If God is our Father, and I truly believe He is, then why are we Christians not having a better influence in the world? There is a lack. Something is really missing. We are busy, but unproductive. We are doing church, but not producing transformed lives.
We, in the church, must be asking hard questions and seeking ways to reach a lost and dying world.
I think we need to ask different questions or maybe ask in a different way.
Example:
Not: How can we prevent church attendance decline?
Rather: How can we present Christianity not bound by church traditions and cultural barriers?
Not: How can we get more people out to church?
Rather: How can we get more people in touch with God?
Not: How can we get more people involved with ministry?
Rather: What is blocking and discouraging people from using their spiritual gifts?
Not: How do we compete with other churches?
Rather: How do we pray and work with other believers to build up the kingdom of God?
Not: How do we get more people to tithe?
Rather: How can we expose more people to God’s blessings?
Not: How can we better train Christians?
Rather: How can we better role model Christianity?
These are just some examples to challenge our thinking and help us look at answers as the body of Christ. We are trying to win a lost world that does not believe it is lost. That’s the first problem. Then its churches full of luke-warm people who are not good role models.
As long as the church is satisfied to be powerless, we will have no impact on the world. The disciples in the book of Acts were men and women power-filled and good role models. It was very clear they were different from the world and separated to Christ. They had authority and boldness. People wanted what they had. That is the problem, people don’t want what we are teaching and preaching.
If God is our Father, some changes have to be made. We need a new vision and inspiration. We need more victories and fewer excuses. We need transformation not so much information. We need testimonies, not tales of woe. We need our Heavenly Father to shake us up and wake us up, or nothing will ever change.
We are not dead yet, but close.
See ya in church,
Bud
There are wars and disasters everywhere. There is pain and suffering everywhere. Man has no power over wind, water nor fire. Sometimes it seems the world has gone mad.
Where is God in all of this? The answer is simple. God is where He always has been, on the Throne in his Heavenly home. When people ask this question “where is God,” what they are really saying is why does God let bad things happen? That answer is simple also. He blesses and provides for the obedient not the rebellious and greedy. However, when bad things happen good people get hurt too. Suffering is caused by sinful, rebellious people ever since the fall from the garden. All through history when people are not under God’s control, they were out of control.
Jesus’ disciples asked him one day when the end would come? Here is his answer.
Matthew 24:4-14 “Jesus answered: Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Not only in America have people ignored God, but around the world. False religions or no religion has produced a world that is driven by power and greed. We are living in (as the Bible stated) perilous time. The end times and the end may be near.
The persecution of Christians around the world is at an all time high. The Muslims hate the Christians because of what we stand for. Liberals hate us because of our biblical stand on such things as gay rights and abortion. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for his inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
So, what are we as Christians to do? The commands of Jesus are still in effect today. Love Him, obey Him, and go make disciples. But, in these last days we must prepare to suffer for our faith. They did in the 1st century, in fact, all through the history of the church. We in America have not been put to the real test yet, but it is coming. False prophets and cheap grace is everywhere. Don’t be surprised at anything. Be prepared and live or die as a true, loyal and faithful follower of Jesus Christ. We have His promises and they are true. The enemy will fail and Christ’s church will win.
See ya in church,
Bud