“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14).
Not too long ago our country enjoyed many freedoms. We were proud to be called “Americans.” Most people saluted “Old Glory” when the national anthem was played. Everyone enjoyed the freedom to express their Western monotheistic worship, i.e., from their Judeo-Christian heritage. It was assumed that the public schools would begin their regular school-days and assemblies with prayer. No one frowned (or challenged with a lawsuit) when the Bible was read in public. Religion classes in America were often taught from a Judeo-Christian point of view. High crimes were actually punished. Divorce was an embarrassment. And folks would happily hum the beloved folk-songs of their land.
Do those things seem a distant and forgotten scene of the past? The death-throws of our nation can find the reason in a very simple formula: when a nation rejects God, God will reject her. That means that we’re in serious trouble!! When the leaders of our land are immoral and utterly sinful in their lying and lifestyles, we’re in trouble. When a majority of our populace sees nothing wrong with that, we’re in serious trouble. When we push Christianity out and promote humanism and satanism, we don’t stand a chance before the Almighty God of this universe. Our only hope is to believe and practice II Chronicles 7:14! That was God’s final message to Israel, and that is God’s final message to us!
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…” (Psalm 33:12).
“Righteousness (what is right from God’s perspective) exalts a nation, but sin (that which is against the God of the Bible) is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34).
O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
O beautiful for pilgrim feet, who stern impassioned stress,
A thoroughfare for freedom beat across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.
O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved and mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness, and ev’ry gain divine.
O beautiful for patriot dream that sees, beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam – – undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.
Words by Katharine Lee Bates; music by Samuel A. Ward
There is only one way for our nation to be beautiful once again: we must (individually and collectively) confess our sins to God and repent of our wicked ways. May God have mercy upon us!
Have you as an individual repented? If not call upon the LORD now!
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