What I mean by selling out is simply proclaiming the Gospel of Christ no matter what. The Chinese are being persecuted for their faith, yet we here, (and I include myself), are paranoid about losing our jobs.
We here also seem to be either paranoid or apathetic about the dreadful sins going on in our midst. Take abortion for example. I'm certain God would very well DO something in regards to this terrible deed, but where's the Christians to offer the pregnant mother-to-be support?
And I don't mean just moral and spiritual support either. That mother needs money, shelter, baby items, etc. It used to be in our countries that folks would take all kinds of folks in distress into their homes. But an unwed mother seems to carry some kind of taboo with her.
As for homosexuality, don't get me wrong. God hates homosexuality, but God LOVES the homosexual. However, enacting laws like this, (pornography is another), should be met with the ENTIRE Christian voice in our countries. Not just a pocket here and there.
But I sense an urgency from the Holy Spirit and the witnessing "fire" is stirring up from within. I remember reading about Charles Finney and how he brought his revival to Rochester, NY. So many people got born again that all the bars and the theatres went out of business!!
We all need to stir up the witnessing "fire" because as an army, we are completely lost and not in unity. It just seems to me that we're all waiting around for the rapture. Sigh!
I HEAR YOU! The Chinese culture is different from the American culture. We are used to all kinds of freedoms and don't want to lose it no matter what. We're a "spoiled" nation, that's what's the matter. When I say America, I mean Canada, too. We've gotten so used to these freedoms we feel entitled to them. It's really a shame but it's how it is and it's really hard for a spoiled child to develop character. That's it in a nutshell. Can it all be changed? Not as it is now. I really think people are going to have to hit rock bottom before they realize what they had. This is very unfortunate. One of these days (if Jesus tarries) I think the people will have to rise up in rebellion. That, in itself, will cause calamity for many years to come. Everything will be wrecked. I think it should be a prerequisite for all children, at least once a year, to know what our forefathers went through for us to enjoy the life we have today. Will it do any good? Maybe, if each child had to re-enact that kind of a life every year for 12 years, it might. Personally, I think all of us are even further removed from Christianity than we think we are. No one wants to live a sacrificed life. A sacrificed life without Jesus in the center would be wasted, I agree. Jesus has to be the center of that life. How many Zak, just how many people are willing? God knows, and I think the Bible says FEW will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It's an "I" society, more of everything is the cry when it really should be more of Jesus. Well, he was rejected 2000 years ago and people are still rejecting Him. OK--------I'll stop ranting.
I agree we need revival. What's stopping it? Not putting our brother's life before our own? I don't know.
I remember Finney's story too. We need a NATIONAL revival now, though. Guess what it'd do to the economy of Canada and/or the U.S. Maybe that's why revival is eluding us, eh?
You mentioned abortion, etc. You are right. That mother needs support after the birth of that baby. Point is, she doesn't want to keep that baby. Sex was OK but baby is not. We have a lot of undisciplined and irresponsible people among us now. It's vastly different from how it used to be. Why? A laxity of morals, little bit here and a little bit there, until an amoral society stares us in the face. We don't take in beggars in our society. I remember when I was a wee one, beggars would knock at our door and ask for something to eat. My mom always fixed them a sandwich. They seemed thankful. Today, we can't even open our doors to strangers because of the society we live in. Sometimes I would like to close my eyes and wake up back in them olden days.
There's a good Twilight Zone feature if you ever get a chance to view any of them. I think it's called "Willowby, This Stop Willowby." It's about a man leaving this contemporary world and going back somewhere to the 1800's. Very good!
Sometimes I can understand why the West, expecially America has been called "Satan". Look at the legalized pornography, legalized abortion, etc. Very frightening. I know that Canada and the U.S. have many good people in them but it's not enough. We need to be countries of integrity, countries of character. We aren't. If ya take a look at how we talk about God loving the homosexual and hating the act, then you can see we're really pointing a finger at the homosexual and not loving them. I don't have a ready answer for this problem. I don't know any homosexuals. If I did, I wouldn't reject them. I'd ask God what He'd want me to do in that situation and then follow through on what He told me. Elementary, probably, but it's all I know and am.
OK............'nuff typed.
Grace and peace,
cris
