More Challenges we May Face as Christians in 2010
In 2010 we may face the challenge of living right and obeying God when it is not popular. There is a new popular religion in America, a religion that has spread quickly across the world. This is the religion of being green. It is a worship of the creature more than a worship of the Creator. Yes, God created the earth, and He wants us to take care of it. But He does not want us to worship it, and we cannot save it. It is OK to recycle, use things wisely and not waste, and do what we can to keep a clean, healthy place to live.
But this “Greenism” (my name for this new religion) is false religion. There are 2 main evidences that point to it being a false religion. One is that it attempts to keep people from having babies. It teaches that having too many babies will overpopulate the earth and will damage it. Consider this,
“...Take, for example, a hypothetical American woman who switches to a more fuel-efficient car, drives less, recycles, installs more efficient light bulbs, and replaces her refrigerator and windows with energy-saving models. If she had two children, the researchers found, her carbon legacy would eventually rise to nearly 40 times what she had saved by those actions.
“Clearly, the potential savings from reduced reproduction are huge compared to the savings that can be achieved by changes in lifestyle,” the report states...
Article at http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/having-children-brings-high-carbon-impact/?em
It is considered a harmful thing for the environment for families to have more than 2 children. But God told both Adam and Noah to multiply and replenish the earth. He wants the earth populated with people. Isaiah 45:18 says, “…God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.” One of God’s purposes for creating the earth was that it might be inhabited by people. He says, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” (Psalm 127:3-5) Children are God’s means of filling the earth, God’s means of protecting families and cities and countries. Children are God’s means of subduing the enemies of His people. Children are gifts from God.
The teaching that it is harmful to bear too many children is a lie of Satan. And it is not a new lie. According to one story, there was a primitive culture that taught that it was evil to have children. This group of people had nearly died out before the gospel came to them and changed their lives and brought them salvation. There is only one way to keep the earth from being “overpopulated,” and that is to destroy some of its population. This leads to abortion, euthanasia, neglect of those who are “unproductive” members of society, and so on. Population control is lie of Satan, not a means of saving the earth.
Another thing that shows that “Greenism” is a false religion is the teaching that it is harmful to eat meat. According to this religion, cows and pigs are harmful to the environment because of the methane gas they produce. “Greenism” also teaches that it is harmful to eat these things. Eating bacon and eggs is said to be much more harmful to the environment than eating a vegan breakfast. This teaching is specifically brought out in Scripture as evidence of false teaching. In fact, God calls this teaching a “doctrine of devils.” The Scripture says, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.” (I Timothy 4:1-4)
Do you realize that during the Reformation and during the time of the Inquisition of the Church of Rome, that some of the martyrs gave their lives because they refused to believe this teaching? The Church of Rome put restrictions on eating meat. This was supposed to bring about some spiritual benefit. Some saw that this was a doctrine of devils. And they gave their lives because they refused to agree with this teaching.
Another challenge Christians will face in America in 2010 is the challenge to not give in to the worship of man.
“Greenism” teaches the worship of man. An ad for a certain “green” brand of paper towels says,
… When Al Gore was in Diapers
… Green was just a color
… Greanpeace did not exist
… Earth Day didn’t exist
… There was no EPA, {and so on}
(from a newspaper ad for Marcal Small Steps brand paper towels)
Is Al Gore the god of “Greenism”? Perhaps to some people; but in reality the god of “Greenism” is Satan. Al Gore is just a human, a human being that God created and a human being for whom Jesus died. Al Gore needs to be saved.
In 2010 we face the challenge of loving, honoring, and obeying our leaders while avoiding the trap of worshiping another human being. President Obama is the leader of our country, and he is a soul for whom Christ died. We must love him for the Lord Jesus’ sake. He has a soul that will live somewhere for eternity. And we must honor and obey him because he is in authority over us. (See Romans 13)
But to many, President Obama is the “Messiah,” “the One.” In 2008, before Obama was elected President, a group of parents who supported Obama gathered together and had their children sing a special song of praise (“Yes, We Can”) to “the One,” that is, to Obama. You can view the video of their singing here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1LDHm2B-uk&feature=related .
Later, some children in North Carolina were taught to sing praises to President Obama. These praises were sung to tunes that we know as hymn tunes. Also, kids at Jamestown Elementary, a school in North Carolina, were to be taught a song to "Dear Obama." However, because of at least one parent's complaint, the song was removed from the agenda. This “Dear Obama” song was basically a prayer to President Obama. You can read more about this (including some lyrics to the songs) on a post I did last September at http://operationeducateamerica.weebly.com/1/post/2009/09/sing-unto-the-lord.html
Please Note: I have not heard that President Obama condones or encourages this.
From the things I have read and heard so far, President Obama has been called messiah, saviour, king, and Chosen One. On December 30, 2009, Denmark’s second largest newspaper printed a comparison between Jesus and President Obama. Here is one man’s description of this newspaper article -
The citizens of Denmark awakened December 30, 2009 to read in their nation's second largest newspaper brief comparisons between Jesus Christ and the president of the United States, Barack Obama. Obama's policies and recent legislative victories were contrasted in an article with the parables Jesus taught and the life He lived. The miracles Jesus performed while on earth benefitted "only a few," pens the writer of the article, while Obama's policies are purportedly felt worldwide. (www.washingtonexaminer.commost popular stories sidebar; www.anncoulter.comsidebar).
"If such a comparison were to be made," the paper suggested, "it would, of course, inevitably be to Obama's advantage." The writer later editorialized the following gem of a quote: "Obama is, of course, greater than Jesus."
http://ambassador4christ-david.blogspot.com/2009/12/greater-than-jesus.html
Let us think for a minute about what this Danish news writer had to say, “The miracles Jesus performed while on earth benefitted ‘only a few.’” The sad thing is that the author of this article is viewing the miracles of Jesus from a human standpoint. He sees one man raised from death here, one blind man made to see there, a leper or two (or ten) cleansed. All this seems to the writer to be of such a small impact. There was no news media to publish Jesus’ stories, no world-wide communication technology to spread His fame. There was no how-to manual for people to learn His techniques and gain His power. This Danish author was looking only at the present, material benefits Jesus produced.
President Obama may have more widespread media coverage. He may have good ideas. His policies may bring more material benefits to more people worldwide. But he can never be greater than Jesus. He can never save a soul from sin and give eternal life, abundant life. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” Of those that would come to imitate Jesus, He says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy… he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.”
On the other hand, Jesus promises, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
Oh, what beautiful words! And they do not end here. Jesus has more beautiful promises for those that believe in Him, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.”
No, President Obama is not greater than Jesus, nor is any other man that ever walked on this earth. No one but Jesus can give unto us eternal life. No one but Jesus can claim that His followers will never perish. And no one but Jesus is strong enough to keep us from being plucked out of His hand and taken away to hurt and danger. No one is greater than Jesus. Jesus is God. (See John 10:9-31)
Some of those in government seek to take our children. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi has explained that population control is important for the improvement of our economy. It will save money. “Greenism” tries to convince us that it is harmful to environment to have children. Millions of people have become followers of this false religion. The Obama administration has a plan for education for our children from the cradle to adulthood. This is not a secret. He outlined this plan on his own blog before he was even elected President.
In our mind, it may seem to us that these people are our enemies. But really, it is Satan and his workers who are our enemies. He has made these people and these ideals seem like gods in whom Americans can trust. He is simply using these people as his tools to steal our children and to destroy our country. And he is destroying these people too. But we wrestle not against flesh and blood. These are simply people who have gotten trapped in the snare of the Devil and have been taken captive by him at his will. They are people with souls that will spend eternity somewhere. They are people sliding quickly down the broad road of destruction into eternal judgment. They are people who need to know Jesus. Will we love them? Will we tell them of Jesus? Will you share with them the true way to peace and happiness and prosperity? What will you do this year to help your leaders know the true God and the message of love and salvation He offers to them? Let us pray for them and let us share Jesus with them. Otherwise they will have no hope of eternal life and joy everlasting. Jesus loves them. Can we not love them too?