Enough to Live for

When D.L. Moody was in Great Britain, in the midst of a powerful evangelical revival of religion, as he was finishing a meeting, the choir sang, Just as I am, without one plea. Moody prayed, every head was bowed. Then he asked all those who wanted to receive the Savior, should rise quietly in their places.

Silent prayer continuing, with the roar of many heels on a wooden floor. Two hundred men rose to their feet. Moody, looking up, murmured, My God, this is enough to live for.

We only get one go-round in life, friends. How we choose to live it is up to us. We can choose to live either for this world or eternity.

If we choose eternity, we must live our lives in light of eternity and ask ourselves what matters most in life. Is it material success or success in ministry? Many pastors judge their success in ministry based on the size of their church and their reputation within their denomination. A successful ministry to many is to grow a big church, then retire with a standing ovation.

Though there's nothing wrong with that, is it really enough to live for? When I study my Bible, I see those rare individuals whom God used in remarkable ways to impact not only their generation, but the generations to come. Kind of like the Puritans who were like pressed grapes in the midst of persecution, who were blessings to their generation and continue to bless this present generation with their God-soaked ministries. What we consider a successful ministry may be the opposite in heaven's eyes.

I've seen some good men who, in the first half of their ministry, preach like Old Testament prophets, rising from their graves with voices thundering, thus saith the Lord, only to tone down their message in the second half of their ministry to be more popular with men. It's what we're doing, enough to live for. We only have one life, which will soon be passed.

Only what's done for Christ will last. When I read the book of Isaiah, I see a prophet who was comfortable in the presence of kings and who didn't fear man. He had a ministry that spanned over 40 years during the reigns of four Judean kings, and he ended his prophetic ministry not with a big retirement party, but in martyrdom beneath a timber saw, as he was sawed in half under the bloody reign of King Manasseh.

And when I look at the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul, I see a man, small in stature, who lived a large life. Paul's fearless preaching made a Felix tremble and caused riots wherever he went. When I read the book of Acts, I see an early church that turned the world upside down.

But when I look around today at the modern church, I see an institution more concerned about self-image and self-preservation than self-annihilation. I see a chloroformed institution that sleeps the sleep of death, and that's out of touch with a pagan society. We've spent all our money on ourselves, making our worship centers, houses of entertainment, and our churches, which once were lifeboats, we've transformed into showboats.

Our self-indulgent lives are but a sad reflection of our spiritual bankruptcy. But other generations knew the price of discipleship and the cost of following a crucified Savior. John the Baptist didn't sit at a fine banquet table, but had a platter with his head upon it for rebuking a king.

Stephen began his public ministry baptized with stones as he saw Jesus rise from his throne. Paul finished his ministry not with accolades and applause, but with a fallen axe. The blood of the martyrs cries out against the self-absorbed church of this generation.