The Family Of Faith
Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Romans 13:14 NIV
Christ must be vitally real to us if we are to remain faithful to Him in the hour of crisis. And who knows how near that hour may be? The wheels of God’s judgment can be heard by discerning people in the assembly of the United Nations, in the conferences of political leaders, in the offices of the editors of great newspapers or television networks around the world—and among the people throughout the nations. Things are happening fast! The need for a turning to God has never been more urgent.
The words of Isaiah, whom God used to confound an ancient godless aggressor, are appropriate for us today: “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (55:6–7 NIV).
In his encounter with Goliath, David proved that outward armor is not nearly so important as the man within the armor. Unless men of purpose, integrity, and faith stand together in unswerving loyalty to Jesus Christ, the future of the world is dark indeed.
To prepare ourselves for the suffering and persecution which seem so inevitable, we need also to foster and strengthen the small group movement, the concept of “Christian cells.” One obvious area where this process should take place is in the family. In the United States today, as well as in other parts of the world, we are witnessing the breakdown and erosion of the family unit. Divorce is rampant, and “living together” without the formality of a wedding ceremony is increasingly common. It is only the strong Christian family unit that can survive the coming world holocaust. And only as Jesus Christ is vitally real to us as family members can we build strong families!
Our Father and our God, have mercy on me, a sinner and unworthy servant. Pardon my offenses against You, Holy Father, and freely forgive my every sin. Draw me nearer to You in every area of my life. Never let me stray from You and Your Son Jesus, in whom I pray. Especially help me do all I can to strengthen my family, and to honor you in all my relationships.
Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).