Tuesday, May 20, 2008

TWG-May 20, 2007

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TWG - May 20, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Exodus 5; Psalm 15; Matthew 18:15-35

Today is May 20, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. This is your invitation to take one step forward every day in your relationship with Christ. We invite you to do something unbelievably radical. We invite you to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus

Another beautiful summer like day is past. Yesterday I drove to the Eugene Hilton for a meeting to prepare for the IFCA pastors fellowship international conference. The meeting went from 11 to almost 3. We toured the hotel and tried to nail down every last minute detail. I am in charge of providing the sound system. Once I got back I worked out and Shaphen called to offer Susan and I a night’s stay at a 2 bedroom vacation cabin on the North Umpqua for. So here I am overlooking the beautiful North Umpqua River in Idle wild. And I’m a bit tired this morning. I’m not sure why – I think we got to bed at a reasonable hour, but my bod says no. I put a picture of the group of pastors and wives at lunch on the blog at timewithgod.mypodcast.com. check it out.

This week’s theme verse is Romans 1:21-23. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

What happens to individuals and societies that reject God? There seems to be a discernable pattern and path that leads through the swamp of arrogance in flights of fantasy that inevitably lands them in the dark ages. Arrogance always accompanies the downfall. Men actually believe they are too smart for God… “Only unenlightened backwards bumpkins believe in a Creator God.” The mantra is repeated over and over until it becomes state ideology. In place of God, we enshrine the idea of “the super race,” “the proletariat,” “secularism” Extra Terrestrials, almighty matter or gods made in the image of man or animals. Desolate philosophies and foolish theories sweep through the land and the masses bow the knee to these dark doctrines. Once that happens it is only a matter of time before the “new dark ages” descends like a swarm of locusts. The fallacious philosophy of Communism set Russia back a hundred years and in it’s intolerance and darkness executed millions of its own people. The deceptive belief in Hitler’s Aryanism sent millions to the showers to be gassed or cremated. The godless French revolution saw thousands beheaded at the guillotine. Every society that rejects God eventually descends into a very dark and deadly age. And those who claim to be religious but hijack the truth to use it for their own purposes are just as dangerous. The Roman Catholic inquisition in the middle ages spread it’s brand of darkness around the globe, burning thousands of good men and women at the stake or torturing them on the rack. The Mayans enslaved their people and practiced human sacrifice, The Assyrians skinned their enemies alive, the hordes of Islam has butchered its share of infidels, the natives in Papua New Guinea and in the jungles all around the world have steadily killed each other off… all in the name of their gods. And a new dark ages is coming soon to a city near you. We’ve been sensing the change in the wind for years. It’s an ill fated wind that blows. The only thing that can restrain this madness is the gospel of Christ. We Christians have a vital mission… we must share our faith and win people to Christ to reverse the tide… or else!

Dear Lord. You are Lord of all. You have given us life and light. I do not wish to hide my light under a bushel basket, I’m going to let it shine. Please fill me with a sense of urgency about the importance of my mission to share my faith with the world around me. Please Lord, hold back the rising tide of darkness and bring renewal to our land I pray.

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