This Easter Sunday – A Call to Action

This Easter day, as we thank the Father for the gift of His only Son, who redeemed us from our sin debt, and opened the possibility of life in heaven, consider the most recent attacks on our faith. This morning, we are hearing from Sri Lanka about an orchestrated series of blasts in churches holding Easter services, which has killed many and injuring hundreds. In recent weeks, we have continued to hear reports about Catholics and other Christians in China who are being persecuted, even locked up for their faith, while they see crosses removed from their churches, with other church structures being blown up by the Communist government because of supposed building code violations. The message to believers: you must conform to the socialist society of China.

Remember that Jesus was crucified because he would not conform, instead He directly and deliberately challenged the religious authorities, the status quo, multiple times, making him a threat to normalcy, and a target for violent elimination. Consider that we may be living in a time when our own normalcy and tranquil demeanor may hold us back from asking the tough questions. Are we standing by, holding on to our beliefs, yet doing little to address the permissive culture which promotes political correctness, and tells us to be quiet and not to dare impose our morality on others? In our hesitancy to offend, are we conforming by our silence?

I wrote recently about working for the Salvation Army, and their “Blood and Fire” motto. Proclaiming the shed blood of Christ which saved us, and emboldened and purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit, it’s time for a more militant approach, meaning a full-on battle against the pervasive powers of Satan, who is persuading believers to conform to the wickedness of the world, and even forsaking their souls rather than challenging the so called “tolerant” culture.

Maybe it’s time to take a Saturday morning to stand and pray outside an abortion clinic, or just call out evil when we see it. Looking for opportunities to share our faith with others in a non-apologetic fashion would be another way to take a stand. Cleaning up our own lives, getting rid of anything which tarnishes our witness, helps prepare us for spiritual battle. Lastly, regular prayer and reading of Scripture, seeking God’s direction, can help keep Satan at bay, allowing God to speak to our hearts, directing us how best to serve His kingdom. Let’s not wait for Pentecost Sunday, the time for action is today!

Have a Blessed Easter,

Joe