Sermon Illustrations

I recently met a new friend we’ll call Mike

Mike told me his testimony

Mike believed he was saved

Was going through life as a saved man, but not really on fire for God

Things that should have negatively affected him, his friends behavior, his environment , didn’t

He just ignored those things and went on

One day his dad called him and told him he wanted him to go to Promise Keepers with him

Mike told him dad I’d love to go, but I just got this new job and I really don’t have the funds right now , so thanks but no thanks

A couple days later his dad called again and told him again he wanted him to go with him.

He would pay for him to go, Mike just had to say yes

Mike said sorry dad, but this new job I wont be able to take off, so no thanks

What Mike didn’t know was that his dad had been on his knees for those two days praying for Mike to go

God was really laying on his heart to take his son with him

Mike’s boss was a heathen, pagan man that laughed at Christians

He was from Indianapolis and thought this whole Bible belt thing was a joke and that people that believed in a God that didn’t even exist were a bunch of idiots

Mike’s dad called his boss, told him he wanted to take Mike to this thing and that it would make him a better worker, husband, father

Mike’s boss came to him on the floor and told him I just got off the phone with your father and he said he wants to take you to some conference that would make you a better worker

And so I’ve talked to so and so to cover for you on Friday and you will have to cover for him on Monday

Mike couldn’t believe it

So they go, and right before they get off the bus his pastor says he knows this is not for everyone, and Mike thought yeah I know, its not for me this is a waste of time

The pastor wanted everyone to pray for God to open them up for whatever He wanted them to receive from this conference.

Mike mockingly prayed yeah yeah , open me Lord

They went in and sat down and the first thing they did

80,000 men sang together How Great Thou Art

And Mike says he heard it, an audible voice

He would swear in a court of law that he heard it

The voice said “HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME”

God was speaking to his heart

Mike was mocking God with his non-genuine faith