Why You Are Still a Christian

From Gospel Translations

Audio Transcript

It is not a comforting thing to solve the problems of the world by ascribing sovereignty to human beings. So as you look out across your nation, this city, you may fret about secularization or Islamization. Lord, cause these brothers to know you rule the hearts of men — all of them. All the hearts in this city are in God’s hands.

So don’t be despairing like Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Be like the God-entranced Elijah of 1 Kings 18. Don’t say, “Oh, you have turned all of your churches into shops and theaters and condos. And I alone am left with my little flock, my friends, my spiritual resilience.” No. Double no. You’re not the only one. And it wasn’t your spiritual resilience that kept you from falling away.

I find one of the most revealing questions to ask people all over the world is, “What makes you think you’re going to be a Christian when you wake up in the morning? Why do you think you’ll be a believer tomorrow morning?” And the answer to that question is so revealing. And the point of this text is that if you wake up a believer tomorrow morning, God did that. We even sing it: “He will hold me fast.” I love that song.

And the older I get — I’m 72 — I really believe he’s done that for 72 years. I have woken up a believer all these years. How many miracles can you experience and not be glad? But if you don’t believe that, you won’t even begin to feel that way. You’ll say, “I’ll just do that. I’m just a Christian. I have a will, and I’ll use it tomorrow morning. I’ll get on my knees and be a Christian.” No, you won’t.

So God has his people — thousands of them in London, thousands of them. And he means to turn their hearts. He is God. He bought them with his blood, the blood of his Son. And he will have them. And he will turn their hearts back, and he’s going to use you to do it.