You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'God help us!' tag.
Many years ago I met a young man. This young man had reluctantly followed in his grandfathers footsteps as a great soldier for Christ. His name was Micheal Boldea. If you have never heard of him, I recommend you do some research. His grandfather wrote a terrific book called “Through the Fire”. It is an amazing story of faith and obedience to the Lord.
Recently I came across Micheals blog. His words are strong and true. Here is a sample.
Imagine if you will, feeling unwell and going to your doctor who promptly offers you a haircut. Imagine if you will, being hungry and walking into a restaurant only to find that they served no food, but rather only sold doorknobs. Would you ever go back to that doctor or that restaurant?
How is it that the church today is advertising Christ by its very existence, but only offering entertainment, workshops on financial planning, or lessons on self-esteem? Can the church, as we know it today survive? Should it survive?
One can only go to a certain place for a certain thing so many times and leave empty handed before he or she is disillusioned, distraught, and in frustration throws their hands up in defeat. When will we realize that what has become of the modern day church is a mockery, not even a shadow of what it ought to be? When will we realize that God will call us to account for our wasted potential, for our skirting of responsibility, for the absence of accountability, and our callous willingness to merely watch countless souls marching toward eternal perdition?
Last week my wife sent me to the store to get some chicken breast. I decided to drive the extra couple miles and shop at the local super bulk warehouse where you can get a twenty-pound can of corn, or a thirty-pound bag of pinto beans. I began walking down the endless isles, pushing a squeaky cart, and started seeing a lot of items I never knew I needed. The first thing to draw my attention was an oddly inviting pair of mustard colored overalls, quickly followed by an industrial paper shredder, something called a Magic Bullet, and the list goes on. I didn’t buy everything I listed above, but I am embarrassed to admit I am now the not so proud owner of a brand spanking new pair of mustard colored overalls.
It took me a little longer than I anticipated to finish my shopping, and as I arrived home with two bags of stuff I didn’t know I needed, and quite honestly didn’t really need, at least in hindsight, my wife simply asks, ‘where’s my chicken?’
You guessed it; looking through the warehouse full of stuff I forgot the reason I was there in the first place. I forgot to buy the chicken.
I relay the preceding story to make a point. Many people today go to church, they sit through the service, the hear the choir sing and the pastor preach, and only when they are alone, away from the excitement of it all do they begin to realize that they are missing something. More and more people today are beginning to ask the question, ‘where’s Jesus?’ It was Jesus I was going to church for, it was Jesus I wanted to meet, to know, to fellowship with and to build a relationship with, but here I am two hours later, with a head full of stuff I didn’t really need, and lacking the one thing that I can’t do without.
I say the following as frankly and forthrightly as I am able, already knowing that some will perceive it wrongfully, and accuse me of being unloving, unmerciful, unkind and ungracious. If the church does not get back on message, if the church does not return to it’s foundation which is Christ and Christ alone, it will not only fall apart from within, but will have no one to blame but itself for not having the strength and boldness to stand for truth when it will count. We are not merely asleep, we are dying, every strength every spark of life leeching out of us with every compromise, with every deviance from the truth, and with every omission of the name Jesus for fear of offending those hearing. Not only will we suffer the fury of the godless in this nation, but we will suffer the wrath and judgment of God, for judgment begins in His house, and with His children first and foremost.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
Prev | Next 
Danger, Danger!!
It is dangerous when one believes in error that they know the Lord.
Look here at the disciples. They had walked with Jesus for three years, and yet they still had very little understanding of who He really was. Jesus was doing his best here to encourage and comfort his disciples because he knew very soon He would be taken away.
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again and receive you unto myself;
that where I am there ye may be also.
And whither I go ye know,
And the way ye know.
Thomas saith unto him,
Lord we know not whither thou goest;
And how can we know the way?
Oh, poor Thomas, how far from understanding he was.
Jesus sath unto him
I am the way,
the truth and the life:
No man cometh unto the Father but by me.
Jesus is trying desperately to make them understand. I can almost hear him saying, “I am the way! Open your eyes! Open your hearts! Get it! It’s Me, your Saviour, your Father! Please understand this!”
If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also:
And from henceforth ye know him and have seen him.
Philip saith unto him
Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
I can hear the exasperation in Christ’s voice. “Come on Philip! How long will it take for you to get this through your thick skull” It reminds me of when I would scold the girls for not scraping their plates before loading the dishwasher. “How many times do I have to show you? Why don’t you get it? It is so basic!”
Jesus saith unto him,
Have I been so long time with you,
(See I told you, Jesus is getting his patience pushed and the disciples still do not understand.)
and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?
He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;
And how thou then saith, Shew us the Father?
What was it the disciples were lacking? They spent days on end with Jesus. They had heard his teachings and witnessed his miracles. They thought they knew him. They thought they had an intimate relationship with him. They thought they would follow him forever. But soon they would all scatter. What had they missed? Where did they go wrong? And how do we avoid the same danger?
I think I know the answer, but please, if anyone out there has answers, I welcome them!!!
Native Oregonian
I was born in Springfield, Oregon nearly 46 years ago and for the majority of my life I have been very proud to claim this great state as my birthplace, but the Real Oregon is slipping away.
It is being transformed into a hedonistic, self loving, anything-goes state. Oregon, once proud for it’s logging, rocky beaches and Crater Lake, is now known for somewhat less honorable things. Oregon: the home of legalized marijuana, abortion, doctor assisted suicide, a pregnant man (sort of), gay unions, and now with the current events unfolding with Portland Governor, Sam Adams, it looks like pedophilia will even be accepted!! Let’s not forget the transgender mayor of Silverton, a small town in northern Oregon.
I would love to blame all this moral decay upon our Oregonians up north, but then I am reminded of the two perverts from Klamath Falls who taped themselves conducting sex acts with a dog!
And do you recall the man recently who was declined treatment from the state for an ailing liver, but they offered to help assist in his suicide instead? This is what my taxes are paying for? To kill babies and sick people?
What is happening to this state? And the question that begs to be asked, Why has God not completely obliterated us from the map? His patience and mercy is far beyond my understanding.
Following in the shadows of the Blagojevich scandal, I was encouraged by the words of Republican Senator Randall Hultgren. Speaking to his colleagues he admonished the state leaders, “ I believe our state must enter rehab. Moral rehabilitation” It was a tiny flash of light amid this darkness that seems to be swallowing not just my state but the entire country. Moral depravity is like a cancer destroying everything this once great country stood for.
So what do we do about it? Isn’t it too late? Shouldn’t we just accept it and quit speaking out against it? NO…. No…and…no.
God expects us, the church, his called people, to stand up to this. Does that mean write letters, go to rallies, become involved in politics? Not really. God may call you into one of those actions, but my belief is in order for us to stand up, we must kneel down. We must bring this tragedy to the altar. We must confess our nations sins and ask our Lord for forgiveness. We, the church, hold this responsibility—NO ONE ELSE! I cannot expect a morally corrupt senator or governor to lead us back onto the right path. Nor can I expect my Pastor to do this on his own. I…I…I…have this responsibility. My tears are to be flowing over the sin of the nation and the church.
History shows us how quickly prosperous and strong nations have tumbled down into piles of rubble. How can we be so arrogant to think it cannot happen here? Was it not God who set this nation up to begin with? Look into our history (not that mamby pamby sham they call history in the public schools system) and it is abundantly clear that the pilgrims and our founding fathers understood that the purpose of this nation was to propagate the Gospel. The Bible is clear—read Deuteronomy chapter 28. It gives clear rewards (blessings) for those countries who follow God. This young country’s past shows we have truly been blessed. But continue to read and this chapter lays out the consequences (curses) of those countries who decide to turn their back on God and his commandments.
This is not pleasant reading.
Let’s dig a bit deeper and see what God has to say about his people. The writings of Ezekiel in chapter nine seem to state it very well. Notice at the time of the judgement and the sentence is issued, in verse six it reads “..and begin at my sanctuary..” This tell me that even though we are going under the auspices of being a “good church-going Christian” God judges our hearts. He sees into to all those dark hidden crevices. Nothing is unknown to Him. Our moral failures, our lack of prayer, our poor conversion to His holiness is what has brought this country so low.
We cannot blame it on Bush, Obama, Osama, or the stock market, we can blame it on the fading light of Gods people. If you have been living a so-so Christian walk (as I have), knock it off!! Get real !!!! Get real with God and get real with others about God.
Put a little wood on that dying ember. Get it glowing red hot again. Pray, pray, pray! Oh…and prayer isn’t all about asking God for stuff or to straighten out people. Prayer is mostly about worshipping Him and listening for His still small voice. If that means sitting in silence an hour a day, do it. Read His Word—study it. If you aren’t involved in a good Bible study or don’t belong to a fellowship of believers, do that soon! We can not stand on our own. Brothers and sisters hold each other up.
This country may still yet fall, but we can stand through it. We who are kneeling will be able to stand
