DANGER AHEAD!

Whenever the war in Iraq ends, whether soon or many years from now, a new danger may appear in America. We could be faced with suicide bombings in our own cities, destroying lives needlessly and fracturing our transportation systems, overburdening our health care, and putting our children in serious danger.

Then it will be dangerous just to go to the grocery store. Hospitals will be at risk. Will our libraries be open when suicide bombers start appearing on our streets? Will it be safe for our children to go to school?

The Islamic terrorists may already be in our midst, waiting for the right time to attack. No one has been checking for illegal immigrants in most of our cities.

Gary Bauer informs us that "an amendment was offered in the Senate last week by Norm Coleman, a moderate Republican from Minnesota, aimed at ending the practice of "sanctuary cities," where liberal enclaves refuse to enforce federal immigration laws by explicitly prohibit local law enforcement officers from inquiring about the legal status of individuals they stop or arrest. This is not a minor issue, and the failure to deport criminal aliens is costing Americans dearly." Gary Bauer continues, "...this would have been a useful tool in combating terrorism, including the very recent plot to massacre our soldiers at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Believe it or not, the three Duka brothers involved in that plot, who had been here illegally for more than 20 years, had scores of arrests and police citations -- 75 in total. And yet not once did local New Jersey police take the time to inquire about their immigration status and report them to federal immigration officials. We've seen this before: Two of the 9/11 hijackers, including Mohammed Atta, were stopped for local traffic violations in the months prior to that attack." (End of Day report for May 29, 2007)

I hope we will have enough army reserve troops available to help us if the fighting comes to our shores. We must pressure our leaders to take control of immigration and keep accurate information on all illegal immigrants who break our laws.

But there is something else we must do. We need to pray that our leaders will have integrity, wisdom, and guidance in enforcing our laws for the safety of American citizens. We need to become acquainted with the strangers around us and win them to Jesus. God is bringing the mission fields to our doorsteps! Are we winning the lost to Jesus?

One thing we must NOT do is become fearful. God is still in control, and He can make every circumstance work together for the good of His eternal kingdom. Perhaps those dangerous days in our future will become a time of revival as many people do become fearful. They may begin to respond to God when they hear the Gospel. If we are giving out the Word faithfully now, we will be ready for those days of opportunity. Our greatest danger now is that of ignoring our opportunities and neglecting to fill our churches with prayer. Let’s not become careless and blind to what God is doing in our midst.

Rosemary Watson
rawatson31@cox.net

A FRAGRANT LIFE

In 2 Corinthians 2:14 God says that He can cause us always to triumph in life as He spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ by us in every place. Have you ever met a Christian who made you feel the presence of God? A sweet fragrance flowed through them, causing you to want to know God better. I have known a few people like that.

This fragrance is not something we can work up on our own. We must be a broken vessel, completely yielded to the Lord. The best illustration of this is in John 12:1-8 where Mary poured a costly ointment on the feet of Jesus and the fragrance filled the house. In Mark 14:3 we read that she broke the alabaster box and poured the ointment on Jesus’ head as well.

Mary gave her all, the most expensive, precious thing she possessed. The alabaster box was broken that the fragrance might pour out in abundance on the one she loved. God must break us and cause us to be completely surrendered to His purposes before He can use us greatly.

God loves the broken and contrite heart, but he resists the proud (James 4:6). Sometimes we are unconsciously proud of the fine Christian life we have lived. But God cannot use us until we are broken before Him, truly conscious of our need.

At the recent Fullness Conference at our church, Tom Elliff gave an inspiring message on this subject. Some of his main points about the fragrance of brokenness were:

1. It "permeates the atmosphere." Broken people (like Manley Beasley) have a special fragrance in their lives. Can people tell you are broken and fully yielded to the purposes of God?

2. It "penetrates everything." Such people can say things in love and gentleness that get under our skin, things we cannot forget.

3. The fragrance of brokenness "perplexes" people who are not broken before God. Worldly Christians and lost people cannot understand why the presence of God flows through those who are totally yielded to Him.

4. Christ’s fragrance has "permanence." It leaves a permanent impact on lives in a way that our logical, intellectual witness can never do.

5. Brokenness "plunders us." It takes everything we have and lays it before Jesus. It costs everything. It breaks down our cold, logical approach to life. It trusts God completely. When we come to the end of our own strength, it is a relief to be broken, because then God really takes over. He begins to use us in new ways.

Brokenness is the first step toward revival. When the hard ground of our inner spirit is broken up, the seed of faith will spring up in new life. God will be able to flow through us in greater power. Our words will touch the hearts of the unsaved, and they will sense the fragrance of the love of God flowing through us.

I have seen this happen in some people. Now I want this fragrance to flow through my own life, whatever the cost. How about you?

I am too logical and unemotional. I like being in control. When we are totally yielded to Christ, our churches will be filled with the power of God, and America will be changed. It must begin with you and me.