Christian Living

---

Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday May 10, 2006

Prior to being saved through faith in Christ I read voraciously. It did not matter what type of material, I just read. My older sister Vera, taught me to read prior to my entrance into the hallowed halls of learning and thus I spent most of my scholastic years bored out of my mind. I recall being sent to see the principal due to the fact that I had taken a Life magazine to school to read during class. I had discovered this rare gem during the walk to school. The wonderful Life Magazine was in a trash can.

During one of my forays to the library I checked out a book about Jonathan Goforth. I had no idea who Mr. Goforth was nor was I of a particular religious bent, I just liked the picture on the cover, so I read the book. Mr. Goforth followed the advice of a Mr. Hudson Taylor and attempted to make progress 'on his knees.' Of course as a little lost lad, I had no clue what Mr. Taylor was teaching the future great missionary to China.

Since age twenty I have walked with Jesus as a new creature and in the early days of my salvation I heard the names of Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, Jonathan Goforth and Jim Elliott. Today (Monday) a man in Niagara Falls, NY sent a little book marker to me and on it is written a statement by Jonathan Goforth concerning true revival.

"If revival is being withheld from us, it is because some idol remains still enthroned; because we still insist in placing our reliance in human schemes; because we still refuse to face the unchangeable truth that 'it is not by might, but by My Spirit.'"

Over the span of forty four years now I have stood on street corners, prison chapels, prison cells, and the pulpits of some pretty famous churches preaching the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ. During this time I have heard about everything that is 'fleshy,' 'carnal' and even, are you ready for this, 'sensual.' I have been assured that none of these methods bring true revival. I tend to agree, though the Lord knows I gave each a more than fair trial.

In all of the 'what is right, what works and what is wrong' diatribes I have heard, I have never, I repeat, never, heard any preacher posit that prayer and the renouncing of some idol hidden in our heart would hinder revival or quench the Holy Spirit.

In our day we make fun of the psychobabble artists, yet we practice a religion that is 'image' conscience. Far too many decisions are made by people religious based on the question, "What will this do to our image?" I recall a document I had our deacons sign in the long ago that plainly stated what I was to do and the long list closed with the phrase; "And anything else to enhance the image of such and such church." I admit this to my shame, though I confessed to harboring the idol of image to several hundred preachers and many other Christians in a meeting also in the long ago. I no longer have an image to worry about, but then I sure walk closer to Jesus. It was and is a good exchange.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE