BIBLE BITES

www.heaven4sure.com

READER BEWARE: LONGER THAN USUAL

Preach Christ or Protest Issues?

"Paul, welcome back to the planet for a brief visit. (Use your imagination.) It's sure a different world than when you were here. People are sinning with a high-hand and arrogantly defying God and mocking the Christian faith. The Bible isn't read in schools anymore and the Ten Commandments are out-the-window."

"Paul, much has changed since you preached around the Mediterranean. Christianity is treated like scum now. One is almost afraid to say he is a Christian. There are gambling casinos everywhere that actually provide funds to governments. There are massive corporations that know how to manipulate laws to minimize their obligations to society, while the little guy has his nose to the grind-stone trying to obey the laws. Oh Paul, it's horrible. We don't know where to start or how to spend our time or energy. Liquor stores are everywhere - some of them are even state-run and thousands lose their lives every month because of drunk drivers. A death-producer for sure!  Abortions are legalized and even supported. Males and females are living together without being married. Anti-God evolution is being taught in classrooms and Christians are being scorned for their faith. Gay marriages are being legalized. There are so many issues to fight and so many things to take a stand against."

"There are government-sponsored safe-injection sites where addicts can go to have their next fix administered safely. Open-air Gospel meetings have been banned by some municipalities. There's even talk of socialized medicine. In some places it seems other religions are being favored and allowed to do their thing, while Christians are able to do less and less publicly. Pornography is now available to everyone on their computers and minds are being corrupted. Euthanasia is being legalized in some jurisdictions. Oh my - the list is endless."

"Paul, we hate to burden you down with all the issues but, honestly, we are at our wits end. We are beginning to wonder if we can even stop the decline - not to mention reversing it. What do we tackle first? Atheists are getting more air-time on networks than preachers. Car races, air-shows, shoppers and even Super Bowl and Hockey fans treat the Lord's Day as if it was like any other day of the week. Deplorable. Respect for God has gone out-the-window. Some municipalities are banning bill-boards with Bible verses on them. We are almost panicking about the decline and the fact that some of our politicians are soft on corruption and are exhibiting moral laxity - perhaps even aiding and abetting the decline. Hollywood and Bollywood, courtrooms and education, corporations and governments all seem to be in cahoots."

"Paul, we are so glad we can tap into your wealth of spiritual insights and wisdom. We have been having special prayer meetings trying to figure out how to priorize the list of evil practises we should protest? The big question is: which ones are we most likely able to reverse or at least slow down before the Rapture? As Christians where can we have the greatest impact? Like, dear brother Paul, do you think we should get involved in politics at some level? Should we organize petitions? Should we set aside funds from the Lord's Day offering to hire a lobbying firm to get our message into the ears of sympathetic politicians? Should we have our own parades and marches? Should we band together with other churches in signing and promoting a manifesto to restore moral order to society? Even as an assembly of believers we are experiencing disputes over where to go from here and what to do. How we can make this world become more God-fearing and more supportive of Christian beliefs and more comfortable for us and a rising generation?"

........

"Dear believers, I appreciate your concerns. They are very real. I recall when I was here - the world's philosophies and systems weren't exactly what I would call Christian-friendly or God-honoring. Personally, I didn't have the easiest time down here. I mentioned it more than once in my Epistles, for example, I wrote this:

To the present hour we hunger and thirst,

we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless,

and we labor, working with our own hands.

When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;

when slandered, we entreat. We have become,

and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

(1Corinthians 4:11-13)

Also read my words in 2Corinthians 11:24-27.

"In our day, we stuck to promoting and preaching Christ. There were just as many and even more issues in my day that could have derailed us or side-tracked us from preaching Christ. Everywhere we looked there was something in society that was immoral or anti-God or unfavourable to the spread of Christianity. Our focus was to promote Christ everywhere we went - regardless of the opposition we faced. Preaching Christ with a good life to back up our words was our singular focus."

"My good brother Peter said: "Preaching peace through Jesus Christ." Acts 10:36

I wrote: "We preach Christ crucified." 1Corinthians 1:23

Brother Philip in the Samaritan city "preached Christ unto them." Acts 8:5

Again Philip in the chariot with the Ethiopian "preached unto him Jesus." Acts 8:35""

"And of course, the Lord Jesus Himself gave us the Great Commission: "Go into all the world and protest and politick everywhere." Is that what He left us here to do?  No! My Blessed Saviour and Lord saved me on the Damascus Road to carry His wonderful Name to the nations. To all believers of all generations His commission remains unchanged:

 "Go into all the world and preach or proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.""

(Mark 16:15)

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today,

Warmly in Christ,

Peter Ramsay