Preface: The following post is from January of this year:
The story came out in March of 2020. A California stay-at-home mom was proud of her small succulent plant that she cared for on the kitchen window sill for two years....until she attempted to replant it....and found out that it was a fake plant. As strange as that is....how many people watered their own Christian faith for years if not decades before mercifully finally finding out that it was a fake faith?
When I was....oh seven or eight I suppose....my mother granted my request and bought me a small Ivy....and I liked watching it grow because it was low maintenance. I have an Ivy wall-hanging plant today.
This is how it transpired...to the best of my knowledge....in moving some fake plants...one colorful bloom must have fallen on the floor....where I found it later....and just stuck it in the soil of the hanging Ivy that was right there. Well...I guess that a year had passed....and I never took the fake flower out.
The soil was good....but the best of churches cannot grow a plastic believer....but the power of the Word can make of that plastic plant a living and breathing soul....and a glory to God!
I have been of late focusing on the Spurgeon's sermons from later in his life. I have one to recommend to you today from 1888. The church in England was collapsing from liberalism. Few were getting saved....the church being invaded by a modern 'gospel' that deceived and did not save. I know what must have been going on in Charles Spurgeon's mind....and also J. C. Ryle's for that matter....for we in America are well into that age of delusion. Please consider listening to this sermon....the most challenging and clear to the Christian that I have ever heard him give. Just Google....Spurgeon Sermon Youtube....An Urgent For An Immediate Answer. It is a blessing to have readings of sermons available to us today.....but sometimes they come with little irritations that we have to deal with. In this case....the sermon will a few times be interrupted by a commercial. When that happens just wait a moment and then click on the...skip this ad....that will appear in the lower right corner.
One can live their designer Christian life only insofar as they can avoid hearing the Holy Spirit driven preached Word of God. Any peace that is had without this will be a faux peace....as an artificial plant that looks real....but cannot turn the words into food. No matter what area of the United States that you live in....it will be difficult....but not impossible....to find a man....educated and established or humble and itinerant....to preach God's Word with power and to His glory. Therefore....my advice has so often been in these posts....utilize the recorded or recited sermons....of either men from the past....or men today who preach like men from the past....until God would either provide a faithful shepherd....or awaken the sleeping shepherds that are already on every hill and dale.
Addendum....Tuesday....September 18.....2024: After rereading this post from earlier this year the question came to my mind of if that were me that watered an artificial plant for two years before finding out that it was not a real plant.....would I then keep that beautiful but fake plant....or would it be a constant reminder to me how dumb I could be....and therefore get rid of the plant? Well I don't know what I would do....probably get rid of it....but what about all the other dumb things.....(and worse than dumb)....that I have done in my life....things that I am ashamed of? I know the answer to that for I have already had to confront these issues. I keep them secure in the back of my mind....to bring out occasionally to remind me of God's grace to such a sinner. There is a danger of sorts there for if I would dwell on those times it would surely in effect incapacitate me....probably in depression....but there is a danger also in getting rid of the memories.....for they serve as a vital purpose in reminding me of my weaknesses....and God's grace. Fortunately God protects us.....as He turns the fake flower into a living plant....and He would make the stones shout out praises if we His disciples did not!
I decided to add the link to the Spurgeon sermon....
AN URGENT REQUEST FOR AN IMMEDIATE ANSWER
