By Coach Dave Daubenmire
July 23, 2009
 

NOTE: "I’ll miss Alan Stang. I never met him, although I spoke with him many times. He inspired me with his courage, moved me with his insight, showed me the power of humor, and mentored me with his wisdom. He encouraged us to stand up and speak up. I hope he knew how much I appreciated him."

Thanks to modern technology, and a laptop computer that was given to me by a supporter of our life’s work, I am able to pen this brief commentary as we travel through the dessert on our way from Las Vegas to San Diego and another opportunity to raise Jesus as the Standard for a culture in decline.

Having spent the last five days sharing the Gospel on the streets of “Sin City” I am more convinced than ever that at the Name of Jesus “every knee shall bow” and that darkness flees every time the light is turned on. We are that light, and I could fill a book (someday) with examples of how the power of the Gospel pushed back that darkness in that belly of the beast called Las Vegas.

It happens every where we go….and now it is on to San Diego where we once again will carry the torch of the Gospel away from the “stained-glassed fortress” and into the streets where we will “earnestly contend for the faith.”

I love what I do. Is it okay to admit that? I love being in the arena….and using the “Sword of the Spirit” in the battle for Truth. I continue to be amazed at the power of the internet, and of the “shelf life” of the written word, as even in Las Vegas I ran into those who had read my commentaries as they spread like a virus via the net. There is no trail, or no way of tracking the readers, but I am convinced that millions have read what I have written. It is the occasional “atta-baby” that keeps my fingers hunting and pecking for kernels of Truth.

Once again this week our efforts on the streets were shunned by the institutionalized church. Believe it or not, Las Vegas is a city replete with “church buildings.” Several mega mall-like churches battle the casinos for customers, content to live in comfort with the sin, and unwilling to go “all in” in an attempt to “run the table” over decadence. They are fearful of driving folks away to another venue where they can “ante up” and join the religious game.

The “churches” don’t get it. Try as we might we have not been successful at convincing them that the battle for the souls of men lies on the streets of Las Vegas. Standing in a pulpit and speaking against sin is not the same as confronting sin. To apply a little Shakespeare to those hiding behind the pulpit, preaching about sin is being full of “sound and fury, signifying nothing.” It is the same as a newsman reporting on a war and somehow thinking he was part of it. It is like a liberal who speaks against global warming as he travels the nation on a private jet. To paraphrase Paul “speech without corresponding action, is dead.”

One pastor, who at least had the courage to host our nightly worship services, explained to us that his church shared a property line with an abortion clinic. Now let that sink in….this church had an abortion clinic as a next-door neighbor…yet the clinic continued to thrive in its baby-slaughter business. The pastor told us that every service he had the congregation “stand, lift their hands towards the clinic, and pray that the evil would cease.” (I’m not making this up.) I wonder if Jesus would have been so cavalier towards a life-destroying ministry that He shared a fence post with? Although the pastor opened his church to us, he did not adjure his “sheeple” to join us. It happens every where we go. They let us use the building but do nothing to help us fill it. They are afraid of the Truth that their sheep might hear.

But it gets worse. The pastor at the largest church/Christian mall in Vegas told his flock to “have nothing to do” with us. (Let that sink in too…..have nothing to do with fellow Christians…and I’m sure they are known throughout the community for “their love.”) They just don’t love Truth, or their neighbors, enough to share the Truth with them. But, the church is growing (as are the number of casinos...and there are SIX abortuaries in town) so the Lord is “blessing their ministry” with more butts and bucks.

But it is what it is….

So, you may ask, what does this have to do with you?

You are the one who chooses the shepherd under whom you sit. Explaining to our Lord that you followed the advice of some Christian CEO will not hold much sway in Heaven’s Hall’s of Justice. Although works are not necessary for salvation, the Apostle Paul makes it very clear that works are the fruits of salvation.

Do you have any fruit? You, I’m talking about. Not your church, not your pastor. You.

On the awesome moment when you stand before Him and cast your crown at His feet, will there be any jewels in your crown?

Listen folks, the arrival of Jesus Christ into the earth realm transformed the Faith of our Fathers from a religion to a personal relationship. No longer do you access The Christ through Rabbis, Priests, and Pastors, but through the Spirit of the Living God given on the Day of Pentecost. He lives in you. It is to Him that you will give account.

With that in mind, let me ask a question that is intended to pierce your conscience. Some my call it harsh, some will complain that I am too direct, but I pray that this question will serve as a floodlight into your heart.

What have YOU done?

Don’t tell me you have prayed. Praying is not doing. In the Garden Jesus prayed…but He got up and went.. Where would man be today if Jesus had not been spurred to action? What if he had never gotten off of His knees? What if he has counted on others to do the dirty work?

For God so loved the world that HE DID SOMETHING….what about you? I ask you again…what have you DONE?

• About the slaughter of 50 million little baby boys and girls.
• About the pornography gushing down the streets of our cities.
• About the homosexual indoctrination of children in your government school.
• About the laissez faire attitude towards divorce in the church.
• About the spiritual abuse doled out by church leadership in some “churches.”

What have you done?

• About the legal terrorism directed at those who publicly proclaim Christ.
• About the promotion of “self-help” books over the Bible in your “church.”
• About the transformation of the Constitution to nothing more than toilet paper.
• About the lies of humanism superseding the Truth of the Scriptures.
• About the perpetuation of war in the name of peace.
• About the loss of liberty in the pursuit of comfort.

WHAT have you done? What HAVE you done? What have YOU done? What have you DONE?

The Scriptures teach us that one day we will all stand before the Lord and give an account for the deeds we have done in the flesh. That we will be responsible for things we have done, and things we have left undone. It is our ACTIONS that will be on trial; Not our thoughts, not our wishes, and not our intentions.

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” When was the last time your church CEO told you that?

If I understand the concept correctly, the jewels in your crown represent the souls you brought to the Lord, the things you did for the sake of the Gospel.

What a shame to stand before the Lord with only a dime-store tiara to cast at His feet.

So tell me….what have you done?