"Lessons From Russia"

Russia has been known for many, many years as an atheistic country. Communism still exists there even though the country internally destroyed a lot of itself. We see America as a country built on God but on the decline. I remember the words of Jesus teaching His own disciples in Luke 16 using the words: "For the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light." (Luke 16:8)

Let's take the lottery run in America. There have been editorials against it in many states. It has been preached against how gambling brings about so many sins. In the state of Missouri and Arkansas, the people voted for the casinos. (I realize they did in other states too but I am more familiar with these two states.) In the Arkansas Democrat Gazette there were storms of protests over the salaries being paid to those who run those casinos. We read from Moscow in their local paper: "Russia bans all gambling and shuts casinos." The deputy mayor Sergei Baidakov states, "The ban was to protect the health of society." In the article, some of the addicted gamblers thought the ban would help them in their addiction. A 40 yr. old Muscovite stated: "Maybe this is all a good thing. I'm a family man and I come here every day and lose all my money. I'll be happy to see them go."

As I read through some of the headlines in this paper (a friend of mine that preaches in Russia sent me the news) another headline caught my attention: "Religion will return to public schools in Russia." It is estimated that in Russia today only 5% in the country are "observant believers". What is Russia learning that we in America aren't? In contrast, a St. Louis federal appeals court upheld a ruling that prohibits the distribution of Bibles to grade-school students in the southern Missouri district. For more than three decades the district, about 120 miles southwest of St. Louis, allowed representatives from Gideons International to give away Bibles in fifth-grade classrooms. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a suit and Bible distribution was shut down at the school district since 2005!

Back in 2009, specialty plates in South Carolina that used the wording in any form "I Believe" are being challenged in federal court. It makes me wonder what Russia will do next in their move toward God and what America will do in our move away? We need the word of God and people sincere with the word to led us out of all this. That means, we need to convert people to Jesus in our nation!! This nation has become one of the largest mission fields in the world!