Monday, February 20, 2017

Reclaiming America for Christ


Today is Presidents’ Day.  We have been blessed with some awesome presidents that have positively helped to favorably mold this country. 

The question is: What happened?  What have we become?  Have we become the nation that our forefathers had pledged their sacred honor?  Would they be disappointed in what we have become?

As most of you know, I am a firm believer that America was founded on Christian principles … by Christian men and women.  And I’m (by no means) alone in that conviction.

Ronald Reagan said this on February 9, 1982 at the National Religious Broadcasters Annual Convention (almost 30-years ago to the day):
“It’s been written that the most sublime figure in American history was George Washington on his knees in the snow at Valley Forge.  He personified a people who knew that it was not enough to depend on their own courage and goodness, that they must seek help from God – their Father and Preserver.  Where did we begin to lose sight of that noble beginning, of our convictions that standards of right and wrong do exist and must be lived up to?”

Lest I be accused of only referencing a Republican president, here is what Harry Truman said:
“I do not believe there is a problem in this country or the world today which could not be settled if approached through the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount.”

How true!  Our country once lived by God’s teachings.  We had that old fashioned “Can Do Attitude” – that optimism that seemed to get us through all the difficulties that the world tossed our way.  Where do you suppose Americans gained that “Can Do Attitude”?  I believe it was from Scripture … as found in Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”  America once believed that our strength came from above; and by acknowledging it – came many blessings to our Great Nation.  I believe we were once at a place in America when we could admit that we were weak … in order to draw strength from God.  And this is something that we still need to do today. 

In order for us to reclaim that “Can Do Attitude” and (in turn) reclaim America for Christ, there are three things we must do –
I. We Must Admit … that we are weak and cannot do it alone.
II. We Must Submit … in order to move forward.
III. We Must Never Quit … never give up the good fight.

As I look at our nation, I see politicians and people that have given up on God.  The once great nation deemed as a Christian nation by our forefathers is considered by our immediate past president as the direct opposite.  On April 7, 2009, President Obama commented during a press conference in Turkey in which, speaking for Americans, he said:
“We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation; we consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values.  Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation - at least, not just.  We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.”

That phrase – “Whatever we once were… ” reveals just how far separated from God our country has become.  We have quit on God; and it began long before the Obama Administration.  We quit on God by kicking Him out of our schools; by eradicating Him from the sphere of our government; we have quit on God by removing Him from influencing our lives.

50-years ago (in our lifetime), I believe the majority of Americans would never have imagined we would have become what we have become today.  We are a product of our own demise.  We became complacent and comfortable; we became tolerant and accepting.  The bottom line is: We Quit!  We quit living as a Christian nation (years ago) … long before liberalism got its foothold in our society.  We quit when we placed God second to everything else in our lives.  We quit when we became afraid to speak His name in public.

It’s time, my friends, to ban together and reclaim the United States of America as One nation Under God.  Where has our “Can Do Attitude” gone? … as expressed in the sacred text – “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

I, like many of you, love our country; and I believe in what America represents.  I believe that we were founded on Christ’s Love.  But unfortunately, I believe we have strayed off course.  It’s time to reclaim this nation for Christ.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel

1 comment:

  1. There has been an assault on God by our courts and our congress has ignored their misbehavior. This has been the result of our government schools misinforming literally millions of people that judges are appointed for life and can never be held accountable and therefore congress never keeps them in check and judges believe that they are immune to congressional check. They are never asked to explain their opinion relative to the Constitution, relative to God's law on which our Constitution is based. Cities and states have become frightened of upholding anything Christian since the courts have found in favor Christian persecution. Atheists rarely have a suit against Jews for being accused of being anti-Semite. They rarely come out against Muslims because they would be accused of Islamophobia. But Christian's are viewed as the majority and we can't allow the majority to rule. Never mind that Christian's have no intention of majority rule to force our religion on anyone. Christian's believe that we should tell everyone about the saving grace of Jesus but it must be your decision and your decision alone. This is entirely consistent with our Constitution. The courts have created the so called "separation of church and state" (an absolute 180 of Jefferson's letter) and found no where in the Constitution. Congress has from time to time tried correct this but they do so very weakly and such laws are rarely enforced.

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