They Needn''t Fear
by Tim Lamb
“(an actress)...has said of her religious views: "I''m an atheist ... I
regard religion with fear and suspicion. It''s not enough to say that I
don''t believe in God. I actually regard the system as distressing: I
am offended by some of the things said in the Bible… and I refute them.”
What is it? What are we doing wrong? Why do people in ever
increasing numbers regard all religion with suspicion – being
distressed and offended by it?
I don’t really think it’s the “extremist” that turns people from all
religious views. Wickedness and hatred is easily recognizable as a
perversion of God’s goodness. No, it’s something they see in the day
to day life that turns people away.
SOMEHOW THE SALT AND LIGHT IS GETTING IN PEOPLES EYES AND CAUSING AN
IRRITATION!
It’s not like we haven’t given them enough options! We have religions
that require complete submission and ones that require nothing from
you at all but to be loved. We have the ultra-legalistic
hoop-jumper’s god, that gives a person all manner of things to do to
earn their way to an exciting eternity. And we have the deistic
grandfather belief system that loves everything and wants your best
life now!
And we have anything and everything in between...so what is the problem?
It can’t be the rules. Everyone who has encountered the human race is
glad we operate under some form of moralistic guidelines. Even if we
ourselves want to break the rules we are glad they are in place for
the other guy.
It can’t be the disagreements between religions. Atheists fight in
wars; atheists kill each other and dominate each other and fight over
their diverse belief systems.
It may simply be that pointing to any deity sounds judgmental because
it says we are not perfect. Not that most of us think we are perfect,
but we like to believe we can get pretty close without a creator who
owns us and controls us. We seem to think we can do just fine on our
own and we resent some spirit being telling us we can’t. People are
medicating themselves with whatever they can find just to face life,
or hide from it. No matter what the news says, in the worst of times,
Americans still want to believe there is a God they can reach out to.
IT IS THE WORST OF TIMES PEOPLE…Christians, take the lead, Pray!
Many religious pacesetters are on the sidelines making unwelcome
noises that do more harm than good and THEY get the press while the
prayer vigil is only a local story.
While others make noise for the media let His people make noise in the
heavenlies – PRAY!
The first bible most people read is the life of the Christ follower.
They watch, they notice… Let them find us talking to God, not just
talking about God.
Christians need to stop demanding the right to pray and just pray.
God makes no guarantee of civil rights for His people. In fact He
says to expect the opposite and endure it with joy.
Why aren’t you happy? Why aren’t we getting along? The world is
divided and most people blame religion...Why? They may think God does
not care, so show them God’s people care…Pray!
There is something demonically opposed to the teaching that you can be
happy in spite of the world. Christians, be happy! Be down-right
Joyful! Show the world there is nothing to fear in true faith.
Looking at God from the outside-in distresses everybody. Show people
the peace that comes from the inside-out view of God. Invite people
to realize a relationship unlike anything they have ever known.
Make the Christian life something worth keeping in a society that
demonizes faith. Don’t just give them any god; give them Jesus, the
One who casts out fear.
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