Is it my imagination, or is the work
of evil picking up its pace these days?
Perhaps it is a misperception caused by the immediacy of the media
today, especially with the help of the internet, but I doubt it. It really shouldn’t come as a shock to us
that Satan’s influence on society would be growing ever stronger. Jesus did tell us that there would be
perilous times, and the roughly 1,973 years since his proclamation have given
us more than enough examples of this.
But I perceive that the momentum of evil is increasing exponentially
these days.
It is a troubling time when living
by ones Christian values it is viewed as a disconcerting omen in the realm of
politics. It is problematic that
expressing a love for and dedication to God is unacceptable within the
government-run institutions of education.
It is troubling when the phrase “In God we trust” is seen as an
intolerance of those who do not share this same value. The sad part is in knowing that it is not
because the majority feels this way, but that the small minority
that do are just more vocal than the rest.
Well, I for one feel the extra push
from the “dark side” these days, but I am also sensing a push from God as
well. Perhaps this is due to my position
as Pastor, but I don’t think so. I
believe that our Lord is harkening society back to himself. He is putting it in the hearts and minds of
those who fear (revere) Him to make a decision – a decision to put away the
false gods they serve and follow Him.
This makes me think of the words of Joshua.
"Now fear the
LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers
worshiped beyond the River and in
I believe that God is calling for
His people to have a more open, active Christianity, one that gets
noticed. According to a 1999 Gallup
Poll, more than 86% of Americans believed that there is a God. Some polls have
that as high as 95%. Considering the gap
between belief and church attendance, there is an obvious lack of commitment
when it comes to our beliefs. Perhaps
this is why so many evangelical Christians are concerned over the influence
that “The Da Vinci Code” will have on those on the
fringes of Christianity; all the more reason for our Christianity to be
increasingly evident to those around us.
After all wouldn’t you rather yourself be the one answering the
questions of the “already confused” Christian rather than having them become
even more confused by finding their answers in the fictional accounts hyped by
the media? I know I would!
Am I concerned that, if we fail to
be more active and open with our Christianity, God’s plan of salvation will
somehow fail to achieve His intended goal?
Yes, and no.
I believe that our reaching out with the Gospel is part of God’s
plan, so to the extent we choose not to, we impede His plan that same
amount. Of course, being God, He will
find a way to reach the people with or without us. That’s how much He loves us all! That’s the love He calls us to have for each
other, those who make up the body of Christ as well as those who have yet to
make a decision for Him. I’ve said it
before and I’ll say it again, it’s all about choice. God is calling all mankind to choose. Will you be there to help someone make the
right choice?
God bless,
Pastor
Thom
Click on a month to see a previous edition of "The Pastor's Desk."
February 2006
January 2006
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