Wal-Mart Stampede... and we think we live in a civilized nation. When times get tough... look out. If we'd run over someone to get a "bargain" and save a few bucks, what do you think we'll do when the economy has hits rock bottom and we don't have what we consider to be the necessities of life. WATCH OUT!
Remember this is a CIVILIZED NATION and we're a CIVILIZED PEOPLE.
Link to story: Wal-Mart Stampede
God and Country or Starbucks and Country? Just joking!
A recent testimony from one of the Sisters in our church caused me to reflect on WATER, if my cup was just full and stagnant, or if it was overflowing my cup.
As I’m known to do, I pursued the topic in my mind and pondered upon it for several days. I went back to a day years ago in my childhood when I had wandered off from our trailer parked in a remote “trailer park” and headed out into the desert investigating my surroundings (being the curious child that I was).
After walking, what seemed like a long time to me, I saw a group of green trees and shrubs off in the distance and proceeded to find my way to them. Soon, I could see water beyond the tree line and being in the middle of the desert it looked so inviting and beautiful. I started walking faster as my excitement mounted at my “discovery.”
It was so pretty, the green trees and the water was so still and quiet. Nothing moved. Quickly I approached the trees and moved down to the edge of the water.... Yeeeweee, what an awful, disgusting smell penetrated my nostrils. As I knelt down to move the water with a stick I could see the green slime and the green swirling blobs moving around under the surface of the water. It was a deathly stench that swirled up from the depths of this pond!
This reminiscence made me consider... Do we sometimes look so pretty (HOLY) on the outside but we are filled with green slime and stink on the inside (decaying from inside out)? Do we look good from a distance, but when approached, there is a stench inundating from the source of “stagnant” water! Aren’t we supposed to be full of the “living water?”
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Oh, my prayer is “never let me be filled with the stagnant water of self-worth, pride, an unholy attitude, unmerciful, unloving, uncompassionate, uncaring, and self-centeredness. Let me remember your WORD, your MERCY, your COMPASSION, your KINDNESS, your CARING, your UNENDING LOVE toward mankind. I never want to be “too good” to hug the unhuggable, love the unlovable, speak to the unspeakable, and pray for the PRAYERLESS.
Are we “beauty at a distance” with an Ungodly STENCH when approached? LORD help us to be full and overflowing with Your LIVING WATER!!!
Real inward beauty or a deathly stench, it’s our choice to make.
This World is Not My Home...I'm just a passing through...
Remember that old song? I remember singing that song all through my childhood and young adult life. It’s been awhile since I’ve heard it. It was brought to mind recently.
Let me preface this post by saying, “I am proud to be an American”, and I enjoy living in the United States of America with all the privileges that includes. I was born here, grew up here, and I’m still here! I enjoy living here.
BUT... THIS WORLD (USA included) is NOT MY HOME!
This country was birthed on the HOPE of religious freedom. And while this freedom may have been interpreted beyond our forefathers intent – none the less, it is a freedom many other countries do not allow.
However, I do believe that the “Christians” freedoms will be slowly and subtly removed. While we are required to be tolerant of stated Biblical sins, we are not recipients of that same tolerance by “others”. I believe this is only going to escalate as time marches on.
The recently elected President is by the “people’s choice”. There is a generational change taking place. Our world as we have known it is soon passing. We don’t know what changes await us. I do not FEAR these changes. I personally know the one who is in ultimate control.
My concern is not in whom our country VOTED in as President, but my concern is if WE, the CHURCH, are ready and how WE the CHURCH will handle this change.
I am concerned for our YOUTH—Church and World. We must not let down our standards, give up teaching our doctrine, or compromise our beliefs in any way.
We must not lose our HOPE of a better place, greater than this world that’s being prepared for us (and I’m not talking about a mansion filled with “possessions”).
This change is going to precipitate the “sifting” of the Church like never before. We will be tried, tested, and persecuted. We will learn where our true priority lies. We will learn what is MOST important to us. I pray it’s not our homes, cars, clothes, and all the extra trappings this World throws at us as necessities.
I do believe there is coming soon, a time when we won’t give those “things” a second thought or glance. The TRUE BELIEVER will have risen above the materialist greed this World offers.
We will find that simply gathering together in small or large groups for prayer, praise, and worship of the MOST HIGH will provide our JOY and will be our greatest priority.
Oh yes, I know... We are in this world (but not of it). I have to go to work to pay bills and feed my face and buy gas for my car... but these are only for my earthly, fleshly existence.
As one grows older and sees the changes taking place and reviews the changes that have already taken place in their own life span... then you begin to realize, this is truly HISTORY in the MAKING and you begin to contemplate what the future has in store.
That’s when PRAYER becomes the only solace for the heart. We travail for our children, grandchildren, family, church family, and the lost of this world. Only true intercessory prayer is going to SAVE the LOST of this generation. The “pull” of this world is both subtle and strong at the same time. PRAY for OUR CHILDREN, they are and will face a World we’ve never known.
I leave you with these scriptures:
(This was written in the wee hours of post-election morning. I was unable to post it online before leaving for work.)
