SOMETHING BIG IS HAPPENING SPIRITUALLY IN AMERICA

                              

                                                              

Something big is going on spiritually in the United States. But we have to open our eyes to see it.

I caught it yesterday. I’ve had glimpses of it before, but didn’t recognize what it is. I guess I’ve been too depressed over all the wickedness rising and entangling itself around our government, our families, our schools, military, our lives, that the obvious hid among it all.

Last evening, the light of God’s Word beamed across the sin around us, and something special and precious glimmered.

First, I’ll tell you how depressed I was about the state of America. I received this disturbing email dated 4/29/13 from Family Research Council:
 “Last week, anti-Christian and left-wing activists met at the Pentagon with military officials to discuss pressing issues in the military…According to these far-left consultants, religion is one of the chief problems plaguing our troops. As the Washington Post reported, some are saying that "religious proselytizing" is at the top of the list of problems in the armed forces -- even on par with sexual assault. As a result of such complaints from the left, the Air Force has -- according to the Post --published, but not yet distributed a new document with the directive that leaders of all levels (including chaplains) may not "promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates or to extend preferential treatment for any religion."

The penalty these secularists are seeking for those who don't comply with their view of religious speech is court-martial. If this policy goes forward, Christians within the military who speak of their faith could now be prosecuted as enemies of the state. This has the potential to destroy military recruiting across the services as Americans realize that their faith will be suppressed by joining the military.

Here’s another email from FRC’s Tony Perkins dated 4/29/13: The Obama Pentagon may not have been responsible for blocking the Southern Baptist Convention website, but there's no mistaking their involvement in the military's latest anti-Christian offensive. (Emphasis on the word "offensive!") In an absolute stunner, the Pentagon is meeting with Mikey Weinstein--a man who compared Christian evangelism to "rape"--to vet its new instructional guide on religious tolerance in the military.

Weinstein, who heads up the cross-crushing, prayer-prosecuting Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), is the same man who just published a blistering rant calling evangelicals "fundamentalist Christian monsters." (And that's the nice part!) "We must," he writes, "vigorously support the continuing efforts to expose pathologically anti-gay, Islamophobic, and rabidly intolerant agitators for what they are: die-hard enemies of the United States Constitution. Monsters, one and all. To do any less would be to roll out a red carpet to those who would usher in a blood-drenched, draconian era of persecutions, nationalistic militarism, and superstitious theocracy."

I wonder if Weinstein missed the “free exercise of religion” in the Bill of Rights.

Tuesday it also was announced the morning-after pill will be available without prescriptions to 15 year olds.

Horrified? I was. But then I remember what Jesus said before He went away and sent the Holy Spirit—the Counselor. Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit who will convict of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:5-11).

Suddenly I know why sinners scream for acceptance, and try to spread sinful lifestyles on others. It’s because they want to justify their sin—do something to ease the conscience and the deep-down knowledge they are sinners and the wages of sin is death. Many ignore the rest of the verse: "But the gift of God is eternal life."

I'm reminded of David who wrote in Psalm 139: "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there."

The Holy Spirit continues to work in our day. No matter what the wicked achieve, how many people agree with and follow them, how many pure lives are destroyed, the Holy Spirit keeps convicting, calling to righteousness, asking them to see the Light—and remember the truth never changes

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God hates sin because evil either hurts us or someone else. Yet, the Lord is compassionate. He keeps calling people to repentance, righteousness and holy living. God gave His Son who bled out for every sinner on earth on the cross. No matter how we deny it, we’re told in Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." Jesus said in John 14:6,  "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The Lord still seeks to save the lost and give them the gift of eternal life. That's the reason the conscience won't quit, no matter how we try to feel righteous on our own. The Savior has much more to give than our filthy rags of self-righteousness. His redemption is our only hope.

©Ada Brownell May 2, 2013