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David Wilkerson

David Wilkerson (1931 - 2011). American Pentecostal pastor, evangelist, and author born in Hammond, Indiana. Raised in a family of preachers, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit at eight and began preaching at 14. Ordained in 1952 after studying at Central Bible College, he pastored small churches in Pennsylvania. In 1958, moved by a Life Magazine article about New York gang violence, he started a street ministry, founding Teen Challenge to help addicts and troubled youth. His book "The Cross and the Switchblade," co-authored in 1962, became a bestseller, chronicling his work with gang members like Nicky Cruz. In 1987, he founded Times Square Church in New York City, serving a diverse congregation until his death. Wilkerson wrote over 30 books, including "The Vision," and was known for bold prophecies and a focus on holiness. Married to Gwen since 1953, they had four children. He died in a car accident in Texas. His ministry emphasized compassion for the lost and reliance on God. Wilkerson’s work transformed countless lives globally. His legacy endures through Teen Challenge and Times Square Church.
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David Wilkerson emphasizes the critical need for believers to maintain a focused and intentional relationship with God, warning against the dangers of distraction and neglect in worship. He reflects on Jeremiah 2:32, highlighting how God's people have forgotten Him despite His blessings, leading to spiritual backsliding and complacency. Wilkerson urges the congregation to examine their daily practices of prayer and worship, reminding them that true worship requires dedication and a heart free from distractions. He stresses that neglecting God can lead to a mere habit of worship rather than a heartfelt connection, which is essential for spiritual strength and victory over life's challenges.
No Distractions
"Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number" (Jeremiah 2:32). I quote this passage whenever I miss my daily time of prayer because of busyness. It always drives me back to the secret place, crying, "Oh, Lord, I don't want to forget You!" This verse is frightening when we consider the context of the passage. God is saying to His people, "I planted you as a noble vine of sound and reliable stock. You started right, you had My touch and I blessed you. But now you have forsaken Me." "Thy backslidings shall reprove thee . . . it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee . . . How canst thou say, I am not polluted? . . . For they have turned their back unto me. . . . In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction. . . . My people have forgotten me days without number" (Jeremiah 2:19, 23, 27, 30 and 32). God's people were no longer going to His house to worship Him. They had become lazy and had forgotten all His blessings and judgments. They neglected Him for days on end, pursuing their own pleasures and worst of all, they said, "I am innocent . . . I have not sinned" (verse 35). If you do not worship God with all your mind and heart, little by little neglect will creep in and you will begin to worship merely out of habit. You say you love Jesus, so I must ask you: Do you worship Him daily, with all your heart, with no distractions? Do you dig into the Word of God or do you go for days without opening your Bible or praying to Him in your secret closet? God will not allow you to sit in your seat anymore and let your mind wander. He loves you and knows the power that pure worship releases in your spirit. It makes you stronger than any lion, bigger than any giant. It pulls down every stronghold because it makes you a pure-hearted, single-minded worshiper of Him!
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David Wilkerson (1931 - 2011). American Pentecostal pastor, evangelist, and author born in Hammond, Indiana. Raised in a family of preachers, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit at eight and began preaching at 14. Ordained in 1952 after studying at Central Bible College, he pastored small churches in Pennsylvania. In 1958, moved by a Life Magazine article about New York gang violence, he started a street ministry, founding Teen Challenge to help addicts and troubled youth. His book "The Cross and the Switchblade," co-authored in 1962, became a bestseller, chronicling his work with gang members like Nicky Cruz. In 1987, he founded Times Square Church in New York City, serving a diverse congregation until his death. Wilkerson wrote over 30 books, including "The Vision," and was known for bold prophecies and a focus on holiness. Married to Gwen since 1953, they had four children. He died in a car accident in Texas. His ministry emphasized compassion for the lost and reliance on God. Wilkerson’s work transformed countless lives globally. His legacy endures through Teen Challenge and Times Square Church.