Have You Looked Around Town Lately?

Have you looked around town lately and taken a really good look at the conditions we otherwise remove ourselves from?

Families are literally coming apart; kids are using dope at an unprecedented rate; those of age providing alcohol to those who aren't of age; burdening themselves down with tattoo's; babies having babies; teenagers dropping out of school; sharing partners is no big deal; many parents don't seem to care if their kids are out until 3 or 4 in the morning wondering the neighborhoods and the list goes on and on. Way too many of our youth are definitely on the road to destruction.

All too often we don't have to "Look Around Town" to witness the calamities. We only have to look at our own. No, I'm not referring to "your" kids and grand kids here, I'm referring to mine! Truth be know, many of your kids and grand kids are just like mine.

My wife and I were tasked with raising four grand children for ten years. What's so sad about all this is that during those early years they were enrolled in Christian School (owned and operated by a family within a local Church) not to mention we had them in Church when the doors were open.

Their mother finally married, moved to the other side of town and enrolled said kids in public school. Within six months all their moral convictions were stripped away and they are now as described above and wife and husband have since separated. My grand son walks around with his pants hanging half off.

This is all very sad!

I'm fully aware that conditions will worsen as we approach the end of the end times and I do hope that as it was with the Prodigal Son, our grand kids will begin to realize the error of their ways and return home.

For sure it's all in the Lord's Hands as we (as grand parents) are unable to offer anything. We're old fashioned and out of touch. In the meantime, guess who gets the phone call when something serious happens?

My wife and I have been married for 45 years. We have two families in our immediate circle who are now battling each other and divorcing. These are couples that have been married over 30 years each and for sure, there are kids and grand kids involved.

What in the world is going on?

Well, for one thing, Satan is alive and well on planet earth but isn't the Lord stronger than Satan?

Many local Churches are owned and operated by Senior Members of the original clan; the Pastor best be aware of who's toes he steps on; way to many Churches have run amok with gossip; politics; deals; favoritism; along with a dose of the Lodge and for crying out loud, it seems that to many houses of worship have drifted so far off course it's enough to make you want to puke right there in the pew.

For sure though, the Churches offering the Rock & Roll music are flourishing as people attend so as to jump over the pews, bump and grind their hind parts together to the rhythm of the music, sashaying in the isles, dosey-doeing with each other all the while our kids are rushing themselves toward destruction. "Oh, and don't forget, as you leave the dance floor after the service be sure and stop to buy a coffee cup we have displayed right outside the door on the table. Only $6.99 each.".

Do you think the Lord is really into Rap or Bruce Springsteen music and I am in fact..., out of touch?

Personally, I really don't believe the Lord is very impressed right now.

Well, enough already. Too many of you know where I'm coming from so I'll stop venting.

I had thought about discussing this with my Pastor and the Deacon's but I have to submit an agenda first. Kinda takes the "uummmph" out of it, don't you know.

 

I receive a Daily Devotion every morning. After posting the above concerns of mine I opened today's Devotion. Perhaps I should follow the encouragement and advise contained therein.

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

As you’ve no doubt discovered, becoming a Christian does not make your problems go away. But it does give you an Advocate to whom you can take every concern. The Christians Peter addressed were facing persecution. They did not know whom they could trust; a friend, a neighbor, or even a family member could betray them, resulting in suffering and even death. But Peter had walked with the risen Christ, and he had personally experienced the love that Jesus had for His followers. He knew that Christ was in control, capable of handling every trial and that He wanted to do so as an expression of His love.

Casting our cares is a choice. It means consciously handing over our anxiety to Christ and allowing Him to carry the weight of our problems. At times this is the most difficult part of trusting God! We don’t like turning over the responsibility for our problems. We have been taught that self-reliance is good and praiseworthy. We may even enjoy worrying. Yet if we are to be freed from the burden of our concerns, we must choose to cast them into the strong hands of our Father.

Peter does not distinguish between little cares and big cares. God does not differentiate between problems we should handle on our own and God-sized needs. He asks us to turn them all over to Him. One of our greatest errors is to assume we can deal with something ourselves, only to discover that we really can’t.

God sees you as His frail child, burdened with a load that surpasses your strength. He stands prepared to take your load and to carry it for you. Will you let Him?