APRIL 18, 2025 ~ FROM A PASTOR'S HEART

APRIL 18 DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING: ROMANS 13:11-14

Many years ago, there was a commercial on television advertising men's after shave. The commercial had men who were half asleep being slapped on the face with the after shave in order to wake them up. After being jolted awake by the slap of after shave each man would say, "Thanks, I needed that!" At times we all need something to wake us up...something to jolt us back into awareness, that we have been asleep for far too long. Those who have served in our country’s military know that it is a grave offense to fall asleep while on duty. For that to happen, causes many people to be placed in danger, even to the point of losing their lives. There are people dying every day, heading into eternity without God and part of the reason is because of a sleeping church. We have been privileged of God to join Him in His great work. It’s time to wake up and get to work!

Some people have trouble sleeping and have to take a sedative to help them sleep. There are sedatives that the church has been taking that have caused us to slumber, even while the world is headed in a godless direction. We have replaced the Resurrection power with our own abilities, talents and material wealth...we have followed the message and methodology of the world rather than our Lord. We have fallen spiritually asleep in our apathy and our "too busy" attitudes to be concerned with people's souls. We have made our religious organization the main thing, rather than remember there are precious souls all around us for whom Christ died. In the thirteenth chapter of Romans, Paul says...it is later than we think and it is high time for us to wake up. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to wake us up out of our spiritual stupor and help us see the world the way the Lord does. We need to be busy sharing the Gospel, which is the love of God, that people might have the opportunity to know salvation. Time to wake up church! By God's design the world needs us awake and alert in the things of the Lord!

Please share your thoughts.