This morning I had the special treat of doing devotions with a couple of young men aged 15 and 9.
I had been reading out of Isaiah 6 already this morning – that mighty portion of Scripture regarding Isaiah SEEING the Holiness of God – “Holy, Holy, Holy – Lord God Almighty.”
Isaiah saw His own sin – a man of unclean lips – repenting, falling down before a Holy God.
I told them of my conversion so long ago (how when I began to attend church and sing those old time hymns like Holy, Holy, Holy that I wept again and again and again).
I saw my sin in the light of a Holy God. God convicted me of my infatuation with pornography. He called me out of that filth and convicted me again and again and drew me to Himself.
I spoke of the fact that there are many church goers that think they are Christians, but where is their fruit? Where is their turning away from their sin? Why isn’t there more evidence of fruit bearing Christians all around us? Why are our leaders so gutless, convictionless? Why are so many so conformed to this world, instead of hungry to be called out in pursuit of holiness without which no man shall see the Lord?
I talked about the movie “God’s Not Dead” (they both had seen it). I said don’t think that that was all that fictional; one person out of seventy or so students in that atheist professor’s classroom that had the spirituality to go against the tide.
Then I said this to these young men: “You must be born again. Salvation means that Christ’s spirit now lives within you. You are then equipped to live the Christian life. Without true salvation, you have not been baptized by the Holy Spirit. You simply can’t fight the fight of faith.”
I then spoke personally about how my wife Jan’s parents introduced me (by example) of being in the Word for myself – daily. God’s Word sheds light, informs, stirs, convicts.
Lastly, I said as a parent, grandparent, it is such a relief when I know that loved ones and friends (like them) really know Christ, are growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and are fruit bearers because, as we now see in our beloved America, tough times are ahead.
I quoted the passage from II Timothy 2 where Paul warns against being entangled.
“No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” [II Timothy 2:4]
Are you a Christian? Are you paying attention to the news of our day – of today?
If you aren’t following me on American Decency Association’s Facebook I hope you will consider it.
I post Scripture and the concerns of our day – all from my daily time with the Lord – early in the morning.
Will you be there on that day when Christ comes for His own?
Are you like those college students in “God’s Not Dead” that so freely and easily conformed with the atheist professor and wrote on the paper ‘GOD IS DEAD.”
Wickedness is on the move in our land, through our government, our media, so many schools, etc..
Do you know Him? What about your children and grandchildren? Are they oblivious to the issues of our day that are taking down America?
That is the bigger question. Are you saved? Will you be there with Christ on that day? I pray so.
The lesser question, but important: Will you be there with us to hear Mat Staver, a man of God who defends religious freedom in courthouses and towns throughout our beloved America?
Register today for our summer conference, “Godliness in a Day of Godlessness,” featuring speakers Mat Staver and Kamal Saleem on Friday, July 18 from 7:00 – 9:30 PM at Sunshine Community Church in Grand Rapids, MI.
Event details:
Friday, July 18 – 7:00 – 9:30 PM
Sunshine Community Church
3300 East Beltline Avenue, NE
Grand Rapids, MI
