On May 31, 1994, I read something in the Bible that greatly troubled me.
"Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed."
My heart ached then because I saw church members starting to skip services once or twice a month.
I was saddened by the decreasing amount of time that spouses spenttogether at PTA events, yard work, Little League games, private picnics at the beach, etc.
And I longed for the return of TV shows and movies that emphasized family values rather than implied immorality.
To think that I thought times were bad then.....
Hmmmm......
When I read that same passage yesterday, I realized that my concern 15 years ago was ignorant of how bad things would become.
I didn't know then that incredible greed would grip millions in this nation and financial corruption would spread on a wide scale, poisoning our national economy and spiritual biology.
I didn't know then that pride would fuel a national craving for feelings of superiority over others which led to all sorts of spending for vanity, be it for where one lived or where one shopped or what one drove or how one's body was surgically modified to appear more desireable.
I didn't know then that the entertainment industry would have free rein to spew filth and hatred and violence via all sorts of media andthat untold millions of people would buy the stuff.
I didn't know that tens of millions of Christians would act as if they could care less about the metastisizing cancer of corruption spreading through their communities and even their families.
I didn't know of the Virginia Tech massacre.
I didn't know of Bernard Madoff.
I didn't know of Al-Queda andOsama Bin Laden.
I didn't know of Monica Lewinsky or
Desperate Housewives.
I didn't know of multi-state approval of gay marriage.
I didn't know of TV shows that exalt freakish behavior and physical appearance.
And I certainly didn't know that our nation's move toward the European-style, post-Christian culture wouldtransition from a crawl to a sprint.
Wow.
Are you identifying with Psalm 119:136? Is your heart aching because God's law is not obeyed?
Listen, my concerns for society in 1994 pale in comparison to my concerns for society now.
If national decay has happened that much in 15 years, how much more decay will occur in the next generation? Particularly since the percentage of avid, testifying believers is diminishing?
I'm not ready to throw in the towel, my friend.
I pray that you aren't, either.
You and I can't determine if some church person living a thousand miles away will speak truth into his or her circle of influence, but we
can determine that we will live with spiritual integrity and explain to others why we
won't cave into peer pressure.
Remember that the darker the world becomes, the brighter our light will shine -- IF we commit to shining our light.
Dear friend, it's time to put more oil in your lamp of faith.
It's time to read the Word more than you have.
It's time to live the Word more than you have.
You won't have to beat people with your lamp in order for them to seek that which Jesus offers.
Just lift higher your lamp and some people will be drawn to it.
"But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself" John 12:32.
There is still time for us to have a powerful influence on our world in hopes of avoiding thenational meltdown recorded in Judges 21:25 --
"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit."
Please let your heart ache over howthe laws of God are not obeyed.
Please set your heart to show others how the laws of God CAN be obeyed.
Please care that others are sprinting to hell.
Please share love for their souls so that some might turn and run to Jesus.
Then, at least some of your tears of sorrow will be turned into tears of joy.
As always, I love you
Martin