What can you expect? Straight talk, laughable humor, real truth, simple living, and passionate yearning...
all regarding the God that still involves Himself in the details of the lives of His people
A calling to write what He leads, no matter how uncomfortable...
Because simple daily Christian living is never what we thought it would be
Praying and Hoping for a Sweeping
How do you begin to tell someone something that you know they do not want to hear? How do you form the words so that those listening will not reject them before the meaning which those words hold can penetrate their hearts? How do you call a group of people together to announce to them that they are the cause of the calamity without causing some sort of combustible element? How can you tell a free people that they are rebelling against their authority and causing their own enslavement? How can you tell the people of The United States of America that they are on a track to certain destruction?
We are the greatest nation on the earth. These United States have most certainly had their problems, but we have sought God… and, because of that, we have always prevailed. In fact, we have not just prevailed, but have gained for ourselves the reputation of “Leader”. Isn’t that why some nations are so jealous and so many others run to us for help? Even through internal and external differences, we have fought a good fight, sacrificed for the cause of what is right and just, and have been given the status of “Ruler of all the Earth”.
But now we have forgotten the One who gave us that position. We have looked in the mirror for too many years with vanity. We have come to love ourselves, the way we look, and have forgotten not only the sacrifices that were made in order to allow such beauty, but worse, we have forgotten the very One who gave those people the strength to make the sacrifices. The homes that were left, the families that were divided, the blood that was spilled, the lives that were lost…all for the sake of the greater good. And, the greater good was set in written definition as a country dedicated to the freedom, equality, and prosperity of all people under the leadership and protection of God.
Now you can debate this with me and I know that similar debates have taken place for years. You can talk all you want about the wording and what you think it really meant, and what you think the writers of those papers were really trying to intend. But, you and I, and the rest of all humanity, know that America was founded on the absolute principles of God as our sovereign authority.
Do not be confused by false teachers and leaders and socially polite communicators…we were absolutely built on the knowledge and laws and expectations and individual relationships with God; the Creator of All Things, The Almighty of the Bible. The God described in those every important political documents at our nation’s birth, and years of national toddlerhood…is not just some god, another god, a religious god, or a man-made god. He is the God of Abraham, the God of Moses, the God who calls Himself “I Am”.
And, He will always be God…whether we believe it or not…whether we allow Him to lead or not. As a country we have lost sight of Who it was that made us great. We have worked so hard at becoming politically correct that we are no longer correct at all. We have looked at the details of our own laws so intricately that we are now blind to the thesis.
God is our main topic.
We can do nothing without Him.
He is our King.
He is our Ruler.
He is our Law.
He is our Defender.
As you can tell by looking at the history of other nations in the Bible…God is no longer pleased with us. And, if we continue on this path to pulling away from Him and His law, than we will reap the same ramifications. He is a Just God. He cannot be anything but Just. So He cannot just let all of this slide. If He leaves us to ourselves because of our rejection of Him…
Without Him in authority, we will surely be destroyed.
Why? Why would He do this to a nation of people that He brought together and gave life to? Why would He just walk away from something that He built? He wouldn’t. He is not a “leaver”. He does not walk away. Nothing…absolutely nothing scares Him.
But, He gave us each the choice to follow Him or not…
to respect who He is or not…
to believe in Him or not…
to love Him or not.
And, each time that each of us choses something else, than that “something else” pushes Him further away. Currently, because of the number of those who do not choose Him in our country, He stands at the water’s edge… and still, we are pushing.
We push with obvious idols. Have you been to a home decorating store lately and seen the statuary section? Those figures are things I had only seen in books and historical documentaries until lately. Now they are advertised and sold…not by the names of their god titles, but instead are called cute and adorable and interesting. Those “not harmful” little fat men sitting cross-legged and thin women with snakes in their hair sit in the restaurants we eat at and even salons and doctor offices. And even if they are called contemporary decorating options, they…are…known…idols. Although, we may not bow down to them, the mere presence of any image of a known idol in our home, in our country, must be irritating to the One whom we once completely idolized.
And what about the idols that are not so recognizable? What do we bow down to as a nation that opposes the expectations of God? What comes before Him: money, job, farm, hobby, sporting event, little league playoffs, television, Netflix series, clothes, friends, self? Solomon told us that he has had it all…literally…and that all is vain except the pursuit of God. Was his example not clear enough for us?
We have seen countries and peoples destroyed by their own lusts and self-greatness. In the times of the Bible we saw nations rise and fall based on their devotion to Him. In our own time, we have seen walls tumble and rulers destroyed. Why can’t we see this of ourselves?
“Not me”, you say. Well, not me either. I do not buy such artifacts to decorate my home; I find them sickening. I do not go to restaurants where idols are displayed, and I lecture my family about doing the same. I love the Lord my God with all of my heart, all of my soul, all of my mind, and all of my strength. And, I push my body to serve Him physically as well.
But what about the rest of the command…the part of “and love your neighbor as yourself”? It’s not even a second command. Christ didn’t even take a breath between the two thoughts. He used a conjunction because the second part is directly linked, in every way, to the first part. To love God, is to love each other. I cannot truly love God without loving others. And, He is the One that set the example of that love.
So serving people once in a while and then excusing yourself of their needs the rest of the time is probably not what Christ was looking for. Choosing which of the brethren to love and which to pass by quickly in church was also not His example. He definitely did not get along with everyone, but by His example have you set your standards like His; exactly like the Father’s?
Can you love them all and pray for them the way He did? We have built so many religions that our fighting concerning religious law and doctrine, and our abuse to each other in His name, have not only weakened our ability to reach others, but has pushed God away…all in the same motion. Maybe that is why some say that religion is satan’s most effective tool.
There is still hope for our nation because the God of hope still lives inside of some. Three boys saved a nation and turned the head of a king to see righteousness. God promised to save a city if only He could find ten that were righteous. Most likely, if you have finished reading this article, He lives inside of you.
I do not know how God will start with me. But I know it starts with my renewal and obedience. I am praying that He doesn’t ask anything of me as strange and as uncomfortable as walking in the streets naked to get the attention of people and speak to them the words that God has given…like one of my favorite prophets. Nor, do I want to write from tormented imprisonment to get the word out...like Paul. I am however, hoping for a sweeping of the Holy Spirit; a revival to simply remind our Nation of our early foundation and recommit to God; “One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Oh God, forgive us
We are so embarrassed at our ignorance
We are so ashamed of our rebellion
We…are…still…Your…people
You…are…still…our…God
Oh God, forgive us
Open our eyes to see things as they are
Close our minds to our own beauty
We…are…still…Your…people
You…are…still…our…God
Oh God, forgive us
Renew a personal relationship with us
And use us to help bring clarity by example to a nation that has been deceived
We…are…still…Your…people
You…are…still…our…God
Oh God, forgive us
Please Lord, stand firm at the water’s edge
And know that some still choose You
We…are…still…Your…people
You…are…still…our…God
Oh God, forgive us
Give us the strength Lord to win this nation of people back to You
So that we may walk in Your favor
We…are…still…Your…people
You…are…still…our…God
Oh God, our God forgive us
So that once again all the world will know that we serve You
And then they will see Your greatness
Because…
We…are…still…Your…people
You…are…still…our…God
In obedience
Rhonda D Loucks
Praying and Hoping for a Sweeping
Now you can debate this with me and I know that similar debates have taken place for years. You can talk all you want about the wording and what you think it really meant, and what you think the writers of those papers were really trying to intend. But, you and I, and the rest of all humanity, know that America was founded on the absolute principles of God as our sovereign authority.