The news coming from around the world is disturbing. I realize the need for a positive mental attitude in the matters of life. But there are times when that isn’t sufficient enough.

A few years ago I stepped on a rattle snake. When my left foot touched the ground, it landed behind the snake’s head, pending it to the ground. In a flash the thought went through my mind, "that doesn’t feel like a stick". Then my right foot came down. It landed on the stretched out body of the snake. It felt bigger and softer than a stick.

As I raised the right foot off the snakes body, it was yanked away and I heard the rattling noise. The weight of my body on the left foot kept the snake’s business end firmly secured to the ground.

This was all taking place in a split second of time but everything seemed in slow motion. A positive mental attitude wasn’t enough to save my hide. Quick, decisive action was required.

So, without hesitation, I leaped one-legged off my left foot far enough to clear its strike. As I turned the recoiling snake was getting ready for a second attempt. I was again out of range. The snake was mad and I was shaken but safe.

The morals of our nation are in shambles. I recently overheard a black young mother with two children in a shopping cart entering a Wal-Mart. The boy looked about two and the girl looked to be around five years of age. I heard more "g-d" and "f" words in a few short minutes than in many a day! Guess how those children will more than likely turnout.

And that’s only an example. I recall hearing the same kind of language from a white teenaged girl at a local quick stop convenience store. She had a group of teenage boys and girls as a willing audience.

Television shows, advertisements, and entertainment centers are laced with vulgarity and illicit sexual overtones. Sexual orientation has replaced the scripturally condemned relationship. Marriage, which has always been the bedrock of human civilizations is today under attack.

Many of our government leaders are opening loopholes for terrorist to openly attack and make life miserable for America’s citizenry. Our public schools are becoming isolated from any references of God or to God, thus producing a godless educational system. And we wonder why all the problems.

Our society is experiencing the fruit of generations of parents who attended schools without God’s presence, raised in homes which put God’s will at the bottom of their priority list, and who considers church attendance as a boring alternative to more pleasant activities. Inch by inch, Satan has outlawed many of the very words of scripture chiseled into government buildings in our nation’s Capital.

Iran is indeed a threat to world peace and could very well be the beginning of the end of this world. Perhaps the next great spiritual event will be the rapture of the church. I’m not making a prediction but the stage for that event seems to be unfolding.

Positive mental attitude? It helps us get through tough times. But what we must make sure of is Positioned Spiritual Security. That means having the assurance of spiritual security in Jesus. That requires action. That’s what I did with the rattle snake. I took the power of a long stick and smashed in it’s head.

In the war against sin and Satan we must take the power of Holy Sprit faith and smash in Satan’s head in our lives.

Sometimes it becomes necessary for us to become realist not some pie in the sky, all is well, soft spoken mouth piece for an amoral society. Yes, I want to encourage and comfort, but the landscape of our society requires action as well as a positive mental attitude. Let’s march forward together as a Christian army!

When I was a small boy, I received some tin soldiers for Christmas. They were thin and could be bent back and forth. The arms could be raised or put down to the side. After performing these alterations a few times, the thin tin would break and the soldier was ruined.

Those tin soldiers can be compared to many soldiers in the Lord’s army. Their commitment is suspect. And their actions, or lack there of, shines light upon their failure to surrender to our Lord’s Lordship in their lives. They are easily swayed to various opinions. They are easily led astray by false doctrines. It seems that they bend toward whatever is the popular teaching of the moment. And they wander why they aren’t as happy in the Lord as are others around them.

When in high school, our football team was given a yearly trip to the LSU campus for a Saturday football game. LSU’s opponent was either Mississippi State or Ole Miss. On some of those trips we would see a pre-game show which consisted of, I suppose, the school’s ROTC which put on a marching performance. They would march all over the football field. They would go in different directions but always end up in strait lines and be in step. It was an interesting show. I never understood how they could go off in so many different directions and yet end up in the same place, marching in step.

They were elegantly dressed. The bottons on their coats shined brilliantly and the field’s lights shined on their shoes. These solders were immaculately dressed but I don’t believe they were ready for battle. Even their guns were empty.

Like these soldiers, there are many in the Lord’s army who dress the part but aren’t prepared to do battle with the enemy of the cross and of all believers. Their guns are empty and they don’t seem to care if they are ever loaded. They don’t show up for training in the church house. When they do come, they seldom bring their sword, or gun, which is the Word of God. They smile big, dress the part, and appear to be an active participant in the warfare which is raging all around them. Yet, they are unavailable for battle.

Since the beginning of time, just outside the gates of the Garden of Eden, feuds and wars have been a constant part of the world’s history. Cain decided to offer a self-determined, self-centered sacrifice to God. But his sacrifice was rejected. On the other hand, Abel offered up a blood sacrifice which was required by God. His offering was accepted. This angered Cain and created a hatred for his brother. That anger and hatred led to the world’s first murder. Yes, just outside the garden of creation in the land we now know as Iraq, the bedrock of human civilization.

Societies have always had prepared individuals, called soldiers, ready to defend their lands. The Old Testament recounts numerous battles. Since New Testament times, wars have continued. Jesus said that there would be wars and rumors of wars until the end of the age. The question is often raised: "Why do we fight and kill? Why can’t we get along with each other"? Well, the reason is that Satan hates God, he hates Jesus Christ, he hates the Holy Spirit, and that means he hates all of us who claim Jesus to be our Savior. Because of his hatred and constant attacks upon the people of God, there will always be war and thereby the need for soldiers.

Just as there is and will be until the end of the age the need for standing armies to defend free people, there will always be a spiritual war in the lives of believers. That is why Paul the apostle wrote to the young preacher Timothy the following words: "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ"(2 Tim. 2:3). He wanted this young preacher to realize the warfare in which he was engaged. Hardships would occur. But, in order to be a good soldier, he would have to endure these hardships and move forward for the cause of Christ.

You and I are also engaged in this battle against the stronghold of Satan. I fear that many of us think we are free from this war and we are called to look good and be ready for the next new thing that comes off the presses. This mentality is like so many in our nation who have never lived in a time of war. They have forgotten that freedom can’t remain free so long as there are terrorist and other enemies of that freedom. There are times when our nation has to rise up and defeat the enemy so our nation can remain free.

Paul went on in the next verse, 2 Timothy 2:4, to explain the life of the spiritual warrior. "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier." In this war, as in the physical war, the soldier must be at the disposal of the captains and generals. They must be available for deportation at a moment’s notice.

Thus, you and I must be at the disposal of our Captain, the Holy Spirit of God. We are to be alert to His leadership wherever we are. That spiritual warfare against the body of Christ by Satan will continue until he is defeated and put in the abyss at the return of Jesus to the earth.

Stay faithful to Him. Be a good soldier of the cross. Be committed to faithfulness to Jesus Christ, our Savior and coming King. Be faithful to the end.

oj@christian.net

"Remember who you are" was an often repeated admonition from my mother when I left the house as a teenager. She was actually letting me know that my conduct would reflect upon the family and the set of morals and values she was teaching me. She wanted me to know that wearing the clothing of dirty living made one stink. My mother was, without realizing it, looking for a good advertisement about the Jackson household through my lifestyle.

That is the principle businesses use in expanding their sales. Whether large or small, they must advertise their product or service. It is the lifeblood of surviving in a competitive marketplace. We, the buyers and users, see their advertizing campaigns on the television, read them in newsprint, and listen to their one on one contacts.

Testimonials supportive of particular products or services is an invaluable tool now being utilized by advertising media. Real life people, not professional actors, are seen as giving real life support. They seek to lend credibility which will hopefully result in sales.

What about marketing Christianity? This is not a reference to church announcements and other methods of promoting a particular church or ministry event. My question is offered to prick the minds of believers. What are "we" doing to market the Christian faith?

As real life people, in the normal traffic pattern of life, what are we saying in our testimonials about who Christ is? People are watching and reading what we are saying and doing through our daily conduct.

In a recent devotional in "Today in the Word" (June p. 23), which is a ministry of Moody Bible Institute, this penetrating statement is found: "What’s ultimately at stake when it comes to how we conduct ourselves as God’s people isn’t our reputation but God’s." The writer goes on to say, "A godly life brings credit and glory to Christ; a hypocritical or impure life invites slander upon the name of Christ".

Some might question my analogy of the public acknowledgment of the Christian faith to the act of advertising. But! Aren’t we the products of a spiritual relationship to God through Jesus Christ? That fact can’t be denied by Bible believing saints and is proven by a credibly source.

Luke wrote in Acts 17:28, "For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring". He continues in verse 29 to identify the One from whom we have come: "Being God’s offspring . . ." (Eph. 4:23-24;5:1).

The lifestyle lived by Christians in the normal traffic pattern of life is what the world is seeing and hearing. They aren’t paying much attention to "us professional Sunday church going folk". They closely observe how we respond to life’s situations. Do we get angry? Fearful? Fretful? Loveless? Hateful? Unforgiving?

Ultimately! It’s not about us. It’s all about how we represent our Lord in this world. Like it or not, you and I are advertising products of the Christian faith. Let’s walk the talk and talk the walk! Let’s not tarnish God’s reputation through our sinful pride and arrogance. Let us bring credit and glory to Christ in our daily lives.

Among other things that could be mentioned, here are three important actions by Christians that will bring glory to our Lord.

Refrain from harmful gossip. That is the pastime of too many who claim the name of Jesus. "Gossip" might begin with an element of truth, but by the time it passing a dozen different mouths, it can kill the witness of the most faithful saint of God.

Refuse to be pulled into a worldly view. Keep your eyes upon the Bible. See the world through the lens of God’s Word and not the evening newspaper.

Reward faithful Christian service with praise. Don’t be jealous of another believer’s success.

Let’s be good advertising billboards for Christianity!

oj@christian.net

In the preface of his book,"Be Mature", Warren W. Wiersbe wrote in his opening sentence, "Not everybody who grows old, grows up" (p. 5). This possible brings a chorus of amens from you readers. No doubt we can all name individuals who seems to have never grown up while growing old. And, if the truth be known, I suppose in some instances we ourselves at times act immature.

But the author’s intent in his book is to explore spiritual immaturity. And with the stroke of his pen he dives squarely into the midst of the problem facing many churches and individual believers. The need for spiritual awaking to spiritual maturity is evidenced all around us.

A host of Christians say they want to see and experience that kind of real revival. But they make little effort in preparing themselves for that an awakening.

Wales experienced such a movement of God in 1904. A man from another country visited there in hopes of discovering their secret. In one of their services he stood and said, "Friends, I have journeyed into Wales with the hope that I may glean the secret of the Welsh revival."

The leader of the revival, Evan Roberts, stood with his arm stretched in the man’s direction and replied, "My brother, there is no secret: Ask and you shall receive." I’m fearful we aren’t even asking.

We decry the decaying conditions of our nation. We read the warped opinions of weird folk like Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, whose views are not typical Baptist belief. We watch good people give to God only a passing salute and then walk on by with little acknowledgment of Him. We hear politicians use tolerance as an escape from the truths of God’s Word.

Editorials on the airways and in newsprint seems too often to side with the liberal views scattered about like grass seeds to the wind. To every conservative viewpoint sharing the sure Word of God there is a liberal view which gives an opposing world view which is more reasonable to the human mind.

The world is alright! We’ll get a rew things straightened out, satisfy Iran, Russia, China, and other anti-god peoples, learn to live in tolerance with viewpoints opposite to ours, and have a peaceful world.

"Judgement Day", according to Gary Stearman, writing in "Prophecy in the News" (June, 06, p. 14), is a day which is declared by the Islamic revolution. It is the day when peace will come because the "Zionist Satan" - the U. S. And Israel - are worthy for destruction. But God’s Word teaches us about the real Judgement Day when He will judge the world and all those who have not followed Him.

I’m not simply rambling on. The point is: It is time for Christians to return to the old Book, the Word of God. It is time for the church to cry out to God, "Send a revival, O Lord, we pray". It is time for spiritual dry bones "to shake, rattle, and roll"! The Lord’s people should be helping as many folk as possible get ready for Heaven so they can be in that number when the roll is called up yonder.

Don’t forget to draw that circle around yourself and pray for revival to begin inside that circle!