Crisis of Character
In recent days, the news have been filling the airwave with political scandals and cover ups. Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted to fathering a child out of wedlock at the same time his wife had their last child. John Edwards was indicted of using campaign money for covering up a woman he had an affair with. This week New York Congressman Anthony Weiner lied about tweeting a lewd photo of himself to a college student, only to do an about-face and make a tearful confession before a throng of reporters. Although the unemployment rate is still very high at 9.1% with millions of people looking for work, the crisis America faces today is not economic or political or financial (although $14 trillion in debt is a major crisis). The most significant crisis we face is the crisis of character. The moral and spiritual values in this country are declining at a rapid rate. Historians who observe America says that if America is repeating the social and moral trends of England about 100 years ago, we may be well on our way to becoming another great nation with more tourists than worshipers in its cathedrals and church buildings.
At the core of this moral decay is our willingness to compromise our commitment to character. It's not just politicians, business moguls, sport figures and other public figures who compromise and work feverishly to spin morality and downplay its value. The problem lies within the human heart. Each day we are being tempted and pressured to conform, and our character is being put to the test.
We need God to help us live under these great pressures. Prayer is the key test of our character and whether we're willing to run to God in the midst of temptation.
Someone says, "a man who can fall in his knees before God can stand up to anything." We need to get on our knees more than ever before we get knocked down to our knees.
"How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her." Genesis 39:9b-10
At the core of this moral decay is our willingness to compromise our commitment to character. It's not just politicians, business moguls, sport figures and other public figures who compromise and work feverishly to spin morality and downplay its value. The problem lies within the human heart. Each day we are being tempted and pressured to conform, and our character is being put to the test.
We need God to help us live under these great pressures. Prayer is the key test of our character and whether we're willing to run to God in the midst of temptation.
Someone says, "a man who can fall in his knees before God can stand up to anything." We need to get on our knees more than ever before we get knocked down to our knees.
"How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her." Genesis 39:9b-10