Ukrainian Trip

This is the beautiful countryside of Ukraine, where I have the privilege of traveling to this summer. For a full week, I will be at the Carpathian Christian Youth Camp in a very different environment from the regular youth camps here. We have the privilege of drawing our own water, using primitive restrooms (trees, the woods, etc), and playing games and sleeping in the middle of nowhere with people whose language I don't have a strong grasp of. Not only will I be here in Ukraine, but I also have the privilege of visiting HIM's new work in Slovakia, a transition home for young girls coming out of the orphanages. One statistic I read said that 50% of young people who come out of the orphanages in Eastern Europe don't make it to the age of twenty. Many others enter into the vicious cycle of human trafficking and the degradation of society. Alcoholism and prostitution are rampant, and Lord help us to stand up for what is right. Pray for me and the work of God over in Eastern Europe. Pray that the Lord would open my eyes to the needs in this mission field, and would give me direction for what He would have for me.

The Silent Majority Too Silent

Over the past several months, I have been working on reading The Ethics of Smuggling by Brother Andrew. As I finished the end of the second section today, I was reminded of the Christian church of today. Many things cloud our vision, and this part particularly stood out in my mind of how the current American political situation is the fault of the moral degradation and the failure of the Church in its duties. Br. Andrew wrote the following:

One more thing my heart constrains me to say on this tremendous subject. When I read Isaiah 42:22, I seem to see my brothers and sisters in Christ living under Communist Oppression today: "but this is a people robbed and plundered, they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become a prey with note to rescue, a spoil with none to say, 'Restore." For that phrase 'to say' I want to substitute "none to demand" None to approach the enemy, the enemy of souls, and demand that he let my people go, as Moses well demanded of Pharaoh, and as Jesus  came with the demand to the prince of darkness. Let my people go!

Christians in the West generally are teh silent majority, making no such demand. Spineless, colorless, passive individuals, we as the silent majority form the bridge over which the world of corruption, revolution and hatred passes unhindered. Passes over to corrode and curse the lives of the rising generations. And in what we call democracy there is no force than can possibly stop it, except the power of God.

He really has to be made manifest in us. The big problem in our democracies is that we even have liberty to kill democracy, and we are working real hard on it by being the silent majority in our own nations, not defending the liberties of our own families, and not speaking out for those who have no democracy--who cannot speak without going to prison or to death for it. None to demand--Restore!

Is this what God has to say about the church today? About the silent majority? In not speaking out for the persecuted church, in not taking our stand for Jesus Christ, we fully back the devil in his evil plans for exterminating the church today. You see, there is no way to avoid involvement in the spiritual warfare. If we say nothing, and do nothing, our very default becomes a major contribution to the triumph of godlessness. On the other hand, if we act aggressively in obedience to Christ's command, and in reliance on the mighty spiritual resources which God makes available, we shall see the very gates of Hell give way! Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. He shall reign forever and ever. What a destiny is ours to be marching in his train across the battlefield which is this world!