A Nation Lost

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. (Psalm 33:12)

I have watched with alarm the rapid decline of our nation, these United States of America, especially since the ascendance of the current administration. I have lived long enough to have witnessed the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the Civil Rights marches lead by Martin Luther King, Jr. and his subsequent assassination. I watched in detached amusement the antics of the “flower children” with their message of “make love, not war” as they incoherently protested the war in Viet Nam while “spaced out” on mind altering drugs. “Weirdoes,” I thought as I ignored their protests and enlisted in the Navy to serve my country; it was the right thing to do. Many of those weirdoes are now in positions of power in our national government. Lord, help us!

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools (Romans 1:21-22).

As a young child in elementary school, I remember standing to pledge allegiance to the flag followed by a reading of a Psalm or Proverb, followed by a time of prayer. That ended in 1963. I was thirteen. Not long after, I witnessed the rise of the hippie movement. They must have been a minority because all the people I grew up around were relatively “normal” (as in “not hippies”). Did I mention that these people are now in positions of power in our national government?

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 1:24-25)

Just ten years later, in 1973 the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade and the American holocaust began. The hippies introduced “free love,” free love generated unwanted babies, and Roe v. Wade “fixed” the problem. Since that time, over 56 million babies have been murdered – all in the name of women’s rights.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet (Romans 1:26-27).

During my time of service in the US Navy, a gay (we called them something else back then) sailor kept his “persuasion” to himself otherwise he might find himself lost at sea or dishonorably discharged, if he was lucky. In the 1990s, several studies were done by Simon LeVay and others to determine a physiological cause for homosexual behavior. The effort was spurred on by the desire to “normalize” the behavior by suggesting that these individuals could not alter their predisposition to homosexuality; therefore, they argued, they must be legally protected against such things as being thrown overboard in dark seas or being dishonorably discharged from military service. This lead to the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) policy adopted by the military in 1993. The current Commander-in-Chief now encourages military personnel to openly reveal their sodomitic tendencies without fear of repercussion. On the other side, “straights” who harass sodomites in any way are subject to disciplinary action. Of course, this deviant behavior has been around since the beginning of time, but it has always been recognized by the majority of society as “deviant behavior.” Now we are all expected to embrace it as normal.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient … Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:28, 31, 32)

Following the “scientific” studies performed in the 1990s the rise of the “gay pride” movement really took off, and these people became ever more aggressive, demanding that their “rights” be asserted, and even more, that they be affirmed as “normal.” Moreover, anyone not in full support of their agenda was labeled as a “hater” and intolerant. Intolerant “homophobes” were not to be tolerated. Now in the 21^st Century, they demand that their same-sex unions be legitimized in the same way as heterosexual marriages, with all the same rights and privileges. Just this week (February 26, 2014), US Federal Judge Orlando Garcia declared Texas’ ban against same-sex marriage unconstitutional, which he alleges is in violation of the 14^th Amendment of the United States Constitution. The decision is not yet final, but the gay community wasted no time showing up in force to celebrate a victory. That remains to be seen. However, the efforts of this group have made considerable inroads in other states. The strategy of the gay agenda is for gay “couples” to marry in states where it is legal and then move into states where it is not legal and force those states through litigation to recognize their unions as legitimate marriage. Their plan seems to be working.

This century is only 14 years old and I see the rapid demise of our nation as it spins ever faster in a vortex to a dark abyss. Our national debt increased over 7 Trillion (that is 7 followed by 12 zeroes) just during the reign of this current administration. With a massive debt well over 17 Trillion dollars one would think that wisdom would prevail, but our leaders go right on spending. The rhetoric of austerity gushes from “conservative” mouths in feigned antipathy to the looming economic disaster, but when the cameras are off, they return to business as usual and nothing is done. Our economy is on the verge of collapse, and all we get from the politicians is talking points.

Our nation has lost its standing in the world. No longer do we pose a threat to hostile nations. Our President issues meaningless ultimatums that go unheeded. No longer can our allies depend on our support. The nation of Israel may as well face her enemies on her own. Fortunately for Israel, she has the promise of God’s protection whether she realizes it or not. The bottom line is that the United States of America is no longer the country I was born to. It has devolved into something less. The glory days are over.

I hear well-meaning preachers and other Christians call us to pray for our nation. They remind us of the Word of God that says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). However, I have come to the conclusion that this prayer, when applied to our nation, is contrary to the will of God. In the first place, God was addressing the nation of Israel at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple. God knew that Israel would be unfaithful to Him, and that unfaithfulness would bring God’s judgment on the land. But He promised them that if they repented, He would restore and heal their land. The promise applies specifically to Israel, and does not have broad application to all nations.

More broadly applicable is our leading verse: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance” (Psalm 33:12). However, as I attempted to demonstrate, our nation has long abandoned the Lord. Our sick, politically correct society bristles at any public display of Christianity, or any reference to God. We have gone beyond the point of no return and as described in Romans 1:28 says, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (emphasis added). A “reprobate mind” is a mind that is unapproved, rejected, worthless, i.e., a mind that is unable to think correctly. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20, emphasis added). What an apt description of our current state! Are we, as Christians, called to ask God to bless that which He has cast off?

As I considered this, it occurred to me that the United States of America is not my country. “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). That King James word “conversation” is the Greek politeuma from which we get our English word “politic.” It could better be translated “community” or “citizenship.” Paul says that for the Christian, our citizenship resides in heaven, not here on earth. Before the cross, Jesus prayed for His disciples and for us saying, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:15-16, emphasis added).

Romans 13 admonishes us to be law abiding under whatever government we are subject. As long as the law of the land does not violate the law of God, we are to obey. We are also to pray for our leaders. Paul exhorts Timothy (and us):

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4, emphasis added)

This seems straightforward and unconditional. Since only God can judge the heart, only He can determine when a person is permanently lost. His desire is the salvation of all men, therefore to that end we must pray for our leaders. The nation may be lost, but individuals can still be saved.

I have concluded that our nation is lost. God’s judgment is on our nation. As a nation, we have gone beyond the point of no return. As our Lord’s return approaches ever nearer, our prayer should not be for the restoration of our nation, but for the coming of His Kingdom – “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven … For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matthew 6:10, 13).  This world, this nation, is not our home.

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