is there any hope?

Let's get real.  Very real.  HOPELESSNESS is the root cause of SUICIDE ~ and suicide is now an EPIDEMIC.  Is there no real, solid, hope that we, Christians, can give to hurting people????  Don't we understand that the world is sinking in utter hopelessness and despair????   And if we say that we know about that problem, then, don't we care????   Or, if we do know, and we do care, then, is it the case that we don't know how to reach those who are in urgent need of a Savior?   Or, might it be that we have become so blinded by a ritualistic approach to doing "church" that we (wrongly) suppose we are already doing what we should be doing ~ merely by attending "church"?   Dear God, it makes me want to weep!!!

The Bible tells us that the last days would be characterized by pervasive hopelessness and despair:

The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.  The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.  Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.  The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.  The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.  They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.  The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.  There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.  In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.  (Isaiah 24:4-12)

But Christians ought to see that situation as a great opportunity to lead the hopeless to Christ!!  I believe that we have before us the greatest Evangelistic opportunity the world has ever seen.  Certainly, it is the time of greatest need.  And didn't Jesus come to earth just because of that very need???

The above-quoted passage of Scripture is bleak in the extreme.  But here is the very next verse which follows where the other left off:

When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.  They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.  Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.  From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.  (Isaiah 24:13-16)

What??  Doesn't that seem so out-of-context?   Utter hopelessness . . . followed by: "they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD"; and, "glory to the righteous".  But who are "the righteous"?  Are they not those who are faithful witnesses and servants of Jesus Christ?

I believe the Lord has allowed His true Church to go through fiery trials and afflictions, in order that we ourselves may know something about what it is to battle with that spirit of hopelessness and despair ~ which ALWAYS seeks to destroy human life.  Don't tell me that thoughts of taking your own life have never entered into your mind.  That is the devil's end-game.  That's where he wants to take everybody that he can ~ the Bible says so:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour..." (1 Peter 5:8).

The devil is in the streets, seeking whom he may devour.  But he's not only in the streets, he's also at the mall, and in the workplace, and in the churches, and even in the homes of unwary Christians: seeking whom he may devour.

Is there any hope?   YES!! there is.  There is hope for the most helpless among us ~ if we ourselves will be willing to get our hands dirty, so to speak, by reaching out, reaching down, to help them.  Such, true ministry, is the very essence of our own purpose as Christians and as redeemed human beings.

I can think of no better way to build the Church than to help those who desperately feel their own need, to come to Jesus Christ.  As a matter of fact, my complaint, for many years, has been that most Americans have not felt themselves to be very needy.  I believe that people must come to the end of themselves, as it were, before they will honestly turn to Christ.  I further believe that a lot of Americans are quickly coming to the end of themselves.  Thank God, for that.  Americans have largely been a haughty people; more than "independent," Americans are known for being self-absorbed, self-willed.  All of which is the fruit of evil pride.  But I perceive that there is a great humbling that is occurring, for many in America.  Of course, by no means shall everyone who is proud willingly bow their necks and bend their knees.  What I mean to say, is, that I perceive a true window of opportunity is being opened for that great, End-time harvest that we have long been praying for.

We need to hear the cry of the hopeless.  I do hear it, in my soul.  It's as though the former noise and commotion of busyness and pleasure-seeking is being transformed into sighing and crying of despair.  Now is the time to thrust in the sickle, as it were, to reap the harvest of souls ~ before the devil is able utterly to destroy the needy and hurting.

But we must have something solid to bring them to.  They don't need a soup kitchen ministry.  They need a life.  They need real hope.  They need a reason to live.  They need to become part of a Christian community.  (I did not say they need to start coming to "church" ~ which, as that has been, is not anything like a true "community" of believers in Christ.)

What can we do, as Christians?   Start over.  From scratch.  Ditch the old "model" of doing church.  It's dead.  It is not working.  Not only is it not helping the world, but it is stifling what the Holy Ghost wants to do in the Church.

There is hope.  YOU are the one whom God has called to be the messenger and minister of that Hope, to the world.  Are you willing to serve the Lord?  Have you yet had a belly full of church ritual?  Are you ready for the real thing ~ the real ministry ~ the real moving of God?

It's going to cost you something.  But the returns on your investment will be out of this world....