Changing America
Isaiah 19-23
Chapters 13 – 23 of Isaiah give us 11 judgments against various nations that surrounded Israel. These are nations great and small, some of which God used to discipline Israel. God can and does use even the lost to straighten out His people. In fact Paul affirms this fact.
Romans 8:28
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Israel had certainly been called to God’s purpose. It was through Israel that God showed all of mankind His power and grace. The purpose here being to restore those that are willing, to right relationship with Him. Getting back to my point, even the nations that were used by God to fulfill His purpose vis-a-vis Israel were held accountable for their sinful choices.
As I read about these judgments on various nations, my mind naturally turned to my own nation and what might be in store for America. We have become a nation of idolaters. We worship sex, drugs, violence, food, money, and on and on. In short, we worship ourselves. Our nation has become corrupt in the extreme and now we even stand against Israel in the councils of the world. And yet, it is the world that stands condemned; America right along with the rest.
Most of the prophecies in the judgments we are reading have come to pass; those that have not will take place in the last days. God has provided us this list of judgments that we may look back in history to see the truth; that God judges and punishes wrong doing. Judgment is coming for all the nations; there will be no escape.
As I sat and considered the ways of nations I realized that nations are made up of people. A nation reflects the culture and beliefs held by a majority of those people. The reason America deserves judgment is because of the corrupt culture and beliefs held by a majority of Americans. What is, however, most shocking to me is that around 80% of Americans consider themselves to be “Christian”. How can this be? How can such an overwhelming majority of people say they are followers of Christ and yet have a culture so antagonistic toward God? Our culture proves that a large percentage of those who claim to be Christian are not.
A nation that is truly 80% Christian would look very different from what we have today. I find this staggering. How do you witness to people who already claim to be Christians but are not? I think these individuals are in greater peril than even those who do not claim to have Christ. One does not look for what one thinks one already has. I suspect the only way to get through to these folks is to help them see that they are missing something; that they do not have what a Christian should have.
Let me ask you; do you have what you are supposed to have? Do you act the way you say you believe? With so many pagans claiming to be Christians I can see why many view Christians as hypocrites but what about those of us who have accepted Christ but have remained spiritual infants, unwilling to grow up in the Lord? When we buy magazines, or watch movies or television shows, or listen to music that are filth, we are not acting as we believe. We think that all we have to do is stay away from pornography and we’re good to go. No my friend, when we pay money for things that corrupt our culture we are contributing to the rise of evil and the judgment to come.
It is important for us to understand that it is possible for one person to change a nation and in fact the world. Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica where they shared the Gospel. Their preaching stirred up an angry mob. That mob went to the home of Jason, where the two had been staying, in order to bring them out to the crowd. I suspect they weren’t planning to hand them the key to the city.
Acts 17:6
“And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”
The one person who can turn America, and indeed the world, upside down is Jesus Christ, but Jesus does this through His disciples. Just as Paul and Silas were rightly accused of changing the world, you and I can be accused of the same thing. We can, that is, if we act as we believe. Do we love our fellow man as Christ does? Do we share the love of Christ with a lost and dying world?
Brothers, if we will faithfully follow the leading of the Holy Spirit we will be compelled to do right and share Christ. If we are faithful the world will know we are Christians because we will be so different from them. They will know we are Christians because we cannot help but speak about our Lord. They will know we are Christians by our love; our love for Him and our love for them. Hope for America will not be found in politicians but through the heart changing power of Christ shared with the lost by His faithful disciples; people like you and me.
I pray brother that God will use you not only to change America but the entire world, one heart at a time!
Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill
