I seem to remember when life here in America was simple. Sure we've always had problems here in the South, but they seem to have escalated to an all time high. I will be 59 in about 5 months and man the things I have seen change in my lifetime are frightening. It makes me wonder what my Grands will have to face in the future if we don't have a moral revival or the Lord doesn't come.
-Schools are different. I keep hearing this stuff about taking education seriously and all we seem to be worried about are test scores on achievement exams that qualify us for more federal/state assistance.
-Neighborhoods are different with latch-key kids, single parents, common law relationships, gay and lesbian couples, gang related activity, with no solid spiritual or moral teaching or upbringing.
-Jobs are different since the economic slump. They go something like this-more work=less pay; more volunteer hours+less benefits; You're too old, too young, or you are over-qualified.
-Family relationships are increasing in division, lack of destiny and desire for the future, and with the idea that everyone on the inside is disposable.
So when we Pastors talk about pastoring today being harder than it ever has, believe us. We deal with things affecting people today, trying to lead the to Christ, that some of our forefathers would have walked away from shaking their heads. They didn't have answers then because the truth would have gone against the teachings of the church, so that had to just shut the door on many who could have been saved with just a little bit of direction.
The church has to find it's identity again:
-It is not about buildings or properties. I agree those things should be nice and taken care off, but it's about more than material things.
-It's not about building a ministry on a man. Men have fallen and always will. According to the statistics the greatest danger facing the church is not the young people leaving us, but the older folks of my generation and the Bridge Builders of the generation before getting "soft"in the relationship with God. Paul never talks about coasting in to heaven, but fighting until it was time to lay his armor down. Too many who have built their relationship with God or with the church on a man are faltering in their latter years of the serving the Lord and it must stop.
-We must quit talking the game and start living the life. It's easy to talk about holiness and clean living, and then go out and cut your brother's heart with harsh words of bitterness. It's easier to lie about your relationship with God than it is to live like you should and let the world see who Christ is in you. It's time to step up to the plate and swing for the fences-be a child of God that the world can identify with daily.
The Bible says that God identifies Himself and makes a declarative statement:
"I am the Lord thy God...I change not!"
If you believe that can we somehow change back to what we used to be. I sure would fee good about it!
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