What Can We in America Do?

Psalms 11:1-7 KJV,

1 In the Lord put I my trust: How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

As we come into the New Year of (2013), the United States of America is facing many challenges. The news media has had us all focused on what has been coined as the “fiscal cliff,” for the past few weeks, even months.

But when I look at the national financial problem’s I am made to realize there is a deeper problem in our nation. Our nation has been going over the spiritual and moral cliff for several years and this cliff is far more destructive to our nation than even this dire economic cliff.

Since the national election in November 2012, we have seen same sex couples lining up at courthouses in so many of our states to receive their marriage licenses, and hundreds of people gathering in public places to light up marijuana smokes in the states where it has been voted as okay.

The moral decline we see on family television programs—blatant immorality, senseless violence, murder, shooting and killings on the screen; we see the media friendly gay and lesbian behavior on the public screens to be on display for all our children and teens to see as normal—this is just a reflection of the moral corruption that has infected this great nation. We wonder why our crime rate is so high; murder and killing on the rise; and we question what is causing all of these mass shootings in our nation? Our nation’s leadership and many American people blame it on so many guns. But we fail to see the morass and quagmire we have fallen into here in the USA. We are ending a very dark and dismal time in our nation as 2012 comes to a close. I must confess that we are entering an even darker day as 2013 begins. But I must stress to all of us there is hope.

Psalms 11:3 New Living Translation ®,

3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?"

The very foundations of the law in the United States have collapsed. This president along with his administration and most of the Washington Law makers are destroying the few foundational laws that we have left, totally doing away with anything good and godly. When we look back into the Old Testament we are reminded of the spiritually dark, dismal nation of JUDAH, whose spiritual foundations of law were so eroded, yet the Lord moved in a very dramatic way.

Manasseh was the wickedest king to rule over Judah. Throughout his 55 years of evil reign, the land had been defiled with the shedding of innocent blood. He led Judah into witchcraft, sorcery, and the worship of false gods and idols, including the fertility goddess Asherah. He even sacrificed his own son in the fires of idolatry. Not many years later, God worked in an extraordinary and unexpected way to bring national revival to JUDAH.

Josiah, Manasseh’s grandson, became king at age 8. Ten years after becoming king, Josiah asked his high priest, Hilkiah, to collect funds to repair the temple that was in disrepair. As they worked, they uncovered the book of the law (the first five books of the Bible). Apparently it had been lost and for sure had been neglected for so many years.

2 Kings 22:11-13 New Living Translation ®,

11 When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.

12 Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king's personal adviser:

13 "Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found. For the Lord's great anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing everything it says we must do."

So often when we read the Word of God we miss the entire message, because we only want to know the good parts of the story.

But one thing we must remember when a nation turns her back on God there will always be a judgment to come a price will be paid.

As we read this story of JUDAH we can see what we face as a nation also because we have drifted so far away from God.

2 Kings 22:15-17 New Living Translation ®,

15 She said to them, "The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man who sent you,

16 'This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the words written in the scroll that the king of Judah has read will come true.

17 For my people have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very angry with them for everything they have done. My anger will burn against this place, and it will not be quenched.'

Look at the remainder of the message that was sent to Josiah from the Lord, herein is the hope for we who are living for the Lord and are living a life of repentance and commitment in this desolate day.

2 Kings 22:18-20 New Living Translation ®,

18 "But go to the king of Judah who sent you to seek the Lord and tell him: 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the message you have just heard:

19 You were sorry and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I said against this city and its people—that this land would be cursed and become desolate. You tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the Lord.

20 So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city.'" So they took her message back to the king.

Now when Josiah was given this message, he called all the people of JUDAH together and read to them the entire Book of the Covenant which had just been recovered in the Temple.

2 Kings 23:1-3 New Living Translation ®,

1 When the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

2 And the king went up to the Temple of the Lord with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, along with the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the Lord's Temple.

3 The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the Lord's presence. He pledged to obey the Lord by keeping all his commands, laws, and decrees with all his heart and soul. In this way, he confirmed all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll, and all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

Notice that the king took his place of authority and renewed himself to the Lord he publicly pledged to obey the Lord and keep his commands that were written in the scroll. Once the king made his pledge the people also pledged themselves to the covenant.

When the Word of God was then read aloud to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Josiah made a pledge to follow God and His commandments, the souls of the people were pierced and the stage was set for national repentance. Idols were smashed, practitioners of witchcraft and astrology along with those who practiced worship to baal, Asherah, and mediums were forcibly removed, everything pertaining to idols and idol worship was destroyed and burned. Worship to the one true living God was reinstated. Once again in the land of JUDAH, righteousness ruled.

For far too long, as a nation we have seen such neglect—and even rejection— pertaining to the Word of God and His commandments. But with all this neglect and rejection there are those among us who still have a binding covenant with the Lord and we are still trusting in Him and living by His Word. Often we wonder what we can do in this wicked, dark hour to bring people back to their senses in serving and loving God. The answer lies in the fact we must do the same thing JUDAH did, rediscover the Word of God and let the Word of God do a quick work.

Hebrews 4:12-13 New Living Translation ®,

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

The Scriptures are mighty, able to penetrate even the most hardened and darkened hearts with convicting, life giving power. They are God breathed, and any new season of repentance and revival in America can only come through a renewed focus on the great truths of God’s Word.

Just as the Lord used an 18 year old king, Josiah, to begin revival in the godless nation of JUDAH more than 1,500-2,000 years ago, He can use you and I who are seeking to serve Him in this dark dismal day and hour. As we who are earnestly contending for the faith that has been handed to us through the Word, we seek after Him, standing on His truths, as we repent and pray for America, this great nation that is in such bitter darkness and stressed with turmoil and strife. This is the only cure for our sin sickened Nation, America, that has already slipped into a moral abyss. This is the reason that we who are committed to the things of God must proclaim His Word in everything we say and do.

At the ending of His earthly ministry Jesus Commissioned His disciples to go into the entire world, proclaiming His great truth. He also gave them promises that He would always be with them and He would even be with them at the end of the age, or He would be with them no matter how dark and corrupt this world became.

Matthew 28:18-20 New Living Translation ®,

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

My prayer is that the Lord will once again move in this great nation that was built on the foundational truth, “IN GOD WE TRUST”. I am praying, hoping and trusting that a revival will ignite across this land and the people of God will rediscover the Word of God in its fullness and that we will also rebuild our altars of repentance and forgiveness. That we begin to seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, He will hear our cry of repentance from heaven and will forgive us and heal our nation.

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV,

14 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.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ knows what is ahead of us as a nation and as individuals in this New Year (2012), but I do know that He promises to be with us every step of the way, “even to the end of the age”. Let 2013 be a new year with a fresh awakening of the people, an anointing of fresh fire, and a renewal of the Holy Ghost in this land.