In a democratic society the majority decides who will rule over them. That works great for a righteous nation, but it is a disaster for the nation that is unrighteous. Ungodly people elect ungodly people to positions of leadership. I mention this because it is gut wrenching and heart- breaking to see what has happened to our nation.

 

Here is one recent example. “Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told CNS News.com—-if it were up to him, Americans would be completely free to smoke marijuana and gamble on the internet—but they shouldn’t be allowed ‘ total freedom’ in their financial decisions because those risky decisions might adversely affect others.” I guess he forgot that he played a major role in getting us in this present mess-but that’s another story.

 

Now, if you know anything about Rep. Frank, you know there are some other serious issues that I could mention. At one time I was shocked when such people were elected to office, but now I expect it. The spiritual condition of our nation is such that this is what you get. And, from all indications things are going to get worse. Hang on America,—it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

 

Meanwhile, this should serve as motivation for Christians to reach others for Christ. The only hope for a better society is better people. The only hope for America is for Christians to win enough souls to tip the vote in their favor. We have neglected our duty and now we are paying the price. We need to give up on the idea of “saving America” and focus on fulfilling our God-given mission—that is America’s only hope. We are to be building up the kingdom of God through winning souls. If we do that everything else will take care of itself. Don’t blame Barney and those like him for the demise of America. This is the product of our failure to do what we should. The blame should be laid on our doorstep! So what are we going to do about it?

If you’re like me you keep telling yourself, “There’s just not enough hours in the day.” We just can’t seem to get everything done-can we? I was struck with this thought when I just happened to notice the ever- growing stack of unread books on and around my desk. I couldn’t read all these books in a month, even if I read several hours a day. Wow—I hate that. These are really good books, not junk publications. I want to read them and there is much I could learn from them, but I don’t have the time.

Now this same argument could be made in reference to a lot of things in life. We can all think of tons of things that would be both enjoyable and profitable to do-then there are those things that really do need our attention, but they’re not so fun! So, what do we do? I feel like saying, “Figure it out for yourself!” But, that sounds rude. And, you’re probably thinking, “What in the world am I doing wasting my time reading this junk?” Fair enough. The fact is, you could be doing things that are more important. And I could say, “Figure it out for yourself.”

The fact is, dear friend, you really do have to figure it out for yourself. We’re all different and we all have different circumstances. While there are some general rules we should follow in deciding what we should do—keeping our priorities in their proper place, we cannot allow our actions to be decided by others. Some of you are worn out and some of you are burned out, and you need a little R &R. Don’t let anyone put you on a guilt trip by insisting that you should do as they say. Do what you need to do and don’t worry about the critics. On the other hand some of you are up to your eyeballs in work and, as much as you would like to rest, you need to get in over your head and finish the job. No one else can tell you what you should do. You have time to do only so much, but that’s plenty of time if you are at peace with God about it.

Contrary to what a lot of folks say, God gives us considerable leeway in choosing our course of action. I don’t think God cares about the color of your socks or what shade of lipstick you wear. Figure it out for yourself and whatever you decide will be just fine. My point is this-get yourself out from under the self-imposed pressure and start enjoying life like God intended. Since you’re not responsible for everything on earth, there’s plenty of time to do what you should. Think about it! I think I’ll go fishing!

I just read the lastest Barna survey which said,”The majority of American Christians do not believe that Satan is a real being or that the Holy Spirit is a living entity.” Nearly 60% of professing Christians took this stance. Only 35% disagreed about the part related to Satan and only one-third disagreed with the part about the Holy Spirit.

This goes to show what a mess we’re in today! By their own admission the majority of professing Christians do not really believe the Bible. The bottom line is–we have a huge mission field right on our door step. Churches all across America are filled with unsaved people–it is reflected by the way they live. Other surveys show that there is virtually no difference in the behavior of those who profess to be Christians and those who don’t. It is no wonder that “Christianity” is repulsive to so many people. The hypocrisy is evident.

While all this is troubling, it should not surprise us. The Bible clearly tells us that, as this age wears on,”evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”(2 Tim. 3:13). So, don’t expect things to get better until Jesus comes.

Dear friends don’t let this discourage you. Keep your focus on Jesus and the commission He has given us. Our mission is not to change the world, but to win others to Christ. You don’t have to travel half way around the world to be used of God. As I said earlier–“we have a huge mission field right on our door step.” Tell someone about Christ today. He alone can save their soul and transform their life. It is our job and our joy to tell them about Jesus! Think about it!

We say we will never do it, but we do. Every young person has heard old people go on and on about “the good old days”, and they resolve, “I’ll never do that”—but they will!

It’s early Easter morning and I just happened to pick up a magazine that my sister sent to me. I wasn’t looking for something to read, I was making a half-hearted attempt to clean off my desk. I failed to complete the project because of the strong attraction of that little magazine. The pictures from the 40’s and 50’s drew me like a magnet. One page in particular got my attention. Actually there were two, but I won’t talk about the 57 chevy—my dream car! The page I’m talking about was filled with pictures of little children all dressed up for Easter. It’s for good reason the magazine is called “Reminisce”. Wow–those pics opened up a floodgate of memories.

Before the three boys came along, we had three girls—like stairsteps, in rapid succession. I will never forget watching Bev get those girls ready for church every Sunday morning, especially on Easter Sunday. It was quite a show. All their clothes were washed, ironed, and laid out on Saturday night. Then, bright and early, Sunday morning the show began. Bev made sure each one was spotless and decked out to the hilt. What a beautiful picture! I was so proud watching my beautiful wife and those girls walk into church.

Now, back to the story. There was one other picture on that page that sort of summed it all up. It was a picture of a family, still dressed in their Sunday best, sitting around the dinner table enjoying their meal together. All this served to remind me of the importance of the family. We should cherish every moment we have together. The family institution is under attack today as never before and, sadly, many don’t seem to care. Dear friends, we are making tomorrow’s memories today. Let us make them good ones. Think about it!

The start of baseball season reminds me of a story that makes a good point.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a famous athlete or to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous? Just about every child has entertained such dreams, but it’s not as wonderful as you might think.

Commenting on the influence an elderly minister left on his life, legendary baseball player Babe Ruth said:

“Most of the people who have really counted in my life were not famous. Few ever heard of them, except those who knew and loved them.

“I knew an old minister once whose hair was white and whose face shone. I have written my name on thousands and thousands of baseballs in my life; he wrote his name on just a few simple hearts. How I envy him! He was not trying to please himself and win the plaudits of the world. So fame never came to him.

“I am listed as a famous homerun hitter. Yet, beside that humble, obscure minister, who was so good and wise, I never got to first base!”

Dear friend, serving God in any capacity is far more important and rewarding than achieving fortune and fame. If you really want to “hit a homerun” in life spend your life serving Christ. That’s something you will never regret! Think about it!