#1977-Half Baked

"The redeemed before the throne--look how they shine! Hark how they sing! They were not always as they are now. They were once like us--sorrowing, suffering, sinning! But He has washed them from their sins in His own blood--and wiped away their tears with His own nail-pierced hands!" -John Newton

"All glory to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us! All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen." Revelation 1:5-6 
  

            If you don't get in the water, you will never learn to swim; no matter how many books you read about swimming. Satan has been very effective in setting up his "firewall" of demarcation/boundary lines, in the secular world. When I graduated from the University 65 years ago this month, we were presented a bible (this from the nation's first and oldest state-supported University, UNC Chapel Hill). Now, from everything I hear, even on "so-called" Christian College campuses, Christianity is demoted to a superstition; and we now have cities beautified, with church steeples empty. My seminary professor's son was recently asked to travel to a church and attempt to resuscitate. He said, "Beautiful building, beautiful city." A building which seated 900 people, had exactly 20 persons there on Sunday morning. He had just returned from a mission trip to Japan, taking with him 14 seminarians. In Japan, the once all-consuming Shinto religion, with its shrines, now just considered a part of Japan's history...superstition.

            This writer, world traveler (Dr. Morris has made eight around the world trips, every Continent, passport stamped in 157 Countries), in Burma, more Stupa's (religious shrines) than people. In Greece, the ancient city of Delphi; above one temple in Gold letters, these words, "know thyself." In Paris, France, one of the great tourist attractions: Napoleons Tomb. The story is that, after one of his bloodiest battles, he presented a medal to each surviving soldier...which had on it, only the words, "The Battle, I was there." We Americans were here during the most critical part of our history, a time of healthcare scams, attempts to "unisex" everything from the school house to the military's front lines. We have seen the churches emptied out, but sports arena's filled in. Every Christian should remember one thing: today I am one day closer to heaven or hell.

            In China, I was at a group of caves, known for their ancient religious attraction. Three older Chinese men called me over to them, they said to me in broken English, "We believe you are a Christian." I said, "Yes, how did you know?" The reply of one, "You can always tell, a Christian has joy, and that is what attracted us to Christianity." IF there were joy in the many churches which you find on almost every corner of every American City, the unsaved would be trying to get in, and members would have the pews filled; instead of what is happening now.

            This has been the mystery of my life, a human being, chosen by God to live on this rare and beautiful planet. IF we are believers, we should be concerned about those around us, certainly members of our own family...they are going to die; "The mortality rate is still 100%," and will end up in one of two places, nothing in between. When I was a boy, I still remember one old man in our community, a dirt tenant farmer named Romey; who would go to my cousin's country store with his bible, and invite the men he knew to sit and talk with him about God's word. Brother Romey would never go on a mission trip, would never preach in a pulpit, but he was concerned about the men who farmed around him...the men he knew. I know very few pairs who are even concerned about their own children...if one would die suddenly by choking on something, or by car crash.

            Those of us raised poor, never get over the food we ate...we still sometimes prefer it to the finest foods in the finest restaurants. My mother and grandmothers have been dead a long time. But, I can still see them cooking cornbread, perhaps the cheapest food known to man (just a matter of cornmeal; ground-up corn, with water, made into cakes). I can still see my mother frying these cornbread "cakes" in a (cast) iron frying pan. She always cooked them well on both sides...they were not good half baked. I can think of nothing I'd rather have to eat, right now, than a cake of her cornbread. If only we could see our future, know that we are already living eternally...just "half-baked." Most of us do not really believe, sincerely or completely, in anything. Otherwise, we would not see the blight on the family...the curse brought on children (abortion, child trafficking and sex slavery chains). Unbelievers, even our own children, must SEE Christianity in us before they HEAR anything about Christianity from us.

Stupa (Religious Shrine)