A colleague was reading a book by Christopher Hitchens, God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. In this book, Hitchens contends that religion is “violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children.” My colleague had fallen for a growing mindset that seems to be growing in America and around the world... a mindset that pushes atheism as a desirable state of mind and religion (or, specifically, Christianity) as an evil to be avoided at all costs. This is, in part, the reason why you won’t see the words Merry Christmas in most retail establishments. The very mention of Christ is offensive to this world.
Whoda’thunkit?
Several years ago, I recall turning my radio dial up and down the band trying to find a specific station. At first... I thought I had found it. It sounded like someone was preaching against the enemy. However, I quickly learned that the “enemy” this person was railing against was the body of Christ. This guy had convinced his audience that Christians were responsible for ruining things and had to be stopped at all costs.
Huh?
It shouldn’t be surprising that satan is turning people away from the truth. Right now, many are laughing at us “ridiculous Christians” for serving and worshiping what they refer to as an invisible man in the sky. Hitchens and crew may be laughing now... but you can be assured that God will get the last laugh. Anyone who thinks that he or she can live a reckless sinful life or that they can mock the Living God will learn the cold hard truth one way or another.
7 Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Galatians 6:7-8 (Amplified Bible)
He who sows iniquity will reap calamity and futility, and the rod of his wrath [with which he smites others] will fail.
Proverbs 22:8 (Amplified Bible)
Yes, they will learn the truth... one way or another. I just pray for their sakes that they find out by God’s great love for them. Along those lines, we wrote the following lyric, which appears in our Psalms from the Pen of the Ready Writer series, as a message to the MTV generation. Well, the demographic that we referred to as the MTV generation a decade and a half ago are now on their way to becoming the AARP generation. Still, the words that we penned are just as relevant (perhaps, even more so) to today’s youth.
Break all the rules
Do what you want to
You get to choose
It’s your life... so you can...
Party all you want to
Buy what they sell
And, when it’s all over...
You will go straight down to hell
Ain’t no party, pal
Can’t you see, it’s a line you’ve been fed
Follow satan -- you will wind up dead
You might think it’s the time of your life
but when it’s over... it cuts just like a knife
Stay out of school
No education
Live like a fool
It’s your life... so you can...
Drink until you pass out
Smoke ‘till you choke
And when your life’s ended
Eternal flames you will stoke
This ain’t no joke
You may think that the world is your friend
Don’t you know they’ll leave you in the end
They will take all the money you have
You’ll think you’re happy... but inside, you’re so sad
Drink lots of beer
Then puke your guts out
You call this fun?
It’s your life... so you can...
Have lots of “safe” sex
Catch AIDS and die
And you know what comes next?
You’ll go to hell and you’ll fry
What a sad goodbye
Listen up, there’s somebody who cares
Jesus Christ -- Your sins He did bear
You might think it’s a lame thing to do
But when He comes in... He’ll make you brand new
Call on the Lord
Pray, “Jesus, come in”
That’s where it starts
He’ll give life... so you can...
Walk in the Spirit
Live above sin
And when life is over...
You’ll live forever with Him
Heaven will never end
This message is as relevant today as when first penned nearly 15 years ago. Turn, or burn. I don’t know about you... but my choice is to turn.
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