4/19/2010
TEPID FAITH
Jeremiah 29:13 NIV “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
I became a Christian when I was three years old. With the exception of a two year hiatus, I have served God for almost four decades. For almost twenty-eight of those years, I have served in ministry. I have always attended church regularly, mid-week too, and tried to live a holy life by not drinking, cussing, partying, etc. And yet, for years, I still struggled with the same sins. I constantly asked the question, “Why do I struggle so hard to live a Christian life, and for others, it seems so easy?”
And then I was given the book, The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson—a true story about the author. It begins with Wilkerson making the decision to turn off his TV set and start praying each evening. During that prayer time, God started to do amazing things through him. One night during his nightly devotion, he found himself distracted by an article on his desk. It talked about some gang members on trial in New York. The Holy Spirit sparked something in him, and he decided to go to New York—a motion that would change everything. His obedience not only reached the hearts of some of the hardest gang members, but it has also spurned a worldwide organization (Teen Challenge) that saves thousands of lives each year to this day.
I was amazed at how just one man could make such an enormous impact on thousands, maybe millions, of souls. Why was this man able to do so much for the Lord and I struggled so much? The answer was simple—time. He made a decision one day to turn off the TV and just spend time with God in prayer. That decision birthed an enormous ministry that would change many lives.
God cares about our future, and us, but we need to spend time with Him so He can prepare us for it. You want to be on fire for God and in your faith—it starts with time spent with Him.
Hebrews 11:6b “He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”
I became a Christian when I was three years old. With the exception of a two year hiatus, I have served God for almost four decades. For almost twenty-eight of those years, I have served in ministry. I have always attended church regularly, mid-week too, and tried to live a holy life by not drinking, cussing, partying, etc. And yet, for years, I still struggled with the same sins. I constantly asked the question, “Why do I struggle so hard to live a Christian life, and for others, it seems so easy?”
And then I was given the book, The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson—a true story about the author. It begins with Wilkerson making the decision to turn off his TV set and start praying each evening. During that prayer time, God started to do amazing things through him. One night during his nightly devotion, he found himself distracted by an article on his desk. It talked about some gang members on trial in New York. The Holy Spirit sparked something in him, and he decided to go to New York—a motion that would change everything. His obedience not only reached the hearts of some of the hardest gang members, but it has also spurned a worldwide organization (Teen Challenge) that saves thousands of lives each year to this day.
I was amazed at how just one man could make such an enormous impact on thousands, maybe millions, of souls. Why was this man able to do so much for the Lord and I struggled so much? The answer was simple—time. He made a decision one day to turn off the TV and just spend time with God in prayer. That decision birthed an enormous ministry that would change many lives.
God cares about our future, and us, but we need to spend time with Him so He can prepare us for it. You want to be on fire for God and in your faith—it starts with time spent with Him.
Hebrews 11:6b “He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”
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