Yesterday I posted the following quote on my Facebook wall,
“If you're an American 'Christian.' And you
feel "called" to stay in America. Wake up and start obeying Jesus and
actually living and loving like Him.”
I want to clarify that statement
because some people responded to me with an “Amen brother!” And others
responded with a, “I totally disagree.”
I left a comment below my post in response to someone’s
comment that I believe sums up what I was trying to say, “My point was, if you feel like God is calling you to America, then
actually start reaching the lost here! Start going to the hood and to the poor
people and love on them like Jesus. My point is, don't use the 'there are
lost people in America too' as an excuse to just stay in the America and
pursue the American dream like so many 'christians' do.”
Before I go on, I really am not
trying to bash followers of Jesus. I’m not trying to declare or force anything upon anyone. But I want to challenge what I believe is the majority of
the “Christian” body in America to start acting like Christ. A lot of people have and will continue to label me as young and zealous, and say its just a season that I’ll get past. I pray this is not true. I pray that
I never cease to be zealous to desire "christians" to live like Jesus.
This was Paul' heart when he challenged the Corinthians to "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Two nights ago I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned for hours.
My heart was broken thinking about the images I
had seen in South Asia this past summer. But my heart was broken even more for the American "church." I wept thinking about the millions of people I
saw this past summer who will spend eternity damned and separated from the God who created them.
I’m going to be honest with you where I’m at right now, so
buckle up:
I’m sick of the way most American “churches” and “Christians”
act.
I’m sick of the way American “churches” and “Christians” are
perceived by the world around us as hateful.
I’m sick of the way “churches” meet on Sundays and then live
their lives contentedly when there are poor people down the road that need to
hear about Jesus.
I’m sick of “churches” and “Christians” arguing over whose
theology is right.
I’m sick of “churches” who split over stupid things and won't talk to fellow brother's and sisters because they are offended.
I’m sick of “Christians” that live contentedly their whole
lives pursuing the American dream in their comfortable “Christian” communities
when down the street from them there are those that are hurting and across the
ocean from them there are billions of souls being damned to hell with no chance
of ever hearing the gospel.
I’m sick of people that call themselves a “Christian” yet
don’t act like Christ in the least bit.
I’m sick of “Christians” not taking the word of God
seriously.
Have you read the gospels lately? Where did Jesus ever act like one of the above scenarios?
Read Philippians 2:1-11. That's how Jesus acted.
As a believer we have the one thing that can bring eternal hope to the dying world around us, yet we often close the doors to our churches and homes to those that are hurting and in need.
Over the last two days as I've written research papers and read books for school. There are images that flooded my mind two nights ago that won't leave.
Images of the temples and mosques where I
encountered thousands of people worshipping false gods.
Images of beggars that had no arms and legs sitting on the side of the road with no hope.
Images of the kids in the slums that had no clothes and who
had diseases all over their skins that had never experienced earthly love.
Images of the street kids who had no parents and lived by
collecting garbage from the sewers.
As much as these images weigh on my heart, I'm grateful for them because they give me a perspective on life that I didn't have before.
At 1AM the other night, I left my house to go walk. It was raining, so I
took an umbrella and just walked crying out to God to wake those up around me to start living like Jesus.
But I also prayed possibly the hardest prayer of my life.
“God, I pray you will never let me be content.”
You see I don’t ever want to be content with material
things.
I don’t ever want to be content when millions
and billions of people that live around me are going to be damned for all of eternity.
I'm often portrayed as thinking it is wrong to stay in America. I want to clear this up. I’m not saying it’s wrong to stay in America. But staying in America doesn't mean you don't live and love like Jesus did!
We must never be so content to with our lives that we
forget about the family that lives down the road with no food.
We must never be so
content that we come home from a job and stay in our house 7 nights a week when a
few miles away there are girls selling their bodies to make enough to feed
their families.
Today I came across an article that was titled, "Why millenials are leaving the church" It made some really good points about
fellow brothers and sisters that are seeing the way “churches” are
acting doesn’t line up with the way Jesus lived.
But, I’m praying my generation of fellow brothers and
sisters will be remembered not by those that left the church. But are remembered as those who
actually lived like Jesus. I pray we are remembered as those who opened their hands, homes, churches and
hearts to those that live next door to them. I pray we are remembered as those who weren't afraid to give up everything, even their lives to bring hope and life to those that live thousands of
miles across the sea.
Oh Lord, allow us never to be content. Wake the church up to
start living and loving like Jesus did.
I would love to hear your thoughts. Please don't hesitate to comment below.
