Edward Gibbon: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire...Gibbon's conclusions for the downfall of the Empire:
1) The rapid increase of divorce; the undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society.
2) High and higher taxes and the spending of public monies for free bread and circuses for the populace.
3) The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting and more brutal.
4) The building of gigantic armaments when the real enemy is within, the decadence of the people.
5) The decay of religion - faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life and becoming impotent to warn and guide the people.
and...
Arnold Toynbee's A Study of History...studied the life-span of twenty-one civilizations...those that failed to survive went through a cycle:
Slavery... faith in the divine... courage... emancipation and independence... prosperity... selfishness... apathy... dependence on the welfare state...slavery.
So...Let the Church, Be the Church
"This is the original design of the church of Christ. It is a body of men compacted together in order, first, to save each his own soul, then to assist each other in working out their salvation, and afterwards, as far as in them lies, to save all men from present and future misery, to overturn the kingdom of Satan, and set up the kingdom of Christ. And this ought to be the continued care and endeavour of every member of his church. Otherwise he is not worthy to be called a member thereof, as he is not a living member of Christ." (John Wesley, “The Reformation of Manners,” The Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley, (34 vols., Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1985), 2:302.)
A Price to Be Paid for This Nation...and any Nation
"China is not to be won for Christ by quiet, ease-loving men and women … The stamp of men and women we need is such as will put Jesus, China, [and] souls first and foremost in everything and at every time—even life itself must be secondary." ("Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret"...here is a great Christian History piece on him.)
Beware
If you make disciples by sitting around and talking, don't be surprised if your disciples sit around and talk.
Jesus called His disciples to Himself, and then moved. He taught, and preached, but His instruction was in the context of movement to the least and lost, the untouchables of His culture. If we make our disciples by doing anything less, then what we will get is disappointing disciples, families, small groups, churches. Get moving. Much is at stake. (MF)
Charles Wesley's Hymn: Lovers of Pleasure
‘Lovers of pleasure more than God,
For you He suffered pain;
Swearers, for you He spilt his blood;
And shall He bleed in vain?
Misers, for you his life He paid,
Your basest crime He bore:
Drunkards, your sins on Him were laid,
That you might sin no more.
The God of love, to earth He came,
That you might come to heaven;
Believe, believe in Jesus’ Name,
And all your sin’s forgiven.
Believe in Him that died for thee,
And, sure as He hath died,
Thy debt is paid, Thy soul is free,
And thou art justified.’
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