Preface....this morning: Ten years ago I wrote a glowing post on the 21 hour and 19 minute filibuster speech that Texas Senator Ted Cruz gave in an attempt to derail Obamacare. I defended him once again just after the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland after Trump purposely came out to his seat in the auditorium while Cruz was giving his speech....to humiliate him....which worked. Cruz was a good senator....and a wise man....until he came into Trump's orbit. It has been nothing but a crash since then. Today....Fox has a short 'news' story out on Ted Cruz. In it the Texas senator said that the day after Texas lost to Oklahoma that he was in mourning....after the tragic and heartbreaking loss. Well there is a big part of the problem today...a United States senator....and a vocal evangelical....uses the words....'mourning'....and 'tragic' because one group of guys carried a football for more points than another group of guys! What is tragic and heartbreaking is what happened to Ted Cruz.
The multitudes that John the Baptist baptized were not saved souls. These baptisms were in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. How many of them later became followers of Jesus we have no idea....but surely many. So you remember that when Jesus was speaking some....'hard sayings'....that many disciples departed...."After this many disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him." Jesus asked the twelve...."Do you want to go away as well?"....whereupon Simon Peter answered...."Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. and we have believed, and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6: 66-69)
What happened in California in the late 60s and early 70s....that which became known as the Jesus Revolution....was similar but not identical. Over this past summer the same Greg Laurie and others baptized over 4000 people in those same Pirate's Cove waters....and there are baptisms going on on a number of college campuses.
These type of movements are usually described as revivals....and the numbers of people baptized mischaracterized as the number of people 'saved.' Greg Laurie....(in a news article on CBN two days ago)....wisely described this as a genuine....baptism movement.....for that is what it is....and it can be wonderful....but once again....in like manner....hopefully....it is more....preparation....for the Second Coming Of Jesus Christ along with His mighty angels....in great power and glory!
The signs of the imminent return of Jesus are everywhere today. That same Jesus Revolution moment....fifty-some years ago....brought with it a Holy Spirit inspired awareness of the end-times that we were and are living in. It was only in an early stage....with much error due to over-exuberance....but it also was preparation in a way. Those kernels of truth sewed among weeds have built into a great wheatfield today about ready to be harvested...."Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (John 12: 24)
If one does not die to Christ....then it is impossible for them to be....born again. In some way....and there are various ways....there must be that moment of mortification. Have you experienced that....or were you 'saved'....without ever having known that you were lost?
Have you ever just meditated on the words of Jesus in John 10:27...."My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."? Here is a hard question....How are you hearing His voice with everything else that you are more passionately interested in? Turning this into a hard saying might be....if you are a man of the cloth....and that cloth is a....Terrible Towel....how on God's blue planet are you going to hear His voice at all? That is just one example. Anything can take our attention away from Christ where we do not hear Him. Children can do that. I have my own idols that have to be checked every day!
So there is the hard saying of Special Dog. It has been almost exactly fifteen years and over 3000 posts since I started specialdogg.blogspot.com....and all I have even wanted to be was a messenger....flee the wrath to come....go through the wicket gate....stay on the strait path....go to Sproul....or go to Piper....or Ryle....or Bunyan....or Edwards or Whitefield....listen to Spurgeon or Martyn Lloyd-Jones sermons! Seek the Old Paths....awaken....and heed the words of Jesus in John 9:4...."Night is coming when no one can work."
