The American Dream: The Mission for the Hopeful

Yesterday I watched a disturbing segment on CBS News with Katie Couric. For once, instead of showing the disastrous story about the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Couric and her news cronies turned to the deepening pessimism about the direction of the United States.

The U.S. has been rocked for the past three years as it has been mired in deep recession, corruption, and debt. In this headline story, Couric goes into details about how many Americans presently are doubtful and upset about the state of the nation. Many distrust the government to handle the current economic crisis, while many have doubts about if their futures are secure. (BTW, how many Americans are distrustful of the government, always have, always will be, think Colonies-era my friends)

It made me think. I told this story to my dad, who responded, "the system is corrupt." Indeed. Financiers and big bankers run our country. They always have. Throughout history, its those "with the gold that make the rules," or at least they can manipulate for their favor. Rule of law set the rules for fair practices, but those with greedy hearts can and could always jump hurdles to finish ahead of others.

So, here we are, listening to people discuss the uncertainty of the future. It really has been tough. Many are unemployed, many are lost in their direction for their lives. People are empty. Recessions are part of economic cycles, but the corruption and depravity of how greedy we Americans can be, despite our claims to be fair, intelligent, and wise in making good decisions, show how sinful we are (greed is sin). It has made the economic crisis even more hard-felt.

People in the interviews repeatedly kept saying that they do not feel the government is not doing an adequate job.

As citizens, we have every right to question authority and its policies. If government cannot do its job, we must do the right things, like vote em' out of office (Happens every Election Term).

What about citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven? Aka the Church? What is our role? Simple, just keep preaching the Gospel and sharing it with the lost. Simple! One of the major lessons I learned during my sojourn in South Korea was becoming more aware that this place, earth, is not my home. It is in heaven.

If we are doomed to die bodily, what is next for the believer? The spiritual...the sanctification that goes on while our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the only one who saves us and makes us more like Him. Eternal life. It starts now.

Americans are becoming more distrustful of authority, and in this context, they have every right to be. Money was wasted, people are in debt, and the government puts more priorities in spending ourselves out of recessions without seeing the root problems of doling free loans, while keeping financial institutions afloat.

In turn, as believers, this is a grand time to be living more for Him. For many households, money is tight and the citizenry are very watchful of their cash flows. People are suffering because their number one fallback was their assets, cash on hand, and their families. But as we have seen in this recession, those things are slowly slipping. Even people who have worked their whole lives have been hit by the careless decisions of others. Fractured this society it may be, American believers and missionaries to this country can do more:

1. Pray for the American citizenry that many would turn to Christ, and not possessions for their safety and security.

2. Pray for the churches who adequately preach the Gospel. That includes us individual members of His body who are out their, whether unemployed or working, to become friends with our neighbors around us and share the Gospel.

3. Be wary of the American Idol: one of the more dangerous trends of American life is entertainment. This is a warning for myself, as television, sports, videogames, and idle time becomes more of a leech that drains spiritual time with the Lord. I recall how the Roman Empire was a nation of petty entertainment ploys that distracted the citizenry while the empire became more disjointed. Worse, the entertainment on a moral scale became worse (Gladiators and Circuses anyone?) Hedonism and free-for-all pleasure are advocated on TV shows, which we take into our minds.

4. Consider the plights of other nations. One sermon I recommend to anyone as a believer in Jesus is John Piper's "What is the recession for?" A great one to put into perspective on how as Christians we can respond during this doubtful and burdensome time. I remember my pastor, Pastor Wayne Kempson, said "many nations would love to have our recession." (Paraphrase) Oh how would a nation of Niger or some of the townships in Jo'burg, South Africa would love living situations like ours despite the recession.

5. Consider the plight of other Americans. Don't forget, America is poor. How can we support other churches who can reach out to the lost in other parts of the country?

6. Be thankful. Its not even a situation of "oh, Greece is having riots in Athens, or Bangkok is going ape," so I'm thankful! I think "comparison thankfulness" has a place in the family home, especially when your parents bombard you with the "I didn't have food" lecture, which puts into perspective of how thankful we should be. Yet comparing your situation with others can be limited because it can lead to pride and ignorance. Yet just be thankful to God that He allows us to have breath in our lungs this day. Being thankful to God (The Trinity), Baruch Hashem, puts everything into perspective. Sin is rampant so things like greed will wrought our finances and people will get away with thievery, but we know that this place 'AIN'T' our home. Yea.

7. More Bible please! Don't get swayed by hopeful philosophies the world offers. CNN's pragmatic "this is reality but it is what it is news stuff, economic forecasters giving their hopeful forecasts that provide nothing but dooms-days watches." Let's face it, the world is going down. Jesus will return...so get more Bible please, let it be nutritious for your soul, mind, and heart. Memorize it, keep it active so we can stop sinning and start winning souls.

There you have it, my take on the current situacion en Los Estados Unidos. Adios.

Re-Entry Shock: The American Nightmare

Ladies and gentlemen, I have finally returned to the United States (well, four weeks ago that is) and by God's Grace I am home and safe. Its definitely a different feeling now, knowing that this time around I just don't get to stay, greet a few friends, go to my home church, eat mama's food, and enjoy communicating in my own language for a few weeks then head back to my second home of Korea. This time I'm parking it and I don't get my car back. Its definitely taken some adjustment this time around.

Finding a new job, well, it is what it is, its slow and time-consuming, and I'm not really sure what I want to do with my life. Whatever the Lord leads, I shall follow. Yet at the same time staying put is quite unusual, but I quite like it. I really can use this time to read and pray more.

Being in America, there are some cool things that I enjoy: the trees, the fresh air, the food, and the quietness compared to the hustle and bustle of the Korean machine. I enjoy seeing my parents and the wonderful home that our Lord has given us for the past ten years. We are truly blessed. My brother and sister-in-law will be giving birth to a new baby boy in late August. What a joy. Its really cool to add to the family, and I pray that my brother and sister-in-law will be Godly parents and that I can be a Godly uncle. I hope they see Jesus in us.

Its good to see old friends and how much they have changed. For instance, tonight, I went to my good friend Charlie's 29th birthday party. It was nice to have a nice, simple party where Christians can gather and have clean fun. None of this Korean, you-gotta-drink-till-you-die parties (which I never participated FTR), but just good ol', sit down and let's catch up parties. But this time, I counted four children in one room! People who've I have known for years are now parents, or some who are getting married, or some who are starting their marriage careers. A couple are expecting in the future. Some have new careers or got new homes. Its amazing how much I've missed and how much has changed. Its crazy! I didn't hit the pause button when I was gone!

We experienced a huge storm today, with storm-watch tornadoes in the mix as massive, golf-ball sized hail shelling most of the Metro Area this evening. The sheer rawness of tornado season does make you more fearful of the Lord! The weather has been living up to its American mantra.

However, on a side note, there are some things about the American experience that really make me wonder about the state of this nation. In short, I believe that this nation is going down.

More than ever, as I watch TV or other outlets of media, go out into public, or see the different trends that represent America these days, I am very disturbed. For example, American television is surprisingly just saturated with..."stuff." Its easy today to get a Comcast box or DISH Network, and then the media menu filled with burger and fry programming comes at your doorstep, with a charge but cheap to get. DVD and Blu-ray discs are accessible in the mail, no more just going to a videostore and renting anymore.

For TV, you just choose your programs, TIVO it (record it to watch later), Pay-per-view it, plan your day around your favorite programs, its right there for the taking. Commercials sell you the things you need, while other commercials guarantee you should not miss this next episode of "this, that, and the other" because it will be the highlight of the season.

I believe that American television programming for some people has become straight up idolatry. Many families in America today revolve their life around the entertainment box. It feeds us, we glorify it, and we need it. "Did you see that TV show last night?" "Oh, did you see the season finale of so and so?" No thoughts about the real issues of life in conversations.

How about me then? Yeah, I also like to watch TV now and then, but I'm very surprised how much less of it I watch or care for it since I came back from Korea. Since I couldn't really comprehend Korean TV in the first place (due to misunderstand-able content and language barriers), I simply turned off TV when I came home from school and replaced it either with videogame or reading time, and going to Hapkido classes. Now that I am back home in the States, I do like to watch some programs: including NBA basketball, the news, mixed-martial art action shows, and the only TV drama I do like which is being canceled (Law and Order), but I find myself not as intrigued to every drama and sport that comes before my eyes. Wait till World Cup time though. For the record, I hate commercials...

Another thing that really disturbs me and shows where my country is going is the cheapening of the sacred bond of sexuality. In other words, I am shocked how cheap and twisted sexuality and purity have become in the United States. No, I'm not talking about prostitution. I'm talking about how easily one can show their bodies in this country and no one blushes. Its outrageous. To be pure and virtuous as women, and strong and honoring to the Lord as men, is an idea that does not exist in the United States.

The most shocking incident in the news lately has been a viral video called the "Beyonce 5." As we know, Beyonce is the worldwide phenomenon singer who is known for her beauty, her dance moves, and her strong, powerful voice. She has a recent music video called "Single Ladies." The video itself, which I recommend no one to watch, is her and her two fellow dancers dispalying not-so-good dance moves that make you go, "Oh just stop, you are showing too much." Now, try seven-year olds. Yikes! Alert! Yes, there was a video where five seven-year old girls at a recent dance competition did the exact same raunchy dance moves in front of a live audience. They were wearing next to nothing. They are shaking their stuff in ways that are just...wow, sinful. News outlets and newspapers were on it.

Now media critics and bloggers are left and right accusing, "what were the parents thinking?" and "this is so wrong to be allowing seven-year-olds to be baring their bodies in front of who knows what kind of people!" "What kind of outfits are those? Those parents are at fault!"

In all honesty, and I'm very forthcoming to say this, but this is the result of sin! This is not just a "moral failure on the part of the parents, or that Beyonce is at fault for inspiring this dance routine (even though its a start to penetrate the problem)." What do you expect when man worships his or her body instead, while Almighty God wants Christians to treat our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)? Sin is exchanging God for a lie, while man worship created things rather than the Creator (see Romans 1:24-25). People become suddenly shocked that we see videos like these on the news, and cry the pain because of pedophilia in this world, or pornography, or any media influence that encourages sin.

Yet there is nothing new under the sun. Look at the tribes of people that surrounded Israel before they entered the Promised Land under Joshua (see Joshua and Judges in the Old Testament). Some of them worshiped gods in which they imposed heinous worship rites that included child sacrifice or hellish sexual acts. God ordered the Israelites to wipe those people out, because He is a righteous Judge and strictly warned them to never follow their gods and worship the only True God. God knows once His people, if they ever stepped into sin, there would be death...

Now back to the issue at hand. How much more as sin peeps out into our American sensory avenidas will people realize that its not society's fault that we produce bubble-gum, sex-cheapening, violent-glorifying pop, rap, rock music, or searching for joy in the next American Idol, or see wanton acts of revenge as we violence on CSI that its not "the other person's fault," but its OUR fault. "Wait, wait Mark, I didn't tell those kids to dance like that..."

And no, its not even an argument, "just don't buy the music" or "don't watch the programming." Its not even an issue of "we need to teach our children the right things." We need to teach the righteous standards of God's Word! Bam! What makes me upset is the futility of the anger towards these methods of displaying sexuality in the media and we cry "foul." I believe its only natural that when man exchanges God for idols that as objects of His wrath we only continue to do what we do best as sinners: sin! This is the result of glorifying singers and sexy dance moves rather than God. You put value into Beyonce, this is what you get! We are all believers that if only society got its act together we can go back to the "good ol' days." Mister or Missus, there were never any good ol' days, especially under God's Standard and His Word!

So I close it up like this. I hope my writing will challenge you to think about something: when we see the sin of the world before our eyes, should we really be surprised? I say no. Instead, as believers in Christ, we should run from it and pray that the Lord will protect us from temptation. As believers, we need to share the Gospel and share that need for a Savior is not because Jesus wants us to be nice and so we can get on God's good side. Rather we as Christians we need to share it because of the Love of Jesus Christ, people will continue to exchange their lives for lies...leaving people hopeless and empty. People will cry foul when they see seven-year-olds gyrating or other displays of heinousness on TV, but why do the cry foul? Show'em why.

Don't Waste Your Life: Lecrae Interview (Part 1)

Here is a little testimony with one of my favorite Christian rappers, LeCrae. Born LeCrae Moore, he discusses how he met Christ and how his life was radically changed by Him. Very good stuff. This is part one.