Our soul winning passage from the Word of God today is 2 Timothy 2:2 which reads: "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."

Our soul winning quote today is from Billy Graham. He said: "The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith."

Our soul winning devotional is part 99 of our series titled "What Evangelism Is" from Dave Earley and David Wheeler.

Evangelism Is...Leaving a Legacy

Deuteronomy 34:7 says about Moses that when he died “his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” While he was never able to enter the promised land, he knew he was preparing Joshua and others who would advance God’s work as representatives for righteousness. They would eventually inherit the land.

A few verses later Scripture tells that “Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.”

Moses understood his calling as more than building his earthly reputation. He realized that his blessing of Joshua and investment into his life and ministry would survive as a legacy way beyond his earthly existence. This is evident when Moses passed the baton of leadership to Joshua. In doing so, God repeatedly mentioned the influence of Moses even though he had already passed on.

Josh 1:2–3, 5 says: "Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses...There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."

This promise is fulfilled in Joshua 6 when Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land by taking the mighty fortress of Jericho. None of this could have happened without the years of mentoring by Moses. By walking with Moses through the treacherous times in the wilderness, Joshua learned that God would always provide for His people. Just as Joshua was guided by Moses to value God’s call and to trust His ways, my Father taught me. The result of Moses’ leadership was Joshua’s humility, faith, obedience, and deep love for others.

The legacy of a man’s life has nothing to do with his possessions. Rather it is the God-given passion and influence he spreads to those under his care. It is more than being a mere example. It is living out a life that is multiplied through the attitudes and actions of generations to come! The legacy is an obsessive desire to impact the world for God!

Jesus also lived to leave a legacy. He multiplied His life in men who eventually carried His message across the world. He instructed the disciples in Matthew 4:19, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Even after His death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven, His investment in the disciples became the evangelistic capstone of His legacy to future generations.

In our next podcast, we will continue looking at why evangelism is...Leaving a Legacy.