One Christian’s Perspective on the World Today
I am only one man, on Christian, one citizen in America, which is but one nation among the nations of the earth. I can only speak as an individual. Please do not pretend to infer that I speak for anyone other than myself.
I am sick of the world as it is today. I am tired of the hate, the violence, the oppression, the fear, and the struggles of the masses of humanity. I am tired of people who promise answers and deliver only more trouble and oppression.
I regret that I and those whose views and values are as mine have been so incredibly misunderstood. Even worse, I am ashamed of what many of them have said and done in the name of Jesus Christ my Savior throughout the centuries of world history.
No one man, no one church, no one denomination can speak exclusively for Jesus Christ. He does not need our defense. He stands alone in all of history as the supreme personage in the annals of humanity. He is imminent beyond anything we can imagine. He is the one and only Creator of the universe, the only Savior of humanity, and he is now, and forever shall be the King of all kings, and Lord of all lords. “Of his kingdom and increase, there shall be no end, and he shall reign forever and ever!”
He has been hated, misquoted, misrepresented, misunderstood, and disparaged, and blasphemed, by every nation, every language, and every culture on earth. Yet, he alone came into this world to love us, and heal us, and deliver us from ourselves, our sins, and our damnation.
I am one man, one Christian, one American who is fed up with listening to the world mock and blaspheme my beloved Savior. Enough is enough! Stop and listen to Him as he speaks from the pages of the Holy Scriptures: “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” (Jer. 31:3b) “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!” (Luke 23:34)
No one ever cared for humanity as Jesus cares. It is time to stop the hate and accept his love. I have, and I have to tell you, Jesus Christ has made a miraculous difference in me!
Today, Christians are failing to live up to the life standard Jesus set for us. It is not Jesus’ fault the world hates us. We have failed to show the world the life changing power of Jesus Christ as we compromise to gain human favor, and status, and tampered with sinful lifestyles Jesus forbade.
We have fallen so far, that today it is extremely difficult to clearly see the difference between so-called Christians and the unbelieving world-ling. Real Christians look like freaks to the unsaved because so many religious Christians have no idea what being a child of God actually means.
I long for God to send revival to his people and clearly separate the professing, from the genuine Christians. Even if this means severe persecution of the righteous, we will be better off than the mess we have now.
Fortunately, there are like-minded people all over the world, and we are praying together for God to awaken his children to righteousness and purity. We understand it comes with great cost; but believe it must happen if our witness is to be preserved in the world.
Christians are not simpletons, who have taken a wild leap of faith into the dark unknown abyss. We have among our ranks some of the world, and history’s greatest minds in every major academic field of discipline. We have survived nearly 2,000 years of hostility, fierce persecution, violence, and genocide at the hands of some of history’s most bloodthirsty tyrants.
We are still here. We will remain here until God calls us out of this world either by death or by the rapture event. You may hate me, and my kind, but you cannot destroy us. I know inside, I will live until God is finished with me, and the world is powerless to destroy my life until that moment. The same is true of every true Christian on the earth today.
To our enemies I say, deal with it, we are here, and we are not going anywhere until Jesus Christ is finished with us. At that time, you can take credit for yourselves, but it will be yet another self-deception. Satan and hell itself cannot destroy the righteous from this earth until God almighty is finished with us here. (Rev. 12:11)
The World might want to listen to us:
If our enemies would be still and hush for a few moments, they would realize we Christians are coming together in the world for what might prove to be an important message for earth-dwellers. We are not trying to make a name for ourselves; we are still doing what our forefathers did when they were alive. We are warning the world of the divine wrath that is coming on the earth.
Here is why listening to us now is a good idea:
It is increasingly clear our nation and our world are moving swiftly towards the perfect storm. Global economic, political, military, and cultural dynamics are converging simultaneously; creating uncertainly, unrest, and escalating tensions virtually everywhere.
The human paradigm has already been altered. The world is well beyond the point of reversal of current trends back to the former status quo.
Recently President Obama followed the lead of former US Presidents by announcing what he calls, “A New International Order.” (US Naval Academy Commencement address) Recently Mr. Obama was photographed holding a copy of the book, “The Post American World,” by Fareed Zakaria (a Muslim)
This of course is not the first book written detailing why the American empire is in decline, but it is the most recent. America finds herself in a very different world than she has known during her young (as empires go) history.
Throughout history, politicians and religions held the power. It is not so in the here and now. Multinational corporations and dark, ultra-powerful money brokers hold the power in the world today.
There are some, who truly believe the world’s religionists and politicians are the root cause of all the world’s ills. In a decade or two, they will come to realize the worst politicians and religious figures of world history cannot hold a candle to the despotic capability of the world’s elite money movers.
The collapse of the former Soviet Union created the international vacuum necessary for the monetary elite to move on the splintering economies of Eastern Europe. Massive amounts of money and other forms of economic aid provided the perfect cover for the World Bank, the IMF, and other international and multinational entities to change the financial landscape, and re-write the rules of international diplomacy.
The Role of East Asia:
The emerging global economy is only part of the picture. In Zarkia’s book, he points out the platonic shift to eastern nationalities as the pressure point tilting the dynamics away from the US. China and India are becoming world leaders not just world players in economics and diplomacy.
For the nations of the world, this is a cultural shift not merely a political or economic one. The Chinese and Indian cultures are ancient, and rest upon far different principles of life than western empires. They think differently, and choose differently, and they live differently.
This difference is gradually, yet radically changing life in the west for all of us. The changes have only begun. Soon, Europeans, and Americans will be dealing with the dark secrets and unseen powers that have ruled the east for centuries.
Many in the rest of the world marvel at the audacity and arrogance of the west, and particularly of the US. Ironically, most western citizens do not seem at all disturbed by this shift of wealth and power to the Far East.
Many in the west believe eastern cultures, will be seduced by materialism, and power and the east will become more like the west. This is a tragic mistake. Surely, there will be some in the east, that will enjoy the western life, but these are disciplined peoples.
The decadence and decay of the west, has been closely watched in the east, for decades now, and eastern cultures will not easily succumb to its materialistic allure.
The New Religion is Emerging:
The rise to power of the Chinese and Indians, and other lesser eastern cultures is bring the mystic beliefs of the east westward. Hinduism, Buddhism, New Ageism, and other pagan belief systems, are being introduced and accepted, in more places, in the western world than ever before.
This is a significant spiritual shift, we must not overlook. According to Daniel 11:38; a future world ruler (the antichrist) shall come to power serving the god of forces. He will be a worshipper of the mystic powers of the east.
Today, this kind of leader would not be accepted, by the western world. But given a couple of decades of East Asian, influence and that could change quickly. The east plays a significant role in the biblical end of days scenario. Nearly 60 Old Testament prophetic passages and at least 6 key New Testament passages highlight the importance the east has on the end of days plan of God.
For many in the world today, religion is the cause of much of the world’s ill will. Specifically, religions who claim to have one central deity. This of course, includes Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. What would the world be like if suddenly, there were no Christians, Jews, or Muslims? Many, and the number is growing significantly, believe the answer is world peace.
Who or what would fill the religious vacuum created by the absence of these three monotheistic religions? Eastern mysticism: specifically, a new brand of it would graft in popular elements of all the international cultures, and exclude the divisive elements. What emerges is a modified new ageism.
The Tyranny of Economics:
Western nations are learning that you do not have to pass laws to get citizens to conform to predetermined behaviors. Well, you do need the laws, but they do not have to be draconian and heavy-handed.
This is being done throughout Europe, and the United States with tobacco products. Authorities have taken the great villain tobacco with all of its menacing health hazards and used it as an experiment in citizen control.
Raise taxes, or costs on any product the government deems unacceptable. Eventually the masses will stop said behavior, not because it is illegal, but because it is unaffordable. Armed with the statistics of the past couple of decades, authorities around the world are adding to the list of unacceptable products; and legislating their costs beyond the reach of the average household.
This is most visible with the so-called “Green Movement.” No one wants to be accused, of being unfriendly to the environment, so products, deemed environmentally unfriendly are targeted for increased costs of production, manufacturing, distribution, and consumption. At the same time, economic incentives for choosing other so-called, “green” products or environmentally friendly products are presented to encourage compliance.
This of course, drives up the cost of living, drives down profit, and puts entire (undesirable) entities out of business by economic leverage rather than draconian laws. Look around you and tell me I am wrong. This is happening in virtually every sector of the economy. In every industrialized nation on earth.
At the center of Obama’s environmental agenda is VAT. (Value Added Tax) Implementing this tax structure will insure Americans buy what the government wants them to buy, and render unaffordable all (governmentally) undesirable products.
This is a process far advanced in certain industries, and is quickly taking over in many other industries. What will it look like when it moves from industry to culture?
Suppose, certain other sectors of our American culture, are targeted by the government, as politically incorrect? Remember, you no longer have to outlaw it, just make it economically disadvantageous to continue to do it.
Certain religious groups lose their tax exemption status, or zoning rights; or certain fees are added, to make it increasingly unlikely small groups, of these religious entities can function. The law still states freedom to worship for all, it is that now it is just not economically possible for certain of them to exist (legally = in full compliance of all fees and ordinances)
There is a full frontal assault going on by this administration in the US, (already well advanced in Europe) to silence specific religious entities through these very heavy handed financial tactics.
The flip side of this particular coin is not just tolerance but enabling of entities that are alien to religious sensibilities and values in the west, and specifically in the US. The Pro-choice, Pro-Gay, Pro-Muslim agenda of the politically party in power, the elite media outlets, and the multinational corporations, constitute the unholy trinity of forces against Christianity and Judaism in the western world.
All someone in the US or Europe has to do is even slightly disparage (in the view of the offended) abortionists, euthanasia, or gays and that person, or group is besieged with hate-laced media assault, personal threats, and ostracism from all of the powers evil can bring to bear against the poor soul.
The majority learn a very important lesson: If you want to have a relatively quiet life, and continue to make your own meager existence in this culture, keep quiet and behave as the masses are instructed to behave.
The Veracity of the Holy Bible:
Recently, I have read many, many posted opinions of persons who do not hold my religious or moral views. Some of them wrote only of their disagreement with me, yet others (sadly the majority) have viciously blasphemed the name of my God, and the Bible, and essentially said the world would be better off if my kind no longer existed in the world.
They sought to disprove the statements of Scripture in the Bible, all the while stating the very things prophecies written thousands of years ago stated they would say. The Bible is the only source of absolute truth in the world today. It is, inspired by Jehovah God, revealing to this world the only Savior, Jesus Christ, and it must be held in the highest esteem as the rule for human conduct and governmental structure.
Any human government that departs from the biblical mandate for government, and seeks to enslave its citizens for any reason has lost its legitimacy before God.
Some would say, Christians are narrow-minded and love to hate people. This is patently not true. Put us to the test: Find even one thing we say we stand against, that the Bible does not disapprove, and you will realize our positions are not of our own devising.
The Bible states God’s opposition to homosexuality. (Lev. 18:24; Lev. 20:13; Rom. 1:26, 27)
The Bible states God’s opposition to abortion, murder, euthanasia (Gen. 9:4, 5; Ex. 20:13)
I could go on, and on and list hundreds of things humans are doing that God opposes. God has been long-suffering, and extremely patient with humanity. Now his mercy is about to end. In fact, there is a preponderance of convincing evidence in favor of the belief divine judgment of humanity has already begun.
It ought to be pointed out Christians do not exit their mother’s womb thumping a Bible, and singing Amazing Grace. Christians are people just like you. We are white, black, red, yellow, and people from every nation, race, language, and culture on earth. Some of us are dirt poor, others are extremely affluent. Our number boasts the powerful and famous, as well as the unknown face in the sea of human faces.
We all were born into this world depraved (sinners). To God all humans are the same. (Romans 3:10-23) Look closer at us and you will see former drunks, drug addicts, prostitutes, and homosexuals as well as religious zealots, and bigots, whom Jesus Christ transformed by his death, burial and resurrection. (I Corinthians 6:9-11)
The truth is every Christian alive today, arrived at a place in his/her life where we came into direct confrontation with the Bible, and Jesus Christ. None of us held the beliefs we hold today at that time. Through the Scriptures, through the convincing of the Holy Spirit, we came to believe the Bible was right, and we were wrong.
We made no excuses; we did not try to amend God’s word. We confessed our faith in Jesus Christ, repented (turned away) from our sins, and we cast our total being into the care of the Lord Jesus Christ for now and eternity.
All of us have the same confession, though virtually everyone came to Jesus via different circumstances and from different backgrounds and lifestyles. The commonality we have is Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord over us. We love him, because he first loved us.
Why We Don’t Just Keep It To Ourselves:
Some have agreed we are entitled to believe what we wish. But they question why we are so vocal, and proactive in sharing our faith with the world, even when the world seems uninterested in our message. It is a legitimate question.
Christians (those whose faith is real and unmovable in Jesus Christ) are bound by a confession of love and obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15 There are many commandments in the New Testament far more than the famous ten in the Old Testament.
Jesus said there were two of those Old Testament commandments that stood above the rest: Luke 10:27
“And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”
To this summary of the Ten Commandments, Jesus added, what the New Testament Church calls, The Great Commission. It is revealed in two of the Gospels, and the book of Acts of the Apostles. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15, 16; Acts 1:8)
Christians believe we must take the message of Jesus the Savior of the world to all the earth, and disciple those who believe and confess Jesus as personal Savior. This is what true Christians have been doing since Jesus left this world, and will continue to do until we leave this world.
The world today needs to know, this is not a new thing Christians are doing, nor is it something we can be convinced to cease doing as long as we are in this world.
The Gathering Storm:
Humanity has a God-given nature of survival, and we are capable of unimaginable feats of endurance. This knack for survival has served us well as a species. Another, more unfortunate human characteristic closely akin to the drive to survive is a stubborn tendency to prefer self’s will over God’s will. This is the cause of all the evil in the world today.
God has been patiently drawing humanity towards himself one person at a time for thousands of years. Yet, today, humanity is more rebellious than at any time since God instructed Noah to build an ark so he could survive the coming flood that would destroy all the rest of humanity.
One does not have to believe in a prehistoric global flood to admit the world is more violent, more evil, more selfish, and more rebellious than it has ever been, simply on the basis there are many more of us now than at any previous time in human history. (2 Tim. 3:1-7; Luke 17:24-30; Luke 21:9-32)
Today the perfect storm is forming, and is about to unleash its fury upon a woefully unsuspecting, ill-prepared humanity. I mentioned earlier the paradigm change in the power structure of the world. That is not the only disturbing item on the horizon.
Just last week (May 26, 2010) the world’s weather scientists released their hurricane forecast. It was not a pleasant one to say the least. Today, June 1, begins the 2010 hurricane season and we are told it will potentially be one of the worst on record.
This, while the North American continent, continues to deal with, the BP oil spill in the gulf; unnaturally violent tornadoes, and storm cells. Europe deals with the aftermath of a catastrophic volcano eruption that disrupted the European economy and caused yet untold damage on the continental and global environment.
Major earthquakes are shaking the world again this year, and the world’s elite seismologists are beginning to wonder if we entering something new geologically that could affect the planet for decades or more.
New viruses and diseases have our CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control) around the world awake nights, worried when the next killer pandemic will strike, while still scratching their collective heads about the H1N1 pandemic of 2009-2010.
Already stated above, our world is becoming more intolerant by the day. Religious persecution is up in virtually every sector of the world. The last bastion of religious freedom in the world, America is moving to limit, and observe the movements of Christians in the US for the first time in her history.
How much more can we stand before the proverbial straw breaks the camel’s back, and chaos ensues around the world? Do you really believe the talking heads on the evening news have a firm grip on things? Why then are things getting worse instead of better?
Why is our own President reading about the post-American world? Not until the last 15-18 months has anyone in the world seriously discussed the fall of the USA, but it is on the minds of all the world’s leaders, and it is at the root of all our fears in the American citizenry.
I know, most people do not want to know this, but the Bible has a lot to say about the very things going on in our world today, and it can tell us where things are going, and how all of this current mess is going to play out.
Here is what the Bible says we can expect some time in the future:
- Another war is coming in the middle east (Ezek. 38,39)
- A Global governmental system of economics, politics, and religion will eventually hold power over humanity (Daniel 2: 31-45; Rev. 17:1-18)
- A future global dictator who will demand global loyalty (Dan. 7:8; Dan. 8:9-17; Dan. 11:21-45; Dan. 12:1-7; Matthew 24:8-39; Rev. 13:1-18)
- A brief time of catastrophic tribulation unlike anything the world has ever seen will cost billions of human lives (Rev. 6,8,13,16,18)
- The Return of Jesus Christ to this earth to rule the world for 1,000 years is the only answer to the preservation of the species and the planet. (Rev. 19,20)
You are free to disbelieve any or all of the above Biblical revelations on the future of planet earth. But no one can prevent them from coming to fulfillment. The Scriptures even predict the scoffing that will be suffered by the faithful who proclaim this message to the world. (2 Peter chapter 3)
We carry this message minus any illusions the world will believe us, and repent and believe upon Jesus Christ as Savior. We are well aware the masses will mock and even persecute us, but some will believe and be saved. (Matt. 7:14)
The great spiritual awakening in China, and other East Asian countries, as well as reports coming out of Iran, and other Islamic nations indicate God is still saving people who will confess Jesus Christ as their Savior.
It has never been about being world-changers. The world has us all wrong on this. Only Jesus Christ can change human beings from sinners to righteous children of his Father. We are but messengers, ambassadors for him. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
Some try to group us with other religious zealots and radical extremists who fly planes into buildings, and blow up themselves in crowded places. No person who honestly investigates us will ever find this true of us.
Despite those who have laid claim to the “born again” label, our kind will always be truly identified by their love for God and humanity. Biblical Christians do not shoot abortionists, beat, and kill homosexuals, or blow up buildings in protest.
We love God, love peace, and love people. Though our message is lost in the vicious misrepresentations in the press, and sadly, a few terribly misguided, misinformed people; Christians will continue to be faithful to our divine mission. That mission is the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord!
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