The Absence of Persecution

The absence of persecution, of the church of Jesus Christ in America is a scandal. Something is grievously wrong that the world has not found sufficient offence with us, to hound us, harass us, to reproach us, rebuke us, and to persecute us, let alone to slay us, I will be far more comfortable, and heave a great sigh of relief when persecution returns to the church, for I will know by that symptom, that the church has returned to God. – Art Katz

We speak of persecution here in America as if we really had any idea what it meant to be persecuted. Oh yes, men may be mocked when sharing the gospel, or for not doing particular sinful things. Men may be snickered at or joked about for the life they live. But hardly do we face the persecution Jesus or his disciples faced. Hardly do we face the persecution of believers in parts of China or India or Iran or Saudi. It is an offence that we should belittle the suffering of such great men throughout history by comparing it to our infinitely smaller problems here today. Yet the Bible says we, as those who follow God, will absolutely be persecuted. What shall we then say? Are we just fortunate enough to live in a land tolerant of our faith? Or will we again say that our persecution is ‘just different’. Rather I would argue that the so-called persecution we say we face could be labeled nothing but an annoyance, and that we do not face persecution because we have done nothing deserving of persecution. If we would actually stand up and proclaim the gospel in this nation, men would then find offense in us. If we would stand up and decry the immorality of our nation and the world, rather than sitting back and saying it’s just too bad people are immoral today, we would know persecution. If we did as we ought to do, we would face the persecution we ought to face. And such persecution is then not the negative to our positive actions, but a further, and desperately needed, positive for us. For it is through such trials that we grow, it is when we are hated and beaten that our resolve grows strongest. If we wish to pray for help that we may grow, we ought to pray for persecution. If we wish to pray for churches to unite, we ought to pray for persecution. If we wish for the world to see us as men and women of God, through which He may shine, then it will be in our time of most dire need that they will see it. Pray that men will stand up as they are called to do, that persecution may come upon us as it is meant to do, that we may grow as we were meant to grow, that God may ever be glorified more.  

Did I firmly Believe

“Did I firmly believe, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away all earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as Follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought, and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for the tomorrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences should never stay my hand, nor seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach it in season and out of season and my text would be, "what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"” - Written by an atheist in a tract received by C.T. Studd.

I see few writings so biblical and logical written by Christians, as what is here written by an atheist. These words caused Studd to give up everything in his life and take the gospel to China and Africa. Will you allow these words to change you?

What will we Give up?

This was written during a summer evangelistic trip I was on with about 30 other people. Unfortunately there have been a number of other situations where these words would be just as applicable.

“And now for this trip, for my brothers and sisters here. I am honestly sick of a great many things. Where is our excitement, where is our passion, where is our joy. We will spend a night swimming, at a birthday party, or just hanging out, yet not in prayer. I have been on that porch three times now, and there was only one who was man enough to give up some time to pray. We will have a day for water parks, for amusement parks, for shopping or movies, yet we will not devote a day to fasting and praying and reaching out to the people on this island. Evenings spent watching movies, evenings spent playing games, this beloved thing called fellowship, in which we can do whatever we please as long is it's with other people. What are we here for?!?! For fun? Can we not give up a summer completely to God??? Do we not seek to grow in our faith in such incredible ways??? Are we content with only learning some new bible teaching and evangelistic methods??? If that is all that occurs this summer, and I say nothing, than I have not fulfilled the task for which I was called here. I did not come on this summer trip for fellowship, and certainly not for fun. I am here to change lives. If I cannot do that quietly, I will begin to make noise. If I cannot do that subtly, I will do so bluntly. I will soon leave this trip, I will leave this country, and I will leave this world, in due time. I would rather have every one of you hate me, than to come here and not try to change lives. Why will we not mourn for this world?? Do we not see it is dying?? Will we not get serious with this life? Do you think the lives the apostles lived were only for them?? Or as an example to us? This life is not worth living for! The church of this nation is living in comfort and wealth and complacency, and it disgusts me! I am ranting because I do not know what else to say. I don't know how to get people to get this. How long must I sing this song?? Are we truly willing to live for God, to give up all, as we so passionately sing in our 'praise' songs? Will you go to another country knowing you would be arrested, tortured and murdered? Would you go with a family knowing they would suffer this fate? Would you get the best job you can find here, and live in the cheapest dump of a trailer park you can find to give away all that money to missions? Even with a family? What about inner-city? Harlem? If you have to sit on the floor because to many stray bullets come through the windows at night? Would you take a family? What if God called you to these things, are you willing to go? Are you truly joyful to go where He wants you to go, and die how he wants you to die? We sing it in song, we pray it in prayer, do we really mean it though? I am sick of so many things I see in Christianity here in this nation. I see so little hope of changing anything. Sometimes I think I mourn more for this nation and it's people than any other. Not because it is persecuted, not because it has never heard the name Jesus, but because it is a hopeless nation. We as Christians in this nation are so brainwashed by society that we cannot even imagine 'really' giving up everything. Could we give up every form of entertainment? You say it's not all bad, we don't have to. But do you even stop to think about that seriously before speaking?? To seriously ask God if you should never again watch a movie. Maybe I ask for to much. Maybe Americans cannot think so much. Maybe it's just not possible for you to understand these words I say. And so I continue in mourning prayer for you, for the men and women on this trip, and for the Christians of this nation. Maybe something I did this summer made a difference in someone’s life, maybe I changed someone in some small way. I hope and pray my efforts are not in vain.”  

What is your Message?

A good post by Jeremy (jwise) at ThinkChristian regarding the time spent discussing or debating peripheral matters such as evolution/creation, rather than focusing on the main gospel message. This is not to say such debates are of no use, or should never at any time be argued. Rather, it is only that there seems to be so much more time devoted to these efforts, rather than simply sharing the gospel with those who do not know it. The same could be said of our efforts in keeping the ten commandments publicly displayed, or keeping ‘under god’ in our pledge of allegiance. Noble pursuits perhaps, but certainly of far less value than sharing the gospel. Maybe it would be argued God uses such things as seeing the ten commandments in the court room to lead people to Him. That may be true, however, I fear such reasoning is more often given as an excuse to maintain comfort. For it is often much easier to send out some letters of complaint, or even to stand in a group of protesters, than it is to go to family or friend or stranger on the street and share the gospel. As well, to debate a matter of science is far easier than to tell a person they are going to hell if they do not accept Jesus. Perhaps the test would be whether or not you have shared this truth with friends or family who are not saved, while also fighting these many social issues today. If so it would be more likely you are following God’s will, if not I would dare to say you are choosing not the right path, but the easy path. Remember, there is no middle ground, there is only an eternity of heaven or hell. Remember, this life is pitifully short in light of that eternity to come, and to save a physical life is of much less value than to save a spiritual life.

Churches or Children

"We hear the cries of the needy saying, “Why doesn’t God provide for us? Doesn’t God care? Can God truly exist and not help us?” If we were to sell every church building built in the name of Christ at fair market value the interest on the amount returned would feed all the hungry on this planet now and until the day of Christ’s return." - Oswald J. Smith

"One poor American missionary felt the call of God to go to Mexico and there to attend to the physical and spiritual needs of the Mexican people in Juarez, just across the border from El Paso. In El Paso there could be found many beautiful church buildings that lay just on the other side of the Rio Grande; a literal stones throw away. An aerial view of El Paso with all its high church steeples would make El Paso appear like a spike bed. The missionary failed to understand how so many could go hungry so close to these so called houses of worship. The missionary was so troubled over this, that he found it affected his sleep, causing him to rest uneasily. One night as he slept he dreamed. He dreamed that he was standing in front of a large gray stone church building with a bell tower that rose high above the street below. All the stones of this structure were huge but varied greatly in size. Some stones were smaller than others, some were greater in size and still others even greater. In his dream the missionary saw a ladder extending from the street and reaching to the bell tower. At the top of the ladder, dressed in sandals and robe stood Jesus. He was writing something on each of the various stones which made up the structure. The missionary called to Him and asked what He was writing. Jesus looked down at him with tears in His eyes and explained that each stone in the wall was different in size and therefore different in value. Some stones were worth ten dollars, others twelve, still others twenty, etc. Then he explained that on each stone he was writing the name of a child that died for the want of the cost of the stone which bore the child’s name. In other words, if the stone cost ten dollars the child whose name appeared on it died for the want of ten dollars. If the stone cost twenty then the child whose name was inscribed on it died for the lack of twenty dollars etc. When the missionary awoke he couldn’t forget his dream and it changed him forever."

Children's Games

A question arose recently regarding whether or not sports are beneficial. A defense was given for such things as teamwork and discipline for those who play. For such things as good heroes or role models for those who watch. Yet in every defense given, I realized there exists a great divide between theory, and practice. In theory, certainly these things may be true. Yet in practice what do I see? Churches filled with men who hold a greater passion for such games, than the passion they hold for the lost or needy of this world. Men who hold a greater knowledge of these games than of scripture, or of the needs of this world. More excitement when announcing a basketball game, than when announcing a prayer meeting. A better turnout after announcing a football game, than after announcing an outreach. More interest when the conversation turns to baseball, than when the conversation turns to missions. This accepted addiction within the church of so many men today. It is sometimes said sports are a part of men, as God created men to face a challenge, to beat the odds, to fight for the prize. Indeed, God created man for such, yet would it not be more fitting that we should fulfill these needs in reaching the lost or caring for the needy, rather than in folly and games? Would these men not be better to hike the mountains of Iran, or cross the desert of Arabia, or search the streets in Harlem, to bring the gospel to these lost people? If it is a challenge men need, if it a prize these men need to fight for, then may they give up their worthless pursuits and give all to following Christ. May these men stand strong in the face of the weakness which surrounds them.

Not Called!

"'Not called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world."   - William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

The Greatest Sin

"Someone asked: Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved? It is more a question with me whether we, who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not, can be saved." - Charles Spurgeon

I can feel nothing but sorrow for the foolishness of men, in days past and days current, and surely in days to come. May we, as the body of Christ, be forgiven for having done so little to reach so many lost in this world over the centuries? If any ought to face the wrath of God, should it not be those who hold the truth of everlasting life, yet feel no need to share it with those who have no hope. I cannot help but feel that the church in it's history and it's current state today throughout much of the world, is guilty of a far greater sin in it's apathy than any ignorant unbeliever could ever commit. I feel as if I must beg forgiveness for the weakness of the body of Christ in days past and present, as I now cry out to Jesus that the future may not be so bleak for His bride.

Singing Lies

"Christians don't tell lies, they just go to church and sing them" - A.W. Tozer  

Were it not that this was said by so great a man, I would likely try to soften it a bit, though this is truly how I feel. It is often the thought which plagues me in any 'worship' time. When a sea of people are singing about how they are giving everything to God, how He is the most important thing in their lives. So many words sung that no man could dare to stand up and truthfully say. Yet week after week are such things sung without any thought given. Indeed, the question should be if any thought is given during these times of singing, or if it's only feelings, only some emotions. Has the act of singing praises to God become little more than a feel-good pick-me-up. Has it become nothing more than yet another form of entertainment for ourselves. I see those who choose not to give up much for the savior, people I know closely, who do not live as they ought to live, and don’t want to change. Yet they may raise their hands and sing to God of how great He is, and of how they give everything to Him. I have seen it, and it infuriates me that we have reduced singing praises to our God down to such a pathetic state. Not only do I often remain silent so that I do not lie singing these songs, but it is as well that I am surrounded by so many who do sing these lies, with tears in their eyes. My challenge then, to myself, and to any who read this, is to think of the words being sung, and ask yourself if you would be able to stand in front of a crowd and speak these words truthfully.    

Sinful 'good' People

"We have defined holiness through what we separate ourselves from rather than what we give ourselves to. I am convinced the great tragedy is not the sins we commit, but the life we fail to live." - Erwin McManus

I find this to be a very odd anomaly in the American Christian world today. So much emphasis is given to not doing the bad things, to being people who avoid all evildoings, and have a good job and good family. I would not wish to lessen the importance of these things. But it seems the opposing side of ‘good’, or of holiness, is to not only avoid the bad things in this life, but to actually ‘do’ the good things spoken of and given example of in the Bible.

“The man who has knowledge of how to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)

What of reaching out to the lost of this world (Acts 1:8), or caring for the widows and orphans (James 1:27). If we will only divert our attention from our selves for a moment, and open our eyes to the needs of this world, will we not be driven by love to stand up and make a difference?

How Great is Our God

“And all will see, how great, how great is our God”

A line from a song sung recently at a Christian college meeting nearby. Speaking of course of us (as Christians) seeing God one day. Yet, the thought which came to mind that evening was “Indeed, how many billions upon this earth will see how great our God is when they face Him, in all His wrath, as He sends them to an eternity in the pit of hell.” Not to say we should not look forward to the day we (as Christians) will be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven, for certainly I do so quite often, and certainly we all ought to do so quite often. However, what I find so disturbing is that our own coming joy exists as the singular thought among Christians today. If there is a time to look forward to our joy, should there not to be a time to look forward to the sorrows so many in this world will one day face. That from such a view we could be filled with a love, which then drives us to save them from such a fate?

“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance”
  -Ecclesiastes 3:4

So often do we laugh, so often do we dance, for our joy to come. When will we begin to weep, when will we begin to mourn, for the judgment to come, upon so many in this world.

So heavy is this heart

So heavy is this heart within me...A feeling no words could express...Sorrows upon sorrows.I have a heart for the lost of this world. For those who now live out their lives for this fallen world. For those who ignore God, who turn their backs to Him. Those who, if they continue upon the path they now walk, will face the very wrath of God in the flames of hell. For such is my heart so often burdened.Yet now do I feel overcome by another sorrow. One which seems to well up within me as often as the first. Looking around my mind, I see so many faces, of those I now know, or knew once before. These are the ones who call themselves Christians, yet know nothing of Jesus. They have eyes, yet they do not see, ears, but they do not hear. It is a choice they make, a choice of ignorance. Weakness could be strengthened, immaturity matured. Yet what may be done for those who will to be ignorant, those who are not merely apathetic, but desirous to be so.My sorrow for the lost is great. But, for the most violent, hateful, immoral people on earth do I hold more hope, than these who say they are something they do not truly wish to be.