robsingleton.net

19 April 2007

The “Shelf Life” of your average chrisitan commitment - part 3

Ok, ok, do to the growing boycott possibilities toward this blog, I am releasing tomorrow’s post today.

Warning: You may get even more frustrated as this is a FIVE part series and rest and reconciliation from the mad ramblings of a passionate pastor will almost certainly not arrive until then.

Nevertheless…

Here it is since you asked.

Where would we be without the boycotts?

Exactly where we are today.

Maybe a bit worse. Maybe a bit better, but basically the same.

Why?

Because of what God says about man in these verses, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%201:18-32;&version=65; You see, man does not naturally seek after God. We naturally seek after ourselves and our own best interests.

Layman’s Terms?

We’re selfish.

Multiply your selfishness by 6 billion other people’s same ‘me centered’ problem and you begin to see the dilemma.

.The problem is sometimes laughable or just plain embarrassing sometimes (as with the examples I listed on the previous post) or devastating and heart breaking, as in the following:

Consider what happened at Virginia Tech a few days ago — a tragedy with almost unthinkable consequences. And what happens mere minutes after (or, actually, in this case during) the news? The political spin doctors are already going after all the theoretical (read, ‘peripheral’) causes for this hideous crime. What theories have we heard thus far?

It was the school president’s fault.
It was because we don’t have tough enough gun laws.
It was because the police did not respond correctly.
It was because the police did not respond fast enough.
It was because the lock down procedure was flawed.

There are probably more floating around but all of the above have one thing in common.

They have nothing to do with the death of those poor kids and faculty members!

They are symptoms, peripheral issues and lofty theories all of which are made even more stark because of the glaring absence of the obvious.

What about evil?

What about Cho Seung-Hui?

If only he’d gone to counseling. If only he’d had the right medication. If only he’d had some friends. If only people would have listened to his views (I actually heard this moronic one on the news). If only he’d been denied access to guns. If only he could have had a 9 mm that carries less rounds (yep, heard this shockingly intelligent theory as well). If, if, if…

Then what?!!

He would have walked away?

Had a change of heart?

Been intimidated about the morality of breaking Virginia state gun laws?

These are useless theories people (these weren’t offered by the Christian subculture by the way, but by mainstream America). These are symptoms. All of these things dance around the edge of the hard truth that people have tried to avoid for ALL OF HISTORY!

The answer has always been, is now, and will always be a change of heart. Not a change of laws! The only hope is to transform the person, not transcribe new laws! And friends? That can still happen one way and one way only — through Jesus Christ. See this verse —> http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014:6;&version=51;65;47;51;

Do we really believe that the constitutional “right to bear arms” is what kills people? Back in the days of early America almost every single household had a gun or two or three yet it’s difficult for me to imagine Laura Ingles blowing people away in her ‘Little House on the Prairie!” It’s not much easier to picture a John Boy Walton character resolving his anger issues by lining people up execution style in the local schoolhouse.

So what gives?

What’s changed?

Well, a few things. We have more medication, more clinical studies, more psychiatrists, more counseling, more laws, more government, more surveillance, more legislation, more phobias, more boycotting (didn’t think I was gonna leave that out did ya?), more drop outs, more racial disparity, more boycotting (couldn’t help it), more shootings, more divorce, more picketing and…

less morality!

and less prayer in schools, less godly people in leadership, less restraint to do evil, less kindness, less charity, less hope, less of God, less peace, less security…

You’ve heard the saying, ‘less is more.’ In this case it really rings true (only not in a good way). Less of God equals more of everything we hate. And the less there is of God the less there is of His Son. The less there is of Jesus the less chance you have of finding your way out of this mess called life and into the full and abundant life Christ promised us (John 10:10).

You know, it’s interesting. The Lord has put a lot of new and very godly friends in my life in the last year or two. It’s almost uncanny how often we all are on the same page. Check out what Perry Noble said today, http://www.perrynoble.com/2007/04/19/i-am-pod/ and Steven Furtick, http://www.stevenfurtick.com/?p=233 although his comments have more to do with what I’ll be saying in part 4 tomorrow (see, don’t say I never gave you anything early).

“But pastor Rob, I fear for your rambling mind! What does all this have to do with the “shelf life” of your average Christian commitment?!”

Fear not, young grasshoppers. We’re getting there. I know this plane has been circling for a long time, but it will land.

The question is, will you be ready to face the truth when it steps out on to the tarmac?

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

5 Comments currently posted.

The Journey Blog says:

Preach it!

<a href=”http://www.robsingleton.net/?p=247″>A-freakin’-men</a>.
I’m addicted to what is now going to be a five part series. What will I do when it’s over?
…

jt says:

We live in a sad state of affairs here in the good ole USA. You are absolutely right that our society has a hard time facing facts. We are a society that continually sarches everywhere for answers except to the One who has them. I am guilty of this very thing at times.

This life is not about me, but about what God wants to do with me. if we all would just surrender daily to God all of our wants and desires how much better this world would be.

There wil always be evil. Satan has limited time to do his work here on earth. But here is something that we forget, even Satan believes in God and fears him. He knows his days are numbered.

jt says:

Roaring Lambs! Thanks for all of the posts. I have been in FL all week for work, the posts have been Awesome. Keep listening to God! I’ve got your back!

young grasshopper Malone says:

Rob, I just love how you but things into perspective. Your words are always so true. Sometimes hard to hear, but always true. I can’t wait to hear what is coming next.