I NEVER KNEW YOU

Harry Ironside was a famous preacher and pastor several decades ago. He died in 1976. He grew up in a Christian home. His father died when he was young. His mother devoted herself to prayer and soul winning. After her husband died she made money as a seamstress and witnessed to her clients leading many to faith in Jesus Christ.

Many except her son Harry. Harry showed great interest in the things of God.  Even as a child he began the lifelong habit of reading the Bible through. By the time he was 14 he had read through the Bible 14 times. Until his eyesight became very poor later in life he read through the Bible at least once a year. Even at 14 and reading the Bible he still had not trusted Jesus for salvation.

When his family moved to America from Canada he could not find a Sunday School to attend. So he organized boys and girls to gather burlap sacks and had them sown together making a tent. He started a Sunday School under the tent. Since nobody else could be found to t teach the Sunday School he did so even though he was still unconverted.

Think of it. A young lad reading through the Bible 14 times but not being saved. A youngster teaching a Sunday School of up to 80 children and adults but he had no salvation encounter with the Lord. He did more as a lost man than many Christians do in a lifetime of service for Christ.

Harry heard the famous D.L. Moody preach. God used  Moody to open the eyes of the youngster. When he finally trusted Christ for salvation one of the first things he did was to go to a Salvation Army street meeting and give his testimony. He began preaching on the streets with great effectiveness and leading adults to faith in the Lord though he was still a teenager.

In the future, Irnoside, wrote many books, preached all over the country, and pastored some very large churches.

So what is the point. How did this young man have such a hunger for the things of God before he got saved .A hunger deeper than many Christians do after walking with Jesus for years. Ironside wanted to do more for Christ in his life than some Christians who will look to do the least amount possible for the Lord. Something is very wrong with that picture.

Here is my take. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB) 
¹⁷  Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  

When a person comes to faith in Christ that person is transformed. Old desires, old passions give way to the new. A new hunger for seeking God, pleasing God, serving God, and obeying God is created. If  a person has no desire for the things of God something is very wrong with that picture. VERY WRONG. 

My conclusions? Either that Christian is carnal and living life to gratify the flesh and he or she needs to repent immediately to be brought into a right relationship with Christ. [II Chron 7:14]  Maybe the sad truth is that person may not be saved in the first place though they attend religious services. Jesus had some strong words of warning about people like this. 

Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB) 

²¹  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
²²  "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
²³  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

It all comes back to a saving relationship with jesus Christ. May we not be those kind of people of whom the Lord will say, "DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS. I NEVER KNEW YOU." May we also not be out served by lost people. WHEREVER HE LEADS WE'LL GO.