Contending for the faith | Making Disciples | Equipping the Saints for Ministry

by Rayola Kelley

      Q: “Are all the terrible things happening to America since Obama was elected a sign that God has removed His hand of protection off of this nation?”

       A: You are not alone in wondering if God has truly removed His hand of protection and blessings from this nation. It is important to point out that God is consistent in His ways. In other words, you can actually observe that God works according to a pattern. This pattern is in relationship to His people’s spiritual digression. For example, man falls into sin and begins to rebel against God. God then turns him over to taste of and serve the bitter tyranny of his sin with the intent to bring him to repentance. As some people begin to taste the dire consequences of their sin, they begin to cry out (supplication) for mercy and salvation (deliverance) from their oppression. In such a state, God is able to step on the scene and restore these individuals. Restoration brings rest and silence to the land until the cycle repeats itself due to the fallen condition of man. You can clearly observe this cycle and pattern in the Book of Judges.

       This cycle applies to those who are God’s people. As members of His Church, we must consider where we are in this cycle, and what the precarious events occurring around us reveal about our own relationship with our Lord. It is clear that the Church will be presented in a chaste state to Christ, unblemished by the defilement of the world, but this would involve purging and purifying.

       When it comes to God dealing with a nation that is operating in complete opposition against Him, His truths and His people, there is also a clear pattern. First, there are repeated warnings for the nation to repent or turn from its wicked ways. Warning eventually turns into judgment, often resulting in a nation’s blessings becoming curses.

       Such judgment will start with the shaking of foundations to expose faulty foundations and sources of idolatry or points of reliance. Such judgment has a two-fold purpose. It will bring people to a place of decision in order to do away with the areas of compromise, as well as bring a separation between light and darkness to expose wickedness. For those who choose the light, it will serve as a time of testing, tribulation or chastisement, but for those who choose darkness, it will actually turn them over to the desire of their delusion to eventually taste the wrath of God. Since judgments are often symbolized by shaking caused by the winds and crashing waves of storms (include economic and political storms) that are brewing on the horizon, we can conclude that God’s judgment has begun to shake this nation and its people.

       The wrath of God is His anger being poured out on rebellious, unrepentant man. Since believers will be spared from His wrath, we do not have to worry about personally experiencing His anger. However, we must soberly consider how close this country is to experiencing His wrath. We may not taste His anger, but we could very well witness it and feel the ripple affect of it such as Daniel did in his time. For example, much of the leadership is drunk on power at the expense of what is morally just and proper. As a result, will God write this nation’s epitaph on the walls of congress just as He did on the walls of Belshazzar’s palace in Daniel 5, pointing to immediate destruction that will be devoid of any remedy?

       Commemorating his hundred days of being in office, a blasphemous painting of the leader of this nation was to be unveiled in New York City. It depicts him as the “messiah” parting the curtain to his reign. Apparently, subtly intertwined in the seal of his reign is the number “666” for the antichrist and his wicked system. Since this wicked imposter also receives undeserved worship from his deluded followers, you wonder if he will receive the same fate as Herod after he arrogantly received worship in Acts 12:23: “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory; and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”

       Perhaps the insanity of the wickedness that is spreading like cancer in this nation will awaken the spirit of the same sleeping giant that was quietly content in its comfort zone in the midst of war and destruction until Pearl Harbor was attacked. Decent, committed patriots of this nation may rise up in one accord to stand for justice with the resolve to fight and protect liberty at any cost against the enemies from within. Such a prospect could lead to a revolution or civil war. Clearly, this nation has offered millions of unborn children, along with its character and morality, on various altars of the world as a means to satisfy its many gods of selfishness, greed and indifference. Therefore, it will not pass through the storms that are now ravishing this country or looming in the near future without being scathed, humbled and brought to the brink of collapse.

       Meanwhile, as Christians we must watch and be prepared for the shaking and purging, praying to be found worthy to escape, ready to stand for truth even in the face of persecution and death, and do everything we can to possess our souls in patience, and maintain our lives in righteousness.