The ancient Hebrews followed a practice of naming their sons with magnificently descriptive words. They believed that a good name actually gave the child power to attain its qualities. Considers for a moment what Jerusalem meant to the Jew himself. It stood first for history; Jerusalem to the Hebrew mind meant David, the Shepherd-King, the man after God’s heart, and Solomon in all his glory the builder of temples. Jerusalem means the temple and the temple meant God and like a spiritual magnet a Jew roam around the world but we accept continually how king David in Babylon knelt to say his prayers, the window of his rooms was open towards Jerusalem. We may never have left the town or hamlet of our birth, nor stirred beyond our native shores, and yet most surely our feet have stood within the gates of Jerusalem. Here is our citizenship, here our spiritual home and of Zion it shall be said “This man was born in her”.
Christians of intellectual, disillusioned with the shallow goals of a materialistic society began to examine their souls. Many turn to the ancient book called the Bible. There is no doubt that naturalistic religion has invaded the church today. Many of our concepts of the church are secular. Even the mission of the church is often changed from Biblical basis to secularized one. This will probably constitute a period of conflict; the type of conflict depends largely upon the environment, temperament and the faith of the believers. We want to save ourselves, this would feed our egos and pride and in searching something that works. Never has a generation been called upon to experience more instant suffering, trouble, heartache and despair than ours. When religion sanctions decay, the average sensual man tends to cheat. Apostle Paul, in the first chapter of Roman, addressed to the decadent Roman society might well apply to us. “Because that, never they knew God, they glorified him not as a God, neither were thankful (Rom. 1:21)
Many average Christians want to disappear and inter into their own creation in their attempt to escape the real world. Million of barbiturates are swallowed every night to help the nation to sleep. The intellectual climate in which modern man lives is a paradox. It put wheels under on feet, but fears and apprehensions in our heart. We are able to live longer, but not better. Casual Christians have no vision of a holy God, so they have no motivation for destroying their sinful habits. Now, you may be tempted to look another person as being more spiritual than you. But that person could be struggling hard to keep up an appearance of righteousness. This leads directly to the kind of tragic end and everyone does what is right in their own eyes. Most of us are motivated by the wish of greater material, status, comfort, security and prestige. That is why many believers rush all over the world looking for signs, miracles and deliverance. But nobody truly gets to know the Lord that way. You may study theology and religion, but then comes a time when you must experience Christ for yourself.
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