Top 10 Reasons Why... - Christians Will Not Be Ready For Troubled Times

Top 10 Reasons Why........
Christians Will Not Be Ready For Troubled Times

The top ten lists were born on a nighttime show many years ago, expected to be funny, somewhat sacriligious, an equal opportunity slam for anyone caught in the sights of the maker of the list. Many have enjoyed poking fun at what people do or at someone in the limelight, showing us once again that people actually can be human. But a sadder, more true, list comes to light. In these times of uncertainty, there grows an unwritten list of 10 things that, if you think about them, can be an awakening. I have taken no polls, checked with no one else about the rating of each item and where it goes on the list. It is my own completely, well, mine and God's Who inspired me to write this in the first place.

Here are the top 10 Reasons why Christians are not ready for troubled times and why they think this way.
Number 10:
Convenience has become almost a god. If we can't have our food at breakneck speed, we moan and cry. If the fridge goes on the blink or, horrors, stops altogether, the day has become a nightmare. Everything we need is wrapped up nicely in a baggie that we can buy and shove under the faces of the kids and spouse because we didn't have time to really cook these days! All around us is fast food, fast communication, fast travel, everything at a finger tip. What a god we serve!

Number 9:
Hitler is dead! Nothing will happen to us here in the United States (or whereever you live). Yes, we did have the September 11 thing but that was two years ago. It has not happened again. Besides, that was not aimed at Christians. We are not going to end up in concentration camps and be executed for our beliefs! Come on!

Number 8:
Our laws would not allow anyone to get that powerful to take over this country. We have a government elected by the people, serving the citizens, not making rules to hurt us!

Number 7:
The good laws are in place and when challenged, the Supreme Court will rule in our favor. After all, this is a country of decent people. Even if it doesn't seem fair to one person, it is certainly fair to the larger group, right?

Number 6:
This isn't a communist country! We live in the freedom to live as we like, worship what we want, read what we choose. Within limits, we can do whatever seems right to us.

Number 5:
Most of us believe that we are good citizens. Of course, we are since there has never, ever been even a parking ticket. You are an observer of all the laws of this country, state, county and city. Well, you observe the ones that are fair and righteous. It's all right to cheat on taxes because they take out too much as it is. It's okay to tell someone a small white lie because otherwise it will hurt their feelings. You do the right thing. You go to church, give a dollar every Sunday whether the church actually needs it or not.

Number 4:
You absolutely know that none of the things happening in other countries, like being put in jail for your beliefs, will ever happen to you because you are a good Christian and God protects you from the evil things. Well, the car breaks down occassionally but that isn't something God needs to deal with. There are always fights with the kids. Teenagers! They want to go off in their own direction but then, you know you did that too. You have assurances from God that they will come back to Him eventually. You have done all you know to do to make sure your child knows about God. That's why you attended church every Sunday morning whether he wanted to or not. You got stubborn because he said he didn't want to waste his time on all that trash.

Number 3:
You know in your heart that if something ever happened and you had to stand up for your Christian beliefs that you would stand true! Of course, at work you have to be careful because if you talk about your beliefs there, they can fire you so you walk a thin line. Hiding the fact that you are a Christian is the best way. Still, you talk about your church to the neighbors. They never seem to show up after they say they will but that's okay. God will lead them.

Number 2:
The Rapture will come and we will not have to suffer at all! It's in the Bible. God promises us that we will not have to deal with the mess the world will become when the Anti-Christ comes to power. You have been taught that all your life and it works for you.

And the number 1 reason Christians won't be ready for troubled times:
Your life is simply too busy to stop and pray for long periods of time. God knows the problems. The Bible? Yes, you have one but you have forgotten where you put it......oh, last year you remember seeing it somewhere when you were doing spring cleaning.

Above are some observations I have made about Christians in general and myself, in particular, at one time or another. Yes, I am guilty of many of those thoughts and actions too. Aren't we all? Don't we, as American citizens, believe that God will iron it out and our country will stand true because although the history has been lost to many, this country was born in Christian values and we believe that someday things will go back to what they used to be? Somewhere deep in our hearts that is what we really want to happen.

The problem is that we Christians have been asleep at the wheel for years. Laws have been passed, rules made that say that one day we will be the criminals. This time, there will be no land of the free that comes to our aid. Why? Because there is no other land like ours. It is time to face facts and face that one looking at you in the mirror.

This probably isn't going to be popular but we have settled into complacency. Are you aware that is spiritual poison? We do not see the dangers because we have been lulled into a state of "I don't really care what happens as long as it doesn't happen to me or my family" thinking. I'm not saying that you are as blind as a bat (some of you are) but we do not see all that is going on around us. Along came the computer age and we learned that we are being programmed but it is alright because it sounds acceptable. If we were in a cult, that would be different, we are not. A cult is radical. It is full of nuts that want to take over something, burn something, brainwash people into believing as they do. We aren't like that. Oh no?

Do you ever sing the little commercial jingles, you know, the catchy ones? Do you buy something that wasn't on the grocery list because it was right there in front of you? If a new law is passed that takes away "just a little freedom from people who deserve that", do you approve? Do you go ahead and pay by check or credit card at the store instead of cash? Do you believe the news stories that come out on the big four networks or the news channels? Do you think you are safe and secure in your own home? That your computer is safe from intruders on the net? Do you like horror films? Do you watch the sitcoms and like the content? Do you think that most movies are all right to watch?

Oh, there are dozens of questions that could be asked here but you get the point, right? We are all a bit brainwashed by the commercials, media, grocery stores, discount stores, certainly the movies and the net we think is safe for us to email into and to surf.

Maybe it's time to wake up! We need the Lord Jesus in our lives now! If we wait, it could cost us dearly. What if tomorrow the country experienced a tragedy so horrible that it made September 11th look like a picnic. What if the government suddenly felt the need to enact marshal law and all those who did not fit a particular profile would be arrested, not because they are guilty but because they have been reported to be Christians. Can't happen here? Don't bet your life on that!

Acts and laws are now in place to do just such a thing and there is nothing you could do about it except go to jail for an indefinite period of time. Did you know that they are pushing through a law right now to label "terrorist" offenders as prisoners of war subject to the Geneva convention? That means that anyone considered a terrorist can be held without bail, indefinitely, without council because it is not required by our law to do any of those things for POWs. Oh yes, that type of prisoner isn't necessarily allowed to contact anyone outside the facility they are held in either. Sound familiar? It should. Think of Germany and World War II.

Am I trying to scare you? No, but perhaps you should be. If you are not ready for this sort of thing to happen, think what it would be like. Are your children ready to see you dragged from your home? Are you ready to see them treated as wards of the state so that they can be educated by the state? I know this sounds far fetched to you but maybe it sounded that way in Germany, in Russia, in China too.

Christians, wake up and smell the times! Look around you. Check out the things happening. Get beyond the family, the job, the car. Look at the country, state, county, city you live in. If you are not a Christian, seek Jesus. I know, easier said than done, right? Wrong. Jesus is calling you right now, wanting you to come to Him. Just tell Him you need Him. Ask Him to forgive your sins. Ask Him to come live in your heart. Christian, if you are not living the life you should, repent! These are wicked, twisted times. Many false prophets will come and deceive you if you are not in your Bible every day. Make the time. Call on the Lord. Pray for the country. Perhaps it is easier said than done but do you want to bet your soul on the future or on the Lord? I pick the Lord. I pray that you do too. Look up. Your redemption draws near.

Top 10 Reasons Why.......

Oh yes, another top 10 list. This one isn't funny.

by Lura Langenback