Let us pray. Our father in the name of our Lord Jesus, we thank you for every things you have done. Almighty God, all knowing God, Ancient of days, Rock of ages, the Holy one of Israel, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the One who is. the One who was. the One who is to come.
Glory be to your holy name. Thank you for what you did to us in last year, this year and what you will do next year , accept our worship in Jesus name.
Tonight visit Your children, before the sun rises, everybody here present and all those who are listening all over the world, before the sun rises again let all of us sing a new song.
Let this be a night of Signs and Wonders. Do something in our lives you have never done before. and at the end of it all let your name be glorified.
Thank you Almighty God in Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
Tonight I will be talking on a bible verse in the book of Ephesian chapter 2 verse 12. remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world .
“Without God in the world.”
Perhaps these words might be more properly translated, Atheists in the world. This seems to be a little stronger expression than “without God in the world,” which sounds nearly negative and does not necessarily imply any more than those having no fellowship or intercourse with God. On the contrary, the word Atheist is commonly understood to mean something positive, because they are not only disclaiming any intercourse with him but they entirely deny his very being.
The case of these unhappy men may be much illustrated by a late incident, the truth of which cannot reasonably be doubted, as there was so large number of eye-witnesses. An ancient oak was cut down and split through in the midst. A large toad crept out of the very heart of the tree and walked away with all the speed he could. How long this creature has continued in there, is not known. It is not unlikely it might have remained in its nest above a hundred years.
Surely, the toad had lived but what manner of life was it! How desirable! How enviable! As Cowley says:
O life, most precious and most dear!
O life, that Epicures would long to share!
Let us consider it for a moment. This poor animal had organs of sense, yet it had not any sensation. It had eyes, yet no ray of light ever entered its black abode. From the very first instant of its existence inside the oak, it was shut up in impenetrable darkness. It was shut up from the sun, moon, and stars, as well from the beautiful face of nature as much as if it had no being.
As no air could penetrate its sable recess, it consequently could have no hearing. Whatever organs it was provided with, they could be of no use. Since it did not need any food, there is no reason to believe that it had any sense analogous to those either of smelling or tasting. Neither was there any way whereby the objects of smell or taste could make their approach to it. As it always continued in one unvaried posture amidst the parts that surrounded it, all of which are immovably fixed, there could be no new impression upon the creature. So that it had only one feeling from hour to hour, and from day to day, during its whole duration.
And as this poor animal was destitute of sensation, it must have equally been destitute of reflection. Its head having no materials to work upon, no ideas of a sensation of any kind, could not produce any degree of reflection. It could therefore hardly have any memory or any imagination. Nor could it have any locative power, while it was so closely bound in on every side. If it had in itself some springs of motion, yet it could not be exerted because the narrowness of its cavern could not allow of any change of place.
How similar is this case to a man that is “without God in the world!” Interestingly that is a vast majority of even those that are called Christians! They live as though as “without God in the world;” not having God in all their thoughts, nor have they acquainted themselves with him. They neither have any fellowship with God nor any intercourse with him nor the invisible world than this animal had with the visible.
A man without God in this world, is in exactly such a situation, concerning the invisible, as the toad was in respect to the visible world. That creature had undoubtedly a sort of life, such as it was. It certainly had all the internal and external parts that are essential to animal life; and, without question, it had suitable juices, which kept up a kind of circulation. This was life indeed!
And exactly such a life is that of the Atheist, the man “without God in the world.” What a thick veil is between him and the invisible world, which, about him, is as though it had no being! He has not the least perception of it; not the most distant idea. He has not the least sight of God, nor any the least attraction toward him, or desire to have any knowledge of his ways.
Although His light is gone forth into all lands, and His sound unto the end of the world, yet such a man cannot hear more of it than of the fabled music of the spheres. He tastes nothing of the goodness of God or the powers of the world to come. He does not feel the working of the Holy Spirit in his heart. In a word, he has no more intercourse with knowledge of the spiritual world, than this poor creature had of the natural, while it was shut up in its dark enclosure.
But the moment the Spirit of the Almighty strikes the heart of him that was till then without God in the world, it breaks the hardness of his heart, and creates all things new. The Sun of Righteousness appears, and shines upon his soul, showing him the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. He is in a new world. All things around him become new, such as it was never before in his heart to conceive.
Suddenly the opening heavens around him shine, with beams of sacred bliss. And he sees that he has “an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;” and that he has “redemption in his blood, the remission of his sins.” He sees “a new way that is opened into the holiest by the blood of Jesus;” and his “light shines more and more unto the perfect day.”
By the same gracious act, he that before had ears but did not hear, is now capable of hearing. He hears the voice that raises the dead, he hears the voice of Him that is “the resurrection and the life.” He is no longer deaf to his invitations or commands, to his promises or threatenings. He gladly hears every word that proceeds out of his mouth to govern thereby all his thoughts, words, and actions.
At the same time, he receives other spiritual senses, capable of discerning spiritual good and evil. He is enabled to taste, as well as to see, how gracious the Lord is. He enters into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, and tastes of the powers of the world to come. He finds Jesus’ love far better than wine and sweeter than honey.
He feels the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto him. He feels the workings of the Spirit of God in his heart.” Meantime, it may easily be observed, that the substance of all these figurative expressions is comprised in that one-word; faith. This change, from spiritual death to spiritual life, is properly the new birth.
But before this universal change, there may be many partial changes in a natural man, which are frequently mistaken for it. Some assume peace in their souls when there is no peace. There may be a considerable change in the life, to refrain from open sin, the so-called, the easily besetting sin; but also a considerable change of tempers, a conviction of sin, strong desires, and good resolutions.
Though one should not despise this partial change. one should also not mistake any of these partial changes for that entire, general change which is known as the new birth. The new birth is the total change from the image of the earthly Adam into the image of the heavenly, from an earthly, sensual, devilish mind, into the mind that was in Christ.
No matter how much a man may be changed in many other respects, yet in Christ Jesus, nothing will avail without the whole mind that was in Christ, which will enable you to walk as Christ walked. Nothing is more sure than this: “If any man is in Christ,” that is, a true believer in him, “he is a new creature: old things,” in him, “are passed away; all things have become new.”
Thus this is the difference between Christianity and morality. Indeed nothing can be more sure than; that true Christianity cannot exist without both the inward experience; and the outward practice of justice, mercy, and truth, whereas morality only consists in the outward practice.
However, all morality either justice, mercy, and truth, which can exist without Christianity, do not profit at all; and are of no value in the sight of God. Thus there must a radical change from within, that produces new senses, ideas, passions, tempers, without which one cannot be called a Christians. no matter how just, true, or merciful one may be. he is such one without God in this world.
I am pleading with all of you who are still “without God in the world,” to consider that, despite all your humanity, benevolence, virtue, and generosity, you are still enclosed in darkness and infernal shade.
My dear friends! why don’t you seek God now so that you may see Him? If you do not see the Sun of righteousness. and have no fellowship with the Father, or with his Son, Jesus Christ. If you do not have spiritual senses. If you still have your old, natural ideas, passions, joys, and fears; you are not new creatures. Please cry to God, that he may rend the veil which is still upon your hearts; which gives you occasion to complain of darkness.
O that you may hear his voice, who speaks as no man has ever spoken, saying, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!” Jesus is calling you saying “Look unto me, and be saved?” He said, “Lo! I come!” Even so, Lord Jesus! Come quickly!
Salvation is God’s free gift. But, you must receive this gift before you can enjoy it.
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved”
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”
Are you ready to respond? Are you willing to receive God’s free gift now? Will you decide to receive Christ now?
If you are willing to give yourself to Jesus completely and you would like to experience the power to become a child of God
What you must do
Admit that you are a sinner.
Be willing to repent.
Believe that Jesus died for your sins.
Go to God in prayer, repent and invite Jesus into your life.A suggested prayer:
Almighty God, I thank You because You love me. When I was lost in sin, You sent Jesus Christ to die for me. I believe that the blood He shed was for my pardon. Today, I repent of my sins and ask for forgiveness. Lord Jesus, come into my heart and be my Savior and Lord. Thank You for coming into my heart according to Your promise. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
