YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN

Against my better judgment, I was watching the news the other day and all I could think about was “Lord, what are we going to do?” Every story was depressing and demoralizing. How and when did we allow our country and the world to become like it is right now?

In Ezekiel chapter 34 we read how the shepherds quit taking care of the flocks that God had given to them, instead they began to feed off of their flocks. The shepherds no longer strengthened those who were weak, they no longer healed the sick and they no longer bound up the injured. The shepherds were so busy taking care of themselves, seeing to their needs and making sure that they had the best that life could offer, that they no longer went out in search of the sheep that were lost.

Maybe, just maybe that is why this country has gotten off track. Somehow, the sheep have allowed some shepherds to teach things in the church that is of the world and not of God. When it comes to God, there is no gray area, it’s always follow me and obey my commands, or pay the consequences. The law of physics tells us that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Maybe, right now, today this country (and the world) is reaping the reaction of our past actions.

I know that it is not “politically correct” to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, that is, Jesus is the only way to salvation (Matthew 14:6) but, yes, He is the only way to salvation and apparently many of our churches today have forgotten that. It seems that some parents have forgotten to teach their children that also. Call me old fashioned, but a child’s foundational knowledge of salvation and the Bible must begin at home. So, really, we can’t actually blame it all on the church, we all must take some of the responsibility.

So now what do we do? Matthew 9:37-38 says “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” (HCSB). As Christians we are told by Jesus to pray to God that He will send out people to witness to those who are lost. Jesus also tells us “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you...” Matt 28:19-20 (NIV). These two verses tell me that not only is there an abundance of people in the world that need to hear about the Gospel, and not only are we supposed to pray to God to send workers out into the field, but we are the workers! We are to go out into the fields and reap the harvest of lost souls for the Kingdom of God and where the church is concerned we must be “like the Bereans” (Acts 17:11) and examine the scriptures with eagerness to see if our shepherds are leading the flock in the direction that the Lord has commanded.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last...” John 15:16 (NIV).

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