Everyone is pointing fingers of blame at everyone else for all of the violence going on around the nation today. The Democrats blame the Republicans, the Republicans blame the Democrats, white people blame black people, black people blame white people, parents blame the schools and the government; it’s a never ending cycle. The truth is, there is plenty of blame to go around. No one is innocent in this. We all have a part to play. But, the question is, who has the lions share of the blame? Who is most at fault? Well, consider this:
It’s not entirely the fault of the Democrats or the Socialists or the Anarchists for the rioting and violence that is springing up in cities across America. Although much blame does lie with the godless heathens committing these criminal acts, and eventually they will stand before God and answer for their crimes. But, the root of the problem runs much deeper than what we see on the surface. All of the violence, rioting, looting, hatred, disrespect, etc, are just the poisonous plants that are springing up from seeds that were planted decades ago. We are now reaping what we have sown.
When a drought comes to a region or a nation, it increases the risk of a wildfire. The longer and deeper the drought, the more likely a wildfire will erupt and generally the more severe it will be. Just ask the residents of California right now. America is burning because there has been a prolonged and severe spiritual drought. A drought of the living water of Jesus Christ. A drought of the word of God.
American churches have been so inwardly focused for so long, and have neglected Christ’s call for evangelism in the culture that it has created a spiritual tinderbox in the land. And all it needed was a spark to start it ablaze. Since Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy ( a good description of what’s happening right now), he is more than happy to put his disciples to work lighting matches.
The lions share of the blame lies directly at the altar of America’s churches who have been more concerned with building their own personal “Six Flags Over Jesus” than building the Kingdom of God. Prosperity preaching, entertainment, and false gospels have led directly to the spiritual poverty of this nation. Flopping around on the floor and speaking in tongues has been substituted for evangelism as the evidence of “a move of God”. A real move of God would have driven real believers to their knees in repentance and moved these pew sitters out of the church and into the community to lead people to Christ.
I have sat in many church services and heard the preacher say, “The Holy Spirit really showed up today.” Really? See, that’s the issue in all of this. We American Christians have become so comfortable and content and spiritually atrophied that we actually believe the Holy Spirit has showed up in our services because one or two people make a decision for Christ or because a few people get goosebumps. Friends, don’t mistake the movement of the Holy Spirit with Him actually showing up. If He actually showed up, you would know it. There would be no doubt about it. I seriously doubt that there are more than a handful of people alive today that have ever been in a worship service where the Holy Spirit really showed up. If you can’t remember it...it didn’t happen.
The root of the issues we are facing today is a lack of faith, a lack of love, and a lack of fear and respect for God. We are no longer concerned with the spiritual well being of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are no longer concerned with the fact that people are dying and going to Hell by the thousands every day. We have no love for God, therefore we have no love for our neighbors.
These rioters are burning, looting, and killing because they do not love their neighbors as themselves and they do not love their neighbors as themselves because they do not love God with all their heart, minds, and spirits. They do not love God because too few American Christians loved their neighbors enough to share the Gospel with them. This has produced the spiritual conditions that have led to a sinful conflagration.
You don’t believe me? When was the last time you discipled a new believer? I seriously doubt that many of us have ever even heard of discipleship, let alone engaged in it. When was the last time you counseled new believer? When was the last time you shared the gospel? American Christianity has become a business of numbers. Get them in, get them to make a descion, and send them on their way. Sadly, that is American Christianity in a nutshell.
What’s the solution? Get out, Christians, AND EVANGELIZE! Most of you are already out of your church pews from your cowardly pastors being more concerned with the disease of COVID-19 than the disease of disobedience to God anyway, so why not get off the couch and get into the streets with the Gospel? Come join the street preachers! Instead of watching your nation burn to the ground on the boob tube, be a spiritual first responder. Put out the fire with the living water of Jesus Christ. Your choice, choose wisely.
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