False. Fake. Unreal. Untrue. What are you?

"As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat (utterly) appalled" "I sat appalled until evening sacrifice. Then I rose from my fasting and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God, saying,
'O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.' Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this."

Raise your hand if you are a believer. Alright, if you raised your hand... I have some statistics to share with you.
According questions born again believers have been asked, surveys say:
-49% say it's fine to live with a member of the opposite sex before you're married
-33% profess it's okay to abort a baby while still in the womb
-53% of Promise Keepers (a Christian men's group) visit porn sites every week
-close to half the believers surveyed admit they don't truly believe in Satan
-33% contend Jesus actually did sin while on earth
-77% of born again teens engage in Internet theft
-54% of believers don't believe in absolute moral truth
(All found from "God Has a Wonderful Plan For Your Life" by Ray Comfort)

I don't even know what to say. Maybe I'll start with, do you still have your hand raised? If you do and yet you agree with one of the statements above than I challenge you to actually study the scripture. Being a high school student, it's prime time to observe those whose parents claim Christianity. Let me tell you this, 88% of kids raised in *evangelical* Christian homes will NEVER return to church after they turn 18. Then the question is, will those kids still claim that the grace of Jesus Christ and his blood covers them? 61% of teens agree that a place in heaven can be earned by good works- so I guess the minute they start hopping down the "wrong road" they just give up? 8 out of 10 teens describe themselves as Christians. Where is that proof?

Oh, how easy it is to wear the name of "Christian" but the grave consequences that come in turn when one stands before the only righteous Judge and is told, "I never knew you" by the King of kings...that is not easy- that is hell.

The last thing I want to do is be insensitive or condemning. That's not the description this post is going for. But, I do have a question for those reading- After you made a "decision for Christ" what about you changed? How would you live differently if you didn't have the "faith" you do? Do you live in a way that requires any faith at all?

The introduction was written by an Old Testament prophet named Ezra... what a beautiful heart. Upon hearing Israel's faulty decision to adopt foreign ways (if you are a believer, this world is not your "home.." we are storing up treasure in heaven. not here. not now. this is our waiting period), Ezra's heart broke...even to the extreme of self mutilation. Extreme distress. Complete dismay. Utterly appalled. Then he went before the Lord crying out on Israel's behalf- burdened. In the same way, false converts have invaded our church to an extent that "believers" live in the ways of the world- maybe not 100% given over to the world, but their toes are definitely in the water. Believers, take your toes OUT of the water. Ezra calls the people to strength after rebuking their sins... he says, "Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it." Arise, get up, stop your guilt-ful, shame-ful mourning. You have been given a job- be right before God. You are not alone. Therefore, stop making excuses admit your sin, repent and give it up.