Sinners Shall Be Converted – Part Four

Let me begin where I started yesterday:

Purity, unity, and then recovery; a three-step process to evangelism taught to us by King David centuries ago:

    “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.” (Psalm 51:10-13)

Verse 13 begin with “then” it is an adverb that means “at that time” or “immediately or soon afterwards.” King David teaches us that with purity, unity, and recovery will come revival because I have been revived and now I am teaching the lost about Jesus. The result is the lost getting saved.

I had the great pleasure in October 2009 of meeting and visiting with the great lion of the faith Judge Paul Pressler. Judge Pressler led the fight to bring a conservative resurgence back to the Southern Baptist Convention after it had veered hard to the left. Judge Pressler chronicles this battle in his must-read book “A Hill on Which to Die: One Southern Baptist’s Journey”.

Judge Pressler spoke at our political luncheon and he said something that was so simple and so very true. He said, “If you want to change Congress; if you want to change Washington D.C., then you have to change their hearts. They need Jesus.”

I’ll take that a step further: if you want to see a change in America; if you want revival to come, then Jesus must be proclaimed. Jesus must be preached boldly from the pulpits across America. Christians must stand in the gap for King Jesus if this nation is to be rescued. Many believe it is too late for America; many believe that the judgment of God is coming and there is nothing we can do about it. I suggest they read the Book of Jonah. All of us need to read it again for that matter.

Notwithstanding, we must rely on the work of God the Holy Spirit if we as Christians do want to see revival. Too many Christian leaders believe in more Washington DC and the Republican Party’s ability to bring revival than they do God. The Bible is clear on who makes revival happen.

    “Restore us, O God of hosts; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!” (Psalm 80:7)

Glenn Beck has become very popular because of his tireless work to see America restored to its greatness and its religious foundations. I admire his teaching the historical truths of our nation’s founding. However his ecumenical approach in trying to bring restoration to America has a record of past failures because it does not teach Christ. Ecumenism embraces all religions; Jesus Christ proclaims:

    “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

I promise you that Glenn Beck does not believe that Jesus is the only way to Heaven; neither do the other religions. Where I do agree with Mr. Beck is that preachers and parishioners alike have become too complacent over the years, but again without the work of the Holy Spirit revival will not come. The Prophet Isaiah tried to teach this to the Israelites centuries ago:

    “Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech. In a year and some days you will be troubled, you complacent women; for the vintage will fail, the gathering will not come. Tremble, you women who are at ease; be troubled, you complacent ones; strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, and gird sackcloth on your waists. People shall mourn upon their breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city; because the palaces will be forsaken, the bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest.” (Isaiah 32:9-15)

A pretty bleak forecast until we hear Isaiah say, “until.” The next word he says is “then.”

    “Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, though hail comes down on the forest, and the city is brought low in humiliation. Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.” (Isaiah 32:16-20)

It is up to Christians, through the work of the Holy Spirit, to boldly stand on Biblical truth and share the gospel with a lost and dying world. The rot that is American society is so because, as I wrote in “The Right Sailing of the Human Fleet”, America has lost its national virtue. The American model, a constitutional republic, relies on a moral and virtuous people. Heed the words of the great Daniel Webster:

    “Lastly, our ancestors established their system of government on morality and religious sentiment. Moral habits, they believed, cannot safely be trusted on any other foundation than religious principle, nor any government be secure which is not supported by moral habits…Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.”

“Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.” (Psalm 51:13)

First must come purity, unity, and recovery, then and only then will Christians rise up and proclaim the Way, Jesus’ ways, and then and only then will sinners be converted to the Lord Jesus Christ.

What about you? Have you been converted? Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? You may desire to see America restored to its greatness but the job seems too big. It is for you! However, with God the Holy Spirit living inside of you, nothing is impossible for God. Won’t you say yes to Jesus today!

How about you dear Christian? Have you done the things we’ve talked about this week? Won’t you get on your knees and return humbly to your Lord? Don’t be afraid of what Jesus might ask you to do; be excited!

It is up to us; we have a choice. I choose Jesus.

I pray you will too. And I pray you have a very blessed weekend and please remember to go to church on Sunday.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2010 David Jeffers

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