WHO WILL RISE UP?

Daniel Hannan, a member of the European Parliament from Great Britain, plainly warns America of the dangers in following in the footsteps of Europe. Writing in today's Wall Street Journal (Saturday, March 12, 2011), Hannan asserts that our President is determined to fundamentally change our nation into "a fairer America, a more tolerant America, a less arrogant America, and a more engaged America." We have only begun to reap the sorry harvest of his virulent initiative.

As a spiritual watchman, I am continually impressed with the amazing correspondence we find between the world politic and the world of Christendom. It is as though the enemy of mankind is as intent on destroying social progress and political freedom, as he is in demoralizing and defeating the Cause of Christ.

Too often Bible believers have been cowtowed into submission by a culture that insists Christian be more "fair." We are labeled bigots for our uncompromising stand with the Word of God.

The "Tolerance" agenda has wreaked havoc within our ranks. We are considered "close-minded" and "out of step" for standing with the Lord against sin and unrighteousness.

We are berated for our absolute confidence in God's Word and charged with "arrogance" when we stand unashamedly and confess, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God," and Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life."

And, just as America's leadership today values the opinion of the world community more than the virtue of right thinking and moral action, so within the Church those who dare to stand up and stand alone, are mocked as "lone-rangers" and "uncooperative." Hear the Word of God, "Come out from among them and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing." Rather than looking around, those of us who are Christ's look up for our directions. The Scriptures are replete with the examples of those who failed because they looked around and went along with the crowd (i.e. Lot's wife, The 10 Spies, Saul, and backslidden Israel) and those who were blessed because they looked up and stood alone (i.e. Abraham, The 2 spies, David, and Daniel).

It is assumed that the impetus for a compromised church rests within the mores and convictions of an increasingly godless culture--a culture that in Justice Robert Bork' view is "slouching towards Gomorrah." BUT IT IS OUR CONVICTION THAT THE POLITICAL AND CULTURAL AND SOCIAL DECAY WE ARE WITNESSING, IS AT IT'S ROOT A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM.

We are praying that God's Church will,
1. Reclaim her uncompromising allegiance to the infallible Word,
2. Renew her commitment to Christ--crucified, risen, and coming again, and
3. Experience Revival that is Spirit-driven (not worked up by crowd psychology, slick technology, or feel-good-without-being good theology)

Our enemy is real and he is powerful. But our Christ is real, our cause is right, and the "gates of hell will not prevail against" His confessing Church.