Soulish Religion — Joshua Daniel

Welcome to the Lord's Challenge, our weekly quarter-hour broadcast bringing the reality of God's Word to all people everywhere. Stay tuned as Joshua Daniel challenges us to a walk with God and the corresponding impact that it will have on our lives, families and society today.

Grounding Preaching in the Reality of God's Word

Now dear friends, I wish to bring you to the realms of reality. You know, sometimes preachers soar, they soar above their own heads, that'll never do. And of course they soar high over their congregation as though it is some aerial feat of some sort.

But that'll never do, we have got to get our feet planted on the ground. What are the ground realities? Let us turn to Mark 4 chapter please. In the 14th verse, the sower soweth the word. From Hebrews 4, 12, that the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.

Examining Whether Religion Is Soulish or Spiritual

Did you ask yourself, is my religion soulish or is it spiritual? Is my spirit in real touch with God? For we know not what to pray, but the Spirit himself teacheth us to pray with groanings that cannot be uttered.

The spirit's prayer, you know we are used to just the rigmarole, the usual prayers. I recall, you know, it was in 1959 and they were having the centenary or the remembrance of 1859 revival and I was holding services in Northern Ireland commemorating those wonderful days of revival.

And of course, we wanted revival. And so, addressing a very full hall, I said, we don't want the usual prayers, we want some honest, real prayer. And up stood one of those leading young fellows in the church and he cried out, Lord, I am a hypocrite.

Humility and Honest Confession Before God

And others, the pastor of the church, a very godly man, it was a Presbyterian church, he said he went home with a deep conviction in his heart. God said to him, you did not pray what I wanted you to pray.

Sunday morning, he got up in the pulpit and confessed to the congregation his personal sins, humbled himself. You know, my dear friends, we saw a movement of God's Spirit. Now, what is the problem? The problem is we've got too many religious mummies in the church, dead as door nails and they just can't humble themselves.

You know, one of the things that shocked me when I started preaching, the complacence. Oh, people were just satisfied. And you know, I had come red hot from revival. I said, there's no brokenness here.

There is no sense of reality. Everybody seems to say, oh, we're a bunch of happy-go-lucky people. Now, is this why God brought me here? Lord, I seem to be getting nowhere here. But I found that God wanted me to pray.

And of course, I myself needed to be a clean vessel whom God could use. So I humbled myself and began to pray. And I found that the English were second to none when it came to putting things right. As a matter of fact, I found them to be way ahead of other nations or nationalities, calling a spade a spade.

You know, honesty before God is a beautiful thing. It is an enriching thing. It lifts you. And what am I going to pretend before God? He knows all about me. What am I going to try and fool him? What am I out to do?

All right, I can fool a lot of people, but I'm not going to fool God. My dear people, humbling ourselves, that seems to be the crux of the problem. Oh, I'm OK. I'm pretty well. You see, as long as the jingle of money is in the pocket, people feel pretty comfortable.

Rejecting Materialism and Seeking God's Glory

You know, as I just said, I had no desire for money. I wanted the glory of God. Hallowed be your name. You know, that should be written upon your heart. And every day that God gives you, of course, you know, every day is a gift to me by God.

And I want to use every day carefully. I have no time to lose or waste. Absolutely no time. But you see, when that's not written on your heart, hallowed be your name. What do you do? Exalt me. That's all you do.

That's the reverse or the opposite of hallowed be your name. May my name be lifted up. What nonsense. What's the good of having your name or my name lifted up? Who is going to benefit from it? But that's the sick state of our hearts.

And that's why we can't pray hallowed be your name with all our hearts. We have to get rid of that horrible plague of the heart. Now, soulish religion. Soulish religion does not give you that desire to climb higher or to seek those things which are at the right hand of Christ.

If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are on the right hand. What's on the right hand of Christ? Self? Of course not. Of course not. I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

Faithfulness, Calling, and God's Purpose for Every Person

Do you think God has something for you? Or you're just a little piece of cork floating in the current? Do you think God has got something special? I believe that every creature of God is unique. I believe it.

And I want to tell you, I have worked with some of the dullest people on the face of the globe. Really dull people. And I didn't give up. I said there's something special. I found them to be very faithful.

The smart lads didn't last. You know, folks? But the stodgy, slow and stodgy lot, they kept plodding on. And they were faithful. So some of you, if you imagine that you are of the latter class, slow and stodgy, take heart.

He that is faithful to the end shall be saved. He that endureth to the end. My mother used to keep telling me that again and again. You see? And we next went on to see how Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word.

Occult Practices and the Works of Darkness

Now let me see everyone here who has had anything to do with the occult. In your families, in your grandparents, whoever. All right. I see a few hands. I do trust others have not been dishonest. Well, occult practices have been in many families, you know.

And when you go to a moneylender, what happens? He grabs you by the nape of your neck. That is for the rest. Hey, how is it the payment hasn't been made this month? You know, a moneylender came to our gate.

And so my dad looked at him. What's it you want? I want Daniel. I'm Daniel. What's it you want? Well, somebody had evidently given my father's name, you know, and borrowed something from him. I've come to collect my money or whatever.

Out you go. Now, you know, when you go to a moneylender and you begin to pay those interests or fail to pay them, he soon has a grip on you. It's the same with the devil. You go to him with your palm, show him palm readers galore.

Prayer for Forgiveness, Courage, and Faithful Preaching

They're all over the world today. And I hear of strange types of occult practices. See, we are not even demolishing the works of darkness around us. Soulish religion. Let's pray. Loving Father, you have told us in your word the condition of our hearts, how easily we betray Jesus, how easily we deny him when there is a little persecution.

Oh, Lord, how we are failing to be the salt of the earth. Oh, my father, forgive us. Give courage and grace to the preachers. Let them not be profane men. Oh, God, hear our humble prayer in Jesus' holy name.

Amen.

The speaker on this program was Joshua Daniel. He would like to know what your response has been to the Lord's challenge and would be delighted to hear from you. Please write. And if you have burdens you want to share and want prayer, do let us know.

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