Set Free?

After Lincoln abolished slavery, it took many years until some of the slaves were set free. In fact, there are still many people living in our southern states who continue to live hindered by slavery. While they may not be slaves per say, they are living in an impoverished, starving, illiterate environment. This shocks me!! Why are people still facing this? Americans are being born into this lifestyle and are dying in this lifestyle without ever experiencing true freedom! In Texas, it took two and a half years until all the slaves were free! 2.5 years!! Some of them died without EVER experiencing freedom!

As wild as this is, it gets worse! Two thousand years ago Jesus came to set people free! In 2,000 years, we have still not been able to tell everyone. In fact, there are still approximately 6,000 different people groups who have never heard of Jesus. "We are concerned about the 2nd coming of Christ, while so many have never even heard of the first!" (sorry I forgot the name of the guy who said this) People continue to be born into slavery! Slavery to Satan: the worst master of all! And yet, we idle in America with the comforts of Wal-Mart and fast food and climate controlled vehicles. Jesus came to free people from their suffering (Mark 5:34), from their oppression (Luke 4:18), and from lies (John 8:32).

The Great Commission. We've all heard it; we all know it...

But as Americans, we dont like it. We dont like being told what to do. We like individualism, freedom, choice! Therefore, we read it as such. We prefer to be "challenged". Because with a challenge, there is a choice. We can think about it, pray about it, then not do it. We read the Great Commission and look around hoping that God is saying that to everyone else BUT us. He did not say "Go only if it is safe" or "Go once you are married" or "Go once you have money for retirement". He said "Go".

God gave us the green light. He gave humanity the green light 2,000 years ago. Dont waste time sitting at the intersection. We've accepted Christ. It doesnt end there. Run the race....GO!

(photo: the 10/40 window: has 90% of the poor, 95% of the unreached, most natural disasters, most genocide, most war, and most starvation in the world)

Will the heathens be saved? "It is more of a question if we who have the gospel-but do not share it-will be saved." ---Charles Spurgeon