Overwhelmed

December 20, 2019

Overwhelmed

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by everything going on in the world today? You should not – it has all been prophesied, both in Holy Scripture and even by George Orwell in his book 1984. Everything which God told us would happen in the last days of this world - “perilous times” (2 Timothy 3:1) and Orwell's book in which he describes everything that is happening today. The first sentence on the first page says, “It was a cold day in April and the clock was striking thirteen.”

Polycarp was a second century bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, he died a martyr when he was stabbed after an attempt to burn him at the stake failed at age 86. Polycarp is regarded as a saint in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches. He is identified as a disciple of the apostles, or in particular of John the Beloved (youngest disciple, only to not die a martyr). John, brother of James, son of Zebedee, was the youngest of the apostles – he was only a teenager when Christ called him a disciple. He wrote the book of Revelation on the island of Patmos, just off the coast of Turkey. The island is three miles wide, six miles long, and today, has three hundred sixty-five churches.

Polycarp's place in Biblical history will go down as a friend and associate of the Beloved John who tutored him and others who walked with Jesus. It was said that Polycarp was overwhelmed by his devotion to our Savior, shown in his willingness, even at his advanced age, to go to the stake for Him. Like William Tyndale, who translated the Bible into English, and was burned at the stake in London in 1536, the torturers so angry with him for his devotion that had overwhelmed his physical being, we should take solace that his very ashes were thrown into the Thames and from the river and oceans of the world, the Word of God has gone to every hamlet on every continent. Such was the overwhelming love of Christ by martyrs such as Polycarp, Stephen (stoned to death as Saul, later apostle Paul, watched) and Tyndale. How can one dare call himself Christ-like, knowing the tortured history of the preservation of God's sacred Word, and let it lay around unused and unshared – the only hope of the world?

Americans are overwhelmed by fear. Fear kills the soul. Three hundred sixty-five times in God's Word we are told not to fear. Christ told us, “Fear not...I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) God gave Moses the blessed assurance of “I AM”. Christ gave us the blessed assurance of “I AM.” Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6)

54% of Americans are angry about present political conditions. Mr. Obama's mentor, Saul Alinsky, in his Rules for Radicals has used the organization of the Christian church to further the Obama agenda through ACORN. Alinsky was not religious but he had sense enough to go straight to the liberal pastors and churches in the black community, give the hundreds of tentacle groups religious names such as Joshua, Job, Esther, etc. and through the scam of religious organizations, even reaching to the Catholic, Episcopal, and even some black liberation churches are reaching for the political ideology - those who have a desire to participate in the fervor of religion. Using John Dewey's liberal, Columbia University, mantra “the end justifies the means” these hundreds of Acorn-sponsored political groups, gaining financial and definitive assistance of almost the missionary type are seeking to “change” the country with their idea of a living constitution. These church people want to do good, even in such a tainted sectarian way and what we are determines what we do.

Most of the people they solicit are busy. They want to do something for someone. Prayer, plus God's Word, plus time will keep anyone internally full. The thing I will never understand about the Obama and Acorn diabolical ideology is the culture of death. It is like getting on a plane, loaded with passengers and hearing the pilot come on the loud speaker, welcoming the travelers and then saying, “I believe in death. I love to crash.”

The longer I live, an observer of many religious activities, I become more and more convinced that the average church, particularly Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostals, have become just worldly assemblies...more like civic clubs than a sacred alter of worship to God of the universe and his precious Son, Jesus Christ, who came to save us from ourselves.

I have been blind for a very long time, but I can hear and ask questions, I understand that in many Protestant, and particularly Baptist churches, there is not a cross on display, the most sacred emblem of the Christian church. Modern denominations have tried to make church going, worship services, even prayer meetings, into social activities...lunches, suppers.

In the larger congregations, there is a minister of music (often with a paid, trained-voice choir), minister to the youth, minister to the elderly. At the very time that children, young people, need the satisfaction and sanctification of being with older Christians, division seems to get the supplication of the leadership. Children and young people are overwhelmed enough by what the world offers, they need the stability of saints.

Faith is 90% courage, young people are taught to be indifferent about life's values at the schoolhouse. At the church house, there should be no compromise. Those saints, with gnarled, scarred hands from hard work, aching callouses on their feet, from walking miles to the church, knew why they were there. They needed the resources which only come from God's word, God's hymns, God's preacher, God's people. Satan has overwhelmed the world with his promise of success and happiness if you dance to the tune that pagan's play and perform. Drums and drama, bells and smells, would not replace the happiness of walking in the steps of Christ.

Movies about Harry Potter grossed millions at the box office. USA Today has calculate the present US national debt at $55 trillion. This added to state and other debts puts everyone of your children in debt $250,000. Most Americans are living hand to mouth, no assets. You cannot be overwhelmed if you have a firm foundation. Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? (Psalm 85:6)