By: Donna J. Kazenske
I cannot tell you how blessed I am to be an American citizen. I love this nation and highly respect all that our founding fathers did to establish this nation upon Godly principles. However, as I look around at the spiritual condition of our nation today, my heart grieves.
In the book of Habakkuk, we see the prophet of God burdened by the sin and lawlessness of the nation of Judah. He begins to cry out to God saying, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?” “There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds.”
As I read the words of Habakkuk, I could almost feel what the prophet was feeling as he wept over his nation.
In the beginning of this prophetic book, we find Habakkuk praying faithless prayers. There was violence all around and everything looked absolutely hopeless.
As the book continues to unfold, we hear the Lord respond to the questions of this burdened prophet. But, the reply that comes forth from the Lord is not exactly what Habakkuk wanted to hear. The Lord declared that He would send Babylon (Judah’s enemy) as His chastening rod against the nation of Judah.
Judah had consistently refused to repent of her sinful ways and the Lord’s wrath was about to be manifested against her in a mighty way. The Lord had given Judah many opportunities to repent and turn back to Him, but they refused to do so.
I believe that America is very close to being in the same sinful position that Judah found herself in. God has poured out His mercy upon this nation for years. He has continued to bless America in spite of her abominable and sinful ways. The message of repentance has been preached throughout this nation by mighty men and women of God via every means of technology available to man. Yet, this nation continues to go its own way, doing its own thing rather than going God’s way and doing God’s thing.
September 11th seemed to wake the church up for a season, but once the terrorism stopped, so did our repentance and prayers.
The outward appearance of our nation today looks great. America seems to be doing very well with technology booming and a military force that makes all the nations tremble.
Most homes in America have one or more computers and one or more cars. Thousands of people carry credit cards in one pocket and a cell phone in the other. Everything looks great on the outside, but what’s happening within?
Let’s take a quick glance at America’s past and present:
• From 1960 to 1990 there has been a 560% increase in violent crime, a 419% increase in illegitimate births; a quadrupling in divorce rates; a tripling of the percentage of children living in single-parent homes; more than a 200% increase in the teenage suicide rate; and a drop of almost 80 points in SAT scores.
• In 1962, organized prayer was taken out of public schools.
• On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized unrestricted abortion.
• Since 1973, there have been more than 40 million abortions.
• Dr. Billy Graham stated that, according to his research, over 90% of the Christians in America are living defeated spiritual lives.
• 60% of all websites on the Internet are pornographic websites.
• 85% of kids surveyed said their parents didn’t know what they did on the Internet.
• Internet pornography now ranks highest of all causes of divorce.
• Addiction to pornography is rampant among Christian men, and greed, sexual sins, and dishonesty abound in the Christian church.
• Homosexuality is now called “an alternative lifestyle” instead of an abomination in the sight of Almighty God.
• In 1990, Disney’s Magic Kingdom began GayDays, which began as a one day event, has now evolved into a week of celebration designated for the LesBiGay community ‘to wear red and be seen’ while visiting the world’s most popular theme park.
• August 21, 2003 – According to CNSNews.com, an online sperm bank geared toward lesbian couples and single women recorded its first birth. This allows babies to be born to homosexual couples.
• American Airlines can’t pay its pilots, but it can pay to sponsor a bisexual conference in California which will include sexual demonstrations. (http://www.rfcnet.org)
• The divorce rate among Christians in America is now higher than the divorce rate among non-Christians.
• August 5, 2003 – The House of Bishops voted to confirm the Rev. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire, making him the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church’s history.
• As of July 1, 2000, Vermont recognizes same-sex unions by law.
• 12 million children live in households where people have to skip meals or eat less to make ends meet. That means one in ten households in the U.S. are living with hunger or are at risk of hunger. (www.bread.org)
• It is estimated that over 3 million teens between the ages of 14 and 17 in the United States today are problem drinkers. Nearly 14 million Americans—1 in every 13 adults-abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Alcohol contributes to 100,000 deaths annually. An estimated 6.6 million children under 18 live in households with at least one alcoholic parent.
(http://www.alcoholaddiction.info/alcoholism-statistics.htm)
This list of statistics and facts could go on and on. The more I read, the more grieved I become.
The America church has become desensitized to sin as a result of her continued compromise with the world.
Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The church of Jesus Christ today stands guilty before Almighty God. We have allowed the world to conform the church instead of the church conforming the world.
We have allowed the evil one to deceive us with his subtle schemes and demonic teachings. “If it feels good, do it! There’s nothing wrong with having a little fun once in a while.”
As a result of these perverted and twisted teachings, many in the church have given in to the temptations of the enemy and have fallen into sin. Now, caught in the snare of the fowler, they are too embarrassed to cry out for help.
How many Christian men are addicted to pornography on the Internet? How many Christian homes are being torn apart because they have allowed the enemy to come into their homes and reap havoc?
How can we be so ignorant of the enemy’s devices? How can we allow him to come into our homes and destroy that which God has blessed? How can we just stand around and watch as the enemy snatches our children right out of the palm of our hands?
Why are we so busy that we neglect those things that are needful? Where are we when our children need us? Why is work more important than relationship with our families?
A book published in 1947 by Dr. Carle Zimmerman entitled “Family and Civilization” defines eight specific patterns of domestic behavior that signal the downward spiral and imminent demise of every culture:
a) Marriage lost its sacredness; it was frequently broken by divorce.
b) Traditional meaning of the marriage ceremony was lost. Alternate forms and definitions of marriage arose, and traditional marriage vows were replaced by individual marriage contracts.
c) Feminist movements appeared, and women lost interest in child bearing and mothering, preferring to pursue power and influence.
d) Public disrespect for parents and authority in general increased.
e) Juvenile delinquency, promiscuity, and rebellion accelerated.
f) People with traditional marriages refused to accept family responsibilities.
g) Desire for and acceptance of adultery grew.
h) Increased tolerance for sexual perversions of all kinds, particularly homosexuality, with a resultant increase in sex-related crimes.
The research results listed above were found to be true in 1947. As I read through this list, I felt like I was reading today’s newspaper. Everything listed above is currently taking place in our nation. Are we so desperately blind that we cannot see it?
As God began to unfold His plan to the prophet Habakkuk, the prophet’s faith began to increase. He began to cry out to God from a different perspective. He began to see things through the eyes of faith instead of through the eyes of faithlessness. The final words of this prophetic book are in the form of a prayer of faith and rejoicing. The prophet’s eyes were opened to see that judgment and mercy go hand in hand.
As I have studied and prayed over this article, I have sensed the Lord’s presence as well as His grief. I see storm clouds gathering on the horizon.
My prayer for America is that she will acknowledge her need for God, repent and be saved. My prayer for the church is that she will arise and stop compromising with the world. May she shake off the sin that so easily besets her and become alive once again unto God and His righteousness. May God have mercy on America, her people and the church.
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