Are you like me – completely torn up by all the things happening in our world today? Even I, the Pollyanna that I typically am, must work to stay positive during these troubling times. Still, I think about one of God’s Promises to us and what it means:
“If my people, who are called by my name (Who me? Yes, that’s us - Christians - believers and followers in the one, true God and His Son who is our redeemer), will humble themselves (that means to “show a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance” – to not think more of oneself than we should) and pray and seek my face (Pray? You know, talk to God, and spend time in his word to find his guidance in all things) and turn from their wicked ways (Whoa – that means to stop doing the things He tells us in his word NOT to do – it’s as simple as that) then I will hear (our prayers) from heaven, and I will forgive their sin (In heaven’s court – which is the one that counts - he won’t hold our bad acts against us and punish us or condemn us for the things we have done) and will heal their land (make it better, right what’s wrong – and Lord, we need your healing upon America). 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Now I realize in the prior verse (13), he was referring to if he had sent a drought or sent locusts to devour the land or a pestilence of some sort, but I believe we have the equivalent of that going on in America right now. I haven’t seen a swarm of locusts but I am seeing an army of evil-doers coming at us from all directions. All this civil unrest, police killings, terrorism, governmental corruption we’re seeing is definitely a PESTILENCE. Our “drought” may not be a lack of rain but we are right in the middle of a spiritual drought! We are dried up people! The Pestilence is none other than SIN, in every despicable form that you can think of. The founding principles of our country were based on freedoms of religion, speech and the freedom to govern ourselves as “we the people” saw fit. Americans had been blessed for so many years. We elected good, moral leaders to high governmental positions and most of us were careful about doing what is “right”. But over the last 50-60 years we’ve decided we don’t need God anymore and there’s certainly no place for Him in our government or in the public square (sigh). So, since we are free, moral agents, God has not forced himself on us. He rather has allowed us, through that freedom we all hold so dear, to make our own bad choices. Unfortunately, those choices have brought us to the sad state of affairs we have today. I hate to say it, but we are victims of what we ourselves have created. Yes, we’ve brought these things upon ourselves, folks! If you look at the history of America and the rise and fall of other nations peppered throughout history, their decline and eventual demise came when the people turned from God and started thinking that their ways were far better than God’s ways and the pattern for successful living he so vividly outlined for us in scripture.
I honestly don’t see how He could have made it any more plain to us in His word – are we so dense that we don’t get it? (Why yes, yes, we are!) We read a passage of scripture that is so simple a kindergartner could understand it but in our ‘infinite wisdom’ we reason like this - “Oh, he didn’t mean it like that,” or “Surely a loving God wouldn’t do this or that,” and my favorite “Well, our church believes that (fill in the blank) blah, blah, blah.” The question should be, what does the Bible say? Have you studied for yourself what is true?
There was a time when we could have considered the USA a “Christian nation”, but no more. Oh how quickly we have declined into immorality, hatred, and evil intents. Oh, and it’s not just the lost folks! No, no. Even as Christians we believe that we can talk the talk of being a believer, play church and sit on a pious pew of judgment for others, but the way we live says Christ is NOT in us. We don't belong to him when we do that. I've been guilty of that so many times and have had to ask for forgiveness.
We have people calling evil - good and good - evil like I’ve never seen, or even dreamed I would see in my lifetime! Well y’all, looks like it’s time for us to put up or shut up. Either we’re on one side of the fence or we’ve done jumped the fence and standing on the other. There are no shaded areas of gray with God. Remember what Jesus told his disciples? “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) We can’t claim to love God and do all the things He hates and warns us to abstain from, can we? I know, so many questions! Which brings me to my wonderings…..
- Is there such a thing as a liberal Christian in God’s eyes? Can we follow part of what the New Testament says and disregard the rest of it?
- Can we believe and support that it’s a woman’s choice to abort her child and still cling to a cross on which Christ died to save not only that child but every, single child ever conceived? Hmmm…..
- Can we stand in our worship services on Sunday and sing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and never talk to him, read his words or act like we even know Him any other day of the week? Hmmm…..and how about this rather timely question -
- Do we teach our children that “Jesus loves the little children, red and yellow, black and white”, but harbor feelings of hatred towards other humans whose skin may be a different color than ours? I’m sorry but where is CHRIST being honored in that? Good grief!
Friends, it is high time we take our country back. Not from the liberals or from Isis or from CHYYNA (spoken in my best Donald Trump accent), No. We need to take it back from Satan himself! He's holding us hostage!!! That nasty liar is the ultimate responsible party for what is happening to our nation. We’re in chains, in bondage under his tricks and traps of sin. He wants nothing more than to see us destroyed and knows our only hope is for our nation to turn back to God. Sadly, if we don’t - Satan is very near to achieving his destructive plan for our beautiful, wonderful homeland of America.
You may be like me and ask questions like "Can we take our country back or is it too late?" "Is this the end of our “one nation under God” or is there a clear hope for the generations coming after us?" The book of Jeremiah in chapter 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Will we allow God’s plans to be the pattern for our lives or will we try to follow our own foolish plans? After all, many times we think our ways are more suitable for the times and make more sense than that “outdated” Bible, don't we? Really? How foolish of us to think we know better than the creator of the universe! We’ve seen where following our own way has gotten mankind time after time. It just doesn’t work!
So here’s my plea. Get on your knees Christians (and I’m talking first to myself here – the girl who some days forgets to pray at all other than bedtime). Read your Bibles to learn what God expects of us (same thing here – I’m guilty of not reading mine near enough). Most importantly, if you’re not already baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38) and trying your best to live a Christian life – I would suggest you make that commitment! You see, when all else fails and even when the world crumbles in around us, God himself stands beside us as our fortress. We are never alone in the safety of Christ. Deuteronomy 31:8 says “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” We’ve got a lot of people in our world today who are afraid and discouraged, without a lot of HOPE. But we, my dear brothers and sisters, we have hope. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Until next time,
Melissa
So true. Melissa this is so heartfelt and wonderfully written. It made me cry. I just love you girl!
ReplyDeleteSo true. Melissa this is so heartfelt and wonderfully written. It made me cry. I just love you girl!
ReplyDelete