John said in Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Joel Rosenberg asked on his blog today at http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com, "How much longer will God be patient before He decides to judge us for 54 million abortions, a celebration of homosexuality, rampant heterosexual immorality, marital affairs, separations, divorce, the implosion of whole families, rampant pornography, unprecedented murder and violent crime rates, massive deficits, unfathomable debt, and a weak, increasingly apostate Church?"
I am very disappointed in the church in America. Every time I return to the U.S. to visit, I preach in half empty churches that usually meet for an hour and a half on Sunday mornings to just check off the "God Box" for the week. They are apathetic and spiritually dead.
Change is going to have to start in the pulpits. Preachers are going to have to start preaching, not just teaching, the Word of God. There simply must be a balance. Christians need to be challenged to a commitment each and every Sunday. After, the elections the other day, it is painfully obvious that the church in America does not need a hug! Nor do they need an exegesis on the seven "I Am's" of Christ in the Gospel of John. They need a swift kick in the butt!
Cyprian of Carthage who was beheaded in 258 AD said in his Third Treaty on the Lapsed (those who had denied God in the face of persecution), "They who call you happy (the priests who allowed them to come back into their fellowships without repentance) cause you to err, and destroy the paths of your feet," he who soothes the sinner with flattering blandishments furnishes the stimulus to sin; nor does he repress, but nourishes wrong-doing. But he who, with braver counsels, rebukes at the same time that he instructs a brother, urges him onward to salvation."
That should give all of us something to think about!
That should give all of us something to think about!
I definitely believe and have seen the lack of God in what are said to be God Loving Churches. As an MK and TCK it is very sad to watch countries, especially for my family the U.S.A. turn away from God. I to often have been like, "Hey God, so when you are ready to come and punish them I am ready!"
ReplyDeleteIt drives me insane to watch a country that so strongly believed and followed the principles that the Bible teaches us to, and now they completely disregard everything that has been taught! The U.S. was built for the freedom of religion, but know people ostracize you if you chose God.
I chose God!
I definitely agree that this world NEEDS a wake up call!
The word Apathetic means indiffrent, and the word Apostate means to give up on a cause, especially religion. I believe that these words don't adequately describe the church in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteIn History class, when we learned about the Salem Witch Trials, I was amazed to see the sheer amount of faith that was present at that time. Anyone that didn't go to church was considered out of the ordinary, and the law revolved around the Bible.
Don't forget the Pledge of Allegiance! "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Remeber that phrase: One nation under God. We are supposidly under God, but lately I have noticed that it isn't like that.
Caroline is right. The U.S. was built for freedom of religion. In fact, that was the reason why the pilgrims went over to the New World. But, we all know that people WILL, not might, not possibly, but will oztracize you if you choose God. Nobody likes to ostracized, but in the end, it won't matter whether or not you were the most popular kid in school, or the best dressed, or even had the best grades, what will matter is whether or not you are covered with the blood of the LORD Jesus Christ. He is the Lamb that was slain so that we could get into heaven with God the Father, our creator, for eternity. So, ostraciszed or not, I choose God too!
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 ESV) Jesus is THE way not A way. The world is losing sight of this.
Like Caroline commented, The world definitely NEEDS a wake up call. No doubt about it.
I definitely agree that the Church (especially in the United States) need a wake up call. Just like you said, every time I go to the States it disappoints me how the Church is going backwards with their relationship and deepness in God.
ReplyDeleteThe United States has a very good foundation in the Word and in God, but now people are not taking it seriously and may think that it's some 'religious thing'. The Church does need a major wake up call, and realize what they are doing.