HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW THE LORD?

SCRIPTURE:
I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  
(Romans 9:2)

MEDITATION:
Paul is a great example of how a believer should feel about the lost.
Before he was saved, he had a ruthless passion for persecuting Christians.
However, once he himself was converted, 
he re-channeled his passion in an entirely new direction.
Now his desire was 
for everyone to know the Lord as their own personal Savior.

He didn’t have the attitude of some believers 
to just “write them off” as hopelessly lost.
It broke Paul’s heart when he knew that someone did not know Jesus.
In Ephesians, he talked about how Christians should life their lives.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no 
longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 
They are darkened in their understanding and separated from 
the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to 
the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they 
have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in 
every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, 
is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ 
and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in 
Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, 
to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful 
desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put 
on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and 
holiness. (Ephesians 4:17-24)

The apostle Paul laid out the condition of the lost with these words: 
They are darkened in their understanding and separated from 
the life of God…due to the hardening of their hearts.

He confessed that he was distressed that his fellow countrymen 
had not yet come to know the love of Christ.
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms 
it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing 
anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and 
cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race 
(Romans 9:1-3)

As we think about the condition of nonbelievers, 
we can remember God’s heart toward them:
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand 
slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to 
perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

ACTION:
What are your feelings about lost souls?
Does it break your heart 
to know that someone will spend eternity separated from the Lord?
What efforts ae you making to show your concern for the lost?
You should always be prepared to share your own testimony with others.
When you share your testimony, 
you should never have a condescending attitude;
you should welcome them to “come join us in worshipping the Lord”.

Until you are given an opportunity to share your testimony, 
you have a responsibility to pray for the lost.
You may think, “What if they are not lost?”
Pray for them if you 'think' they are lost based on their words and actions.

Some believers use bad language and if you are praying for them 
(thinking they are lost), God may respond to your prayers 
by convicting them that they should clean up their language
so that others will know they are believers.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, help me to have a heart for those who are 
lost. Teach me how important it is for me to pray for and 
share my testimony with those I believe are lost. Thank you
for sending someone into my life to encourage me to make 
You my Lord and Savior. Help me to prepare and be ready
to share my testimony with anyone at any time.”