It’s a gray day here in Michigan . . . again. November brought just 27% of possible sunshine, which is about average for November. December and January are about the same kind of months. That means it will be gray for 73% of the time. Not good advertising for Michigan to you folks who live with a great deal more sunshine. But we here in Michigan get used to it. We don’t really notice it much–until there is a day like one last week where the sun shone all day and the sky was so blue. Everyone wanted to get out and enjoy it. But then we settle back into the gray of Michigan winters and don’t think about it much.
We live in a world of humanistic relativism as it is called. That’s a fancy title for gray. No right or wrong; no black of evil or sunshine of right. A world where power is right and compromise is the order of the day. Where our political leaders buy votes and compromise principles. Mr. Reagan called Russia “the evil empire” and was harshly criticized because being politically correct those days was detente with Russia. Detente–that’s an interesting word. It means, “live at peace with the enemy.”
This thinking rubs off on us as Christians too. We begin to think power is right and detente with sin is politically correct. We begin to think that the compromise of principles is noble and ecumenism (unity) becomes enshrined as the goal. We begin to think that the thinking of this world is right when in reality it is the enemy.
Then a book comes along to shake us back into our senses. A ray of sunshine breaks through the gray and causes us to see the blue sky of right and wrong, black and white. It tells us that there are really just two kingdoms. One is controlled by Satan and he is the father of lies. He might appear as an angel of light, but he is the epitome of “the evil empire.” His goal is clear. Do whatever it takes to bring dishonor to the person of Christ. Even if he has to use religion to do it. His kingdom is the enemy and there can be no detente. If we will win in this war we must be loyal to our King and He has already defeated the foe. That means all who are on the side of the Lord Jesus are assured of victory–so why compromise? That is the essence of stupidity. For an uncompromising view of these two kingdoms, Bill MacDonald’s new book “Worlds Apart” is must reading. Be challenged and refreshed with some real sunshine in the midst of all the gray.
How do you live this kind of life Bill speaks about? Are there any real life examples of men who have stormed the gates of the enemy and rescued those in his clutches? Men who have hazarded their lives giving up all to follow the King? Yes, there are. Mr. Harold MacKay was one of them. As I read his autobiography the verse that kept coming to my mind was “whose faith follow.” From Galt, Ontario, he followed his Lord to the back woods of West Virginia. There he pioneered new territory for the Lord and pushed back the strongholds of Satan. From there he went to North Carolina and labored for many years seeing many turn from darkness to light. In each place he worked, he didn’t just leave them, but strove to see them gathered together according to New Testament principles. Do they work today? Harold MacKay thought they did and he proved it. “Morning in My Heart,” the title of the book and the theme song of his gospel radio program is a delightfully written book of a true gospel pioneer. The last chapter of his life is written by his daughter-in-law. This book is a fitting tribute to a great man of God. Read it; enjoy it; be challenged by it. But most of all, Mr. MacKay would want you to praise his God who still lives and works today and Who will fulfill all His promises to those who trust Him.