If given the choice which would you choose?

When you look back into the history of the civilizations of the world you will see a path of blood. It’s always been there meandering throughout the globes topography. It’s a gentle flowing river of crimson touching every human being throughout history. You can walk this path of blood back in time seeing one culture pitted against another. One culture wields the mighty arm of Oppression, the other resists…fighting for its Freedoms.

Freedom and Oppression are the two titans embodied within every one of us. They are at odds continually. They represent two socio-economic views in opposition to each other on how to control people. Each wants harmony, but the methodologies are radically different. Oppression will make the decisions for you, while Freedom allows you to be an individual.

When the wall came down in Germany we all thought the deathblow had finally been administered to Oppression and the evil empire had now been crushed down into the earth. The world was glad because now Freedom had gained yet another country. No longer would the oppressed be responsible to someone else thinking for them, making decisions for them…creating rules for them to live by.

The door for Freedoms family was open. Freedom grew quickly and Democracy and Capitalism could take their rightful place among the people bringing peace and tranquility to all. People would now be able to think for themselves and do what they wanted and live a life of abundance. But there is a flaw within this new plan of Freedom, Democracy and Capitalism.

Neither the system of Oppression nor the system of Freedom is wrong in and of itself. What is wrong is a deeply rooted character flaw. A flaw that runs deep into the very root of what it means to be a human being.
Our instinct’s for individual survival when put to the test eliminates the good of compassion and caring. Yes, there are individuals that attain the best of what it is to be human. But they are unique and are not representative of the majority of humanity.

In our country living in abundance, having every desire, every want fulfilled is more dangerous to us than anything else. This simply is because at our core…it is always all about us. To get what we want we will lie, cheat, steal, and murder because we are driven to fulfill our lusts….not our needs or for that matter anyone else’s needs…only our lusts. When people have freedom and all their needs are met they reach new lows as standards go further down every year.

Yet worse than this is that they forget God, because they no longer need their daily bread from God. In our arrogance and ignorance we think we are feeding ourselves. In actuality we have always been fed and always will be fed by the hand of God.

In the Book of Deuteronomy God speaks to the time when a new generation of Israel is gathered on the plains of Moab to hear Moses review the law in preparation for their entrance into the Promised Land. The previous generation had died in unbelief in the wilderness. Listen in on the comments of God to a people who had been oppressed and now were going to gain their Freedom….a great freedom provided by the hand of God.

Deut. 6: 10 – 12…”And it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn –out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant…

When you have eaten and are full—then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. For the Lord your God is a jealous God. Lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth.”

Deut. 8: 2 – 3…”And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart whether you would keep His commandments or not.

So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your father’s know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” Beware of Freedom…for when you think you are strong you are weak and if you are proud…He WILL HUMBLE YOU!

It is so easy for us to forget our past as individuals and the lessons learned and get caught up in our today and our concerns for our tomorrows. If you take time to remember you will see the footprints of God following behind you. He is there in the background orchestrating events around you trying to get your attention focused on Him. He provides you things you did not build, fill, dig or plant. He allows you your wilderness experience to humble you and test you…to know what is in your heart.

When you come to know Him as Lord and you look behind you; there are still only one set of footprints in the sand. But they belong to God for He has promised to carry you all the way home. Now the path forward is easier because He leads you.

The 3rd World Christians are poor, they suffer, they starve, they die continually…they have nothing compared to us in terms of worldly goods or Freedom. Yet these Oppressed Christian brothers and sisters have something the western nations seem to lack…True Faith. God has said that the poor, the widow and the orphan will always be among us. They live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, they are the Oppressed, the Meek that shall inherit the earth.

When you have nothing, you have a whole lot of nothing to share with others. When you have nothing and you know God, you have a lot of God to share with others because that’s all you have. And those who have God through His Son Jesus have become the Children of God, and are rich beyond their wildest dreams. Because their Father owns it all and has decided to share everything with those who have nothing but their FAITH….Forever.

So the initial question stands before you. Would you rather have your individual Freedoms or would you rather be Oppressed by God and HIS Commandments? When it’s all over only three things will have made a difference in the life you have lived for Christ.

1. I have fought a good fight…
2. I have finished MY course…
3. I have kept the FAITH…