I had just finished my reading of “Walking with God,” by George Whitefield, in my sermon construction course. And I could not help but think about the poor timing of my short life, here in this world, in this age of the twenty-first century. It is difficult for me to fathom how the people of this world, myself included, have traveled a path different of that which was traveled just a few generations afar.

Through my personal studies of Christianity over the past seven or eight years, I have come to learn of some great men. Yet a great sorrow filled my heart for each, as I learned that each one had already completed their walk with God in this world, were now enjoying the riches of their faith and the glory of their splendid God.

Several times during my reading of “Walking with God,” I had to stop and wipe the moisture from my face. The power of exultation that this man possessed of which I cannot see the limits. As so also with the other great preachers of the eighteen and early nineteen hundreds; Men such as Spurgeon, Taylor, Tozer, Moody, and Chambers, as well as Lightfoot, Edwards and Henry.

I have but brief glimpses of these men. I can only imagine what it must have been like to sit and listen to men such as these, to be a receiver of their expository, to tremble, hearing the truth of the word, pounded into my soul, to learn that I too was destined to feel the flames of fire; unless I too should lift up my soul and walk with God, not in my head, but in my heart; not in my outward appearance, but in quiet solitude also; and spirit.

I have learned that “seeking God” is not enough for me! I must find my way to stand up in a sinful and drowning world and wade to dry land, to a path where I too, can walk with God. My Lord Jesus, loved me from before the beginning of the world, yet how I turned my back on him and allowed myself to delve into this world, with all my heart and soul. And no matter how deep I found myself in the depths of this filthy world, Jesus was able to give me a hand up, to carry me across the surface of the deep and bring me to dry land.

I am so very grateful to my God, whereas, through my Christ, He planted numerous people along that path, to help me along, to guide me, to teach me, to love me, even though I always found it difficult to love others. I am grateful to my God, who loves me even though I still do not deserve it. I am so very far from the gates of heaven, and my path is long and narrow, and I know that should I ever find myself at the end, the gate is very narrow, so narrow in fact, that only one can be standing there, to either let me in, or to tell me He doesn’t know me.

Oh how my heart burns for the experience of these great men. I can only pray that I may not embarrass them in this age, and fight to exhort the truth as they once did. Where has the expositor of their age passed away? Where is the expositor of the truth in our age; in the age of a return to cults and “isms”

I cannot suppose that I, a lowly, despicable character, in this world of ungodliness, could ever aspire to lift up as many as these men did, yet should I get the vote of even one sinner, such as myself, to hear and take to heart what God has to say, the truth that Jesus has to proclaim, to look away from the lies they are expounded with, to realize that a smile, a “bless you,” or an hour each week at church, will not lead us to the gates of heaven.

We, in this age are so very proud of ourselves. We all think we are going to meet up in that glorious afterlife cocktail lounge and be the party of happy hour. I wonder of those who have lived this life and were all but certain they would make their way to the pearly gates and then discovered that just a few feet in front of that gate is a very narrow doorway where hardly a creature from this world could ever get through, for there is the one, the one who stands guarding that narrow door. Should it be the King Himself, who allows us a wondrous vision of the gates, but nigh, won’t let us through that narrow gate.

No! I tell you now, it must be worked for. It must be struggled for. It must be suffered for. I cannot tell you these words! God tells us these things through or Lord Jesus Christ. But don’t think we can ever work for our salvation. We cannot ever struggle for our salvation. We cannot suffer for our salvation. We must have faith. Only faith in our Lord Jesus Christ will put us on the “on call list,” in the “stand-by line,” or at the counter to “take a number.”

Our next step? Our next step is to believe, to believe and acknowledge that Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, is the only way, for as He Himself has told us, “No one comes to the Father, but through Me.” Faith is the only thing that will save us from this godless world and from the world beneath. Faith is what gives us the strength to work, the strength to endure the struggle, the strength to suffer, for Christ.

Our next step? We must turn away from the lies; turn away from the desires for this world. We must heed God’s word. We must find a way, in this ungodly age, to find our way to dry land, to find that righteous path that Christ leads us to; that path where God is awaiting us, to walk with. We must learn to walk with God!

©2016 Clayton Moore