A Famine in the Land

I came across two articles this past week that, although at first glance seem to be unconnected, yet, when carefully read reveal a common thread - the decline in morality and the cause of such a decline. 

The first article made headlines on most of the major news sources.  I will be quoting from the website: www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/02/13/male-female-or-custom-facebook-announces-50-ways-to-define-gender.  Now, I know that because we are living in an age where gay rights has been paraded before us as being almost "gospel," this decision on the part of Facebook should not have been alarming or shocking.  But it was!  The article begins, "You don't have to be just male or female on Facebook anymore.  The social media giant is adding a customizable option with about 50 different terms people can use to identify their gender as well as three preferred pronoun choices: him, her, or them. ...The changes...are aimed at giving people more choices in how they describe themselves, such as androgynous, bi-gender, intersex, gender fluid or transsexual."  Friends, as I read through the list of some of the 50 different option, there were terms I had no idea what they meant.  Is society confused?  Absolutely!  The article on Fox News quoted Jeff Johnston, an issues analyst for Focus on the Family: "Of course Facebook is entitled to manage its wildly popular site as it sees fit, but here is the bottom line: It's impossible to deny the biological reality that humanity is divided into two halves - male and female. Those petitioning for the change insist that there are an infinite number of genders, but just saying it doesn't make it so.  That said, we have a great deal of compassion for those who reject their biological sex and believe they are the opposite sex."

The second article I want to mention did not make headlines on the major news sources.  You can find the article at www.wnd.com/2014/02/poll-hunger-games-harry-potter-are-biblical.  This article reflects the findings of the British Bible Society on a survey they prepared for the launch of "Pass It On", a campaign intended to raise the level of knowledge about the Bible.  The survey "reveals that more than half of the adults who responded believe 'The Hunger Games' are biblical and one in three say 'Harry Potter' could be a storyline from the sacred text. ... Of the parents questions, 46 percent did not recognize that the account of Noah's Ark comes form the Bible.  Three in 10 secondary school pupils, aged 12 to 15, did not realize the Nativity was form the Bible. The study revealed one-third of the parents were unsure or did not recognize the stories of David and Goliath and Adam and Eve as being from the Bible.  But 27 percent through the storyline from 'Superman' was or could be in the Bible.  Likewise with the 'Da Vinci Code.'"

Do you see the connect between these two articles?  The lack of knowing what the Bible has to say creates a vacuum that allows for the belief in just about anything.  We don't know the story of Adam and Eve - God did create only two types of people: male and female.  And because we don't know that story, then we believe that "gender confusion", as I call it, is permissible and acceptable.  Because we don't know the Bible stories, we just assume that any story that has some sort of moralistic base is from the Bible - thus the acceptance of the "Da Vinci Code" and "Hunger Games" as coming from a biblical basis. 

There is a powerful statement made in the book of Amos which states: "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD" (Amos 8:11).  Are we in that time of famine?  The results of the Bible Society survey would appear to affirm that we are.  The decision by Facebook would appear to affirm that we are.  As a society and culture we have lost our moorings because we have not taken the Word of God seriously.  Oh we "cut and paste" passages to give approval to any activity or immoral choice that we desire.  Churches are crowded today with people who want to "have their ears tickled" as the Apostle Paul warned Timothy.  They want to hear what they want to hear - not what they need to hear.  Preach the whole counsel of God?  I don't think so today as it might drive people away and we need them to fill our programs and we need their money to maintain those programs.  So, let's just give them what they want, and what they want is to just feel good.  And, as a result, there is a famine of the Word of the Lord in the land. 

I have been asked several times in the past few weeks if I was optimistic about the future.  Yes, I am because I know that Jesus Christ is coming.  It is upon that foundation only that I base my reasons for optimism.  Will America change?  I am not very optimistic with that answer.  I see our country becoming more comfortable in the pail of boiling water.  We have been swimming in it for some time and are not aware of our own demise.  We need an awakening from God!  We need the rise of another Jonathan Edwards or D.L. Moody to call us back to repentance.  Remember that passage in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that we use so matter-of-factly?  "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."  If America is to be turned around morally and spiritually, where must it begin?  With "my people."  It must begin with those of us who have a personal and intimate relationship with God.  It must begin with us who need to take a strong stand for the Lord Jesus now!  It won't be easy, but revival and renewal is never easy. 

Friends, our hope is in the Lord.  Praise God for that!