No fear...

Thanksgiving was nice this year, we had several families and 27 people, so it was really fun. The weather was finally nice here in Texas after the really early arctic blast we've had for almost a week with unseasonably really cold temperatures. And no one talked politics, so no arguments ensued!
Today was "Black Friday," and black is an accurate adjective with all of the videos popping up of all of the fights all over the country. They literally make me nauseated. Those of us over 40 are shaking our heads at the new norm. Each year the stores have opened progressively earlier from Friday at 9 am, to 6 am, to 3 am, to midnight, until now when it has advanced to Thursday evening at 6 pm. Videos today even had two women fist fighting, and one used a stun gun or taser on the other one. Is this what we've become?? We've become so desperate and so selfish, that we will fight someone for a flat screen TV (or electronic of your choice?) Is it because the economy is so terrible, that our fellow Americans will subject themselves to this sort of thing, just to get the coveted item??
The bottom line is that our country has lost it's way. God has been dethroned in America and we are paying the price. I was thinking today that if you want to be a missionary, it's not necessary to travel to Africa to witness to the "heathens." No, they are the vast majority in our country now, so you only need to go to your literal neighbors to find the lost souls.
I'm wondering how this happened, in what seemingly is a short period of time. And I could say thousands of reasons, but ultimately the majority of "Christians" stopped putting God first. Most have put something else first in their lives and can give you all the reasons why they had to, but good people gave up and stopped trying. When good men (and women) do nothing, THIS is what happens. Young people either don't care and their goal is partying, or they put making money as the end-all goal, and never have time for God. I think THIS happened because Christian denominations started preaching "once saved, always saved" and my fellow Americans lost their fear of God. They figured they could live like hell, and still make it to heaven. No Fear.
Well, the Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, (Proverbs 9:10.) We are not supposed to have the spirit of fear ("For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and a sound mind.") That kind of fear is the opposite of faith, but I'm talking about a Godly fear, a reverence, a respect. Most Americans have lost that. They see the Almighty God as some wimpy, impersonal, yet friendly presence who is going to allow everyone in heaven. If you ask people who is going to go to hell, they usually answer Hitler, and serial killers, and only those who have committed the most heinous of crimes. But that's not what the Bible says. It says the way is narrow.
I've thought about it a lot and here is a good analogy - and it's true. I heard a story at church recently where a group of armed men stormed a church (I think it was in a third world country) and aimed their guns at the church people and said something to the effect of this, that they could proclaim their love for Jesus and die, or deny Him and leave. After most of the church people left, they put down their guns and said they wanted to separate out the ones who weren't serious, and worship with the true followers of Christ. And I think this is what God is saying to us. We have one life. And if we truly love Him and truly follow Him, then He will say "Well done, good and faithful servant, come into my kingdom."
It reminds me of men with a lot of money, and there are all these gold diggers out there looking to share that money. Men of character will weed out the gold diggers who want something for nothing, and God is no different. He will bestow eternal life, living forever with Him, as the ultimate gift if we follow Him in this life, and follow Him by faith, not by sight. In the mean time, this life is a test. A long test.
Stay the course...