THE WEB (OF DECEPTION) TIGHTENS -- WE MUST ARISE

The producers of the Da Vinci Code movie have worked their plans well. Every detail in their promotion plan has been thoroughly thought through. The media is certainly a power to be reckoned with. The promotional materials are creating a disillusionment so great that people -- both young and old -- will be mesmerized; birthing a desire to be included in this experience. As the stage is being prepared, this generation will witness the unleashing of astronomical falling away unless we act fast. Soon, a Pandora's box will unfold before our Malaysian audience's eyes. Before that, we must arise.

Every corner I turn, I see Christendom being bombarded left, right and center. Most recently, MSNBC reported a group of scientists who discovered a logical explanation for the miracle of Christ walking on water —- that it was actually 'Christ walking on ice'. What a preposterous claim. Yet, how many among us would immediately exclaim,
"Oh, thank goodness for science, this event wasn't so supernatural after all. I was certainly having trouble swallowing the miracle idea!" It brings one to a comfortable ground where we are able to rationalize with our minds and accept our finite superiority.

Likewise, the Da Vinci Code movie will subtly jog your conviction that "every faith in this world is based on fabrication". It then proposes a redefinition of faith as "the acceptance of that which we imagine to be true, that which we cannot prove." When your head begins to swirl with questions, reach for your Bible and read the whole book of Hebrews (in particular, chapter 11) concerning the foundation of and
the basis for faith -- in two words: pleasing God.

We live in rough times (the Bible calls it perilous times) and the trumpet call is for each of us to take our battle position. A war is a war is a war. Do not be deceived -- the battlefield is real and the spoils are human minds. The spiritual battle waged by the forces of darkness against the army of God will not vanish at the blink of an eye nor at our own whims and fancies. Truce is not an option. It is
our responsibility to take stock and prepare to equip ourselves. Whether expected or anticipated, our children and loved ones are depending on us to lead them through as their role models. We must arise.

In our professional lives, mentoring is a cool catchphrase. The intent and purpose to nurture, train and assimilate a being into our workforce for optimal performance is indeed a noble one. Short of reengineering that person into an android, our objectives are achieved when the person thinks and acts like one of us to support the vision and objectives of the team.

Now check yourselves: When I was assigned to mentor another, what plans did I set for the person? Was I truthful about wanting to impart knowledge? Did I care the slightest whether the person achieved the goals set?

I remember vividly the old adage in management: Ask me what you don't know. Looking back with a smile, that is quite an oxymoron, I must say. How could I ask if I don't know? I remembered grumbling against my managers to my peers and ultimately despising them for their hypocrisies. But when I became a manager, I did the same thing. I acted the same hypocrisy. I don't know how many persons I must have offended and what the consequences might have been.

In fact it doesn't just stop there. Unconsciously, I carried that same attitude and principles into my family life. Am I a good mentor to my children?

Children are like sponges. They soak up everything around us -- our speech, our actions, our behavior, our attitude, our responses, our manners, our remarks, our hypocrisy, etc., etc., etc. Without the need for formality or the structures of home education, they become proficient and well-trained. Sadly, they become trained in the good things (consciously) AND the bad things (unconsciously) along life's journey.

We must arise and take stock of ourselves and our posterity. We may be powerless to stop the carnage that's happening in the world but we can equip our childrens' minds against the onslaught of lies, immorality and treachery. When a strong foundation has been laid in their lives their 'houses' will not be blown away by even the strongest of winds. That is the promise of abiding in Christ, our hope and eternal glory.