Hoping this letter finds you with Jesus in your thoughts and His presence with you, as you enjoy this special season of the year.
A REAL CHRISTIAN
“A real Christian is an odd number, anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen; talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest and happiest when he feels the worst. He dies so he can live; forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes knowledge,” as written by A.W. Tozer.
Heroic voices of the past had a passion and love for lost and dying souls. Here is an example of how they prayed:
George Whitfield, the famous Evangelist who is recognized as the voice who impacted the coming together of early America, prayed like this: “Give me souls or take my soul!”
Henry Martyn, missionary to India, is said to have prayed like this: “Here let me burn for God.”
David Brainerd, missionary to the North American Indians, used declaration when he prayed which still speaks today: “Lord, to thee I dedicate myself. Oh, accept me and let me be Thine Forever. Lord I desire nothing else: I desire nothing more.” The last words in his diary, written seven days before he died, were: “Oh, come Lord Jesus quickly, Amen”
D. L. Moody, implored, “Use me then, my Savior, for whatever purpose and in whatever way Thou may require. Here is my poor heart, an empty vessel, fill with Thy grace.”
Martin Luther, the reformer, prayed the night before what is called The Diet of Worms, “Do thou, my God, stand by, against all world’s wisdom and reason, Oh Do it! Thou must do it, Stand by me.”
Praying Hyde, who prayed until his heart moved from one side of his chest cavity to the other side of his chest cavity, prayed to this end: “Father, give me these souls, or I die.”
There is no question about these men and their commitment to the Cause of Christ. We can call this Real Christianity. Real Christianity can sing:
I have decided to follow Jesus,
No turning back, No turning back.
We can celebrate His birth 365 days a year. Without Him we would never become clean in the eyes of the one who so loved the world, He sent His son to wash us from our own sins in His blood.
We love you, we need you, we want you, we thank God for you being in our lives.
Merry Christmas,
Cleddie and GayNell Keith