responses from people with diverse Jewish backgrounds. First, let me bring some clarity on a point of confusion for some. Just like the very first followers of Jesus in the New Testament, there are Jewish believers in Jesus today called Messianic Jews. Although Messianic Jews represent a small percentage of Jews worldwide they are growing in number. It’s wonderful to worship and fellowship with Jewish believers. I have encounter non-believing Jews with secular, mildly religious and very religious backgrounds. Many American Jews seem to have a negative view of Jesus so I try to put them at ease by saying “I’m a Christian that loves the Jewish people and I try to support Israel.” While doing outreaches with my shofar, Jewish people will approach me with excitement. I share with them how the Rosh Hashanah celebration and the shofar relates to Jesus. Many Jews find joy in the sound of the shofar and ask me to sound it repeatedly. Most Jews are familiar with the ‘Passover’ and the ‘Binding of Isaac’ passages from the Bible. These are great scriptures to share and show how they point to Jesus the Messiah. Isaiah 53 is one of the most powerful messianic prophecies that has helped many Jewish people come to faith in Jesus. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6 Whether it’s a secular or religious Jew you can always ask them my favorite spiritual question, “If you died tonight and God asked you, “Why should I let you into My kingdom?” What would your answer be?” Most people will tell you about their good deeds and then you can take them through the ‘good person test’ which we covered in ‘Adventures in Witnessing Volume Three.' The following evidence was put together with help from the teachings of Dr. Michael Brown, showing from the Jewish scriptures and the Talmud that Jesus is the Messiah. What every Jewish person should know about Yeshua He is the most influential Jew in the history of the world. More people have come to know the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because of Him than any other Jew. He is a light to the nations. (Ref. Isaiah 49:6) Because of Him former atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, and all types of God haters from around the world have come to love the God of Israel and the Jewish people. Through Him Gentiles from around the world cherish the Hebrew Scriptures and are able to keep the ethical requirements of the Law. The reason we have a “Common Era- CE” and a “Before Common Era- BCE” is because of Him. (Ref. Isaiah 42:6) What did the prophets say? He was born where the prophets said... Out of Bethlehem shall come the One to be Ruler in Israel. (Ref. Micah 5:2) He suffered, died and rose from the dead just as the prophets said... His hands and feet where pierced. They divided His garments among them. He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. He was cut off from the land of the living but His soul was not left in Sheol nor was He allowed to see corruption. (Ref. Psalm 22:1-18, Isaiah 53:1-12, & Psalm 16:10) He lived the way the prophets said... He preached good tidings to the poor, healed the brokenhearted and proclaimed liberty to the captives. (Ref. Isaiah 61:1-2) He had to come before the destruction of the 2nd Temple The Lord, suddenly came to the 2nd Temple to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity and bring in everlasting righteousness before its destruction. Haggai states that the glory of the 2nd Temple would be greater than the glory of the 1st Temple. The scriptures reveal that the Messiah had to come before the demise of 2nd Temple. ( Ref. Malachi 3:1, Daniel 9:24-26 & Haggai 2:7-9) Yoma 39b The Talmud states that during the Yom Kippur service in the Temple, a red thread would be tied to the doorway of the sanctuary. If the sacrifice was acceptable and Israel’s sins forgiven, then the thread would turn white. The Talmud shows that during the last 40 years of the 2nd Temple, this miracle ceased to occur and the thread would remain red. Yeshua died and rose from the dead 40 years before the destruction of the 2nd Temple; this signifies that the sacrificial system was no longer effective and that another system for atonement had been established. The Forever Commandments The priest shall make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year. It's an everlasting statute. (Ref. Leviticus 16:32-34) If Yeshua is not the Messiah then God gave Israel commandments and left them without a way to keep them since there’s no standing temple. Yeshua is the Messiah and the Torah commandments are fulfilled in Him. Yeshua said: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (Ref.Matthew 5:17) Yeshua is Jesus Yeshua took care of the sin problem by going to the cross and dying as the perfect sacrifice, paying the price for our disobedience. He rose from the dead so that whoever follows and confesses Him will have his name written in the Book of Life. He will return again to fulfill the remaining messianic prophecies, establish His kingdom and then be recognized by all the world as the Messiah. Jesus came the first time lowly and riding on a donkey. Died on Passover as the Lamb of God. Rose from the dead on the feast of firstfruits. He sits at the right hand of the Father and will return with the clouds of heaven as the trumpet sounds. (Ref. Zechariah 9:9, John 1:29, Luke 24:46,Psalm 110:1, Daniel 7:13 & Zechariah 9:14) Yeshua the Messiah said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (Ref. John 14:6) For more tips on Jewish evangelism go to www.realmessiah.com 
It’s normally very easy to witness to Mormon missionaries. With their signature attire and bicycles, I love seeing them on the streets. Most Mormons I have encountered are very courteous and polite. Once while standing in line at a fast food restaurant about 15-20 Mormon missionaries came in. I was so excited. I passed out tracts and spoke to as many as I could.
One of the goals of a Mormon is for you to read the ‘Book of Mormon’ and then pray with anticipation to receive a unique feeling described as ‘burning in the bosom.’ Because they believe in having a spiritual experience I usually approach them with a simple question like this, “Hey, can I speak with you guys about spiritual things?” They almost always answer with a cheerful “yes.” Then I tell them about my personal testimony… A few days after making my profession of faith and getting baptized in 2003, I opened the Bible and started reading the book of Ephesians. For the first time in my life the words of the Bible were alive and active speaking to my spirit and soul like nothing I had ever experienced. I realized that something had changed within me and now I know it’s what Jesus spoke of in John chapter 3 when He said “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God”. He has filled me with the Holy Spirit and has given me a burning passion for Him. All of these things happened to me without ever reading the ‘Book of Mormon.’ It's my desire to see you get right with God and worship Him in spirit and truth without being deceived. Since the ‘Book of Mormon’ states in 2 Nephi 25:23 ‘that it is by grace that we are saved after all we can do.’ I like to tell them that Ephesians 2:8-10 says ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.’ First we get right with God through faith, then He directs our steps and sends us to our own unique mission field. The following are some Mormon beliefs and Biblical responses that you may find useful in sharing the truth with them. Even though they are moral and very conservative people, unfortunately they have been deceived. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Do you believe that God the Father was once an exalted man of flesh? Do you believe ‘As man is, God once was, as God is, man may become? Please know that God has told us in Isaiah 43:10 that “Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.” He is the First and the Last and besides Him there is no God. (Ref. Isaiah 44:6) Do you believe that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer? Please know that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. He offers eternal life, has the power to forgive sins, can answer prayers and accepts worship that belongs to God alone. While remaining enthroned in heaven, God pitched His tent among us as Jesus, the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature. The Lord our God is one but has revealed Himself to us in many ways and most commonly as God the Father, God the Son and Holy Spirit. (Ref. John 1:1, Colossians 1:15, John10:28, Luke 5:24, Matthew 28:9, John 14:13-14, Psalm 123:1, Hebrews 1:3 & Acts 5:3-4) Do you believe that Joseph Smith was called to restore the Church and that the priesthood authority belongs to the Mormon Church? Please know that Jesus said He would build His Church and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Ref. Matthew 16:18) The true Church has never needed to be restored. The complete message of true saving faith has been delivered to us in the Scriptures of the Holy Bible alone. (Ref. Jude 3) Do you believe that there is another testament of Jesus Christ? Please know that the Apostle Paul wrote “But even if we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Ref. Galatians 1:8) ------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope this post has been helpful. Blessings, Scott 
When I first started street evangelism I found it difficult to witness to Muslims. I would bring up Jesus at the beginning of the conversation and get blindsided with many objections to what Christians believe about Jesus. They would speak with passion about their Islamic Jesus.
Here’s some effective ways I’ve learned to engage with Muslims. I start by asking a few questions; “If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?” “How long have you lived in America?” “Welcome to America, do you have a spiritual background?” “If you died tonight and Allah asked you, “Why should I let you live in paradise?”, what would your answer be to Allah?” The most common response is usually about how they have tried to be a good Muslim through prayer and acts of service. When I asked them if they are 100 percent sure they are going to Heaven, they are never certain, they see it as 50/50 hoping Allah will be merciful. This is a good place to share an analogy about God’s grace. I like to use this illustration by Ray Comfort. A criminal, standing before a judge, has been given a choice of 'life in jail' or a 'million dollar fine'. The criminal doesn't have the money so his only option is prison. Unexpectedly, a stranger walks into the courtroom, hands a million dollars to the judge and says "I love this person and will pay the price for his crime." The judge is satisfied with the payment and the criminal is set free. This is a picture of what Jesus has done for us, by paying the price for all the ways we have broken God's law. Some Muslims will object and say "everyone most pay the price for their own sins." I tell them “that’s how great God loves us that He would sacrifice Himself for us.” Most Muslims have objections to the deity of Jesus and the trinity. They will say, “Jesus never said “I am God worship Me.”” Here’s a good question in response to this objection. “If I or another human being walked up to you and said 'I am God worship me' what would your response be?” Almost everyone's response is “you are crazy” so why would Jesus make a statement like that knowing how people would respond? However, who can offer eternal life except God alone? Who can forgive sins except God alone? Who can answer prayers except God alone? Jesus offers eternal life, has the power to forgive sins and answers prayers. (Ref. John 10:28, Luke 5:24 & John 14:13-14) By His own words Jesus makes statements that only God can make. Matt Slick has a good way to explain the Trinity by looking at the concept of Time. Time is only made complete by The Past, The Present & The Future, three in one. For a more detailed look at the deity of Jesus look at ‘Adventures In Witnessing Volume Five.' Muslims may also ask, “If Jesus is God, how can God die? Why did He pray to Himself? Why did He say “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” God did the most loving act imaginable. He took on the form of a man to experience human life first hand. Jesus taught us how to have a relationship with God by praying to and worshiping the Father. He was tempted like us but did not sin. His human flesh died but was raised on the third day. His spirit never died. While on the cross Jesus cries out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” because He was pointing people to the messianic prophecy of Psalm 22 which describes His crucifixion experience. He demonstrated His love for us by paying the price for our sins. The Quran says that the Law (Torah) and the Gospel of Jesus is the truth and that no one can alter the words of Allah. (Ref. Sura 3:3-4, Sura 5:68, Sura 10:94, Sura 6:34 & Sura 18:27) The Law and the Gospel of Jesus testify that we have all broken the commandments of God. Thankfully, in His mercy He provided a way for us to be forgiven. Admit you have sinned against Him. Believe that God sent His Son Jesus to die as a sacrifice for your sin and raised Him from the dead on the third day. Confess Jesus as Lord and get baptized. Commit your life to Jesus and have eternal life with God. I have had some great conversations with Muslims and have been complimented by them for the way I conduct myself in the midst of our differences. This should be enough info to get you started but if you want more advice go to www.answering-islam.org
 Welcome to ‘Adventures in Witnessing’ volume nine. Let’s talk about witnessing tools.
Have you ever considered using your talents in a creative way to share your faith? We all have unique personalities and abilities. Whether in the public arena or a small group from home, there are many ways to reach people. The Shofar is my preferred witnessing tool. This ancient Jewish instrument is a perfect conversation starter. I sound the Shofar, and as people take interest, I share its history and how it relates to Jesus. By using this tool, I’ve been able to share the Gospel with a multitude of people with diverse backgrounds. Almost everyone loves to hear the trumpet blast of the Shofar. Pray that God would give you creative ideas for outreach. Here’s a few examples; Use an existing musical, artistic or theatrical talent by singing songs, drawing on a sketch board or performing a comedy skit. Set up a prayer station and advertise prayers for anyone who needs them. Invite believers and non-believers to your house for parties or special events. Organize neighborhood yard sales and block parties with the purpose of witnessing. Hand out tracts and Bibles to yard sale customers. Use social media web sites like Facebook or Twitter to connect with people and share your testimony. Facebook and Nextdoor are great sites to announce yard sales, block parties and community events. Host a themed or special interest Bible study from your home. Choose anything from interior design to motorcycles. Whatever it takes to connect with others. I hope this has inspired you to be creative and reach the lost! Blessings, Scott |
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