Friday, March 15, 2013

The State of Affairs

If I write one more article on the state of the world or the state of the church for that matter, I think I may need a cup of hot cocoa and a quiet chair to sit in for a few hours. The alternative to that would be clawing at my own head and mumbling to no one in particular, ‘why don’t they get it? Why can’t they see?’

Even to my own ears the words of warning seem to ring hollow because try as the few might to stir the hearts and open the eyes of the many, the pull toward compromise, indifference and a feigned imitation of true worship are just too strong.

It has come to the point that men are openly mocking the one true God while claiming to be His servants and followers. We try to justify their actions, we try to find the good in their endeavors, but all we’re really doing is finding excuses to put off confrontation or heaven forbid stand for truth.

It hasn’t come to blows, it hasn’t come to prison terms or the threats of violence, and the church is already caving in, and averting its gaze from the monstrosity it is becoming. We can pretend all we want. Reality is stubborn and unmoving, and eventually we will have to face it.

Maybe I’m missing it. Tell me if I am, but the way I see it, the church has actively been silenced by a handful of entitled, obnoxious, overly loud and in-your-face proponents of sin, and not much else.

As yet, we’ve not seen the legislation that is soon to come making it a crime to speak out against sin, as yet we’ve not seen pastors imprisoned, churches shut down, and militant activists turn violent, and we’ve already given up the battle, acquiesced to the enemy, all the while telling ourselves we just need to pick a better spot, bide our time and find a better opportunity to stand our ground.

With everything that’s happening and the speed with which it is happening, the church is alarmingly indifferent, sedated by the promise of wealth transfers, and pre-tribulation rapture. The household of faith seems too busy packing their bags to raise their voice, and too busy counting their money to see the darkness spilling into their homes, and churches, and communities.

How many times and in how many ways do you try to wake someone up before you write them off for dead and move on to the next individual?

Yes, I know, Jesus left the 99 and went back for the one sheep, but what if the sheep keeps kicking you in the face while you’re trying to pull it out of the muck, as though it enjoyed its present existence and you were nothing more than a nuisance and inconvenience?

At least when judgment descends we will have no moral ground to ask ‘why’ of God, knowing full well why judgment had to come, and clean and purge and upturn the temple, and the inner courts.

I will be guilty of no man’s blood upon my hands when that day comes, and that is why I continue to do my utmost to stir men to repentance.

For a while there, the name calling didn’t bother me anymore, but once supposed Christians started calling me what those of the world have always been calling me, well, that stings a little.

I know I’m not the only one feeling this frustration. I know I’m not the only one feeling as though he is tilting at windmills, and although I could try to placate you with some inane platitude that seems to work wonders for Joel Osteen fans, I’m not to the point of selling out quite yet.

Having known these days would come doesn’t make it any easier, but at least those of us who heeded, are spiritually prepared, having fasted and prayed up as we knew we ought to have done.

No one ever said it wouldn’t get difficult, painful, tragic, and heartbreaking. God just promised He would get us through it all if we clung to Him. I fear the days are soon upon us, wherein brother will betray brother, and father will betray son, and that, I believe, will be the true test of our faithfulness and steadfastness.

May we stand and never waiver in Christ.

With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.

7 comments:

Lee said...

Dear Brother Mike,
Again you have written what has broken our hearts for sometime. It seems the church is sleeping in that enchanted place in Pilgrim's Progress and no matter what Christian done, he couldn't wake them up. So I think John Bunyan knew our sorrows also. It seems that they think God should hit them with fairy dust and change them with no effort or imput on their own part as if He hasn't done enough. But these are the same people that rebel at any small obedience on their part. When do we shake the dust off our feet and move on when we can't think of anyone that we want to see lost for eternity??

j said...

Mike,
I hear your message loud and clear.I take it too heart. Pray for me so I can take leadership over my family and prepare them for the end is near.
Thank you,
Jeff

Anonymous said...

I have a relative which I'm certain would betray her entire birth family in a heart beat if it became socially acceptable -- and yes, she calls herself a Christian. She's a narcissist and will thrive on the attention of being willing to "sacrifice" her family for the sake of "righteousness" and "doing the right thing". There just needs to be a strong enough cultural shift for her to be able to do this and look good doing it. I know of other Christian families in similar situations, with one or more narcissistic, abusive relatives that consider themselves Christians. When the time is ripe, I fully expect them to all take their "revenge" against all of us that dared to hold them accountable for their sin and stop enabling them. They'll turn us over to whatever ungodly authorities end up ruling over us without blinking. It's only a matter of time.

Barbara said...

The Bible says that you will be lifted up on wings of eagles when you rely on God. That sounds like fun and like exciting times are ahead. When you stand with God, you rise above the morons who preach lies and accuse those who stand for the truth. You just rise above it and walk away. Leave the dead to bury their dead, where the dead are the vultures will gather.

There is a time to sow and a time to just guard your lamp. The time of the Gentiles is probably about up, and the next group to seek Christ is the Jews who are in a lot of trouble in Isreal. If you bring them the message, some of them really get it, even though some are viciously against it. You can really see the lightbulb go on in some of their heads though.

Don't waste time on people who try your faith and abuse you. They had their chance. Let God deal with them and shake the dust from your shoes and move on.

Anonymous said...

I wish I could cheer you up, but you're right, human nature has a tendency to avoid facing unpleasant realities. Those of us who try to see things for what they are, without the fake sugar coating, are called pessimists, chronic malcontents, etc. Take comfort from the fact that many OT prophets suffered the same disrespect, only because God was merciful enough to warn many years in advance, giving more time than deserved to get their acts together. Consider also that God predicted the coming of the Messiah several hundred years before it happened, and they even missed that! Well, most of them. And when He was walking among them, sought to stone him and worse for infractions like healing on the Sabbath. This world is a mess, Mike. Everything is upside down, good is called evil and evil is called good. I know this is not news to you, but you suffer from the weight of it all the same. All I can say is enjoy your cocoa and a quiet place to sit as long as such things exist. Surround yourself with fellow Christians who 'get it'. As for how many times you have to let the sheep kick you in the face, consider that Jesus told the disciples that if their audience would not receive their message, to shake the dust from their feet and move on. That sounds to me like, once. Write your blogs and books, preach what the Lord lays on your heart, but maybe it's not necessary to get entangled in long exhausting email controversies with people who act like they want the truth, but what they really want is an argument. Ask the Lord to be sure, but my guess is He does not require that of you.

You are doing a fine job. I am sure that when you finally enter the gates of Heaven you will be shocked at the reception you get and the magnitude of your reward. You may be surprised, but should not be, at some of the historical figures that will stand up for you, cheering and clapping.

Peace.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing this timely word. It does feel as if our words fall on deaf ears, whether they be calls to repentance, admonitions to right living, or wake up calls about the end times. People just do NOT want to hear truth anymore; they would rather believe the lie. Truly heartbreaking

So hard not to feel hopeless sometimes, but we need to have faith no matter what it looks like, for only God knows their heart. All we can do is plant the seed...

I remember a dream I had as a young teen about Jesus' return. In the dream, I saw written in the clouds, "HE IS COMING!" I went to the high school and began telling everyone & anyone, whether they would listen to me or not, that they needed to Repent & be Saved because Jesus was coming SOON. And I remember that the supposed Christians that I knew were all trying to quiet & silence me telling me that I was causing a scene & embarrassing myself & them, but I would not.

I even got on the intercom system and was pleading with anyone who could hear me to Repent & turn to Christ, that His coming was at hand, as teachers & administrators tried to stop me. In the midst of all this, I remember being surprised that there was a handful of unlikely people, that I would not have expected, who began to help me plead with the students around us. Most of them I did not even know as Christians. Sadly, I can see this happening in reality as well :(

So I will continue to cry out, whether anyone seems to listen or care, despite whether other believers try to silence me or mock me... Who is there to fear but Him who can destroy both body & soul in hell?

A sister from Washington said...

Brother Michael - Do you know what Bible passages people use to claim that we live in an "age of grace" and that therefore God no longer judges nations/individuals like he did in the OT? I was speaking to a pastor about this and asked him if he thought America was going to be coming under judgment and he said, absolutely not, because we live in the "age of grace." But he did say he believed in coming persecution. It was very important to him that we differentiate between persecution from people and judgment from God. To me all that I see happening in the world looks like God's judgment -- but I know others say, no, no, no, God doesn't judge, what you see is Him lifting His favor/blessing. In the end, I guess we all agree in that "bad stuff is coming", but I really wish I understood what verses people were using to base this idea that we live in an "age of grace" in which God doesn't judge any more. The OT is full of God's judgment, but they say we live in NT, and so He doesn't do that any more (until the final judgment, after the rapture,etc.) Can you help? I'd really like to understand where they are coming from.