Fundamentally Changing America
By
Duane
Carley
These would
appear to be the
worst of times
for America.
There are
very good
reasons for
Americans to be
concerned today
and even valid
reasons for
people to be
fearful.
However,
for those who
love God and are
called by Him
for His
purposes, we
have reason to
be hopeful and
optimistic.
These
could very well
be the best of
times.
God shows us in
His Word that He
is a God who
longs for people
to cry out to
Him.
He is a
God who loves to
save.
Time
after time in
Scripture, the
Lord shows His
immeasurable
patience and
goes to great
lengths to save
His people, the
nation of
Israel.
It has
always been His
desire that no
person should
ever perish.
“The
Lord is not
slack concerning His promise,
as some count
slackness, but
is longsuffering
toward us, not
willing that any
should perish
but that all
should come to
repentance.”
(2 Peter
3:9)
But for the lack of 10 righteous people, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.
God was
willing to save,
but the people
rejected Him.
And
judgment came.
The results of
the 2012
election on
November 7th
would appear to
show that we
have lost the
culture war in
our nation.
America,
by a small
majority, seems
pleased by the
direction this
country began
heading in 2008.
We saw
states choosing
to legalize use
of marijuana – a
damaging and
destructive
drug.
Other
states chose to
legalize
abominable,
harmful
counterfeit
marriage.
In many
ways, Americans
chose to
continue down
the same
destructive path
started in 2008
that, among
other things,
includes:
-
$1.3
Trillion
more
spending
than revenue
-
Crushing
debt of $6
Trillion in
just four
years
-
Homosexuality
becoming a
civil right
on equal
footing with
racial
discrimination
-
Abortion
being forced
on us making
life worth
less and
less
-
Being taxed
just for
existing
(Obamacare
mandate)
-
Trashing the
Constitution
by executive
fiat and
deception
-
Experimenting
with
persecution
of the
Christian
church
Though God can
heal our land if
He were sought,
the majority
have chosen to
push God out and
to follow their
own path of
godlessness.
Americans
chose to keep a
leader who
pursues a
culture of death
– through his
advocating and
legislating
abortion and
homosexual sin.
Americans
made the
decision to
forsake Israel
and thus bring
God’s curse upon
our nation.
No nation can
long choose to
thumb their nose
at God.
“Do not be
deceived, God is
not mocked; for
whatever a man
sows, that he
will also reap.”
(Galatians 6:7)
God’s
patience is not
forever
unlimited.
For a
nation who
refuses to
repent and turn
to Him, His
patience will
end.
“For this reason
God gave them up
to dishonorable
passions…God
gave them up to
a debased mind
to do what ought
not to be done.”
(Romans 1:26,
Romans 1:28)
Here God
tells us His
patience does
have limits.
Scripture says
“When
the righteous
are in
authority, the
people rejoice;
But when a
wicked man
rules, the
people groan.
(Proverbs
29:2)
This
nation was
already groaning
under the
pressures of
financial and
moral maladies
brought on by
evil leadership.
It is
certain that America
will eventually
reap the
consequences of
her godless
choices.
Ultimately, the
results will be
a loss of
international
standing and of
national
sovereignty, a
decidedly poorer
and more
impoverished
people,
intensely more
individual
physical and
emotional pain,
a sharp increase
in the death and
dying of its
citizens, an
increased loss
of societal and
personal
freedoms, and an
increased
persecution of
the righteous
and unrighteous
by those in
power.
These are
the Biblical
effects of
providential
judgment.
At this critical
time in American
history, the
church of Christ
can little
afford to allow
fear or hatred
to infect it.
We cannot
allow these to
disqualify us
from His service
or to hinder His
Word from being
proclaimed.
The
gospel message
of hope, grace,
and love must
now be
proclaimed
louder than ever
before.
As the
world grows ever
darker, Christ’s
love is the
light that will
shine even
brighter.
Soon, very soon,
the people of
America will cry
out for real
freedom.
Because
the ways
Americans have
chosen to pursue
freedom will
lock them into
further bondage,
they will long
for real freedom
that only Christ
can provide.
The
church must
stand courageous
and be ready to
respond.
Jehovah
God commanded
Joshua,
“Have I not
commanded you?
Be strong
and courageous.
Do not be
terrified; do
not be
discouraged, for
the LORD your
God will be with
you wherever you
go.”
(Joshua
1:9)
The
apostle Paul
exhorted
persecuted
Christians to be
strong in God’s
strength.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might.”
(Galatians 6:10)
There is real
hope.
Hope for
God to move.
Hope that
God’s people
will repent from
their sins, rise
up, take up
their cross, and
follow Him
wholeheartedly.
To
effectively
fight against
the rising tide
of secularism,
immorality,
godlessness, and
persecution will
take nothing
less than full
devotion to God
Himself.
Jehovah
Himself promises
to be with us as
we do.
America
needs godly
heroes to arise
from the ashes
of the scorched
American
culture.
On talk radio
very recently, I
heard a
commentator
speak of godly
heroes and what
the Bible
teaches us about
godly heroes.
For there
to be real
heroes –
righteous
warriors – there
has to be evil,
oppression, and
persecution to
fight against.
The
commentator made
the point that
for there to be
a Moses, there
had to be a
pharaoh.
For there
to be a David,
there had to be
a Saul.
For there
to be an Esther,
there had be a
Naman.
Each
time, these
heroes chose to
trust their God
and take action,
even when it
meant possible
death.
Each
trusted God
“…who
is able to do
exceedingly
abundantly above
all that we ask
or think,
according to the
power that works
in us…”
(Ephesians
3:20)
The Lord can and
will enlarge the
faith of His
people when they
become obedient
in the face of
such adversity
that we as a
nation now face.
The
reigning evil
gives wonderful
opportunity for
God’s people to
become godly
heroes in the
land.
Jesus
Christ lives in
us.
He
chooses to use
us to let His
light shine in
the darkness.
God
Almighty always
stands ready to
forgive and
revive the
nation whose
people cry out
to Him in
brokenness and
repentance.
“So
the people of
Nineveh believed
God, proclaimed
a fast, and put
on sackcloth,
from the
greatest to the
least of them.
Then word came
to the king of
Nineveh; and he
arose from his
throne and laid
aside his robe,
covered
himself
with sackcloth
and sat in
ashes…Then
God saw their
works, that they
turned from
their evil way;
and God relented
from the
disaster that He
had said He
would bring upon
them, and He did
not do it.”
(Jonah
3:5-6, 10)
All indications
are that
American
conservatism is
dead or dying.
Many
Christians in
the church
placed their
hope for America
in the
conservative
movement.
In my
humble opinion,
the end of
American
conservatism
could be the
beginning of
real revival
that America
needs.
The death
of conservatism
could be God’s
answer to the
many prayers of
revival that
have long been
lifted up by the
saints.
November
7th
could be the day
in history where
God answered the
prayers of His
people for real
revival and
began moving
America back
toward Himself.
Scripture shows
us that
sometimes God
has to smash any
hope in things
which the people
trust to save
them.
A hope
placed in
anything other
than God Himself
quenches the
Holy Spirit’s
work in the
church and in
the world.
Only when
He takes away
that false hope
can He light a
fire that will
actually burn.
It is
then that He
shows us His
power and starts
to greatly use
His servants who
desire to be
used and who
have prepared
themselves for
effective use.
Through a
shattered hope
in vain things,
genuine
brokenness, and
true repentance
God can do this.
It is
only at this
point can
America ever
hope to become a
real 2
Chronicles 7:14
nation.
The Bible is
crystal clear:
God Almighty is
in complete
control of human
history and
current events.
In fact,
we know it is
the Lord who
ordains the
kings and gives
them their
authority.
“Let every soul
be subject unto
the higher
powers.
For there
is no power but
of God: the
powers that be
are ordained of
God.”
(Romans
13:1)
Sometimes the
king is placed
in authority
because the
people cry out
to Him for a
king.
Israel
did.
The
nation suffered
greatly with
many evil rulers
because they
did.
It
appears that
America has now
asked for a
king.
And God
has granted
their request.
It would
be prudent for
America to look
at what God told
Israel when they
asked for their
king.
“Now therefore,
heed their
voice.
However,
you shall
solemnly
forewarn them,
and show them
the behavior of
the king who
will reign over
them.”
So Samuel
told all the
words of the
Lord to the
people who asked
him for a king.
And he
said, “This will
be the behavior
of the king who
will reign over
you: He will
take your sons
and appoint them
for his own
chariots and to
be his horsemen,
and some will
run before his
chariots.
He will
appoint captains
over his
thousands and
captains over
his fifties,
will set some to
plow his ground
and reap his
harvest, and
some to make his
weapons of war
and equipment
for his
chariots.
He will
take your
daughters to be
perfumers,
cooks, and
bakers.
And he
will take the
best of your
fields, your
vineyards, and
your olive
groves, and give
them to his
servants.
He will
take a tenth of
your grain and
your vintage,
and give it to
his officers and
servants.
And he
will take your
male servants,
your female
servants, your
finest young
men, and your
donkeys, and put
them to his
work.
He will
take a tenth of
your sheep.
And you
will be his
servants.
And you
will cry out in
that day because
of your king
whom you have
chosen for
yourselves, and
the Lord will
not hear you in
that day.”
(1 Samuel
9:9-18)
Now that America
has formally
rejected God and
His Word, what
should true
believers do?
Should we
be fearful and
anxious?
No.
God is in
control.
Should
Christians be
vengeful and
hateful?
God
forbid.
Should we
give up and hide
inside our
church walls and
in our homes?
Never.
Now, more
than ever,
believers must
be intentional
about living out
our faith in the
world.
But there
are things
believers should
do.
First, each
believer should
commit to
intense,
extensive
prayer.
Pray for
your families,
your churches,
your pastors.
Pray for
our enemies and
our leaders who
are deceived or
who are
themselves
deceivers.
Pray for
our nation and
for national
repentance.
Pray for
personal
repentance and
revival.
Pray like
everything is
counting on your
prayers.
Ask God
what He would
have you do and
for the power to
be obedient to
His leading.
Seek God
with all of your
heart.
And you will
seek Me and find Me, when
you search for
Me with all your
heart.
(Jeremiah
29:13)
Next, we should
strive to
ultimately
become more
loving towards
outsiders.
Unbelievers must
be able to see
the love of
Christ in our
actions, our
words, and our
attitudes.
As I am
fond of saying,
we should ever
strive to share
the Gospel in
everything we
say and do.
And when
necessary, use
words.
Let the
love of Christ
compel you to
good works and
let it convict
them of sin.
Next, Christ
followers should
stand firm in
the truth of
God’s Word,
never faltering.
In the
coming months,
we will be
tempted to
compromise God’s
truth.
We will
hear cries from
political
conservatives
and liberals
alike to
compromise the
Christian values
of life,
morality, and
prudence for the
sake of
political
expediency,
financial
benefit, and
political power.
Refuse to
compromise and
stand firm on
His Word at any
cost.
Lastly, we
should prepare
ourselves to
speak the truth
in love and with
divine boldness.
The time
for timidity in
preaching God’s
truth is over.
Now is
the time for
boldly
proclaiming what
Christ has done
for man.
We must
learn to
skillfully
brandish the
Sword of the
Spirit with
accuracy and
with confidence.
Believers
must always be
ready to tell
the hopeless and
the lost why we
hope in God and
exactly where
our faith lies.
Be ready
with straight
answers from
God’s Word and
never hesitate
to share Christ
in all
circumstances.
“But
sanctify the
Lord God in your
hearts, and
always
be ready
to
give a
defense to
everyone who
asks you a
reason for the
hope that is in
you, with
meekness and
fear;”
(1 Peter
3:15)
President Obama
promised his
followers they
had chosen a man
who would
fundamentally
change America
when he was
elected in 2008.
No one
could argue that
he has failed to
do so.
It is
certain the
American king
has bigger, more
sinister changes
to make in the
next four years.
However, nothing
could more
fundamentally
change this
nation than
true,
Bible-believing
Christians who
take God at His
word.
Now is
the time to
faithfully read
God’s Word, to
learn God’s
Word, and put it
in our hearts.
Now is
the time for the
hearing and
obeying of God’s
Word.
Nothing
could have a
more powerful
influence on a
dying nation
than an obedient
servant of the
Most High God
who is wholly
sold out to Him.
That, my
friend, is real
change we can
believe in.
Mr. Duane Carley
Mobile, Alabama
DCarley116@aol.com