BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

The other day, my twenty-five year old twin sons and I engaged in a stimulating conversation centered around God's mercy, fairness and judgment of those who have not heard the good news of Jesus, from those who have surrendered their all to Him.  Adam spoke of how blessed we are to have been born in the U.S. of A.  Of course, we had no control over where and when we were born, for that was all in God's plan.  Romans 1 instructs us that "since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."  Romans 10:17-18 tells us, "faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.  But I ask, Did they not hear?  Of course they did:  'Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.'"  Psalm 19:1 declares, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.  There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."  Titus 2:11-14, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good."  Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."  As we progressed deeper into our discussion, I suggested that perhaps we are not truly the blessed ones.  Yes, we are surrounded by abundant material blessings, safety and health.  However, the fear of God has been cast away in our rotting culture.  Around the globe, there are people who fear God and are eager to learn of and serve Him with their whole hearts.  Many of them live in squalor, poverty and disease.  Who are the truly blessed?  Those who were born into wealthy countries where they have no need for and no desire for God?  Or those who were born into poor, undeveloped countries where they yearn to give their all to Him?  The Bible clearly teaches in Luke 6:20 that the poor will inherit the Kingdom of God, while it's hard for the rich to enter heaven.  In Acts 9:36 and Galatians 2:10, His Word teaches us to treat the poor with high regard.


My entire life I've known of Christian churches equipping Americans to go and be missionaries on foreign soil.  My thinking is that is a wasteful use of money, time and energy lavished upon sending those who do not know the language or culture, when, instead, it makes much more sense to equip indigenous missionaries to spread the Gospel of Jesus to their own people.  I believe we were born for such a time as this to make a difference for our King of kings and Lord of lords here in our native country.  In recent years, missionaries from other countries have been coming here in an attempt to dispel the darkness spread by satan in the U.S. of A.  Jesus' light, love, salt and truth are desperately needed here, and we must heed the call.  Millions of Muslims around the world are professing Jesus is Lord.  Folks are dreaming dreams and seeing visions in countries where the strongholds of materialism, intellectualism, narcissism, pride, humanism, feminism and the total disregard for the value and dignity of each human life are not getting in the way of their hunger and thirst for Jesus Christ.  They have the ears to hear and the hearts to understand.  God is moving mightily among the poor, forgotten and downtrodden of the world.