| Jesus said there'd be days like this.The | | | | planet Earth, we are an army and must not |
| disciples came to Jesus asking: "What will be | | | | lose the focus of our objective. Soldiers of |
| the sign of your coming and of the end of the | | | | the Cross, there's a Kingdom to advance in |
| age?" (Matt 24:3)Jesus answered: "...many | | | | the Name of the King we love.A CALL TO ARMS! |
| will come in My Name, claiming, 'I am the | | | | |
| Christ,' and will deceive many.You will hear | | | | We see and hear so much about Christian |
| of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it | | | | political activism. Prayer in school, gay |
| that you are not alarmed. Such things must | | | | rights, women's right, abortion, gun |
| happen, but the end is still to come. Nation | | | | laws...what does all this have to do with the |
| will rise against nation, and kingdom against | | | | Great Commission of Matthew 28 to 'go and |
| kingdom. There will be famines and | | | | make disciples'? Where is the saint who |
| earthquakes in various places ... because of | | | | travails in prayer for souls? Even Muslim |
| the increase of wickedness, the love of most | | | | souls? And Chinese souls (6 of 11 Christian |
| will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the | | | | converts are Asian or East Indian)? Where are |
| end will be saved..." (Matt 24).Things are | | | | the people of God who will cry out to Heaven |
| going to get worse here on the 3rd rock from | | | | for the revival that will have a greater |
| the sun before they ever get better. Count on | | | | impact than a thousand years of political and |
| it. That's why it is the acme of foolishness | | | | social activism?Jesus never taught that His |
| to spend all our resources trying to get | | | | followers should attempt to change the social |
| comfortable down here. We don't belong here, | | | | or political order of things. We are not |
| folks! We're citizens of Heaven, as | | | | another special interest group. Not another |
| Christians, just passing through. We are | | | | subculture. If anything, we're a COUNTER |
| "seated in heavenly places.." (Eph 1:3). | | | | culture - IN the world, not OF the world.The |
| We're are good as there as followers of | | | | word for the Church right now is "Repent!" In |
| Christ. That's either true for right now, or | | | | this instance, repentance begins when we turn |
| it's a lie. But we've been given a job | | | | from the solutions offered by this world, and |
| description to make as many disciples for | | | | put our trust in God. Some men trust in |
| Christ as we can while we inhabit these earth | | | | chariots, some in horses ... will WE trust in |
| suits. How's that going, by the way?Count the | | | | the Name of our God? (Ps 20:17)There is a war |
| cost before you dare to become a radical | | | | of the worlds going on. It's not physical. |
| disciple of Christ because, as things worsen, | | | | Despite its appearances, it's not REALLY |
| the persecution of Christians will increase. | | | | Islam vs. the West at all. It's SPIRITUAL, |
| Are you SURE you want to make yourself | | | | for our battle is not against flesh and blood |
| conspicuous? If we're fortunate enough that | | | | but against the hordes of hell... a demonic |
| we're not living among those who are | | | | force that, for the moment, seems to be |
| suffering the worst of the anti-Christian | | | | making dramatic progress (Eph |
| persecution, you'd better believe we're going | | | | 6).POST-CHRISTIAN CHRISTIANITY |
| to be held accountable for all that we could | | | | |
| have done/should be doing with the many | | | | Some are saying that we are currently living |
| resources the Western Church has at its | | | | in a Post-Chrsitian age; that the Church as |
| disposal. We can, and MUST, support the work | | | | the world has known it, is a relic of the |
| of the Kingdom, with prayer, time, talent and | | | | past. The present religious situation in |
| finances. NOTE:the purchase of new playground | | | | Europe and North America is often described |
| equipment, repaving a parking lot, or buying | | | | as becoming secular, where many people no |
| a new gargoyle for the cathedral is probably | | | | longer believe, and therefore are defined as |
| NOT what the Kingdom requires from us at this | | | | post-Christians. Post-Christianity is an |
| time. Finances may be the most difficult to | | | | expression to describe a 'secular' status in |
| part with because our hearts are so tied to | | | | which Christianity is losing its central role |
| our purse strings. Think about that next time | | | | in shaping the lives of the people. More and |
| you make an impulse purchase or stick your | | | | more, trends seem to be pointig toward a time |
| head into that basement, attic, closet, or | | | | when only the minority of those calling |
| garage full of important stuff God has | | | | themselves 'Chrsitian' retain meaningful ties |
| "blessed" you with. How much we trust God is | | | | with traditional Churches. It's already here. |
| evidenced by how much we trust him with our | | | | Most people - Christians included - are |
| money. Fact is, we have nothing God hasn't | | | | living their lives independently of the |
| given us, not as some sort of reward, but as | | | | Christian faith and the teachings of the |
| a steward.DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH? | | | | Churches they (used to) belong to. |
| | | | Church-life has become extraneous to them.The |
| Why is it that so many Christians seem more | | | | days are getting darker. What if there IS |
| ready to support military action against the | | | | coming an end to Christianity? If that were |
| Islamic world than we seem willing to adhere | | | | the case, that certainly does NOT mean there |
| to the commission of Christ, all the while | | | | has come an end to Christ, nor to His remnant |
| playing the "tolerance card" with our Muslim | | | | of True believers.I contend that it's |
| neighbors in the states, attempting to | | | | "CHURCH-ianity" that is lying sick upon its |
| maintain status quo? It's BECAUSE of our | | | | deathbed, gasping for air, and NOT the |
| tendency toward self-preservation as well as | | | | glorious Bride of Christ, at all.The Lord is |
| our greater faith in the government than we | | | | with us, saints of God! Let us seek first |
| have in our God. Doesn't our support of | | | | God's Kingdom and His righteousness. Now, |
| violence against anyone in retaliation for | | | | let's lock 'n load! The war is with Hell ... |
| their violence toward us make us their | | | | on OUR turf and by OUR GOD's rules! Drop to |
| lowlife equals? My Mom taught me that as a | | | | your knees in fervent prayer, reconcile |
| boy. Is this the way of the Lord Jesus? He | | | | people to the God of the Bible, wield your |
| said "love your enemies and pray for those | | | | checkbook, get your passport up to date so |
| who persecute you," (Matt 5:44).Surely we | | | | you can mobilize if called to overseas duty |
| don't believe that the duty of the Western | | | | as a missionary. Quit waffling about, |
| Church is to protect the Gospel through | | | | wondering when God will put you into the |
| force! God no more needs our military might | | | | game. You're already IN the game. It's time |
| to protect and promote the Gospel of Jesus | | | | to get your uniform dirty. The call to serve |
| Christ than He needed Peter to slice the ear | | | | is REALLY a call to PREPARE! Get |
| off of poor Malchus in the Garden of | | | | prepared.Look around ... each of us is |
| Gethsemane.Repeat! God no more needs our | | | | surrounded by resources that could be used to |
| military might to protect and promote the | | | | advance the cause of Christ! I know elderly |
| Gospel of Jesus Christ than He needed Peter | | | | people, children and cripples that are giving |
| to slice the ear off of poor Malchus in the | | | | the devil a black eye on a daily basis by |
| Garden of Gethsemane. Folks, any religion or | | | | doing all they can. There are others, for |
| philosophy that intends to advance by way of | | | | example, who forward these weekly messages |
| military might is no better than Islam. Such | | | | from t.e.a.m. ministries to hundreds of |
| a gospel would be, in fact, a religion of | | | | others within their scope of influence. My |
| lies straight from the pit of Hell. Might | | | | goodness, if we would ALL do at least |
| does NOT make right! In fact,it's in great | | | | THAT!Fear not, Army of the Lord! The gates of |
| part because our faith WAS once promoted by | | | | Hell shall not prevail against us! Let's make |
| the tip of the sword that there remains such | | | | it really hard to go to Hell from your sector |
| resistance to it today. That plus the fact | | | | of influence. Give till it helps! Don't |
| that we aren't making anyone jealous for what | | | | worry, you cannot outgive God.Remember this: |
| we've supposedly found through a relationship | | | | all it takes for evil to continue to prosper |
| with Jesus Christ.The world is rarely | | | | is for good Christians to do nothing. It's a |
| impressed with usIn a nutshell, there will | | | | statistical fact that a soldier in battle |
| not be ... can NOT be ... peace without | | | | will miss 100% of the shots he never dares to |
| Christ. Violence will get worse, and the | | | | take.So, how's YOUR aim lately?SelahPastor |
| disciples of Christ will suffer increased | | | | Michael is founder of t.e.a.m. ministries (). |
| global persecution.People of Planet Earth, I | | | | His eMail broadcasts, known as "Your Town for |
| have two words for you: Jesus Christ. Hope is | | | | Jesus" (SEARCH it!) are reaching tens of |
| in Him alone, and in submitting to the Father | | | | thousands WEEKLY. Log on at |
| in accordance with His Word. Though | | | | |
| Christians may not be kept from the effects | | | | Michael's mission is to bring Discipleship |
| of war, for it rains upon the just and the | | | | and Encouragement to the Body of Christ. |
| unjust, we must come to the point where we | | | | Michael is the author of numerous booklets on |
| openly, in front of God and everybody, abide | | | | a subjects that will interest the thinking |
| in the Peace of Christ. THAT they WILL | | | | Christian. Since 1999, he has written and |
| notice!God is more concerned with the | | | | broadcast nearly 500 inspirational articles |
| character of His kids than He is in our | | | | and a dozen booklets, al designed to |
| carnal comfort. Despite all the "stuff" | | | | accelerate the process of spiritual |
| that's happening and is GOING to happen on | | | | development in God's people. |