If Rome Fell in a Day...

America is crumbling.

The world is crumbling.

Aside from the rampant growth of paganism, false religions, and atheism, the very fabric of our humanity is being destroyed one soul at a time. Moral rot and ever-changing standards have left people confused and without hope. The "anything goes" mentality" was right. When anything goes, everything does.

The Church was founded by Jesus to shine as a light in the dark world. But rather than influence the world, the world has invaded the Church. Our reluctance to offend has left us with no strength to combat the well-fed evil that is devouring individuals, families, and churches by the scores.

Sexual sin is a ravenous monster that is unapologetically destroying humanity.

Like any spawn of the Devil, this sin is never satisfied with a little extra-marital dallying. Sensuality always lusts for more: more crudity, more baseness, more vile affections. More stealing of innocence. In the land that proclaims "In God We Trust" we have become our own god.

On any given day, thousands of children are sexually violated. Perversions that cannot even be named here are increasing boldly, spreading like a plague through chat rooms, websites, and middle schools. Demanding parades, "rights," and social acceptance, sexual perversion is fast becoming the new norm.

And like any virus, it has spread to the churches. It is no longer uncommon to watch a pastor who once decried homosexuality now engage in it. Molested children are as likely to be the deacon's kids as the drunkard's. Statistics tell us that on any given Sunday at least 40% of any congregation has a full-blown sexual addiction.

The costless Gospel we have spread over the last century is now costing us dearly. The idea that we can have "all this and God too" has proven to be traitorous. That was never the Gospel Jesus spread. Or Paul. Or Peter.

Three of the 4 Gospels record Jesus words: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

Self denial is not a popular message. The abundant life is proclaimed enthusiastically from most pulpits. God's riches, provision, and watch-care are peddled like trinkets from a street vendor.

But we don't hear much about self-denial. Sacrifice. Suffering for Jesus' sake. Crucifying the flesh. Odd, since those topics comprise a major portion of the New Testament.

Those are the diamonds embedded in the real message of Christianity. The idea of losing my will in God's won't fill the pews most Sundays, so it is shelved in favor of something more appealing to the unsaved masses who crowd most churches every week.

But that is where the strength lies and one reason the Church has lost its power. We are good at following tradition, playing church, building buildings. But we're not very good at denying ourselves.

Maybe it's time we learned. Maybe it's too late.
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