There is a war going on today, it is not a new war it is the oldest war. Good vs evil began in the garden when man chose to rebel. For most of the history of man the line between good vs evil seemed to be clear but in the past century it has become blurred.
The frog in a pot of water is a valid illustration. The frog enjoys the water in the pot as it is slowly heated. He will stay in the pot until it boils. If you dropped the same frog in a pot of scalding water he would immediately jump out. Western civilization particularly the United States of America has been soaking in a pot of water and it's about to boil.
The past half century has accelerated this at an alarming pace. Sure the speed of technology and the growth of social media are a factor but abandoning our moral compass is the main reason. We have become a narcissistic society seeking a self serving comfortable lifestyle. We have abandoned self sacrifice, a sense if duty or honor and have developed an unquenchable sense if entitlement.
Don't get me wrong I'm not holding the high ground, these behaviors and attitudes have caused a great deal of wreckage in my life and the people around me. My greatest regret is the damage I have done to a relationship with my amazing daughters.
We are flawed people with scars and open wounds. We can rationalize them, ignore them or numb ourselves by drowning them in entertainment, hatred, self pity or substance abuse.
Violence, addiction, depression and self harm are at an all time high even though we are living in the most prosperous and free society on the planet. We can over consume, over indulge and rely on government to take care of our needs. A work ethic, a drive to grow a family, build things and owning something to pass on to our children has taken a back seat.
Society now values victimhood, revenge and selfishness. I cannot listen to politicians or the media because they never stress the hard truth of personal responsibility. In the past at least they gave it lip service but now they mock it out loud. Those who stress these things are mocked and branded as uncaring haters.
Like all nonprofit organizations, charities and foundations enjoy special tax breaks. There is legislation being passed that may empower the IRS to remove the tax exempt status of some religious organizations. Churches since our founding have built hospitals, drug and alcohol rehabs, food banks, adoption services, inner city missions for the poor and countless other charitable services.
If this does happen I believe they will target specific nonprofits that do not conform to the ever evolving popular woke standards. Many main stream religious organizations have already complied with these new standards for survival but I believe there will be a remnant who do not.
They will be mocked and labeled as haters and fanatics. Much of this is happening now but with this new power of government they might face bankruptcy, fines and imprisonment. The irony is the remnant may be the frogs who jumped out of the pot the moment the fire was lighted.
I hear gloom an doom about the events of our world. We constantly hear, If we don't vote a certain way it is the end of freedom or democracy. If this law passes our freedoms are gone. Our history is being rewritten, our privacy invaded and our speech censored. All of these matter but beyond all of this even if the worst possible thing happens there will always be a remnant.
Early on I was confused about who or what to believe because of the many divisions in the Church. I think at the time there were 1500 different denominations and I'm sure there are many more today. I researched many of them and found clear differences in their mission statements and doctrines.
Most took spreading the good news seriously, but as interest decreased some used marketing, sales tactics, entertainment, the prosperity doctrine and an easier softer message. With a narrow focus on attendance, they built more elaborate buildings and grew a large organization around a charismatic leader.
I also looked into prayer, healing, prosperity and promises. It confused me when someone with a large following was preaching a sure fire formula prayer to petition God. God's on demand participation in an on stage demonstration did not make sense.
I have personally experienced and witnessed what can only be described as miracles. I also saw people who were devout believers who still suffered disease, tragedy and heartbreak. Did they lack the faith to avoid these things, were they not chosen, were they saying their prayers wrong, maybe they didn't buy the right holy trinket or maybe they belonged to the wrong denomination?
What I did find was the covenant he offers to everyone. It was offered directly to me not to an organization. God set the terms of the agreement, detailed his promises if I was faithful and warned of the curses if I fell short. He also promised he was going to help me keep my end of the deal if I just ask. He didn't promise to fix my problems or make my life easy. He did promise persecution and I will never again be alone even after this life. In addition I am required to study his words, have an ongoing conversation with him and share my experience with others.
If this covenant was offered through an organization it could get confusing. If I am in a direct covenant relationship with God, I am responsible for my behavior so a direct relationship requires the believer to put more skin in the game.
Taking the time to know what we believe and why we believe it requires effort. A congregation of believers who know what they believe and why they believe it makes it a very hard place for a leader to twist the truth. They will be called out before they can close their Bible.
There is value to organization, a place to worship, the ability to pool resources for missions and charity outreach and a community to encourage one another. Leadership is chosen by the people they serve based on their character. Each group is financially responsible, there is no central office, no giant pool of money and only a basic doctrine. Sharing the message is each member's responsibility, not the sole responsibility of a silver tongued hired preacher.
One disadvantage to large organizations is they have a great deal of property, personnel and infrastructure to lose so political, financial and legal concerns may effect them. The temptation to yield to pressure and conform has effected many religious organizations already. Individual believers in smaller groups have more skin in the game so they may have more ability to resist the pressures.
One question is how many will stand firm when the pressure builds. My personal belief is the church will grow when the pressure comes. A relationship with God that isn't sugar coated or easy is what many are looking for.
This is an amazing country and perhaps it is in its last days of greatness, but I don't think these are the last days for it's people. I believe a great awakening is about to happen. Many who put their faith in elected officials, political parties and big government may face a rude awakening, this includes many churches. I don't look forward to chaos but I do see in the long run it can change millions of lives.
The bottom line if you are a believer stand firm, be the remnant. What I do know God promises you are never alone and you will face persecution. I know this doesn't sound as fun as getting that new car or winning the lotto but I believe with all of my mind body and soul the next life will be worth any trials we may face. My only prayer is that I am one who stands firm.
