Sometimes I recall my past in a missionary training camp, in those days called “boot camp”.   It wasn´t too easy, but still a wholesome experience.  At that time I knew very little of the general spiritual condition .  Our camp leader was tense as he declared that many who call themselves Christians are not Christians at all,  I just wondered.  Is it that bad?

But he was right.  I was young and had to make my own experiences in America and later in my home country and in our sister country, Norway.  Church goers there were everywhere, though not as sophisticated as in the U.S.

Now things haven´t got better.    It´s swarming with religious platforms, songs of praises, music, good sermons “traditional and contemporary worship”, seasoned with humor, but no cries by convicted sinners for mercy (Luke 18:13).  It all goes happily on and on undisturbed.

I do meet churchy people, and it´s often not easy to know if they are friends or enemies, born again by the Spirit or just “camp followers” or what? The Lord warned about faith that doesn´t save in John 2:23-25.

However, I´ve met religious people whom the Lord saved from their self-delusion, convicted by an anointed ministery.  Praise the Lord for those miracles of grace.  They are a minority, but  they are still there, and it has been my privilege to know many of them even among my relatives.

Have you made a saving experience with Christ and His cleansing blood from all your sins? Be bold then about your testimony and “be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2) what ever that means. The odds are against us, the timidity is there, but it´s possible to confide in the Lord about it, for He´s more interested in the cause of the gospel than we are!   He makes the weakest His beacons of hope in a doomed world.  9/30.21 - jn