About a month ago I came across one of the most amazing things I have ever seen on the internet. Actually, it upset me quite a bit. I was heart broken. A couple of men who were atheists gave a challenge on the youtube website for people to blaspheme the Holy Ghost!! They asked people to blaspheme the Holy Ghost & condemn themselves to hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really. They even referenced the Scripture in Mark 3:29 that says that if you blaspheme the Holy Ghost that there would be no forgiveness in this world or the next.
The most incredible thing was not the challenge, but the THOUSANDS of people who accepted this challenge & left a video response! I personally watched probably a hundred videos of people doing this. Several people said that they used to be Christians…..huh? Do you need to step back & take a breath like I did? I think maybe that’s our fault. Sometimes in the church we don’t teach ALL of the truth. There seems to be a trend that teaches that all we have to do is “accept Jesus”. It’s an easy….half gospel. Yes, we must accept Him, but we also must know that we are sinners in the hands of an angry God. That we deserve hell, that our sin separates us from God. That Jesus & his amazing sacrifice have made a way for us to be reconciled to the Father. Yes, we must accept Him, but we must also repent (turn away) of our sins, believe in our hearts, & confess with our mouths. We are already condemned & the only way to get our death sentence commuted is to turn to the ONLY Savior, Jesus. Without judgement Grace & Mercy mean nothing. Scripture tells us it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, but I am amazed at his lovingkindness & His overwhelming grace. The depth of His love is hard to comprehend until we see the way that He seeks us & calls to our hearts. Like a lover he tenderly woos us from the world & our sin & pain.
As I watched the videos I was struck at how young some of these people were. Where did their anger at God come from? What happened to the ones that “used to be christians”? Why did they think that this was a big joke? To be sure, as a nation,we’ve come a long way from our spiritual roots. I was stunned, but more than that my spirit was grieved. Oh God, have mercy on us. Lord, where are the watchmen on the wall? There is danger coming & our churches are preaching that godliness is gain. Our children are blaspheming & we play games at church. Judgement is coming & we’re not preaching the Word. We’re preaching that christianity is all about what you can get & that if you don’t have everything you want you’re not doing it right. American Christianity is all about having “our best life now”. Scripture, on the other hand tells us that ” We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but nor forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. (2 Cor 4:8-9) John 16:33 Tells us that “In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Christianity is not about stuff…or releasing people from poverty….or even feeding people. It’s about Jesus & Him crucified. Yes, we fill people’s needs to prepare them for the gospel & to show our love for them, but our gospel is not about social reform–it’s about spiritual regeneration!!!!!
I would like to challenge you, dear readers, to pray with me for our nation. To humbly ask God for mercy & healing in our land. To pray for our pastors & teachers….to pray for ourselves. That we would be bold in the Holy Ghost & preach the Truth! That we would preach Jesus & the Word….not social reform. Not prosperity…..not the gospel of what I can get, but the Gospel of Peace! That we would have a burden for the lost & that we would love them enough to tell them the Truth!
