Greetings of Christian love to each one. Another year has passed us by, and another is spread out before us to navigate. What is our perspective? Do we have hope and joy bubbling up in our hearts or does the future seem full of gloom and doom? Do we see God’s sovereign hand at work in the situations and circumstances around us or does the world seem out of control from our vantage point?
As I interact with folks from around the country there seems to be a common issue that many folks are struggling with—weariness. Weary of mandates. Weary of shutdowns. Weary of all the bickering and fighting that has surrounded the Covid issue. Weary of…
It appears that many people just “Don’t want to think about it”. Why? I’m really not sure what all the reasons are, but I am sure that each person has one. Let’s remember that God wants us to …be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves –Matthew 10:16.
Here, in the United States of America, Christians have had over 60 years (since World War 2) of relative peace and tranquility. For the most part, we have been left alone to raise our families and worship the God of our fathers according to our conscience. We have enjoyed the separation of Church and State that was implemented at the beginning of our country’s existence. We have been able to work with our hands and earn a living. Many of us have lived off the fat of the land.
Maybe we were living in an artificial bubble. Maybe we have been lulled into a false sense of security. What about our counterparts in countries around the world, what is their reality of living as true Christians in their world? Sure, we have been able to use our wealth and freedom of movement to do much good for the rest of the world who have endured much hardship due to following Christ. But at what cost? What have our children learned?
Sometimes, we hear about first generation Christians being “on fire” for their Lord. Sometimes so much so that second and third generation Christians think that first generation Christians are perhaps a little too zealous in their efforts of evangelizing those around them.
What about the next generation? They are learning from someone—about God, themselves, and life. What are they learning? And who are they learning from? We must take stock to ensure that our children are learning life’s lessons in a way that they will be prepared to face the reality of things to come.
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many –Matthew 24:3-5.
Remember that this is Jesus Himself speaking to His followers regarding the end of the world. His very first concern is that we would NOT be deceived. He says that deception will be the major issue surrounding the end of time. He says that many will come claiming to be Christ [or His direct spokesperson] in an attempt to gain a listening ear, all in an effort to deceive the hearer and gain a following.
If not before now, we most certainly must be teaching our children certain specific things through word and action. That we are to be strangers and pilgrims as we journey through this life. That if we are friends of this world then God will be our enemy. And that Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world, therefore, His children must learn to live as ambassadors in a foreign land. Our children need to know that ALL who live godly in Christ Jesus WILL suffer persecution.
Many of the doctrines that have been taught in our churches and para-church functions have severely crippled the next generation of the church. We have been taught that we can have the “power of His resurrection” without needing to be a partaker of the “fellowship of His sufferings”. A suffering Christ with suffering followers has been thrown out in favor of following a Jesus who will not let anything bad happen to you. While there is much emphasis on a Jesus who suffered and died for you, there is very little to NO teaching on the need to “take up your cross daily” and follow Him.
Mental Health and Emotional Stability
Some years ago, I came across the story of a soldier, who, after serving a term of service in Iraq, was struggling to cope with PTSD. Sure, I believe that PTSD is real, and the struggles are real, but as I read this man’s story, I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of answers that were being provided to a severely struggling young man. Some of his deepest struggles stemmed from the flashback memories he had of when he had personally killed several of the enemy. No matter how many counseling sessions he went to he just couldn’t come to a place of inner peace and rest. His mind was troubled. He had difficulty sleeping. He had problems getting along with others.
I had to think “If only someone could come alongside this young man and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him. If only he could be shown the Truth of God’s Word that to take another human’s life is sin in God’s eyes (even if he is the enemy) and God will not allow him to have peace in his heart until that is taken care of. Also, that the real excitement is that IF he would come to God according to the terms of the Bible and repent of his sin, then he could start walking with God and God could start giving him peace for his troubled soul.”
Over the last number of years, there have been numerous mass shootings here in the United States. Each time the public officials hold news conferences and share their thoughts in an effort to try to make sense out of another seemingly unexplainable tragic event. Usually, it’s not long until someone is talking about mental health and the need to step up public efforts to provide safety nets, screenings, and better and more treatments to curb this senseless violence.
Several weeks ago, there was a terrible, tragic event that took place in another state from where I live. In one of the big cities, a man pushed a woman off of the platform and into the path of an oncoming subway train. She didn’t survive. In the aftermath of such a horrific happening, the public officials made statements to the public in an effort to stem the potential public fear. They concluded that the man must have been emotionally troubled and that they would be stepping up their efforts in trying to provide a safety net for those with mental health issues, so that such things wouldn’t happen again.
Sure, when we look at the issue through the eyes of the world it seems to make sense. But is this the whole of the matter? Have we as Christians become so used to the ways of the world that we forget how far they have strayed from the Truth of God’s Word?
Let’s not point our finger at the world and the elected public officials. Are we, as the church, any better? How well do we know our Bible? How well do we know our Savior? When someone comes to us seeking peace and rest within do we know how to take them to the Scriptures, and lead them to Jesus who can then show them the way to the Father?
Why am I saying all this? If we continue to provide the next generation of the church with artificial answers and temporary solutions to the problems of life, then they will NOT be prepared to …endure unto the end… –Matthew 24:13.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it –Luke 9:23-24.
