Foundations of a Nation

July 4th is a memorable day for me not only because I’m an American. It was also my grandmother’s birthday. Leah Post was born on this day in 1908 (she passed away 92 years later). My family often got together with her on Independence Day before seeing fireworks that evening.

My grandparents were devoted members of a Methodist church (though Grandpa Post wasn’t sure of going to heaven until I prayed with him in 1996). One gift they gave me as a boy was a storybook based on these words by Jesus in Matthew 7…

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 

25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 

27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

These verses can apply to individuals, families, and nations. Since 1776, the United States of America was founded upon Judeo-Christian values framed in the Declaration of Independence and reaffirmed eleven years later with the Constitution. 34% of the ideas in the latter document originated from the Bible. While other countries have changed governments numerous times, the U. S. has remained constant despite challenges such as the Civil War, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and 9/11.

Psalm 11:3 says, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Godless politicians are attempting to infringe upon our Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and to bear arms. If those two amendments are ever removed, the United States as we know it will no longer exist. Just as a building can collapse if the foundation is compromised, so will this country. Fortunately, that won’t happen as long as American Christians continue doing their part by praying and voting for God-fearing leaders.

“For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined.” - Isaiah 60:12

Is America Doomed?

Just over a month ago, a friend forwarded to me a sixteen-minute video that went viral. Dana Coverstone is the pastor of an Assembly of God church in Kentucky. In his video, Dana testified of God giving him dreams about America’s future. He warned of foreign soldiers on the ground, hyperinflation, and cities burning during September, October, and November of this year.

At first, I seriously considered what Dana shared. The previous week, a prophet I know saw a war coming to the United States. Dana doesn’t claim to be a prophet but talked of having previous dreams of disease and protests that came to pass. He advised, “Let's see what happens through November and see if I’m right about this.” So I shared Dana’s video on my Facebook page (later removing it) and added the comment: “Perhaps this can be averted through prayer and fasting.” Jonah prophesied the downfall of Nineveh but that was delayed because of its inhabitants repenting.

Many pundits have predicted the demise of America. The wife of a state senator I know recently wrote on her Facebook page: “We are not a free country right now.” Certainly, we’ve seen troubling things over the past few weeks: looting, buildings on fire, reports of coin shortages, and politicians imposing lockdowns. However, I’ve read other prophecies proclaiming hope for America and the church. Last Sunday during a service, handouts were given about Bob Jones’ “100-year prophecy.” The Lord had shown this late prophet awesome things manifesting per decade: “I saw up to the 2060s and the church here was not beat down.” This suggests the Second Coming may not happen for another 40 years.

Two days later while watching an online prayer meeting, a 1974 prophecy from Kenneth E. Hagin was read. The opening lines were: “'No, the time of the end is not yet. No, America is not doomed', I heard Him say, 'No, judgment will not fall as yet. Some have seen some things in the spirit and didn’t know how to interpret it. They interpreted it as happening now. I didn’t say it was going to happen now. In the spirit you see things in the distance — and even in another age. When the Church age is over, judgment will fall. But judgment will not fall upon the Church. For the only judgment that the church will face is the judgment seat of Christ.'”

1 Corinthians 13:9 says, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part.” One prophet may see something in the future that appears to contradict what another prophet is seeing. Sometimes these prophecies make more sense when they are put together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The events they are seeing could happen years apart. Even if a war occurs upon American soil later this year, that doesn’t mean it’s all over for this country. We survived other challenges like the Civil War, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and 9/11.

The United States has a history of sending soldiers and missionaries to other countries to help promote freedom both naturally and spiritually plus providing aid in response to natural disasters. I don’t see God allowing that to stop. Sodom and Gomorrah would have been spared if He had found at least ten righteous men there. I am one of the millions of professing believers here. I will continue praying for this land while preaching the gospel in various American cities. Many other ministers are believing for a Third Great Awakening that will reap a great harvest of souls in this country and others.

I choose to believe the best about America.

“Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” - Psalm 85:6

Pray For Your Nation

Christians in the United States are becoming increasingly discouraged from sharing the gospel in public places. Because of fears over the coronavirus, politicians have also placed limitations upon church meetings. California Governor Gavin Newsom recently issued a ridiculous ban from singing and chanting in places of worship. Yet Ronald Reagan (who was also a California governor) stated, “Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged. When our Founding Fathers passed the First Amendment, they sought to protect churches from government interference.”

This country was founded mostly by Bible-believing men who intended to keep the government out of the church, not God out of the government, In a statement made to the General Assembly of the State of Virginia in 1778, James Madison (the chief architect of the Constitution) said, “We’ve staked the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”

It’s also worth noting that in 1812, President Madison signed a federal bill that economically aided the Bible Society of Philadelphia in its goal of the mass distribution of the Bible. If the American Civil Liberties Union had existed back then, they likely would have complained about “separation of church and state.”

Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked man rules, the people groan.” What if German Christians in the 1920s and 1930s had fasted and interceded for their country more? That might have prevented Adolf Hitler from coming into power.

Regardless of where you live, I encourage you to keep praying for your nation. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” The prophet Daniel brought change to Babylon through his prayers. God can do the same through you!

“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.” - 2 Chronicles 7:14

Freedom of Religion

As we approach the 238th birthday of the United States of America, it’s important for Americans to remind themselves why our Founding Fathers came to this land. One reason was to avoid persecution from the Church of England. Although originally settling in Holland, the Pilgrims desired an English-speaking nation where they could worship God without man-made laws imposed upon them. Just before making landfall in Massachusetts, the Pilgrims drafted a document called the Mayflower Compact. One of its provisions was to protect the rights of religious conscience.

Nowadays God-fearing Americans are fighting for religious freedom again. Ever since prayer was removed from public schools over 50 years ago, our learning institutions have become more atheistic. One of the resulting by-products is business owners fighting for their right to make decisions based on Judeo-Christian principles. Earlier today, Hobby Lobby won a Supreme Court decision challenging an Obamacare mandate regarding birth control.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution still guarantees freedom of religion (not freedom from religion)...

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

No matter what kind of ungodly legislation ends up getting passed by liberal politicians and judges, that should never stop believers from preaching the truth and fulfilling the Great Commission. God’s laws are always higher than man’s.

“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’” - Acts 5:29