When the birds are migrating in flocks to other lands, and the instinct is strong upon them, if you catch one and imprison it in a cage, it will beat its breast against the bars and pant back and forth. But let the migratory season pass, you may open the cage and the bird will not fly. You may even take it and throw it up into the air, but it will fall back limp to the ground. The tug on that little heart is gone. For a soul, for a nation, and I suppose even for a world there comes a time when the tug of the Holy Ghost at the heart may pass forever, if they know not the time of their visitation.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith . . . having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. – 1 Timothy 4:1-2

*Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.