North Korea surely is in great need. And for months, I've been trying to help God's people be aware of that need. But slowly and surely I am seeing the evils of my own nation, as we creep into a godlessness that can only mean death and destruction to the American civilization. And then there's me...
Two e-mails awaited me this morning. You've probably seen one of them circulating. It's a picture of the new dollar coins. The sender of the e-mail is urging that all of us refuse to accept these new dollars as change. Why? The words "In God we trust" are curiously missing. Well, we can be angry about that. But is America a land that trusts in God? Or does it trust more in its military might? And its strong economy? I sorrow not for the words on the coin as much as I do for the fact that most Americans cannot say truthfully that they do trust Him. And you? And me? Subtract the comfort and ease and great food and prosperity? Trust still there?
The 2nd e-mail was from the school system for which I work. It too was stating only a symptom of the disease. It too was a scary reminder of how far America has backslidden. Its freefall seems irreversible now. The memorandum from headquarters, which was really our own way of enacting a bill that came out of the Illinois legislature, demanded that every student be asked to give 10 seconds to "silent reflection and prayer."
Yuk. America's public schools were founded on the Scriptures. Ever heard of the McGuffey Reader? Reading the Bible and studying spiritual truths were the in thing. Slowly that Christian base eroded, to the point where now any official mention of our beginnings is verboden. But as a nod to someone or some political pressure, we shall be allowed to stop what we are doing first thing in the school day and have a full 10 seconds worth of reflection. (But no religious content is to be mentioned by the teacher.)
All sad enough. Then I heard the sermon that came up on my ipod. It was about "enemies of the cross." Right away you think I'm talking about the government agencies and public schools, or the Communists, or the Muslim extremists. Of course they are our enemies. But they are not the worst.
When the Bible uses that phrase, "enemies of the cross of Christ" it is talking about believers, that is, church members, who are only concerned about earthly things. One who knows about the things of God and still cares more about the things of this world is the worst enemy Christ has. For he is a daily advertisement of what it means to be a Christian.
Since I have entered the struggle for my brothers in Korea, I have been made aware of my own need to be liberated from this world and to take up the cross of Jesus where I am. To stop crying and fussing and complaining and be a true soldier of Jesus. Without such an attitude how can we be a blessing to the suffering?
http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!
And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.
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