On Tuesday, March 10, 2009, as I made my way to work, I was catching up on the news, on the radio. The reporter said, a new poll just, out says, Religion in America was on its way down. I usually don’t get upset at remarks like that, as a matter of fact I generally don’t trust polls. When I got home that night I decided to do some research. It seems the American Religion Identification Survey, says, Christianity has dropped from 86 % in 1990 to 76% in 2008. It also said,” in one of the most dramatic shifts, 15 percent of Americans now say they have no religion, a figure that’s almost doubled in 18 years”. Atheists have gone from 900,000 to 1.6 million. I’m not going to go into the article farther, if you want to read it for yourself go to; ABC News, Dan Harris. Or just search American Religious Identification Survey.
I don’t get shaken up at revelations like this, in the 70’s it was reported that, God was dead. Ha!! I do think like the article suggested that people feel less reluctant to claim their lack of religion. I have seen over the years that the U.S. has shifted away from Godly principles. You may ask, does this bother me? The answer is “No”. This may alarm you, but here is what I really feel. God is in Control. I still have a responsibility to do my part as a Christian-voting- taxpayer, but this world is not being run by me.
My brother, a pastor, says this, ” if anyone goes to Hell it will be over his dead body”. In the last few years I have seen a need, on my part to do more evangelizing. I have always been willing to share my testimony, I’m not talking about that, I really feel the time is drawing near. Who many people are you willing to let fall by the wayside? 1 or maybe 10? posted by Steve Waltrip
The Bible predicts a great “falling away.” The time could be drawing near; or it may get much worse before it gets better. All we can is all we can do, but sharing the gospel is certainly the one thing we are all called to. Some teach, others preach, there are different spiritual gifts… but sharing the gospel message is something every believer shares a stake in, and sadly I see it happening less and less. There’s a lot of “stuff” done by individuals and churches that losses sight of the Good News. Of all the things Christians have to say, the Good News of Jesus Christ is the most critical to a lost and dying world.
Keep up the good work. I enjoyed your word.
My wife has always felt that there are fights to fight along with (political, social, etc) and yet as Clark mentioned there WILL BE a great falling a way. Most of the battles will be “lost” and yet again, “God is in control”. Our country and others around the world are not Christian countries, no matter what anyone says. Percentages don’t really mean anything, it is the individual’s heart covered in the blood of Christ that matters. As my Pastor has said the last couple of weeks, “We are in the last days OF the last days.” There is going to be more turning against God, and therefore against His people than before as the return of Christ comes closer.
Philip Kledzik
“An Issue of the Heart”
authorphilipkledzik.books.officelive.com