NOTE: When writing about God and Jesus, The Daily Jot means YHVH as God and Yeshua Ha Mashiach as Jesus–the actual original names and the true nature and character of them.
Recent polls indicate that only about 18% of the Millennial generation find that Christianity is relevant. Many of under 30 crowd who were raised in Christian households want nothing to do with organized religion, won’t go to church, and say they are tired of the judgmental double standard of mainstream Christianity. I remember a poll that said Christians get enraged at immorality, policy, and the state of affairs in our country and around the world. Yet they demand that people hold to moral beliefs as justified by a book that they don’t even read. This is part and parcel to what the Millennials are experiencing. In short, it means we Christians, as a whole, need to do a better job as disciples than what we are doing.
1 Corinthians 5:12 asks, “For what have I to do to judge them also that are outside? do not you judge them that are within?” In direct speak, it means that we have no business holding those who do not know the gospel accountable to our standards. That’s why we are exhorted, even commanded, to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey what the Lord has commanded us. We must find ways to make Christianity relevant. It has been tainted to be identified with political ideals, when in reality, the political ideals should be identified with Christianity, foundationally centered on God’s love and love for one another. It starts with our individual relationship with the Lord. To look at our families, communities, states, nations from a Christian lens, we should first start by looking in the mirror.
The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:17-19, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:13-14, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
Jesus said in Matthew 24:23, “Then if any man shall say unto you Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.” Our national identity and, more importantly, our personal salvation is diluted tremendously if we, as Peter put it, “scarcely be saved.” If America’s preachers are so intent on preaching/teaching a self indulgent, extra Biblical and emotional version of the Christ, then what Christ are we following–the real Son of God, crucified and risen, for our sins, or some humanist version of Christ that fits a social or political extra-biblical gospel? It is here, not on the national policy front, that we as a people have lost our identity. This should be a serious personal consideration that gives weight to working out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
PS. Please use the “Share This Email” link below to pass this on to as many people as you can!
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Ghana: Food + Water = Transformation for the poor
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A water truck being loaded with water from our water system for needy households
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By Pastor William Agbeti
[NOTE: This is an account of just one of many clean water, feeding and clothing programs conducted by The Daily Jot and our ministry partner Redeem West Africa in the rural areas of Ghana, West Africa. Your donations that make this possible–Blessings, Bill W]
A young African mother, holding a plastic bucket in hand, set off this morning on a 5-minutes walk from her little makeshift home to the Redeemer House, with the hope of fetching water.
On arrival, she was told the water system had developed a fault and was being fixed, and would not be ready until probably the next day. Her countenance changed all of a sudden. The joy with which she came, singing all the way, dissipated. Hope was gone. She didn’t know what to do. There was no other place within a short distance to go fetch water. Being poor, buying sachets of water for her household chores was obviously out of the question. She left with sadness written all over her face.
Undoubtedly, lack of clean water would bring along in its trail various forms of water-related stresses for this young mother and her family; not to mention water related diseases and possible deaths over the long term. The family may have to do without cooking of meals, washing of clothes and utensils today. The stress increases when one has to go to town, school or work, without showering in this 100 degrees-plus weather, with high humidity.
The same goes for food – the types of stress the poor deal with when there is no food on the table or in the stomach is unimaginable. A case in point is that of another young mother and her little child of six who came to our free feeding program last month. Both were hungry and desperate for food. As two disposable bowls of cooked food were handed over to them, the mother set one side and ferociously started eating the other with the child, completely oblivious to onlookers. In this part of the world, like elsewhere, hunger and inability to obtain food can create a vicious cycle of stress for many.
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Children line up to fetch free clean water from our ministry faucet
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The situation leads to child labor, child trafficking, juvenile delinquency, child prostitution, child sales, and various other heart-rending conditions. In Ghana, many parents are reported to have sold their children for less than $5 each, in order to put food on the table! Reports reach us from various other poor communities about very young school girls selling their bodies in prostitution for as low as $1 per swing!
In the light of the above and others, we at Redeemer MINISTRIES have come to learn the hard way that Food + Water = Transformation.
“The little food and water we regularly give out to the needy go a long way to help transform individuals and whole communities. Our water project at Amrahia in a rural section of Accra, and our monthly feeding programs deep inside rural areas, bring about hope, change and inspiration to many; even if it’s for a day!”–Pastor William Agbeti
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| Some children waiting to be served with free meals at one of our feeding programs. |
Without these little efforts, the situation could be much worse, with a spill out that could easily affect individuals, families and communities all the way in the US, for instance, through illegal immigration, refugee crisis and human trafficking.
Therefore, anytime you donate towards the provision of food and water to the poor rural folks in Ghana, know that you may be doing it for yourselves – for your own good.
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The Daily Jot is totally reader supported. My wife, Chris, and I do not take a salary or receive any remuneration for this work. Your gifts go directly to assisting us in maintaining this column, the website, outreach, and the Lord’s work we do in Ghana, West Africa. Thank you for your prayers and support.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day,
Bill Wilson
The Daily Jot
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