I remember a statement by Charles Finney with reference to all the confusion going on in the churches that tempted him to say, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him!”  True of many Christian set-ups.

I´m friendly with a local, catholic school.  An old friend from the Gideon people goes with me and hands out New Testaments to the classes, and I have a dialogue with the precious students.  That works fine.  One thing does wring my heart however.  The Gideon International has a wonderful story to tell and does a fine job by distributing Bibles and  New Testaments but…

But what?

I´m being accused of preaching to the school classes  (in fact, I usually open the New Testament with them and suggest a brief talk on John 3:16 for example), but that won´t do.  I was many years ago a Gideon man, but was expelled with cold blood because I did that.  I should rather tell them about the Gideon International, hand out the New Testament and then good-bye.  Well, you don´t even have to be born again and have a personal relationship with Christ in order to represent a big organization.

I asked my local Gideon friend, “How is it?  Are you really burning for the salvation of souls?  Is there fire, passion, enthusiasm, tears, in your work?”  Now, he´s an honest man but had to admit that the work is put on the back burner in practice.  I breaks my heart.

A streamlined organization or church may have beautiful equipment, music, brochures, Bibles in beautiful lay-out, good salesmanship and the like without burning hearts.  When that happens the Christian work becomes a Christless game. 

The apostle Paul admonishes his young co-worker to have the gift of God stirred up in him (2 Tim. 1:6), and, indeed, his own spirit  was “stirred in him“  also (Acts 17:16) when he saw Athen´s desperate need of Christ.  Without this zeal we are not true believers.

May the Lord revive this holy stir within us this week!

August 18, 2012 – jn