It could be (and will be) a lot worse

In his study tonight, Jordan talked about how even though it may seem to America’s Christians that were ripe for the Rapture, that’s just an “internal” perspective.

He mentioned an evangelist in Nigeria who, accustomed to being nearly beat up for preaching the gospel, recently came to America and marveled at just how nice and friendly things are here.

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One of the things I see happening more and more is a numbing and deadening of people’s consciences.

Paul says people can sear their consciences “as if by a hot iron.” He says about the times leading up to the Rapture, “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

A lot of the result is a general indifference to anything that doesn’t personally effect a citizen’s day-to-day activities.

A favorite evangelist of mine, Oscar Woodall, used to make the point, “America is gospel-hardened.” Unbelief by a person results in calluses that harden the longer they’re unsaved, making it harder for the individual to be receptive to the truth.

Jordan warns, “Your children are being raised to believe that worshipping God is just singing songs about how much you love Him. And I want you to know that really impresses God. He’s really bowled over in heaven when you sing, ‘Oh, we love you, you’re so great!’ He knew all that; He told you about it. You know what impresses God? When His Word takes root in your life and He sees what He’s doing living in you.”

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Lately, I’ve been thinking about the fact that I’m now bordering on a “senior citizen” (having turned 50 in June). Just like old people say, “Boy, it all flew by so quick!” I’m experiencing the same realization.

I expect the rest of my life to go at a near-meteor clip judging by how fast the last few years have gone. I mean, I can’t even remotely grasp the fact we’re now only a month away from another holiday season.

“Those of you who are 50, aren’t you glad you’re not as dumb today as you were when you were 40?” says Jordan. “You see, if you’re 35, you don’t understand that because you don’t think you were all that stupid when you were 25, but wait ’til you’re 45 and you’re going to realize you were an absolute blank at 25.

“Somebody says, ‘Don’t you wish you were 20 again?’ Heavens, I hope I’m never that dumb again! What it’s about is the older you get, the more maturity you get, and the more you realize how it used to be. When I was 30 I thought, ‘Boy, was I dumb when I was 20,’ and when I was 40, I thought I was dumb when I was 30, and then when I was 45, I thought I was dumb when I was 40.

“I got to be 50 and I thought I was dumb when I was 45. Now I’m down to thinking I was just real dumb last year. The time compression with age comes in.”

(Editor’s note: New article tomorrow)