"America is at a crossroad. As a nation she has forgotten that which brought her to the great estate where she now sits — on top of the world. America is not great because she is the richest or the strongest or even the most resourceful nation on the earth; America is great because she once understood that freedom ‘because of religion’ can never fall to ‘freedom from religion’. America seems so confused at the moment — so lost — so off-center that her leaders stumble over the smallest decisions and the most practical of pursuits. Leaders that can no longer decide what the fundamental value of freedom is, or whether freedom itself is still even a virtue at all! Our leaders stumble at simple truth while the people that make up this great nation cry out for something real, something that lasts, something that has meaning and something that actually has the power to change the human heart. American leadership used to understand the vital connection between the worship of God and democracy, between Christianity and a truly free nation, between civil and moral behavior of a nation and of its people and the respect of the Christian faith. Without that connection, this country will continue to morally and spiritually decline as she ‘casts of restraint’:

"Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.” ~Proverbs 29:18

Franklin D. Roosevelt once understood that vital link — as he so eloquently pleaded with this nation not to forget those three interlinked, indispensable institutions to Americans, as vital now as they were then: (1) religion (talking expressly of Christianity) which is the source of the other two — (2) democracy and (3) international good faith. Following is an excerpt from F.D.R.’s State of the Union Address to Congress on January 4, 1939:

Storms from abroad directly challenge three institutions indispensable to Americans, now as always. The first is religion. It is the source of the other two–democracy and international good faith.

Religion, by teaching man his relationship to God, gives the individual a sense of his own dignity and teaches him to respect himself by respecting his neighbors.

Democracy, the practice of self-government, is a covenant among free men to respect the rights and liberties of their fellows.

International good faith, a sister of democracy, springs from the will of civilized nations of men to respect the rights and liberties of other nations of men.

In a modern civilization, all three–religion, democracy and international good faith–complement and support each other.

Where freedom of religion has been attacked, the attack has come from sources opposed to democracy. Where democracy has been overthrown, the spirit of free worship has disappeared. And where religion and democracy have vanished, good faith and reason in international affairs have given way to strident ambition and brute force.

An ordering of society which relegates religion, democracy and good faith among nations to the background can find no place within it for the ideals of the Prince of Peace. The United States rejects such an ordering, and retains its ancient faith.

There comes a time in the affairs of men when they must prepare to defend, not their homes alone, but the tenets of faith and humanity on which their churches, their governments and their very civilization are founded. The defense of religion, of democracy and of good faith among nations is all the same fight. To save one we must now make up our minds to save all.” ~FDR, 1939

America needs to once again sit up and hear the truth, lest they lose that privilege forever. Jesus loves us and died a horrible death on the cross in our place! That means something and that kind of selfless sacrifice deserves a suitable response. A no-nonsense response to this vital truth will be a life-altering, never-be-the-same mindset that changes the core of who you are and where you are going. Christianity is not a hobby to play at when you are bored, it is a culture of moral purity, a lifestyle of devotion to Christ and a worldview that promotes this message of compassion to the utter ends of the earth!

"Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife (a message to Congress?). And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the evil one, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” ~2 Timothy 2:22-26

KNOWING THE TRUTH WILL BE DEMONSTRATED IN YOUR LIFE…

[paraphrased] Avoiding foolish and uninformed disputes, knowing full well they generate dissension. A Christian must not quarrel, but be peaceful and tender to all, patiently able to teach. Contend with people in humility… “That they may know the truth and come to their senses and escape the snare of hell.”

In other words, 2 Timothy 2:25-26 is intimating that people without a grasp of truth are senseless. They do not have their senses about them. They need truth to bring sanity back to their minds.

The prodigal son (Luke 15) was lost in a far country, away from his family and away from God in his heart, his friends had deserted him and he was out of money. He is feeding pigs and sees the pig slop and for a moment in his extreme hunger he desires to eat it. This is the lowest point in his young life and at that moment, having grown up with the truth, he has a moment of clarity and realizes that the captive state he is in right now is directly linked to his rebellion against God. In that moment, he remembers that even the servants in his father’s house live better than this. What a truth that is! That the servants of God in the Father’s house will always fair better than a rebellious world! All because these things are linked: Godliness and liberty, Truth and the good sense to make right decisions which lead to prosperity; both personal and as a nation.

Without the grasp of the truth of the Gospel, our nation is in for bitter struggle against our enemies and in our own land. America will be useless on a global scale, directionless to lead nations that look to us for guidance and light. No greater purpose exists in our lives — than the pursuit of this single truth. Franklin D. Roosevelt understood this link between God and nation on the cusp of World War II. Oh, how far the great Democratic Party has fallen…

"For the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.” ~Deuteronomy 20:4