Are You Sleeping?

 

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

 

 

“Christian, are you sleeping?” These were words from Kay Arthur on the DVD that is part of the Precepts Bible Study on the book of Jonah. She was applying the verses that tell about Jonah being fast asleep in the inner part of the ship. He was oblivious to the storm that the rest of the sailors were fighting to stay alive in.

One of the ways she applied this was to ask if we were asleep while abortions are being performed and while the country allows many unbiblical practices to become mainstream and acceptable? Divorce, pre-marital sex, homosexual marriages, foul language, mocking Christianity, the list goes on. How many of us are asleep, allowing these things to happen without a fight?

As Christians it seems that we have a way of giving up our beliefs in what is clearly spelled out as right or wrong in the Bible while still saying that we believe it is the inerrant Word of God. We are trying to blend into the culture rather than be separate from it, which is what the scripture demands of us. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18,” Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

It is important for Christians to be in the world and not of the world. Being separate does not mean being absent. It means that we won’t always look like the rest of the world or talk like them. It means that we will stand firm for the Truths of the Bible in the face of opposition. We will do the right thing when others encourage us to do the wrong thing.

We usually think these battles belong to our Youth. The truth is that many adults are compromising their Christian values so they won’t stand out as different or radical in their workplaces or their community boards. They would rather be sleeping Christians than courageous Christians.

Recently I was told by an acquaintance about a dinner conversation among several Christian couples. Someone learned where my acquaintance attended church and named a co-worker from that church. My acquaintance knew him because he was, in fact, the President of their Board of Elders. The couple laughed that this man would be an elder – no less the President. It seems this man must be two different people, one at work and a different one at church. How embarrassing for the church. How hypocritical of the man.

Christians, are we asleep below deck while the world mocks the Lord above it? Are we worshipping the God of the universe on Sunday but living as a part of the world the rest of the week? What would those who know us outside of the church think if they heard we were in positions of leadership at our churches?

 

Jesus makes it clear that if we will not stand firm for Him in the world then He will not stand firm for us at judgment. Luke 9:26, “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

Christians, what is God calling us to be strong and courageous about? What does He want us to wake up to do for Him? The storm is upon us.