Tuesday, July 28, 2015

A Failing System

   I'd like to make a request to all my readers; please send out a prayer with me to the world around us that is so desperately in need of it. It is very sad to see how far the world has fallen from God.
   I receive daily emails called 'Two Minutes with the Bible' (I highly recommend you subscribe), and I'm sharing a snippet from one of the articles I received in my inbox the other day.

   A Bible test was sprung recently on five classes of college-bound 11th and 12th graders in an American public school.
   Some thought Sodom and Gomorrah were lovers; that the Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luther and John; that Eve was created from an apple; and that the stories which Jesus told were called parodies.
   Eighty to ninety percent of the students could not complete the most familiar quotations from Scripture.
   The teacher, Thayer S. Warshaw, was understandably upset and rightly asked: “Is the student to study mythology and Shakespeare and not the Bible? Is it important for him to learn what it means when a man is called an Adonis or a Romeo, yet unimportant for him to be able to tell a Jonah from a Judas?”
   This writer’s heart is with that teacher and all who are awake enough to see that the Bible is disappearing more and more from American life. How can we expect anything but juvenile delinquency, the rapid general rise in the crime rate, the growing divorce rate, increasing dishonesty at every level of business and social life — how can we expect anything but these conditions when the Bible is flaunted and despised? This departure from the Word of God is bound to get us deeper and deeper into trouble.
   But whatever the conditions about you, you may have the joy and peace and light that comes from that Blessed Book. The Bible tells us frankly that “all have sinned” (Rom.3:23) and that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom.6:23) since a just God must deal with sin. Ah, but it tells us also that “Christ died for our sins” (ICor.15:3), and that the believer may have “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”(Rom.5:1).
   Read the Bible, especially the Epistles of Paul, who was raised up to proclaim “the gospel [good news] of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). You will never cease to thank God for having given your attention to this wonderful Book.

   Our school systems have removed Christianity from their education when it needs to be preached now more than ever.

   " For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
    That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
   That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
    And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God." - Psalm 78:5-8

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

A Call to Stand Out

  It seems as though, in today's society, that 'Christians' tend to have a desire to fit in and conform. I had a problem with this as I began my walk with God. Everyone seems to have a fear of being judged because they're different, even though the Lord directly states:
 
    "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." - 2 Corinthians 6:17

  I underline 'be ye separate' for the clear point that we as children of the Living God are not to be like the people of this world. Instead, we are to strive for perfection and be transformed.

  "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" - Romans 12:2

  Our society is always careful not to offend anyone, EXCEPT God. We need to stop worrying about what the world thinks of us and start caring more of what God thinks of us. Like the Apostle Paul puts it: "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment." - 1 Corinthians 4:3

  God Bless, and stay separate!