Stewardship of the Earth

The Earth was created by the Lord God. The Earth, and everything in it, belongs to Him.

The following Scripture passages will prove my above statements to be true:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

“Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.” (Deuteronomy 10:14)

“The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.” (Psalm 24:1)

“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17)

As you can see, the Earth does not belong to us. It is the Lord’s Creation. And we must care for it. At the time of Creation, the Lord placed man in the garden to care for it.

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15)

The keyword in that passage is “cultivate”. Cultivate is a transitive verb. A definition of it is “to improve by labor, care, or study”.

The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. A translation from the original Hebrew word is “nurture”. If you nurture something, you care for it and see that it does well. You do not intentionally do anything to pollute or destroy it.

"God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)

Notice that here God says to “subdue” the Earth. And also notice that the words pollute or destroy are not part of the text. “Subdue” is a transitive verb. It is defined as “to conquer and bring into subjection”, and “to bring (land) under cultivation”. Again, there is nothing in the definition of “subdue” that says pollute or destroy.

The Hebrew word for “subdue” in that passage is “kabash”. Which translates as “subdue”, or “bring into bondage”. Once again, there is no mention of polluting or destroying.

Why do people pollute and destroy God’s creation? Is it something as simple as a lack of caring? Maybe a lack of appreciation for what we have been given? Or economic reasons?

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt

“To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established on December 2, 1970 under the administration of Richard Nixon. (Yes, THAT Nixon). It’s purpose was to do just what it’s name says. That is to protect the environment. And the agency has done the best job they could do under the constraints they have.

The Trump administration has been systematically gutting the EPA. Including protections for clean water. A case in point is the Pebble mine in Alaska. The proposed mine is located in the watershed that protects one of the last and largest Sockeye Salmon runs in the world.

After Alaskan governor Mike Dunleavy met with President Trump on Air Force One, protections for the Salmon runs were removed. See the hyperlink below for more information:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/08/politics/alaska-bristol-bay-pebble-mine/index.html

Our bodies are made up of 60% water. Clean water for us to drink is not a luxury. It is necessary to sustain life. That means that everyone should be fighting to protect it. Not exploiting or polluting it in the name of profits.

“And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to DESTROY THOSE WHO DESTROY THE EARTH.” (Revelation 11:18, emphasis added is mine)

That is a pretty sobering prophetic warning. Those who destroy the Earth will bring God’s wrath upon themselves. And they will be destroyed. One cannot destroy God’s Creation and not suffer any consequences.

I would like to ask you a hypothetical question: If you borrowed an item from your neighbor, would you misuse and destroy it before you returned it? No, you would not. You would do whatever you could to return the item to your neighbor in the same condition in which you received it.

The Earth does not belong to us. It belongs to the Lord. So why would one destroy it before returning it to the Lord? We are merely stewards of the Earth. So let us all do what we can to defend and protect it.

The Steadfast Watchman

Onward Christian Soldier!

“Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!” (Sabine Baring-Gould, 1865)

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

What does it mean to be a Christian Soldier? Is it someone who fights for what is right? It is someone who stands for the truth, no matter the consequences? Is it someone who defends the cause of Christ against attacks from all sides? Is it someone who serves others? Is it someone who puts Christ above all else, including friends and family?

Dear readers, I think the answer to those questions is “all of the above”. Being a disciple is not easy. And it is not supposed to easy (see Matthew 16:24). The cost of discipleship can be high. But the cost of not being a disciple is even higher. The decision on whether to follow Christ has eternal consequences.

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39)

Those are some very strong words from the Messiah Himself. Words that we should all take to heart. But the Messiah goes on to tell us of rewards to come.

“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42)

So Christian soldier, do not lose heart. Do not grow weary of discipleship. And most of all, do not fear anything worldly. I will leave you with these encouraging words from the Messiah:

“Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:26-31)

The Steadfast Watchman

The Last Full Measure

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave THE LAST FULL MEASURE of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” (Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863)

Recently, I saw the movie “The Last Full Measure”. It is the stirring story of US Air Force Pararescue Jumper William H. Pitsenbarger. And the 34 year fight for the award he deserved. The prestigious Congressional Medal of Honor.

Airman Pitsenbarger’s heroic actions occurred on April 11, 1966 during the Battle of Xa Cam My in Vietnam. US Army infantrymen were on a search and destroy mission known as “Operation Abilene”. The battle became known as one of the bloodiest of the Vietnam War. The casualty rate was 80%.

Airman Pitsenbarger’s rescue helicopter was called in to evacuate wounded men in the midst of the raging battle. One of the wounded was the company medic.

When Airman Pitsenbarger saw this, he had himself lowered into the middle of the surrounded company so he could tend to the wounded. He saved over 60 men during this battle. Then, against orders, he stayed on the ground. He picked up a rifle and began to fight alongside men he did not know. He was killed in action.

His bravery and selfless sacrifice was an inspiration to the men around him. And it should be an inspiration to us all.

The “World’s Greatest Deliberative Body” (Description of the US Senate by President James Buchanan, 1867)

Standing in stark contrast to the bravery and sacrifice of Airman Pitsenbarger are the Republican members of the US Senate. In a cowardly display of fealty to President Donald Trump, they refused to put the interests of the nation above their own during the impeachment trial.

They fear their golden calf’s capability of threatening their seats of power if they publicly disagree with him. They do not have the courage to stand up in front of the nation in support of truth. Instead, they make excuses and think of new and imaginative ways to brush off the wrongdoing of Donald Trump.

If they shrink in fear of their dear leader, can you imagine what they would do if they were faced with a fire fight? They would cut and run at the first hint of any trouble.

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

They claim to believe in God, and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet they are not of good courage. And their actions show that they are afraid even though the Lord God goes with them.

Shame on you Republicans in the US Senate. You should know better.

The Steadfast Watchman

Welcome the Refugee

“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)

These words that Moses spoke to the Israelites are as important now as they were then. The leaders of our nation have forgotten that the vast majority of people here were aliens at one time or another. Now, they would have us fear the alien. Especially those have skin of a different color.

“Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)

At the foot of the cross, we are all equal. There is no difference in skin color, or other outward appearances. All believers are one in Christ.

Our President has been quite open about his feelings towards people of color. He has expressed his desire that our nation have more immigrants from nations that are predominately white. He has referred to people from south of our border using prejudiced names. These are human beings. Not some commodity to be used and tossed around like pawns in a political game.

These refugees traveled hundreds of miles to escape violent and corrupt nations. They have been held in squalid camps just south of the border for months on end. With little or no hope of gaining asylum in the United States.

Had these refugees come from places like Norway or Sweden, the President would have welcomed them with open arms. They are neither white, nor wealthy. And so the President deems them unacceptable.

Donald Trump praises the construction of his “border wall” meant to keep out the people from south. The “USA” caption on his red cap actually means “Unwilling to Save Anyone”.

It still astounds me how many millions of “Christians” can support and vociferously defend this evil racist man. There is nothing in the teachings of Christ that say we should support or condone evil.

In fact, the Apostle Paul said we should expose evil for what it is: “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;” (Ephesians 5:11)

Yesterday was the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi Concentration Camp Auschwitz.

So many people marked the occasion with the words “Never Again”. But I wonder how many of them really understand what that means? It means to never let anything remotely close to that ever happen again.

And yet, here we are. With unwanted people being held in camps. All because the nation who has always welcomed immigrants and refugees in the past is led by a man who does not believe in that.

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” (“The New Colussus”, Emma Lazarus, 1883)

Apostasy

Definition of apostasy

1: an act of refusing to continue to follow, obey, or recognize a religious faith. 2: abandonment of a previous loyalty : DEFECTION.

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,” 1 Timothy 4:1-2

This is exactly what has happened in the American Church today. People have fallen away from faith in the Lord God and His Son Jesus Christ. They have abandoned the God who had blessed this nation for more than 243 years. They have chosen to follow those deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons about which the Apostle Paul warned Timothy so long ago.

Their love for their fellow human beings has grown cold. They have become quick to resort to anger and violence. They have dismissed the poor and needy who have come to our borders as refugees from war-torn and corrupt nations.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

They have itching ears, and have abandoned sound Biblical teaching in favor of an array of false preachers. Preachers such as Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Robert Jeffress, and Paula White. The complete lack of discernment here is astounding.

One of those false preachers, Paula White, is now the official “spiritual adviser” to the President of the United States. Let me state that another way, the leader of our nation (also known as the leader of the free world) is being led by someone who preaches a false Gospel.

These people have sacrificed their faith in, and loyalty to, the Lord of all Creation in their idolatry of an evil man. That evil man I speak of, is our President. One Donald J. Trump. A man who claims to be a Christian, and to fight for Christians, honors Christ with his lips only. And not with his actions.

The people I am referring to here, are the so-called “Evangelical Christians”. They have trampled their faith under their feet in their rush to support and defend Donald Trump. And they continually put forth excuses for his evil behavior and language.

To see sorrowful examples of the language and behavior of these idolaters, all one must do is watch a Donald Trump rally. The hate and foul language that spews forth from the mouth of the President are reflected back to him by his worshipers.

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.  Behold, I have told you in advance.” Matthew 24:24-25

I must confess that, though I was warned by Scripture, seeing these things right before my eyes is still jarring and unnerving. The size and scale of it all is way beyond anything I envisioned when I read those Scripture passages.

My final thoughts are these: Those who have fallen away, must pray for God’s grace, forgiveness, and wisdom. They must also open their eyes to the Truth of God’s Word. We all have a limited amount of time here on this earth. And we must all stand before God and be judged. All of us need God’s grace and forgiveness.

The Steadfast Watchman

Discernment

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1

The development and honing of discernment skills is vitally important. There are more false preachers, teachers, and prophets in the world now than at any time in the history of our nation.

What does is mean to discern? The word is a transitive verb that is defined as “to detect with senses other than vision”. That requires the use of our hearts and minds.

Detecting with senses other than vision is an interesting concept. How do we as followers of Christ detect things with senses other than our vision? The answers to this question can be found in the Scriptures.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8

When we have faith and accept Christ as our Savior, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 says “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

The Holy Spirit does many things for us. One of which is the ability to understand the Word of God in the Scriptures. This is also vitally important. The first passage above tells us to test the spirits to see whether they are from God. We must have the Holy Spirit to learn and use discernment skills.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:13

When we test something, we must have some standard to test it against. That standard, dear reader, is the Word of God in the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says”All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;” Ephesians 6:14

In the above passage, the Apostle Paul tells of us about what happens if we are without discernment. We will be tossed about like a ship in a storm. We will be deceived by the false doctrines of men. And by all kinds of tricks and schemes.

Dear reader, I implore you to put your faith in Jesus Christ. And to ask for the gift of discernment from the Holy Spirit. False doctrines and teachings abound in the world today. It is the only way we can be protected from them.

The days are moving along towards the end, and time is short. I will leave you with the following passage from the Revelation given to the Apostle John:

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.” Revelation 22:12-15

Temporary

Temporary is a word we use quite frequently to describe different things. But what does it really mean?

The dictionary defines temporary as: lasting, existing, serving, or effective for a time only; not permanent. The root of temporary is based upon the Latin word tempus, which means “time”.

For our purposes here, I would like to focus on the temporary nature of our earthly lives. Our earthly lives, as well as our bodies, are not permanent. This current life is effective for a time only.

This concept is one that we have a difficult time grasping. We measure time in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. And we base our lives upon that measurement.

For example, a working person has a schedule that they must keep. Or we may have appointments to keep as well. We spend our time worrying about being “on time” for our jobs and appointments.

What we should be doing is thinking about something eternal. That is to say, whether we will spend eternity with the Lord God, or in punishment.

Jesus Christ is the King of all kings, and Lord of all lords. To obtain the things that are eternal, we must focus on Him. Our first priority should be to follow Him. To do that, we must first have faith and trust in Him.

The only way we can spend eternity with the Lord God is through faith in Jesus Christ. The following verse confirms that:

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  John 14:6

By this point, you are probably wondering how we can know what is temporary, and what is eternal. The answers to those questions can be found in the Bible. The Bible contains the divinely inspired, inerrant Word of God. I will list a few Scripture passages below.

“A voice says, “Call out.”
Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
When the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”  Isaiah 40:6-8

In this passage, we see the metaphor of grass being used to describe our fleshly bodies. They are dependent upon the breath of the Lord God. When we are born, the Lord God blows breath into our nostrils. And when we die He takes the breath from our nostrils. That is where the temporary ends and the eternal begins.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

  Matthew 24:35

In this verse, Jesus tells His disciples of the temporary nature of the earth. And even of the current Heaven.

And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the works of Your hands;
They will perish, but You remain;
And they all will become old like a garment,
And like a mantle You will roll them up;
Like a garment they will also be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not come to an end.”  Hebrews 1:10-12

Here the Apostle Paul confirms the temporary nature of everything that the Lord God has created. He also confirms that the Lord God is not temporary.

“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

In this passage Paul stresses the temporary nature of the flesh. But he goes on to give us hope and encouragement by telling us about things that are eternal.

“And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.  Hebrews 12:26-29

Paul really brings things to a close here. He grabs us by the collar and reminds us once more of the temporary things. And that once we have received that which is eternal, we should be grateful to God.

I would like to encourage you, dear reader, to set your thoughts upon those things which are eternal. And to remember that what we have now is only temporary. Our possessions, our earthly bodies, and our earthly lives will not last forever.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the space below. Thank you for reading. And may God bless you and your family.

The Steadfast Watchman

Depression, Suicide, and Salvation

Many people in our society today suffer from Major Depressive Disorder, myself included. We need the help of God and others to cope with the illness. Mental illness is just like any other physical illness. It requires both treatment and prayer. Some of us have contemplated suicide. And some have actually committed suicide. An act that grievously wounds the loved ones left behind.

Image result for picture of someone in despair

I see three key things that can help someone suffering from Major Depressive Disorder. Treatment by a physician, treatment with a psychologist, and of course prayer. It helps if one realized that Satan has his hand involved in all of it. And he will do whatever he can to separate you from God. Whether we live or die is not supposed to be our decision. It is up to God to make that decision. Sadly, there are far too many who are either untreated, or not properly treated. The suicide rate among military veterans is especially high.

Dealing with any mental illness is never an easy thing. And it is more difficult for some people than it is for others.  

Followers of Christ are saved regardless. At the time they accept Christ as their Savior, they are guaranteed eternal life. (See John 3:16) Suicide is the only sin that cannot be repented of, or confessed. Non-believers will still go down to destruction. Suicide will only hasten the process.

With all of this being said, I think there are several Scripture passages that can shed some light on this subject. Here are just a few.

Romans 8:38-39 says:

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 John 5:13 says:

“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life”.

Psalm 43:5 says:

“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”

My hope is that these passages will provide hope to those who struggle with Depression. As well as for those who know someone who does.

Thank you for reading, and God bless!

Honor

Have you ever thought about what the word honor really means?

The dictionary cites several different definitions of the word. For my purposes here, I will focus on just a few. The word can be used both as a noun and a verb.

Noun: 1) high respect; great esteem. 2) adherence to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct. 

Verb: regard with great respect.

Now I will take a look at what the Scriptures have to say about honor:

“He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor.”  Proverbs 21:21 (NASB)

“Honor your father and mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.”  Exodus 20:12 (NASB)

In the first Scripture verse, the word honor is used as a noun. In the second, it is used as a verb. One means to have honor. And the other means to give honor.

First, I would like to dig deeper into the concept of having honor based upon a Biblical perspective.

Having honor may mean different things to different people. To some, it may simply mean “doing the right thing”. In those cases, how does one know whether they are doing the right thing? There must be some standard against which to judge one’s actions.

That standard, dear readers, is given to us through God’s Word in the Scriptures. The Proverb I listed above is a prime example of that standard. Simply put, it means to pursue righteousness

Before we go any further, it may help if I give you a definition of the word righteousness. The dictionary defines it as: the quality of being morally right or justifiable. 

How does one know what is morally right? The answer to that question my friends can also be found in the Scriptures. God gave us a set of moral standards to live by. The ones that most people are familiar with are the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).

But there are two commandments that are even greater than these. The greatest is to love the Lord with all your heart, your soul, and your might (Deuteronomy 6:5). And the second is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39).   

Now all of these things sound like they would be difficult to do all the time, do they not? That is because they are difficult. Pursuing righteousness is difficult. We are a fallen and sinful people. Our default behavior does not fit with pursuing righteousness. But there is hope for each of us. That hope lies in Jesus Christ.

Before we can properly pursue righteousness, we must first pursue Jesus Christ. He has the power, strength and righteousness that we do not have. It is through faith in Him that we can gain the strength and the ability to pursue righteousness. As the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”.

By this point, you are probably thinking that I had forgotten to address the word honor as a verb. I spent so much time on the word as a noun because I think it is of greater importance.  

Do you remember that honor as a verb means “to regard with great respect”? God commanded us to treat our father and mother with great respect (Exodus 20:12).

We should also treat others and talk to others with great respect. This is very similar to the “Golden Rule” that we all know. Matthew 7:12 says “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

I think I can sum this all up in five simple words. Be honorable, and give honor. God bless! And thank you for reading!

The Steadfast Watchman

Lukewarm

These are the Words of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Church in Laodicea. They appear in the Book of Revelation Chapter 3, Verses 1-19. These words also describe the Church in America today. The emphasis added is mine:

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.  So because you are LUKEWARM, and neither hot nor cold, I WILL SPIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH. Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.  Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and REPENT.”

My dear readers…. This is a dire warning issued by the Lord of all Creation. A warning that all of us should heed. The Church in America has indeed grown lukewarm.

The United States has become wealthiest, and most powerful nation the world has ever seen. And She has forgotten that all this this wealth and power came through the blessings of the Almighty.

“I conceive we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the world”. (Samuel Adams; The Writings of Samuel Adams; Vol. IV, p. 407, March 20, 1797)

“The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger. The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man will endeavor to live and act as becomes a Christian soldier, defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country.” (George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, Vol. 5, p. 245, July 9, 1776 )

As you can see dear readers, there were those involved in the founding of our nation who believed strongly in the blessings of the Almighty.

So the question now becomes… How did we get here from there? The answer lies in the fact that this nation has turned it’s collective back on the Lord God. And that God has been withdrawing His blessings from us as punishment for our disobedience.

I think the most precipitous decline in our nation began with the “Sexual Revolution” of the 1960s. A period where “free love”, and sexual immorality abounded.

It progressed from there to the landmark January 22, 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. The Court decided 7-2 that abortion was legal in the United States. That’s right, seven men in black robes decided that the murder of innocent unborn children was legal.

In 1839, the novelist and playwright Edward Burton-Lytton wrote “The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword!”. I submit that he had no idea just how prophetic those words would be. With the stroke of the pen, millions of innocent unborn children have been legally murdered.

The excess and unbridled greed of the 1980s left their stamp upon the heart of American society. The concept of “he who dies with the most toys wins” is a fallacy that has been discredited by the Scriptures. (See Matthew 6:19-20; Matthew 19:24; Luke 12:16-21; Luke 16:19-31)

Fast forward to June 26, 2015. Once again, the Supreme Court decided to overturn the laws of God in favor of those of man. In yet another landmark case, Obergefell v. Hodges, the Court ruled 5-4 in favor of redefining marriage. With another stroke of a pen, the Court decided that marriage was not simply between one man and one woman as God had designed (see Genesis 1:27; 2:21-24). They ruled that marriage was also to be defined as between two persons of the same sex.

These specific things I have listed here are a microcosm of the overall decline of American Society. America has gone from a nation who followed the Word of God, to one that celebrates sin and sinful lifestyles.

So where has the Church been throughout all of this? Well, they have been declining right along with society in general. Long gone are the days of the “fire and brimstone” preachers. They have been replaced by conformists who spew pablum for the masses. Those who are more concerned with putting “butts in the seats” and raising funds, than preaching the Truth of the Word.

These preachers are so afraid of the world they neglect to stay within the Word of God. And they preach what Dietrich Boenhoeffer referred to as “cheap grace”. That is, the grace and forgiveness of God without repentance. They hit all the high points of how God is love, which is a great thing. But they neglect to address the fact that God is also holy and just. And He will punish unrepentant sin.

To bring all of this to a close, I would like to say three things. All clichés notwithstanding: Wake up America! Your Church is in Trouble! Repent before it is too late!