A Personal Note on the State of Our Country
By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Saturday Morning Post #390 ~
I don’t feel good about the recent elections – I am sad, upset, concerned, disappointed, and shocked by what took place. I have never seen such catastrophic and devastating results. The size, scope, and nature of the outcome is unbelievable. It wasn’t just a political earthquake, but a spiritual earthquake, a scathing indictment of our country.
We are living in a post Judeo-Christian era, in an increasingly secular and pagan culture. Many people in the Democrat party want to fundamentally transform this country. Many of the policies they plan to implement are radical, are evil. The godless changes they want to make are accelerating, are increasing at a much faster rate than before. “Evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse” 2 Tim. 3:13
This country is going downhill, is in a steep decline, and it’s not going back to the way it was. It’s on the road of no return. I was hoping that we could keep our freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion, but I now realize that it won’t be long before they are taken away. Do you recall what happened under our previous President? Christians and moral people were arrested for praying, were surveilled, cancelled, censored, debanked, and put in jail. This will certainly happen again, and I believe sooner than later.
The United States is in big trouble and it’s because of her sin, and this sin is hurting every aspect of society. Our problems are compounded by the fact that demons are out in force and are influencing people like never before. I can’t believe the brazenness of the atheists, Marxists, Muslims, and Communists -they believe that now is the time to promote and enact their evil agenda. Many people are even applauding murder. A recent poll said that close to 40% of young Americans believe political violence is acceptable under certain circumstances. “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.” John 10:10
This is a most critical time in our country’s history. But our reactions to this election must not be based on emotions or feelings, but on God’s word. The truth is that our nation is greatly sinning, and this election is God’s judgment upon us. “The days of punishment have come… because of the grossness of your iniquity… They have gone deep in depravity… He will remember their iniquity, He will punish their sins.” Hos. 9:7-9
I want to briefly explain seven aspects of our sin, which I believe is much worse than any other country, and the reason why she is and will be so severely judged.
* Because of our increasing and cancerous sin – “evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness … sensuality, envy, pride, and foolishness” (Mark 7:20-23). “Men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy… brutal, haters of good… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” 2 Tim. 3:2-4
* Because of the depth and depravity of her sin. Rom. 1:24-28 speaks of worsening wickedness, from impurity to immorality to homosexuality to depravity. “God gave them over to… impurity… degrading passions… to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.”
* Because she has been terribly influencing the world to sin through immoral movies, godless music, pornography, abortion, LGBTQIA+, weapons of war, and false teachers peddling a false gospel. “Woe to the world (or nation) because of its stumbling blocks.” Matt. 18:7
* Because she, more than most nations, has had great access to the gospel, but in general, has rejected it, has instead embraced false religion and false gods. “You, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven… It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” Matt 11:20-24
* Because she has been greatly blessed, both spiritually and physically, but has been thankless, has forgotten, and has failed to remember that it was God who blessed her. “They did not remember your abundant kindness, but rebelled… they quickly forgot His works… they forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt.” Psalm 106:7, 13, 21
* Because she’s more opposed to Israel and more anti-Semitic. We hear it in universities, mosques, churches, the UN, the media, and protests. “The Lord said to Abram… ‘I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you… and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you, I will curse.’” Gen. 12:1-3
* Because her churches are increasingly weak, worldly, and unholy. They are to be a good influence on the nation but this is not happening as in years past (Rev. 3:7-13). This lack of widespread moral seasoning is a major reason why unrighteousness is increasing. As churches go, so goes the country. “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” Matt 5:13-14
I am torn when I think about our future and the increasing tribulation that will afflict this nation, and that we will be experiencing. On one hand, I want continued peace and stability (1 Tim. 2:1-2) for the sake of the gospel, and for my family, friends, and church. On the other hand, I want Christ to come back – and this judgment that’s occurring in our country must happen for this to take place. But I trust in the Lord, for He has it all figured out, He knows what He is doing, whether it relates to believers or unbelievers. “Do not fret because of evildoers… trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness… evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land.” Ps. 37:1-9
I think about the Christians in this nation, and I want them to be awake, alert, and ready for what is coming. I pray they know the prophetic truths of Dan. 7-11; Matt. 24, 1 Th. 4-5, 2 Th. 1-2; and Revelation. I pray they are going full out for the Lord, that they are zealous for His glory, and carry out His plans for their lives. I pray that parents are sharing these timely truths with their children. And I pray for believers, like Anna, to be faithfully praying and telling others about Christ’s return. Luke 2:36-38
I pray that everybody has a sense of what is going on in Israel, this country, and the world, that they are not in the dark, but are like the men of Issachar who understood the times and knew what they should do (1 Chr. 12:32, Ez. 3:17). I pray that God raises up “John the Baptists”, people who preach Christ’s coming and the judgment to come. We desperately need believers teaching both 1st and 2nd coming truths, that Jesus came the 1st time to spiritually save people and is coming the 2nd time to physically save people, to give every believer a new glorified body, then judge the world, save a Jewish remnant, and begin reigning on earth. Luke 3:2-20, 1 Cor. 15:42-44, Rev. 8-9, Rom. 11:25-27, Rev. 20:6
I strongly encourage you to read the prophets – which are not feel-good books. But they openly spell out the truth about sin, judgment, holiness, and hope – which is vital for this time. I also suggest you read the Psalms (my favorite book). It focuses on our relationship with God, trials, and hope, the future God has for Jewish believers, and for Christians too. That’s because the future of the Jews relates to the future God has for believers. Ps. 37:11 – Matt. 5:5; Matt. 24:9-22; Luke 24:12-24
In all this, God is sovereign over our sin and over the work of the devil. He is reigning and ruling, He is in charge of all that happens on earth. (Ex. 15:18, 1 Chr. 16:31, 1 Chr. 29:11, Job 12:9-10, Ps. 9:7, Ps. 10:16). The world may seem to be a mess, but everything is going according to schedule, according to God’s prophetic and perfect plan (Eph. 1:9-11). God knows what He is doing with every piece of the puzzle, with every person, family, church, city, country, and event, and they are all being fit together. Psalm 46:9-11, Eph. 2:19-22
No one knows when Christ is coming back, but it is soon. Jesus gives us a schedule of upcoming events that we must have imprinted on our minds and hearts. (Matt. 24:4-31). Now there are beginning birth pains (Matt. 24:8). And since the United States is weakening, is diminishing in power, then it won’t be long before the next major event, the coming of the Antichrist. What’s happening in this nation is helping pave the way for his arrival and rule over this world, and after that, the coming of Christ to gather all believers from heaven and earth to Himself. Matt. 24:31
Remember, your primary job is not political but spiritual; it’s not making a better country but making disciples; it’s not seeking the kingdoms of men but the kingdom of God; it’s not building a big nest egg but building the church; it’s loving Jesus by living and fighting for Him (Matt 6:33, 16:18, 24:14, 28:19-20). I am so glad, so thankful to be alive at this time in history, to be living in this country, and to be living in the end-times. And this is your time. God chose you to be alive on earth “for such a time as this,” to worship the Lord and do the work He has ordained for you. Esther 4:14
“We walk by faith, not by sight (not by feelings) – we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:7-8). “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now, salvation is nearer to us when we believed” (Rom. 13:11). “Since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8). “Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book” (Rev. 22:7). “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10