Assimilation

Have we all assimilated?

Last evening I attended a long awaited Bar Mitzvah class and we had an interesting topic brought up during class, have we all become complacent in our sins to the point when we know that we know that we should leave our spiritual Egypt or Babylon we are to comfortable to leave. We like the life we live, the things we have come to accept as "normal", and we justify the "little" sins we commit as being OK now.

If you study the history of the Jewish people, they have always had to battle with assimilating in to the culture in which they lived. They were either forced in to accepting what was being done or they just eventually gave in and did what everyone else did. Over the centuries there has always been a small portion of the Jewish people who remained religious no matter what, as wrong as their philosophies became either through the Babylonian mindset changing the face of Judaism to the eventual modern sects of Judaism making things up as they go. There have always been some who remained very religious. Horribly enough, the very religious Jewish people remained in Europe during WWII because they felt they had to, to remain Jewish and it brought them death at the hands of the Nazis. Many people fled to other countries like the US where they eventually, with in a generation, lost their religious ways either because the lost all faith in God, or they found that staying religious had an adverse affect on their livelihood, so they assimilated in to the culture only keeping a few things that resembled Judaism, and only following that because it is customary to do so.

So, with all that said, are we assimilated in to the world?

How often is a sin in the eyes of God written off as being the norm, or not even recognized at all because it is not taught from leadership because it might cause some squirming in the pews. Here is a tough one, PRIDE, God Abhors pride, in case you don't know that is above hate. Yet how often do we get prideful of stuff in our lives. I like the "Christian" school bumper stickers that say "I have Cougar Pride" or the like for their football team. Then there is Envy, the thing that got Korah and all of his followers to be swallowed up in the wilderness. But we envy someone's car, wife, house, money, etc. But that is OK because it helps us to desire bigger and better things, then it becomes idol worship. You don't want me to go there; idol worship is rampant in the "believing" world. I use the term believer lightly. If "believers" truly believed then they would act like it. Most believe what they are told and do not look in to anything for themselves. Feel good, prosperity, and love have overtaken the body.

I say assimilation has happened because it is easier to remain in Egypt or Babylon, than it is to go home where God is calling. The comforts of the exile have caused complacency to be the norm, and to be in the World not of it is just a neat notion made up by some obscure dude thousands of years ago. Trust me, when you take a stand for what is right, and true you will be alone and isolated. It is a painful place to be filled with ridicule and judgment, mostly from other "believers". God says we are to sore on wings like Eagles. Eagles fly alone; far above all that is "The World".

Whenever the children of Israel return home they are never left in peace, they are ridiculed, slandered, accused, and spit on. Those who truly believe they belong there will fight to remain with every last breath, in fact every capable citizen is required to serve in the military to be able to just that.

They are trained for war, something they live in almost constantly.

God chose Israel not because she is any better than anyone else, but because she is our example, out guide, our home. All of Gods plans revolve around her and her people. The problem lies in that America is the land of the Free, and the Brave where religious freedom is still free, so God is repaid for that kindness with followers who are slaves to sin, and are cowards.

I say, shed your bonds of sin, and complacency, take up your cross and follow him. Go home to where you belong, a place filled with milk and honey, not cheddar and money. If you take up residence here, you are guaranteed to have a difficult life and may be killed for living there, after all, isn't that what was foretold by our Messiah. The prize is only won after enduring the race, which is not a sprint but a marathon filled with hurdles the entire way.

If this is not for you, if you signed on for a 1^st class seat where you are given everything "by grace", you may want to check where the flights final destination is, and make sure that you do hear "I never knew you". IF the Messiah endured it, so should you, he said you would have to.


 
May God richly bless you, and give you strength to consider it all joy when you decide to pitch your tent in the right neighborhood.