Seeking Comfort Apart from God

The Lullabies of Prosperity in America

The horrible descriptions of the Iranian regime's persecution of Christians in Iran are enough to make you cry out, “Save them, Oh Lord!” But what if I told you that you are in more danger here in America as a Christian then in Iran, would you believe me? One married couple who found Christ had fled Iran to America. The wife, who was completely devoted to Christ convinced her husband to leave Iran, because there, if found spreading the gospel she could be raped, beaten, stoned or jailed. But after living in America for only two years she began to beg her husband to take her home to Iran. He thought she was crazy, “Why? Why would you ever want to go back to that dangerous place?”

Her answer was so profoundly observant, she replied, “Can’t you see!? These Christians are all asleep. They have allowed the comforts of this life to take hold of them.” The persecution level for Christians in Iran is extreme and yet the Church there spreads like wild-fire. Because when there are no comforts apart from Jesus Christ, God’s people cling to Him, they burn for Him and the Holy Spirit moves freely. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) is being fulfilled by a people that have nothing to lose. A people that see Satan’s oppression, that have felt the lashings of the Zanjeer their entire lives. They are ordinary, and they are so very poor in spirit - two things God uses greatly...greatly, to perform the extraordinary, a great reaping of souls.

“THEREFORE I MAKE IT MY AMBITION TO LAY FOUNDATIONS FOR THE GOSPEL WHERE THERE ARE NONE.”

- THE APOSTLE PAUL, ROMANS 15:20

So, what of the sleeping West? What happened to America? We had our own Great Awakening once, this religious revival that impacted the English colonies in America during the 1700s. A movement that came at a time when the idea of secular rationalism was being emphasized and passion for Christianity had grown stale. It was during this battle for souls that ordinary men of faith rose up with fervor and zeal to spread the Gospel. Out of pure need for the gospel to be heard the circuit riders were also born. Men that took no comfort of their own, men who lived on horseback, with the only guarantee being loneliness, no shelter or even safety from sickness or physical death...these men saddled their horses daily all for the glory of God and His message of saving grace.

Today we live in an age of secular humanism, an ideology that posits that human beings are capable of being ethical and moral without religion or belief in a deity. The humanist life stance is a complete antithesis to the gospel message. Humanism emphasizes that the “responsibility of humanity” is to bring peace and stability to the planet. And that the consequences of human decisions, when negative, can be corrected by [government] policies. The result of this has been disastrous to the human condition, humanity has grown complacent, rejecting Christ’s free gift. And Christian’s in America, by and large, have grown luke-warm, they adopt secular ideas and lazily rely on the said policies to do their works of charity. They are careful not to offend, but the gospel is offensive, so they pivot…
They only talk of God’s love and Mercy, never the spiritual death that sin brings to us all. And why? Why would a professing Christian preach inclusivity instead of following our greatest of commissions? Comfort, simply put, comfort and the promises of Earthly prosperity.

VIGILANCE AND VIRTUE

“Awake Church, Awake! We have work to do!” This life is not our own, the Iranian women understand this when they risk being raped and beaten, their child taken by the regime into slavery or beheaded in front of them. But they go forth boldly and in the hands of Christ Jesus with the Holy Spirit to guide them to those He will save. The nets are closing in on us, there will be a time when America’s Christians will no longer be protected by the Constitution, we will be persecuted as the Irainans and the sheep will be separated from the goats. (Matthew 25:31-46). Let us now, in this grave time in history lay down our comforts and pick up our crosses, let no soul burn, give the good news.