I've entitled the message for tonight, Personal Evangelism. Every believer is interested in this. Every believer wants to preach the gospel to those around him. There's no such thing as a believer that is not interested in this. I know that everyone who believes the gospel, listening to me, wants to be a faithful witness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I love what the Lord said to the gathering demonic he healed. Go home to thy friends and tell them the great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had compassion on thee. And in Luke's account, return unto thy own house and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way and published throughout the city, the great things Jesus had done unto him. Wouldn't you love to be enabled to do that?

Now in our text, we read of Moses speaking to his brother-in-law. He'd known this man for 40 years. You remember when he fled to Egypt, he met his wife and had been married to her 40 years, and I have no doubt that this man was a personal friend of Moses. Moses loved this man. Moses wanted the best for this man, and they were getting ready for this journey. the wilderness. And Moses is seeking this man's best interest. This is very important. He wasn't saying, I want to get you to believe like me. He wasn't saying, I want you to join my church. He was seeking this man's best interest. And that's so important in any kind of dealings with anybody.

If I'm trying to rack up a soul I've won, if I'm trying to get somebody a part of my religious organization and trying to count in some way I've won a soul, that's just wrong. That's just wrong. It's manipulative. As far as that goes, all these how to, this is not a how to witness. You know, on the very surface, if I'm trying to say, I'm going to teach y'all how to witness, that's dishonest. If you witness, you've got something to say, not, I'm going to train these people to witness, or we're going to practice evangelism explosion international, or we're going to learn the four laws and all these different ways people have of supposedly spreading the gospel. That's not what this is about.

Moses loved this man and Moses wanted what was best for him. So look in, Back in our text, in Hebrews chapter 10, verse, or Numbers chapter 10, verse 29. And Moses said, I'm interested in what Moses had to say. This is his brother-in-law. He loved this man. He wanted to do this man good. I'm interested in what he had to say to this man before he goes on his journey. And Moses said unto Hodab, the son of Raguel, the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, also known as Jesse, he says, we're journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I'll give it you. Come thou with us and we will do thee good for the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel.

Come with us. I love the simplicity of that. We're going on a journey to a place the Lord said. We're beginning with what the Lord said. Come with us. We will do thee good. Now, I love the way he says, come with us. Hodab was not a Jew. And yet he says to this man, come with us, we will do thee good. He had a genuine love for this man. He wanted this man to know the same Lord he knew. Don't you want people to know the same Lord you know? Don't you want them to be saved by the same gospel that saved you? And that's what Moses is saying to his brother-in-law, this man that he knew, that he cared about. He said, come with us, and I love the way While the gospel is a very exclusive message, and you know that, the Lord said in John chapter 14, verse six, I'm the way that excludes all other ways. I'm the truth, the truth that excludes all other truths. I'm the life. My life is the only life. There is no other life. I love the way the Lord puts that so clearly and succinctly. It's a very exclusive message.

We're not trying to market the message. We're not trying to make it more attractive. But he says, come with us. The spirit and the bride say, what? Come. Not go and do, not make yourself better, not prepare yourself, not experience more, not wait till you've learned more, not wait till you've straightened this out and got this area in your life okay, come. Come with us, we will do the good. Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Now, in my preaching, in your preaching or witnessing or whatever it is, I hope this is always on the forefront with us. Come with us, not stay away, not go and do, come with us. We will do the good. Good. And notice he says to this man that he loved, we're journeying into the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you. Now, what does he speak of to his brother-in-law? He spoke of what the Lord said. Now, if we don't begin there, We might as well not even do anything. He spake of what the Lord said. And then he said, the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. We must begin with what God has said. The authoritative word of God, the word spoken by the Lord. Now, I don't know why this has been on my mind for the last several weeks.

I've been thinking about this, about how The Old Testament, King James Version, always translates Jehovah as capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D. It's the Lord's proper name that he's given himself, Jehovah.

Now, I like the idea because they thought that this name is too sacred to speak. And I wouldn't argue with that. His name is holy and reverent. And it is, anytime I use the Lord's name, I'm always aware of taking it in vain. I've not used the proper reverence. I've not used the proper fear. I wanna have a fearful, reverent view of using His name.

But that being said, in the original, it's Jehovah. We're speaking of what Jehovah has said in His name. means the self-existent one. And I love thinking about that, his name.

Now, when we're speaking to others, we're preaching the Lord, who he is, Jehovah, the self-existent one. And his name is taken from, I am that I am. That's where Jehovah comes from. I am that I am. This speaks of his self existence and his independence. He has no needs. This is the one we're preaching. The one who has no needs. We're not even implying in any respect that he needs me or he needs you. He is the self existent one. The one who's entire and eternal existence is completely Within himself, he needs nothing from us.

Now this is the one we're preaching. The one who needs nothing from us. The one has spoken. I love when Matt was reading that passage in Hebrews chapter one, which is one of my favorite chapters. But he's the God who speaks. He has spoken by his son. but he is the God who speaks. And he makes known his name, Jehovah. I am that I am. You see, because he's sovereign, he's self-existent. He has no needs. Because he is all-powerful, he's self-existent. He has no needs. Because he is omniscient, he's self-existent. He has no needs. He has no need of new information. Because He's independent, He's self-existent. He has no needs. That's what Jehovah means, the self-existent One. We're preaching who He is, the self-existent One. He's eternal. He never was, he never will be. He is. He has no needs.

Odab, we're telling you about a journey we're taking to a place where Jehovah, the self-existent one, the great I am that I am, he said, I'll give it to you. I'll give it to you. We're going on a journey. You know, there are a lot of things going on in this world, but we're journeying to a place. We're strangers and pilgrims here. I mean, this world really isn't our home. I'm talking to somebody and I'm saying, we're journeying to a place. It's not here. It's better than anything this world has to offer. We're strangers and pilgrims traveling through this world toward our home. We're on a journey, journeying to a place where Jehovah has said, I will give it you. Now this is the message of grace, not I'm offering something to you. You know, I hear the term, the free offer of the gospel and, um, I just don't like anyone talking about the gospel being an offer. God doesn't offer, he gives. There's all the difference in the world. I'm offering this to you. I'm going to take it back. You don't take it? All right, no. God gives. We're journeying to the place Jehovah has said, I will give it you. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. We're talking about something God gives. We're not talking about something you need to earn. We're not talking about there's something you need to do to make yourself worthy. We're talking about something that the God of glory gives, the place he said, I'll give it to you.

I love in John chapter four, when the Lord's talking to that woman at the well, He said, if you knew the gift of God. Now the gift of God is a gift with no strings attached. It's the only gift there is that has no strings attached. There's nothing you need to do to make yourself worthy of this gift or get this gift. The free gift of God. If you knew the gift of God, Christ Jesus is the gift of God. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The gift of God. If you knew the gift of God, who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, you'd have asked. If you knew who I am, If you know who I am, here's what you're gonna do. You're gonna ask. And he would give unto you that living water. I will give to him that's a thirst the water of life freely. If he inherits unto me of the law, it's no more by promise, but God gave it to Abraham. by promise. Oh, we're talking about the gift of God.

I'm not trying to sell anything. This is his gift. I'm not trying to make promises. I bet if you receive this, look at these benefits that will come your way. You'll have a better life. You'll have fill in the blank. That's not the presentation of the gospel. We're talking about him who is the giver, him who is the gift. Come on a journey with us. We're going to a place The Lord has said, I'll give it to you. Now, who's the us he's speaking of when he says, come with us, we will do thee good. In the context, it's Israel. But what he said is at the end of verse 29, for the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. Moses didn't hesitate to speak of the sovereignty of God's grace when he's speaking to his brother-in-law. He said, the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. Not all men, without exception. I love it when the Lord said to the Syrophoenician woman, or at least said in her hearing, I'm not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Now somebody says, wouldn't that discourage people? He didn't come to save everybody. He's only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. No, it won't discourage anybody. It never will. Somebody might try to make that as an excuse because they don't like it, but this is a part of the presentation of the gospel. He's come to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel. That's talking about God's elect. When he says come with us, he's talking about Israel. The Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. The true Israel of God are those he chose before the foundation of the world. The Lord has spoken good concerning Israel.

Now, let me give you some other words used to translate this word good. The Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken pleasant concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken better Concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken agreeable. Concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken well. Concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken prosperous. Concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken goodly. Concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken best. Concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken mercy. Concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken precious. concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken beautiful concerning Israel. The Lord has spoken cheerful, favor, fine, glad, graciously, joyful, kindly, liketh the best, loving, mercy, wealth, welfare, well-favored. That's a glorious word, isn't it? The Lord has spoken good concerning Israel.

Now let me tell you about this place. We're going to a place where the Lord said, I'll give it to you. The Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. This place is Christ himself. Turn with me for a moment to Ephesians chapter three. Hold your finger there. Number's 10, but let me read this verse of scripture to you from Ephesians chapter three. In whom we have boldness and access into his very presence with confidence by the faith of him. In whom we have boldness. Boldness. Come boldly, come with boldness to the throne of grace. Now, that's not presumptuous. It's because you believe who he is. We come with boldness. And what's he say next? And access, freedom of entrance. I've got, I'm welcome into his presence. Now, Because it's in Christ, I'm welcoming to his presence. Every believer is, immediately. Let not conscience make you linger, nor fitness fondly dream. The only fitness he requires is to have a need of him. This is how we come. We have access with confidence. How? By the faith of him. Oh, his faith gives us boldness. It gives us access with confidence. Now, this is where we're journeying, this place, access into this place, through the faith of Him.

Now, question, is this good news to you or is it bad news to you, what I'm saying? Is it good news or is it bad news? Now, this place is only for Israel. The Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. Is this good news or is this bad news? Well, if you can't be saved by your works, it's good news. If you believe you have some ability in yourself to help in your salvation, if you believe you have some control, it's bad news. Because it says you have no control in this matter. But if you know you have no control in your salvation because of your sin, this is good news. Come with us. Oh, don't you love the way he says this? Come with us. We will do thee good because the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. Come with us. To whom? Coming as into a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious. Come with us. All that the Father giveth me, the Lord said, shall come to me. And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise for no reason cast away.

You know, I've heard people say, how do you preach the gospel to people sincerely if you don't know whether God loves them or if Christ died for them or if, how can you call upon men to believe? Because the Lord did. He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. That's as wide and broad as it can be, isn't it? He that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. The Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. Now, I thought of when the name Israel first appears is in Genesis chapter 32. Jacob, he's scared to death that his brother Esau is going to kill him. He goes to sleep on a rock and there appeared to him a man. wrestling with him. And we know this man was nobody less than the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the angel of the Lord. And it was the Lord who initiated this, Jacob didn't. And the scripture says they wrestled all night long. And the reason the wrestling match continues is because the Lord caused it to continue. He had a purpose in this. And then the Lord took his hip at a joint, and he became crippled. And he said, let me go. And Jacob said, I will not let you go except you bless me.

Would to God that you and I would be just like that. I've got to have your blessing. I will not let you go except you, I'm gonna hold on, you can kick away, but I'm gonna hold on with all I got. I will not let you go except you bless me. And then the angel of the Lord said, what's your name? He said, Jacob. Cheat, deceiver, all he was. And the Lord said, thou shalt no longer be Jacob, but thou shall be called Israel. This is where this name begins. For as a prince, thou has power with God and men and has prevailed. The Lord has spoken good concerning Israel.

Turn to Numbers chapter 22 for a moment. You'll remember that Balak had asked Balaam to curse Israel, verse 12. And God said unto Balak, thou shalt not go with them, thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed. Look in chapter 23, verse 7. And he took up this parable and said, Balak, the king of Moab, hath brought me from Aaron out of the mountains of the east, saying, come, curse me, Jacob, and come, defy Israel. How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied? From the tops of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him. Lo, the people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous. That's who they are. And let my last end be like his.

Look in verse 17. And when they came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering and the princes of Boab with him. And Balak said unto him, what hath the Lord spoken? And he took up his parable and said, rise up, Balak, and hear, hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor. God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken it, and shall he not make it good? Behold, I have received commandment to bless, and he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it. And look at this. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. And I know what that shout is. It is finished. Oh, don't you want to go with us? The Lord has spoken good. concerning Israel.

Look in chapter 24, verse five. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel, as the valleys are that spread forth as gardens by the riverside, as the trees lying aloes with the Lord hath planted, and the cedar trees beside the waters. He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be Exalted, God brought him forth out of Egypt. He hath, as it were, the strength of a unicorn. He shall eat up nations, his enemies, and he shall break their bones and pierce them through with his arrows. He cast, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion, who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blessed thee, and cursed is he that cursed thee.

Now the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. Oh, he says this to his brother-in-law. Go back to our text in Hebrews chapter 10. And Moses said unto Hobab the son of Regul, the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, we're journeying unto the place which the Lord said, I'll give it you. Jehovah, the self-existent one. This is not an idle promise. He said, I'll give it. Come thou with us and we will do thee good for the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. And here's how his brother-in-law replied. He said unto him, I will not go. Don't want to. But I will depart to my own land and to my kindred. I'm just going back with my people. I will not go.

Now did Moses say, suit yourself. If you're going to be that ignorant, suit yourself. That's not the way he responded to this man. Look what it says in verse 31. And he said, leave us not, I pray thee. He wasn't indifferent about this. He loved this man. Leave us not, I pray thee, for as much as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, he's told him about what's going to happen, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee. He loved this man. This man said, no. Did he say, suit yourself then? Go on. Your blood's on your own head. There's a time when that is to be said. It's scriptural. But that's not what Moses did at this time. He still wanted him to come with him because he loved him.

Now, when men say no, we continue to pray for them. And when the Lord opens up a door, we want to preach the gospel to And again, and this is really the repetition, the rep, what's the word I'm looking for? Repetition, yeah, I don't know. Leave us not, I pray thee, for as much as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes, and it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, thou, it shall be that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us. The same will he do unto you.

This is a repetition of the gospel to this man. What the Lord does for us, he'll do for you.

Now, do you remember at the beginning of this message, the Lord said to that Gadarene demonic, go home and tell thy friends, thy family, The great things the Lord has done for you and has had compassion on you. Well, let me give you my personal testimony.

The great things the Lord has done for me. He stood as my surety before time began. and took complete responsibility for my salvation. And he said unto his father of my hand, shall you require of him, if I bring him not before thee and set him before thee, let me bear the blame forever. He took complete responsibility for my salvation.

And do you know that the moment he agreed, I know this was done in eternity and I'm struggling for ways to say like there's no moments in eternity, But I know this, the moment he agreed to be my surety, the Lord ceased to look for a thing out of me and he looked wholly to the Lord Jesus Christ. That is my testimony.

And in time, this one who agreed to be my surety came to this earth and was born of a virgin and stayed in his mother's womb for nine months and came out and lived a perfect life, and he did it for me. When he worked out this perfect righteousness, he did it in us, just like he said to John the Baptist, thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Here's my testimony. He did my righteousness. That's my testimony.

Let me go on. This one who agreed to be my surety, this one who worked out my righteousness, died for me. You see, this was God's eternal purpose for him as the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He died for me to put away my sin. This is God's eternal purpose. He died for me.

You and we're getting ready to take the Lord's table. I love the scripture in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 26, where it says, as often as you do this, you show forth the Lord's death till he come. When we take the Lord's table in just a few moments, we're saying that all my salvation is in his death. Somebody says, what about the resurrection? Well, of course that's included in it, but it's Christ that died. That's my, who is he to condemn? It's Christ that died. We show forth the Lord's death till he come. We're saying my only hope is his death and this is my message until he come. And we're awaiting his return.

Not only did he die for me and put away my sins, he was raised from the dead for me. Raised from the dead. Never going through the process of decay because he accomplished my complete justification by his death. And he was raised for me. He went to heaven for me. Actually, I went there with him because scripture says we're seated together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. He's right now. interceding for me, and he's coming for me.

And I have no doubt that all of this was included somehow in what Moses was saying to Hodah. Now that's a personal testimony. When the personal testimony leaves you thinking about the one giving it, it wasn't any good. It wasn't real, it was somehow self-promoting and so on, but come with us. We will do thee good, for the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel.

When they say no, we say, leave us not. We continue to pray for them. We continue to seek to preach the gospel for them. And we repeat the gospel again. The good, you come, the good the Lord's done to us, he'll do for you.

May the Lord enable us to be like Moses in this thing of personal evangelism. Let's pray.

Lord, we ask in Christ's name that you would open up doors for us to speak as Moses did to his brother-in-law. Let us speak of the land, the place that you give, and that you have spoken good concerning Israel, your people. Lord, enable us to be saved by the gospel, enable us to preach the gospel. And Lord, as we prepare to take your table, as you've commanded us in your word, we pray that we might be enabled in our hearts to show forth thy death until you come. Bless this time for Christ's sake, in his name we pray, amen.