Devotions

“When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Why would Jesus ask such a question? It implies a lack of faith, not just on the worldly but among God’s people.

Faith is one of the most talked about subjects in the church. Great works are being done and huge projects undertaken, all in the name of faith. So, what is Jesus saying by asking, “When the trumpet finally sounds, will I find any faith at all?” We find a sobering clue in Hebrews: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12).

One of the most familiar cases of unbelief is found in the story of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. Here was a devoted, godly priest who suffered because of a single episode of unbelief. Scripture says Zacharias was “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). He ministered faithfully and was a respected, faithful servant, but when the angel Gabriel brought the message that he was to have a son, Zacharias was filled with doubt and he gave in to unbelief. God did not take kindly to Zacharias’ doubt and he struck him dumb: “Behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time” (Luke 1:20).

Only one sin kept Israel out of the Promised Land — unbelief! “And why couldn’t they go in? Because they didn’t trust him” (Hebrews 3:19, Living Bible). “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11).

Our God has made incredible promises to us and he desires that we hold him to those promises. I encourage you to lay hold of his wonderful Word and enter into his promised rest. Then your life will be a glowing testimony to this generation.

At some point you may find your relationship with the Savior becoming cool and distant. A look at the apostle Peter’s life reveals that he denied Christ three time, even going so far as to tell his accusers, “I do not know Him” (Luke 22:57). This disciple was sure of his relationship with Jesus and had said to himself and others, “I could never grow cold in my love for Christ. Others may walk away, but I will die for my Lord” (see Matthew 26:35).

So, what had brought Peter to this point? It was pride, the result of self-righteous boasting, and he was the first among the disciples to give up the struggle. He forsook his calling and returned to his old career, telling the others, “I’m going fishing.” What Peter really was saying was, “I can’t handle this. I thought I couldn’t fail but I failed God worse than anyone by denying Jesus. I just can’t face the struggle anymore.”

By this time Peter had repented of his denial of Jesus and been fully restored in the Savior’s love. He was forgiven, healed and Spirit-breathed, yet he was still a frayed man inside, unsure of himself. He was still in fellowship with Jesus and the disciples. In fact, after a time of fishing with his friends, he saw Jesus on the shore and they had a pivotal exchange.

“’Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’” He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs’” (John 21:15). Note that at that time Jesus did not remind him to watch and pray or to be diligent in studying God’s Word. No, Peter was instructed to “feed the lambs.” This simple phrase is a key to guarding against neglect in our spiritual life. Jesus was saying, “I want you to forget about your failure and minister to the needs of my people. As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.”

As you strive to pray, study the Word, live a holy life, and love Christ passionately, be sure you do not ignore the hurting ones in Christ’s Body — the lambs.

It is possible for Christians to become spiritually neglectful, caught up in prayerlessness, going for days without seeking God’s Word. Yes, the Bible clearly warns that it is possible for devoted believers to drift from Christ and it offers powerful warnings about guarding against falling asleep in the midnight hour: “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:1-3).

There are biblical examples of once-strong churches that ended up drifting. In Revelation, we read of the Ephesian church grieving Christ by drifting away from their first love (Revelation 2:4). Likewise, the Laodicean church drifted into lukewarmness (3:15), and the church at Sardis drifted into spiritual death (3:2). Paul warns the believers in Galatia that they had wandered from the victory of Christ’s cross and had turned back to works of the flesh (see Galatians 1:6-7).

Paul warns, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15).

How can you guard against drifting from Christ and neglecting “so great a salvation”? Paul tells us to “give heed” to the things we have heard. Speed reading through God’s Word may give one a feeling of accomplishment, but the more important thing is that you “hear” what you read with spiritual ears. Meditate on the Word so that it is heard in your heart.

Paul says, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). He is encouraging them, “As lovers of Christ, test yourself; take a spiritual inventory of your walk with Jesus.” I encourage you to do the same. How is your communion with Christ? Are you guarding it with all diligence?

“The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). God wants a pure church so that we can be the people he truly longs for us to be — clean and untainted by the world. He wants to do a deep work in us in order to refine us and make us sensitive to the holy, awesome God that we serve.

The word judgment has more than one meaning. It can be translated as the wrath of God, which is for those who do not obey the Lord, but the judgment that comes to the house of God is not the wrath of God; rather, it is like a refiner’s fire. It brings us to a place where our lives are aligned with what he has for us.

The entire fourth chapter of 1 Peter is giving definition to the idea of what our lives can look like when the holy, loving judgment of God comes and purifies us. He draws us to a place of holiness: “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” (4:1). Arming oneself speaks of walking in the fire of the Holy Spirit so that we might be a people that are saying yes to his plans for us.

In 1 Peter 4:8, Peter says we are to “have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’” We see that holiness is not just what we do not do, it is how we live. The greatest form of holiness is love; in fact, “he who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8).

Holiness, the refining fire, the righteous judgment of God — all these will get to the core of your heart and change you. And that type of judgment will cause you to cry out, “Lord Jesus, come!”

There is nothing as exhilarating as walking each day with the Holy Spirit. Moving and breathing in the power of God. Listening for the voice that comes to your spirit, then obeying whatever he would have you do. Going wherever he tells you to go. Saying what he tells you to say. Ministering to whomever he puts in your path. Drinking from the well of his wisdom as he imparts it into your heart and mind.

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you — they are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63).

I try to never question the Holy Spirit’s ways, never doubt his insight, never hesitate to let him lead. So many people try to educate the Holy Spirit on what he should do but God’s Spirit does not answer to you and me or ask us what we think about his ways. He only asks us to follow.

The most powerful and effective prayer any of us can pray is to say, “Jesus, I release my life to the working of your Holy Spirit. I have no plans of my own, no agenda, no goals of my own choosing, no desire that isn’t placed in my spirit by yours. I renounce Satan’s hold on my life and the sins that enslave me. Show me where you want me to go, what you want me to do, who you want me to see, and what you want me to say. I am no longer going to limit your work in my life. Take me! Mold me! Use me! Lead me! Make me a vessel of your Spirit!”

Instead of spending your life praying for blessings, pray that God will use you to bless others. Instead of striving to be comfortable and wealthy and well-fed, pray that God will use you to help others find comfort and shelter and food. Instead of looking for miracles, let God turn your life into a living, breathing miracle of his will.

That is how you make a true impact on the world for Christ and leave a lasting legacy.

Nicky Cruz, internationally known evangelist and prolific author, turned to Jesus Christ from a life of violence and crime after meeting David Wilkerson in New York City in 1958. The story of his dramatic conversion was told first in The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson and then later in his own best-selling book Run, Baby, Run.