I have shifted office for the next two months, travelling through 19 of the 50 USA states. As I'm writing I am overlooking the Gulf of Mexico from a beach in Destin, Florida, and everything is really picture-perfect. I am surrounded by American holiday-makers that seem not to have a care in the world, and everything seems to be pretty much 'normal.' However, on a different level altogether there is a massive war going on, and symptomatic of this war is the recent declaration by President Obama to legalize same-sex marriage in the whole of the USA. While this decision by the highest power in this country will surely have severe repercussions on their economy, it is also a real and dangerous picture of the world at large. No matter where we go there seems a real and decisive turning back from the ways of God, whether it is a national apostasy, secularism, humanism or the simple disregard of God in all matters pertaining to life. The writing has been on the wall for some time now, with global culture working hard at desensitizing the human race to the presence, reality and ways of God. We see it everywhere. Morals, standards and ethics have slowly degraded - we often hear ourselves say, "What was totally unacceptable just 10 years ago now seems to be the norm." I remember when I was at school the disgrace that went with divorce. At that time divorce wasn't common, and when it happened it was nearly worthy of a front-page headline. While this was about 30 years ago, today we see divorce being the 'norm', with nearly 60% of all marriages not making the 10-year anniversary mark. Fashion styles have slowly lessened the amount of fabric used (while charging more!), and celebrities all over the world are sporting near-nudity fashions. Disrespect for authority figures (parents, guardians, government) has escalated to anarchistic proportions, and the results worldwide are frightening.
The picture I am painting is truly negative, but for believers and lovers of God there is a huge positive spin-off in all of this. Jesus commissioned us to be the light and the salt on the earth, meaning that we are the carriers of a message of hope, a gospel of life and a solution of love. So instead of curling up in a foetal ball and bemoaning the current state of affairs, He wants us to stand up straight and clothe ourselves with His truth - 'gird our loins' as it were! We have the message!
The Church is facing a critical point of decision and in the future we will see the false Church prosper with a message of compromise, and a dark message clothed in the guise of light. There is a time coming when the truth will be shouted down, but the more it is supressed, the more we need to make sure we are dressed in the full armour of protection God has given us - the helmet, sword and belt should be our constant fashion statement. Exciting times indeed!
I trust that you will find inspiration in this issue of MyFaith Magazine, and that the authors will equip you for a time such as this. Stay close to God and His Word, and never forsake your decision to exercise a constant walk of faith.
