Outward Christianity that is not accompanied by inward Christianity is a terrible offense to God. The Christian lives we live outwardly will never go beyond the Christian lives we live inwardly. Our public prayer will never go beyond our private prayer. The public proclamation of our love for God and His judgments will never go beyond our inward zeal to live before Him so that we might honor, praise, glorify, and thank Him.
In like manner, outward revival will not be experienced in our nation, our churches, or our families until an inward revival is experienced in our hearts. Oh that God would revive my heart to a greater zeal...a greater yearning in prayer...a greater diligence in His word. I believe the answer to the problems of our day will not be found merely in the pulpit or the pew...or the church house. But instead it will be found in our hearts and in our homes as we lay them open before God and His word. The time is at hand...the day is far spent...it is far past time for us to come before the Lord and ask Him to search our hearts and show us what is really there.
We have long been covering up the economic problems in our nation with make believe money and make believe hope...but what is far worse is how we have been covering up the spiritual problems in our nation with a gospel that is no gospel..and hopes built on something other than a true inward relationship with Christ, who is our sacrifice, our redeemer, and the exalted Son of God. |