Читать книгу Journey Toward Eternity - Joe Callihan - Страница 7

For so many years of my life I spent my time climbing down into the pit of stupidity. Answering God’s call to use me in the ministry by saying, “I have other things I want to do first.” Is that stupid or what? In my life I was a twenty-five year old Christian, who was lazy in the study of God’s Word. Worse of all, so easily I caused the Holy Spirit to grieve, refusing to listen to His pleading not to follow satan’s advice.

Having only a religious background, I was ignorant of how to confront the enemy in battle and win. Time and again I fell into temptation and sin. Certain sins became habits. I could hear the Holy Spirit pleading - “don’t do it, it is evil and will rob you of what I have to give you.” But I would follow satan’s advice, “Everybody is doing it, so it must be alright.”

I violated my own belief which had kept me from smoking. “If 50 million people do something stupid, it doesn’t mean I should make it 50 million and one. It simply means there are 50 million stupid people.” No, I did not take up smoking. Far worse than that, I developed callousness in my heart toward sin. I came to have a casual attitude about sins which I could see millions of other people participating in on a daily basis. It became no big thing to find an x rated movie to be entertaining. satan’s teaching said, “You need to learn about these things, so you won’t be considered stupid. Women don’t want to get stuck with a man who knows so little about sex.” Turning a deaf ear to the Holy Spirit, satan’s lying voice became so familiar to me. his lies seemed psychologically sound, they sounded logical, for the times I was living in. All spin words used to excuse sin, refusing to call it what it is!

I hope every reader can understand why I need not be lifted up by man. I don’t want, need, or deserve your praise for what God has done in my life. All praise belongs to God alone. You see, God had to reach way down into the pit of stupidity, to grab the hands I was lifting up to Him. In answering my prayers, God has brought me up to the level of being a “foolish thing” He could use to confound the wise.

You reading this chapter may be as I was. Perhaps you have descended very deeply into the pit of stupidity. You may have made the decision to make the number of stupid people be 50 million and one - that “one” being you. satan may have caused your heart to be covered with calluses, just like mine was. satan’s voice may have become your constant companion, as you wander toward eternity on the wide path leading to damnation, spiritual death and eternal life Hell.

I have learned the hard way, the definitions of the words stupid and foolish. Stupid, is when you think following the ways of the world is wise. Believing foolishness is spending time pursuing God’s ways of seeking to gain spiritual maturity, over worldly wealth and prestige. For far too many years of my life I have been horribly stupid! Foolish, is when those in the world believe you have lost your mind. Observing, they see you pursuing the Kingdom of God with all your mind, soul, and strength. Foolish is found in understanding the scripture, “Be not wise in your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge God.” True wisdom fears (reverences) God; above all this world has to offer. I have at last become a “foolish” man, in the eyes of the world. But I would never again give up being “foolish,” in order to follow the most stupid path, lined with “fool’s gold” which the world has to offer.