Preface: It is my hope in this Lord's Day post to encourage young people first....that the mess of pottage and false promises that this world calls happiness does not have to entangle them as it does others.....and that second....the pablum churches of today that entertain with their gilded pulpits.....lose their luster....and find that which they had lost in their celebrations....the treasure of that pearl of great price....which is able to pay the cost of discipleship....and that the conservative churches who have the doctrine.....might find the freedom to express the joy in Christ....and retain the determination but lose the fear of making even a single mistake….unable to listen to anything not already given a stamp of approval….and duly memorized.
There is a climatic naval battle scene at the end of the 1965 mega-star film....In Harm's Way. It is not a long scene....and very different from the typical World War II Hollywood offerings. In a way the scene did not seem very real....but in a way it seemed too real. In watching the film recently on this computer....I had to go back and watch the short battle scene three times. Some of the star characters were killed....John Wayne lost his leg....and the battle itself seemed to be lost....because of the carnage....but the war of course was won. This film has been in my mind for a few days now....and what I was thinking about concerning it is the Christian life....and the war that we are in.You will not know the extent of what that war is until all seems to be crashing down around you. The battle scenes vary....the attacks can come from literally anywhere....and multiple attacks at the same time. In one scene from that film John Wayne was lying on the deck of a ship that was on fire....and was going down. The director had the audience wondering for a minute or so if Wayne's character was going to die....for it certainly looked as if he would. My mind flashed to my own father....who in my mind's eye has always had a facial resemblance to John Wayne....who himself once lie on a ship's deck....suffering burns that would plague him the remainder of his life.
Pastor/leaders of some of the most God-exalting ministries that we have in America have from time to time....some of them regularly....undergone attacks that even put their ministry in jeopardy. MacArthur is one....Sproul another....Michael Horton....and very specifically John Piper. The more injurious they are to the works of the Devil....the more they are put upon. This is nothing new....in fact this is the normal....and if there are not attacks....then something entirely different may be the problem. Charles Spurgeon....the most influential of all....was ripped and torn in his last days....his wife even saying that it ultimately cost him his life....the same with J. Gresham Machen in the Presbyterian church....and it cost him his life also.
We are no different. Stay in the safe spaces and there will be few problems....but also few glorious testimonies to the saving power....and keeping power of God. I write these words in this post for young people primarily. Step number one is acknowledge your inexperience. Do not let it hinder you.....but go forth knowing that times will come when every bone in your body may plead with you to stop....to consider the warnings that all your friends gave you when you first embarked on this perilous voyage.
Step number two is to try to find fellowship with like minds. Whitefield did this....and Robert Murray M'Cheyne. Jeremiah needed Baruch. Elijah needed Elisha....but Jonah had no one. If your pastor does not seem to have this unction that you have....that keeps you up at night dwelling on the glories of Jesus Christ....and shedding tears for the salvation of loved ones....then there are always these faithful pastors that God beams to us through the various telecommunications that we have today.
