My wife, Leah, and I had a wonderful time while in Florida, although the weather
was a little cool. More than we have experienced in times past. However, 62-64 degrees
for a high during the day was a little more comfortable than the twenties or even
teens that you experienced back home.
While traveling I-75 down through Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama, we noticed the
grass would have more green replacing the deadness that winter always brings. We
enjoyed the beautiful rolling hills, mountains, and valleys with winding serene rivers.
Once entering Florida it almost seemed like a complete change from winter to spring.
On one long stretch of highway I saw something at a distance that looked different.
Something in the road. Was it a deer, coyote, or some other animal that had been
hit. As we came closer I noticed something moving with large wings. Yes, it was some
buzzards, getting their share of road kill. Yuk! Yes, that's what we said. After
seeing all the beautiful sights of God's wonderful creation there was one of the
most gross things a person could encounter. I couldn't really see the type of animal.
Probably a deer that was enjoying life, looking across the highway to a special feeding
place when its life was ended. As a minister that scene startled me into thinking
about the highway of life. During the 50 years of being in the Lord's work I have
seen many casualties littering the highway of life. We can travel down life's highway
looking for things that satisfy, and instead of looking for the grazing beautiful
fields God has prepared for mankind, we find there are those who try to direct their
own lives without the help of God, and they become casualties on the hillsides littering
the beautiful scenery. People will find themselves in jail, hospitals, insane asylums,
and sometimes death, because of dope, alcohol, illicit sex, and all the things the
world has to offer to get people to follow the devil right into the pits of hell.
My constant prayer to God is that people will not let Satan deceive them into thinking
they are all right within themselves, but will trust Jesus Christ as their personal
Savior. In doing this they are confessing their sins to Christ, and turning from
their sins in repentance. The Bible clearly teaches, "I tell you, nay; but, except
he repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Luke 13:3. In fact, we are getting so modern
in our churches now we don't hear much preaching on drunkenness, drug addition, adultery,
fornication, homosexuality, lying, cheating, murder, gambling, or any other sins
of the flesh. We are living in an era of easy beleaveism when ministers are preaching,
"just be good," or "a good church member," or living by the "golden rule." That sounds
good, and will keep you out of jail, but not hell. Jesus said, "I am the way, the
truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me". John 14:6.
As I See It, there are other reasons that we have a lack of church attendance and
faithfulness to the House of God. That is because of a lack of true discipleship
in today's churches. The first is a defective theology that has crept over us like
a deadening fog. This theology separates faith from discipleship and grace from obedience.
It teaches that Jesus can be received as one's Savior without being received as one's
Lord. This is a common defect in times of prosperity. In days of hardship, particularly
persecution, those who are in the process of becoming Christians count the cost of
discipleship carefully before taking taking up the cross of the Nazarene. I am asking
for preachers not to beguile (or deceive) them with false promises of an easy life
of indulgence of sins. But in good times, prosperous times, the cost does not seem
so high, and people take the name of Christ without undergoing the radical transformation
of life that true conversion implies. In these times preachers often delude them
with an "easy" faith--i.e., Christianity without the cross--in order to increase
the numbers on their church rolls, whether or not the added people are regenerated.
The result of true salvation is found in the scripture, "Therefore, if any man be
in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are
become new" 2 Corinthians 5:17. You see, As I See It, the Bible has an answer for
every question, and a light for every life.
