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The Prayer Crisis

Part 1

By Sandy Ditoro

Toys come from China with lead paint in them, and the health of our precious children is at risk. Pets die because China ships contaminated pet food into our country. Do you feel compromised because our government is not enforcing safety standards on imported goods?

Illegal immigrants flood into our country. They are not checked for diseases, legal immigrants are required to be tested. They are given jobs using stolen IDs and social security numbers. It may be your ID they have stolen. Many don't pay taxes because they are paid under the table, (meaning there is no record of their pay). They get free health care and other services. Legal immigrant applicants wait in line and show respect for our laws, but they are penalized for playing by the rules. Do you feel compromised because our government is not protecting our borders?

Frustration is mounting as US citizens feel more and more compromised every day. Many are wondering how long it will be before we lose our sovereignty all together.
There are government standards. There are laws that cover all of these things; and if they were enforced, we would be protected. Our standards are good. Corrupt politicians and federal government officials are to blame for letting politics, money, power, etc…  come before our safety.

Ladies, we can all see the problems caused by lack of enforcing our national laws. How many of us in the Church of Christ can see the compromised position we are all in because many elders, preachers and congregational leaders have become corrupt? Just as our whole country suffers when one law is not enforced, the whole church suffers when God's laws are ignored. Each congregation is autonomous, but influences from all over the brotherhood come into each congregation in many ways. For example, our members are exposed to literature, tracts, publications, visiting preachers, new members from other congregations, relatives of members from other congregations, etc.  Even if we each, individually, have held fast to God's standards and our own congregation is careful to uphold all of God's standards, we are being corrupted by the influence of other congregations who are not holding fast to God's standard.

Can we go to heaven if we compromise God's Word? Does God hear our prayers if we do not hold fast to His Truth, never adding or taking away from it? Can we go to heaven if we fellowship error? Does God hear our prayers if we fellowship error?
It is very important that God hear our prayers at this moment in time! We need His help concerning some very critical national issues. God told Abraham that He would spare Sodom and Gomorrah if He found there 10 people who were faithful to Him. I believe that God will spare our country for the sake of a few righteous. But I have a mounting fear that all our prayers are being compromised because we have lowered our standards of fellowship so much. You may be thinking, "What in the world does she mean?" I hope and have been praying that I can explain it to you. I pray that I have your attention and that you will keep reading what I have to say.

First, let's look at some verses. Please pay special attention to the highlighted areas:

8 "Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.  9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.  10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;  11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds." (2 John 8-11)

"Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure. " (1 Timothy 5:22)

"Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.  19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil." ( Romans 16:17-19)

From 1 Corinthians 5 (NKJV):
1a "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you," …. 2 "And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you" .…. "4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person." "

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." (Eph.5:11)

Question: Can we ignore the commands in these verses and still go to Heaven? Can we fellowship anything that will cause a person to lose his soul?

Think and pray on these things and tomorrow I will give specific examples for you to consider so that we can focus on some areas where we have allowed ourselves to be compromised and contaminated and thereby souls are endangered and our prayers hindered.