The Third Great Awakening...

Billy Graham just released an open letter to America expressing his heartache over our moral decline.  In it he says this:

Some years ago, my wife, Ruth, was reading the draft of a book I was writing. When she finished a section describing the terrible downward spiral of our nation’s moral standards and the idolatry of worshiping false gods such as technology and sex, she startled me by exclaiming, “If God doesn’t punish America, He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.”

She was probably thinking of a passage in Ezekiel where God tells why He brought those cities to ruin. “Now this was the sin of ... Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen” (Ezekiel 16:49–50, NIV).

I wonder what Ruth would think of America if she were alive today. In the years since she made that remark, millions of babies have been aborted and our nation seems largely unconcerned. Self-centered indulgence, pride, and a lack of shame over sin are now emblems of the American lifestyle.

Dr. Graham goes on to say,

Yet the farther we get from God, the more the world spirals out of control.

My heart aches for America and its deceived people. The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance. In Jonah’s day, Nineveh was the lone world superpower—wealthy, unconcerned, and self-centered. When the Prophet Jonah finally traveled to Nineveh and proclaimed God’s warning, people heard and repented.

I believe the same thing can happen once again, this time in our nation.

 The saddest aspect of this letter is found in his statement, "The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance." You may wonder how can this be the saddest portion of the letter?  Doesn't it seem that this is the portion of our greatest hope?

It is so terribly sad to me because the American people WILL NOT repent, and God has seen this.  We are so wealthy and unconcerned that, like Sodom and Gomorrah, we won't repent either and God will have to act justly against us bringing us to a  place of nothingness.  It will be His greatest act of mercy in actuality because left in our present state there can be no salvation without repentance.  He will cause us to see Him and to turn from our wickedness and this will be our ultimate salvation.

Joel C. Rosenberg's book "Implosion" documents the declining morality of America.  Our society is riddled daily with scandal after scandal, and violence after violence.  They keep coming in greater and greater proportions; one larger and more sickly grandiose than the scandal previous.  Most of our practiced and accepted immorality is no longer on our radar as being reprehensible.  It has become the accepted. It has, sadly, become the American way.

The fact that America won't repent, however doesn't mean that you can't.  It is entirely possible and needed that you and I repent, walk holy and upright before our Lord despite the status quo of our nation.  In every judgment that God has been forced to extend, He has always reserved for Himself a people who are carrying on His way and purpose and who have His heart.

In the instance of Noah, he preserved all who would heed His call to repentance as Noah built the ark of salvation from the impending judgment.  This resulted in only Noah's family being rescued while the world mocked him.  When Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for the reasons listed above, he rescued Lot's family only from the flames, despite the promise that if Abraham could find just 10 righteous men the cities would be preserved.  In Jeremiah's day, he promised to rebuild Israel after 70 years of captivity in Babylon all the while Jeremiah contended with lying prophets who said, "this judgment can't happen to us."  The same will be for us.  Neither will we change our lifestyles to repent and turn to the Lord.  We are secure in our comforts, sinfulness and unconcern.

Even though America will be judged severely to bring us to a place where we'll return to God, He will preserve His people.  Our hearts need to be inclined to Him now.  Our spirits must be prepared for that which is to come, whenever it is to come and however it is to come.  We can't quite know the when and where, but the Lord's Spirit is speaking and stressing to those that will hear Him that judgment is inevitable and will come.  Call out on the Lord and we will be saved!

The Third Great Awakening that both Billy Graham and Joel Rosenberg are calling for will happen, but sadly, it seems, it won't come until after we've been humbled.  If we'll now humble ourselves, and judge ourselves, He won't have to do it when He pours out His justice on the rest of a rebellious, godless nation. We can be the preserved people, if we'll turn to Him now and repent of our ways and call on His Name, Jesus.

Don't be ashamed of the gospel and let's preach it wherever there is an ear to hear.  To God be all glory. May He help us all now and in the times to come.

Digging in the Garbage Bin... At Panama City Beach

We were gassing up the rental vans and about to head home from our youth trip to beautiful Panama City Beach, Florida.  We had been there four days and by now I think we were all at our whits end.  Nonstop sand, surf, sun, late nights and early mornings, going all day long relentlessly pursuing beach fun, while intoxicating as it was, it has a way of becoming so wearing on our bodies that our dreams turn from hammocks on the beach to home.

I walk into the station to prepay for gas and hand the clerk a bajillion dollar bill in hopes to convince him to turn on the pumps and I see a dude rummaging through the huge garbage bin out behind the station. As I walk out, and begin filling up, I look to see if he's looking for cans or for food.  He leans out of the garbage bin with a Styrofoam take out plate, opens it up, sees no food and tosses it back into the bin.  One of our teens peeks her head out of the van and says to me with a tone of desperation in her eyes, "He's looking for food, Jeremy." I replied, "I know."

As I open the back of the van to our snack stash, another teen rescues a Wal Mart sack that seemed to be helplessly swirling in the cyclone of teen garbage from within our own rolling 15 passenger garbage bin.  We begin filling the bag with all kinds of crackers, chips, snacks, water bottles and can drinks. I head over to the man, a tall slender gentleman in his fifties. His long, unkept, dark hair was already drenched in sweat at about 9:45am from pursuant digging.  The warm, savory sea air switched quickly to the stale stench of hot, wet garbage.  I asked him if he can use the snacks and he says in a northern accent that reminded me of Michigan, "Brother, I tell you they won't go to waste."  He smiled at me a smile of relief.  He then offered to tell me in a somewhat sincere tone that he just can't find any work.

I wanted to say something to him... probably something religious, but I felt it disingenuous to preach at him coming from a position of priviledge.  Here I was in nice clothes, driving expensive air conditioned rental vans with a crew of well dressed teenagers shackled to iPhones, iPods and iPads.  The best thing I thought to say was just simply and honestly ask him, "You know God loves you don't you?"  His reply, "He must. He keeps sending me people like you."

I turn to walk away and he just points his finger straight to heaven as if to say, "You never fail me."

We drove off with the sea to our backs as salty tears begin to sting my sun burnt cheeks.  The thought racing through my head was, "God, you never meant for you children to live like that."  He whispered back to me, "Yeah, but I did mean for them to love like that."  Then His faithful words rang in my heart, "A bag of snacks offered in my name won't be forgotten in my kingdom."

I don't tell this story to pat myself or our youth on the backs.  We really didn't do much. I do, however, want to encourage us -- we who live in the lap of luxury and plenty -- to love like Christ. 

The guy refused to shake my hand because of the garbage on his hands.  I wish now I would have grabbed him anyway and hugged Him.  This is the image I see when I read in the scriptures how Jesus hugged the lepers He met in Panama City Beach.

Christian Persecution in North Korea... The Untold Story

Need Not Thirst

In February, I launched on Facebook a new ministry called "Need Not Thirst".  NNT is designed, prayerfully, with the goal in mind to "Bring both eternal and earthly water to all thirsty nations...".

Need Not Thirst is a recognized campaign of Blood:Water Mission, and we are partnering with them to help the people of Uganda through B:WMs water mission projects to that nation.

On Tuesday, February 14th, the day of love... we'll be beginning "40 Days of Water".  During 40 Days of Water you simply make tap water your drink of choice.  That's right... trade out sodas ("cokes" for all my southern family), coffee, teas and bottled water for tap water.  When normally you would make a dash to Starbucks for that grande-yummy-tasty-latte-concoction-to-keep-your-life-moving-forward with foam add caramel sauce, put that money away and save it!  At the end of 40 Days of Water, on March 24th, join us for Water:Walk (details to be posted on Facebook) where we'll simulate a several mile hike (like so many make daily in Uganda) to a water source to collect water for the day.  We'll donate all of our money at Water:Walk on March 24th, and then donate every penny to Blood:Water Mission.  All during the 40 Days of Water fast, we'll be praying for the people of the world, specifically Uganda, who are thirsting for water.  More importantly, however, for the eternal water from Jesus we all need.  He told the lady at the well, "I have water, that if you drink it, you need not thirst again" (John 4 paraphrase mine).  It's that simple.

Please check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/neednotthirst and "Like" our page.  Begin something great, "pray and do" for those who are in need...

Youcef Nadarkhani's Execution Expected Wednesday or Thursday

 Youcef Nadarkhani is expected to be executed as early as Wednesday (9/28/11) or Thursday (9/29/11) according to several sources.

As discussed earlier, Youcef's case was to be re-examined, Sunday, September 25th, 2011.  During this court appearance, Youcef was given the opportunity to recant his Christian faith, to which he responded,

"Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?"
"To the religion of your ancestors, Islam," the judge replied, according to the American Center for Law & Justice.
"I cannot," Nadarkhani said.

Youcef has been given four "opportunities" to recant and escape his death sentence of being hanged by the Iranian government.  He has stood strong for Christ telling the court each time that "he cannot." Many are expecting his execution to be enacted at any moment given the unpredictable nature of the Iranian government.

FoxNews.com has also reported today (9/28/11) on Youcef's current status and has also included statements by House Speaker John Boehner.  Boehner had this to say,

[Youcef's case is] "distressing for people of every country and creed."

The State Department declined to comment to FoxNews concerning Youcef's case.

Please be in prayer for Youcef, his family, and the underground church in Iran as well as for the nation itself.  Today and the next few days are critical.  Urgent prayers are needed on his behalf as well as on the behalf of all persecuted peoples world wide.

Youcef Nadarkhani Update

Youcef Nadarkhani

I've scoured the web looking for any updated information on Youcef Nadarkhani and as it currently stands there's no new information that I was able to find. 

Pastor Youcef remains in prison, having had his death sentence annulled for the time being by the Iranian Supreme Court siting insufficient background evidence to prove that he was in fact a declared, practicing Muslim prior to his conversion to Christ.  His case was then remanded back to the lower court in Rast where they are waiting on Youcef to recant his Christian faith, as well as to find sufficient evidence to prove to the court that he was a declared Muslim.  As it stands, if he does recant all charges will be dropped.  However, if he does not, then he most likely will see the death sentence reinstated by the lower court.  The Supreme Court agrees with the death sentence, but sited procedural flaws in proving he was once a Muslim.  Had they been able to prove this, then he would have been hanged in 20 days.

The Nadarkhanis

Youcef's lawyer, Mohammed Ali Dadkhah, was later sentenced to nine years in prison and ten years of not being able to practice law or teach in the Iranian universities.  He was charged for "actions and propaganda against the Islamic regime."

Youcef has been imprisoned since October of 2009.  He is 33 years old, married abd has two young sons.


According to Voice of the Martyrs, they had this to say about his prison stay,

The pastor is imprisoned in Lakan prison, where authorities have used various methods, including medication, to [attempt to] convert him back to Islam.

Please pray for Youcef and his family, and as well for Iran to become open to the gospel.  Pray that change will come to this nation through Christ.  I've prayed for Youcef daily and have been asking God to comfort Youcef and give him peace and to strengthen him against their attempts to convert him.  I've prayed that God would use him so strongly while in prison to preach to guards as well as fellow inmates.

It's easy for us to go about our daily routines oblivious to the fact that the church is severely persecuted abroad.  We should pray for our brothers and sisters and become co-laborers and co-sufferers for them through prayer to Christ.

I encourage you to pray also for Iran that it would become open to the gospel.  We must pray that when God does open the country that we too will be ready to leave everything, every comfort, luxury and presumed security, if necessary, to take the gospel in love and service to this nation.  We must be ready to go should He call.  Please pray.

Rich Mullins Quote...

"Jesus said whatever you do to the least of these my brothers you’ve done it to me. And this is what I’ve come to think. That if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, who I claim to be my Savior and Lord, the best way that I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers. But they’re just wrong. They’re not bad, they’re just wrong. Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in a beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken..."     - Rich Mullins (October 21, 1955 – September 19, 1997)

The above quote was given just prior to Rich's death at a concert.  Leading up to his death, he lived on a Navajo Indian reservation in Tse Bonito, New Mexico in a hogan (traditional Native American hut built into the earth) and taught Navajo children music and Christ.  He gave all of the proceeds from his music sales to his church and charities and he was paid the national average salary at that time which was around $40k per year.  He gave millions of dollars away in his lifetime to the poor and needy.

To read a synopsis of his incredible life and testimony check out this article.

God let us be men and women who live and love like You.  Let us not be enamored with the world's system of living.  Let us live in this world as citizens of Heaven, knowing that with You is where our true treasures are being kept.  

Change me, oh God, by Your Spirit and convict me of all my sins so that I may repent and live my life to love You, Your people and to bring You glory.