A Day to Be Very Aware and Spiritually Alert

This is a day to be “on guard” as the world takes stock of all that has happened since Friday. Not only was there a horrific commuter train crash in southern California and Hurricane Ike; now we have the crashing and burning of two Wall Street giants in one weekend. If what is going on around the world in financial markets is any indication; this day could be one of the worst days ever on Wall Street.

Whenever the world is going through convulsions, the shock waves are bound to reach each of us in one way or another. Whether higher gasoline prices, sudden loss of investment income or dealing with the growing fear among many people that there is something going on that is not being reported; there are numerous ways events taking place in the world manage to influence us.

This would not be a good time to take a mental vacation, let alone a spiritual one. Don’t be surprised if the Lord brings out the “cattle prod” and gives you a good jolt today. There is massive need for prayer today. The situation in southern Texas and Louisiana is 1,000 times worse than is being reported. FEMA and other agencies are hiding the real statistics as to fatalities and damage. Sooner or later the whereabouts of the 140,000 people told to evacuate or face certain death must be accounted for.

Political turmoil is boiling over in Bolivia, Thailand and other remote countries. The military situation in Afghanistan is growing worse by the day. Threats being made by Israel towards Iran indicate an attack is imminent. The problems between the United States and Venezuela and Honduras are reaching the critical point. Nations such as Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas are tattered and lay in ruins due to relentless hurricanes over the past few weeks.

The wise person should take stock of their situation and do whatever is necessary to not be directly impacted by anything going on in the world, especially in the financial markets. The bombshell which was dropped yesterday and that will be manifested later this morning when the markets open is going to adversely affect many people. In the same vein, the possible gasoline shortages due to the hurricane may temporarily drive up the cost of gasoline to record highs even as the price of oil keeps dropping.

Certain items are always in short supply after a major hurricane hits a port city. The laws of supply and demand dictate if an item is in short supply, the price will go up. A prudent person would stock up on any items that are vital to survival and relative comfort. Time does not allow me to share details of the horror stories coming out of Houston from people who failed to prepare for the storm they all knew was coming. There is no excuse for having a generator but never thinking to buy gasoline to run it.

Whether this day turns out to be just another day or ends up being one of those days the world literally shudders, we as believers need to pray for personal protection, guidance and avenues where we can share the love in our hearts with those in need. The only reason to pray for God to take care of us in times of trouble is so that we are able to help others. God knows there are countless people locked in the throes of staggering circumstances literally pulling them apart.

I beseech you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to prayerfully consider all that is going on this day and with great humility ask the Lord what you can do to help Him. After all, the very reason we are alive is to be a blessing to the Lord and His people. We were not given all we have from Him just so we could sit around laughing at the trials and tribulations of those around us. To the contrary, we have been charged to do the work of an evangelist and to comfort, encourage and edify with all the love of Christ in our hearts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080915100149.qdzqexmo&show_article=1&catnum=0

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14363975.htm

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/14/america/arms.php

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080915/ap_on_re_us/severe_weather

Empathetic Identification=Philippians 3 which is my goal in this life

Many years ago, I spent dozens of hours studying Philippians chapter three, especially the second half of the chapter. I did this because I wanted, more than anything in life, to be able to say what the Apostle Paul said of himself in that chapter. From the time this yearning started thirty years ago, my life’s greatest goal is to honestly say with convection and by experience the following:

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, BEING CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH.

IF BY ANY MEANS, I MAY ATTAIN TO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:7-14 NKJV

That which represents my life’s dream is to be able to KNOW by experience the power of Christ’s resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings. This is done by being conformed to his death. Unless we die with Jesus we can never experience the power of his resurrection. We can never die with Him unless we are willing to share fully in His sufferings.

The past few days have taken much out of me. I was up much of Friday night due to the empathetic identification I felt with both the Lord Jesus and many of His people suffering in Texas and Louisiana. I have besought the Lord for thirty years to allow me to share in His pain when His people are hurting. Thousands upon thousands of born again believers had to endure an experience Friday night and Saturday morning few of us could comprehend. Due to their suffering, the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ was burdened with suffering also.

Jesus did not just suffer through the beatings and other things associated with paying the price for our redemption and healing. Jesus still suffers every time His people let him down or are subjected to torture, persecution or pain. This suffering is not related to our salvation, it is related to the LOVE and COMPASSION which fills the heart of our Lord Jesus. Times such as this weekend literally cause Him to sit on His throne and weep.

I have diligently prayed that my Lord would allow me to share fully in His sufferings both past and present. I have diligently prayed for my Lord to allow me to be conformed to his death. I take pride in little in the life, but one thing I do thank God for is that I can honestly say there is nothing in this life worth me living for outside of my Lord, His people and the furtherance of His Kingdom.

Long ago I cast all my accomplishments, aspirations and desires at His feet and asked Him to grind them to pieces. Long ago I turned my whole life over to Him and asked Him to do with me as He pleased. This life I live is not my own, for I have been bought with a price so that this life can be a glory to Him.

My heart is still filled with heaviness for I know many of God’s people are suffering greatly. Not only in Texas and Louisiana, but all around the world. The degree and extent of persecution against Christians is rising rapidly in some countries. The degree and extent of Christians turning their back on their Lord is rising just as rapidly.

One by one, I have watched as first one and then another lifelong friend, relative or acquaintance seeks to distance themselves as far away from me as possible due to my beliefs. One by one, the fellowship of those whom I counted as yokefellows or comrades has shrunk to the point of only a few remaining. I feel the pain as one by one, great men and women for God get sucked away from Him like those who perished in the storm surge the other night. Their very life sucked out of their lungs.

These are trying times in which we live, for God is trying and testing His people to see who is REAL and who is not. Through pressures and pleasures, God is winnowing His flock as we approach the end of the age. Those whose hearts have grown hard and whose love has become cold will suffer greatly in the time to come. Those whose commitment to the Lord has grown stronger and whose love has become deeper will be rewarded with being a part of an event all but a scant few have totally rejected as a lie.

Yes, I will believe in the rapture of those who have “passed the test” till the day I cease to draw breath on this earth. Whether anyone else believes as I do is between them and our Lord. As for me; I have devoted my life to ridding myself of worldly baggage and becoming in all ways as much like my Lord as I can. I have willingly sacrificed this world’s fame and fortune in order to “gain Christ” and to be a part of the “out-resurrection” from the dead.

I have tried to forget all that is behind me and concentrate only on serving and giving my life to Him from this time forward. I want NOTHING this world has to offer and would gladly give my life instead of compromising my faith to have fame or fortune. No amount of money on earth could sway me to forsake my Lord and become someone just like everyone else in this world. This world can come take this house, my van, my dogs and even my wife. Under no circumstances will this world take my soul, for it belongs only to my Lord Jesus Christ.

The “Christian Religion” is not the same as “Christianity”

Here is a question to “test” your faith: If a haggard looking soul with sores all over his body and obviously dehydrated and starving to death stumbled up to you; what would you do?

Pull out a Bible and start yelling at him to repent for all the sin in his life which brought upon him all these horrible curses.

Ignore him and let someone else take care of him for you don’t have time to get involved lest you be late to church.

Take him to an Emergency Room to receive evaluation and treatment for medical conditions.

Take him to a shelter for the indigent.

Take him home, feed him, bathe him, share with him the story of Jesus and pray with him.

Why do we make everything so hard? The obvious answer to this question is #5. Yet, obvious or not, the number of Christians who would actually ever do such a thing would maybe be 1 in a thousand. The truth in the matter is that almost every Christian would do exactly what any unbeliever with a little compassion would do, and that is either #3 or #4. Of course a few zealots would do #1, but I don’t want to go on this post lest I never come back.

What do we Christians offer, if we do nothing differently than those in the world for those who are hurting? The typical Christian response to a disaster such as Hurricane Ike is to drop some old clothes off at Goodwill and write a check to the American Red Cross or Salvation Army and move on with life. With conscience appeased and back sufficiently patted for being such a “good person”, the average Christian will go his merry way and never think or pray again about the situation.

Aren’t we supposed to manifest the love and compassion of Christ as Christians? When confronted with need, aren’t we supposed to reach out and help with the love of Christ? Where and how Christianity turned into merely a meeting place for theological discussion is beyond me. Where and how Christianity turned into a building frequented once per week for worship services is beyond me. Where and how Christianity turned into a heartless and dead religion is beyond me.

For the most part, the “Christian Religion” is totally heartless and completely dead. There is basically no life and very little love manifested. There are only motions to be gone through and facades to be put up and hypocritical lies to be told. The “Christian Religion” is merely a convenient front to hide behind, masking the spiritual indifference and dead works of the actor using it to “look good”.

The hearts of many of God’s people have turned cold as ice and hard as rocks. The willingness to give is strictly dependent on how much remains after indulging in everything that appeases the lust of the flesh and of the eyes. Charitable giving is relegated to nothing more than the scraps left over after the feast. Truly the pompous attitude manifested by those who practice the “Christian Religion” is sickening.

Notice all these things I am saying are directed at those who practice the “Christian Religion”. There is little comparison between that which parades around claiming to be Christian and that which is Christianity INDEED. True Christianity loves not in word, but in DEED. True Christianity doesn’t just talk about helping people—it gets out there and does it.

I hate to keep beating a dead fish here, but unless Christians step up and start willingly putting others ahead of themselves all that will be left is Christian religiosity. Anybody can say anything that sounds good and in the process fool many people. But they can never fool themselves and they can never fool God. As Christians, we should willingly and freely give because of the appreciation and love in our hearts for all our Savior did for us.

There is a huge chasm between the branches of Christianity which seek to manifest compassion towards those who are in need and those which seek only to continually bless and take care of themselves. On another site, I was appalled to read someone make the statement that God wants Christians rich so they can impress the unbelievers and win them to Christ.

There are Christians who believe they are on earth to stockpile riches, live in mansions Donald Trump would envy, drive $100,000 cars and spend months each year relaxing on yachts. All the while, they wouldn’t freely give a nickel to anyone unless they got an IRS write off or a building named after them. God may very well bless someone with material wealth, but if it was really God blessing them, He expects the person to SHARE that which He gave with those who need it.

Religion talks about God, Christ and religious things but never lives them or does anything spiritual. Godliness knows God, Christ and spiritual things and lives them. God needs Christians who are Godly not religious. I pray He finds some who are willing to take up His cause and forsaking all, follow Him. There is a world of hurting, angry and confused people out there who, as Steve Green once sang about, “need the Lord”.

Why Can’t We Find the Resources to Really Help Others?

I just want to climb up on the roof and scream with every ounce of my strength. The frustration level has reached a point where I want to pull what remains of my hair out of my scalp. I simply cannot believe the insensitivity, the calloused indifference and flat out apathy which has hijacked much of Christianity and rendered it a useless religion void of compassion and any true expression of love.

Numerous attempts have been made by some of us to alert believers scattered around this nation to the ever increasing suffering being thrust upon our brothers and sisters through economic hard times and natural disasters. Instead of Christians rallying to help each other, there is more and more finger pointing, shifting the responsibility to others and hiding taking place. This attitude must stop or the consequences will be horrible.

Christianity if more than dressing up in nice clothes and sitting in a building singing songs and listening to yet another sermon. This is nothing but religion and flies in the face of what our Lord Jesus Christ taught regarding compassionately reaching out to others. Churches and groups who are only interested in themselves are guilty of selfishness and that self serving attitude will in due time render them a spiritual wasteland.

Wealthy Christians seem to have enough money to buy yet more and more “things”, yet they barely give enough to qualify as charitable giving. These same people will talk about how much they gave to the United Way and other secular charities but never consider giving a penny to a small Christian charities trying to carry out the Lord’s commands.

Christians think nothing of giving hundreds of dollars per week to their church, not having a clue where the money goes, yet will turn the other way when asked to help a grass roots Christian charity honestly helping people. Christians will drop a thousand dollar check in the building fund offering and a one dollar bill in the food drive offering.

Where is the love in all this? It seems to me that Christianity has turned into just another “look at me” religion instead of the “it’s all about you” ministry it is supposed to be. Christians would rather sit around discussing theology than ever get out and lift a finger to help someone in a desperate situation. The attitude of “let someone else do it” has infiltrated and taken hold among Christian groups to the point charitable giving is almost non-existent.

I have heard all the excuses about “being especially good to the household of faith” and how gifts and offerings are to go to pay the salaries of the leaders and the bills of the church etc. What happened to the heart of giving? What happened to the giving of alms? What happened to diverting some of the finances to something outside of the local needs of the church?

“Oh, but we give to worldwide missionary outreach”. Do you have a clue where the money goes? “We give to a consortium of groups”. Do you have a clue where the money goes? “We don’t care where it goes, we are only responsible to give”. Where does that fit with being good stewards and where is that in the Bible?

I think it is high time for Christians to wake up and realize that their personal giving is just that. GIVING, with no strings attached to whoever is doing the Lord’s work and will. Christianity is more than just church services and meetings, and more meetings and everything else that drains the budgets of most groups. Unless Christian groups start giving outside of themselves to others in need, their group will stagnate and fail. The same holds true for individuals; giving is to whoever is doing the Lord’s work, not simply to a church or group.

I cannot believe what I have heard, read and seen the past two weeks as I have attempted to find funds to help groups helping in disaster relief down south. NO ONE has any spare money to give. Every single person has every single penny spoken for already. The honest truth is no one wants to sacrifice one Coke per day or anything else to find the extra few dollars to help someone else. Funny how people always find the money to eat out at expensive restaurants, go to expensive movies or sporting events, buy new plasma televisions, go on vacations and million and one other things which feed the “its all about me” monster; yet cannot find a few dollars to help those helping people devastated by natural storms or personal disasters.

As I said at the beginning, I am ready to explode. I have worked my tail off the past two weeks doing research, communicating with associates and writing blogs all over the internet about the three hurricanes we have seen in September. I have just spent the past three days working with others trying to get the news out that Ike IS the storm of the century and to not underestimate it. We are all very frustrated because people don’t want to hear about anything that isn’t going to “bless them”.

Hey, sometimes there are things that come up in this life that don’t “bless us”. The event we remembered yesterday that took place in 2001 was not a “blessing”. Bad things happen to everyone sooner or later and when they do, everyone needs support and help to make it through. If Christians close up their wallets and shut up their bowels of compassion, then people are going to suffer and end up turning to the government or unbelievers for help. That is not how God wants things to be.

I am fully aware that people like me get under the skin of many Christians with my constant harping on the need to give to those who are suffering. I have been called the “hemorrhoid” on the Body of Christ among other things. I don’t care what people call me, I only want to do whatever I can to reach out and help others in their time of need. That is what true Christianity is supposed to be about. Christianity was never supposed to be a selfish “Me, Me” religion. It is supposed to be all about “what can I do for you?” and “how can I help YOU”.