Thursday, September 15, 2011

God at Work

Our culture today is seemingly a disaster.  It seems messy.  And it is.  And it would be easy, in the midst of the real problems we are experiencing today, to think that Christianity is dying.  That secular lifestyles or radical Islam is winning.  But the t.r.u.t.h. is, well, we know the ending.  

"God exalted him [Jesus] to the highest place, and gave him the name that is above every name.  That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."  (Phil. 2:9-10)  

That's the end.  Everyone will bow and confess that Jesus is Lord.  Whether we want to or not.

BUT... sometimes, we look around and feel discouraged.  A sickness in the family, a relational problem, a job we don't like, lonliness, hurt, on and on.  And those things are real.  And then, there are the hot-button social issues: gay rights, abortion, religious freedom, on and on and on.

And, so here we are.  Wondering if, in fact, Christianity is dying, because sometimes we don't see the results.   

I would argue that Christianity is spreading like never before.  
Real Christianity where Jesus is Savior and He changes lives.
When we who were once lost, become found. 
And we can see it if we choose to. 
Or we can jump on the woe-to-this-generation-it-all-sucks train. 
We can choose to get involved and be part of the spreading. 
Or we can hide inside our basements and hope that we make it to the end.  


God is at work.  Like never before. Can you see it...


...In Anaheim, California (and around the U.S.)


...In India



...In the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, one of the founding members of Hamas.  (You should read this book.  No, seriously.)



In the Middle East.

  

...in Suburban Chicago  (gotta click for that one)

and in my new home, Lincoln, Nebraska






Find ways God is at work in your community and around the world.  Then, join.  Jump in.  Find a way to be a part of His Work.  Right where you are.  That has been God's challenge to me lately.  So, here we go....