Temptation to sin is not always felt as a piercing pain, a strangling choke or a twisted ligament, but more of a dull drifting away from a clear focus on Jesus Christ and our promised future. The casual Christian who becomes more concerned with lighthearted amusement and the length of a Sunday service, stunts his own spiritual growth. He retreats, as satan re-enters the arena to lure us back into darkness.

The first three gospels note the cleansing of the temple at the END of Jesus’ ministry. Only John reveals a temple cleanse at the BEGINNING of Jesus’ ministry. Why? Demons never stop fighting for dominion and neither should we. The same filthy practices that polluted the temple, which was intended to be a house of prayer, had returned. Luke 11:24-26 warns that any demon cast away is sure to return with seven others more evil than itself. If there is no evident presence of God, they re-enter the territory, and there is nothing casual about that.

I have hardly heard a pastor declare that the crowds were huge for their prayer meetings. When it’s all over, how many of us will wish with regret that we had prayed more? That’s what Billy Graham claimed before he passed away. Praying is the most neglected God-given weapon for today’s Christian. Pastor Adrian Rogers once said, “Give satan an inch and he’ll be a ruler.”

Professional baseball player and Evangelist, Billy Sunday said, “Listen, I'm against sin. I'll kick it as long as I've got a foot, I'll fight it as long as I've got a fist, I'll butt it as long as I've got a head, and I'll bite it as long as I've got a tooth. And when I'm old, fistless, footless, and toothless, I'll gum it till I go home to glory and it goes home to perdition.” Humorous for sure, but the laughter will end for the Christian who neglects the call to prayer. The casual Christian usually becomes the casualty.

Go Forward Praying
Pastor Huck