THE STATE OF THE UNION

PSALM 33:12 AND PROV. 14:34

“BLESSED IS OUR NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD…” PSALM 33:12

“RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION, BUT SIN IS A DISGRACE TO ANY PEOPLE.” PROVERBS 14:34

I. THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY AMERICA LEADS THE WORLD

#1 IN DIVORCE#1 IN VIOLENT CRIME#1 IN TEENAGE PREGNANTCIES#1 IN VOLUNTARY ABORTIONS#1 IN ILLEGAL DRUG USE#1 IN ILLITERACY OF INDUSTRIALIZED PEOPLE

II. AMERICA: A STATE OF CHANGE

CHANGE # 1:

CHANGED FROM THE FACT THAT 52 OF OUR 56 SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WERE CHRISTIANS - TO -THE BELIEF THAT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS EITHER DEISTS OR ATHIESTS

“NO AMOUNT OF PIOUS RANTING CAN CHANGE THE FACT THAT NOT ALL OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS BELIEVED IN THE SAME GOD OR ANY GOD AT ALL”

TIME MAGAZINE

The Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion

THOMAS JEFFERSON

“I HAVE ALWAYS SAID AND WILL ALWAYS SAY THAT THE STUDIOUS PERUSAL OF THE SACRED VOLUME,

THE BIBLE, WILL MAKE US ALL BETTER CITIZENS”

PATRICK HENERY“IT CANNOT BE STATED TO OFTEN OR TOO STRONGLY THAT THIS GREAT COUNTRY WAS NOT FOUNDED TO BE RELIGIONISTS, BUT CHRISTIANS, AND NOT FOUNDED ON RELIGION BUT ON THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.”

GEORGE WASHINGTON“LET MY HEART, GRACIOUS GOD, BE SO AFFECTED WITH YOUR GLORY AND MAJESTY THAT I MAYFULFILL THESE WEIGHTY DUTIES THAT YOU HAVE REQUIRED OF ME. I HAVE CALLED UPON YOU TO PARDON ME AND FORGIVE ME OF MY SINS THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS WHICH WAS OFFERED FOR ME. YOU GAVE YOUR SON FOR ME AND HAVE GIVEN ME THE ASSURANCE OF MY SALVATION.”

CHANGE #2

CHANGE THE FACT OUR FORE-FATHERS DID NOT PUT UP A WALL OF SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE - TO -THE BELIEF THAT THEY DID PUT UP A WALL OF SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE

“THE WALL OF SEPARATION THAT THE FOUNDING FATHER’S BUILT BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE WAS ONE OF THE BEST DEFENCES FREEDOM HAS EVER HAD, OR HAVE WE FORGOTTEN WHY THE FOUNDING FATHERS PUT IT UP?”

TIME MAGAZINE

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS

“THE HIGHEST GLORY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUION IS CONNECTED IN OUR INDISSOVABLE BOND IN THE PRINCIPLES OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT AND THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIANITY.”

THE SUPREME COURT (1796)THE CHURCH OF HOLY TRINITY VS. U.S.

“OUR LAWS AND OUR INSTITUTIONS MUST NECESSARILY BE BASED UPON AND EMBODY THE TEACHINGS OF THE REDEEMER OF MANKIND. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR IT TO BE OTHERWISE AND IN THIS SENSE AND TO THIS EXTENT, OUR CIVILIZATION AND OUR INSTITUTIONS ARE EMPHATICALLYCHRISTIAN.”

CHANGE #3CHANGE FROM THE FACT THAT AMERICA WAS FOUNDED AS A CHRISTIAN NATION

- TO -AMERICA WAS ESTABLISHED ON A SECULAR FOUNDATION

Governor Curt Fordess of Mississippi stated in a public speech: “…America is a Christian nation…”

The Washington Post responded by calling the Governor “…a bigot whose politics of exclusion are attempting to cut large categories of people our of the process.”

JOHN JAY

First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

“Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers and it is their privilege and duty, in the interest of our CHRISTIAN NATION, select and prefer Christians for our leaders.”

N.Y. SUPREME COURT (1811)THE PEOPLE VS. ROOGLE

“The people of this state in common with the people of this country profess the general

doctrines of Christianity as their rule of faith an practice…”(cited examples and concluded)

“These and many other matters which might be noted add a volume of unofficial declaration to

the mass of organic utterances that this IS A CHRISTIAN NATION”

CHANGE #4CHANGE FROM THE FACT THAT CHARACTER MATTERS IN OUR ELECTED LEADERS

- TO -THE BELIEF THAT CHARACTER

DOES NOT MATTER

WILLIAM PENN(FOUNDER OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA)

“Government, like clocks, go from the motion that men give them. Therefore, government rather depends upon men than men upon government. So, let the men be good and the government cannot be bad, but if the men be bad, the government cannot be good.”

NOAH WEBSTER (1758-1843) “When you become entitled with the exercise of the right for voting for public office, let it be impressed upon your minds that God commands you to choose

for yourselves rulers who are just men, who rule in the fear of God. If this duty is neglected and unprincipled men are placed in the office of the government, It will soon be corrupted. Laws will be made, not for public good, as much as for selfish purposes.”

CHANGE #5

CHANGE FROM THE FACT THAT GOD IS GOD AND HAS BLESSED OUR NATION - TO -WE NO LONGER WANT OR NEED GOD IN OUR LIVES NOR IN OUR NATION

1947 Supreme Court established THE WALL OF SEPARATION between church and state

1962 Supreme Court outlawed prayers in school1963 Supreme Court outlawed Bible reading in public schools1965 Supreme Court forbid students to pray out loud for their food

1967 Supreme Court declared a 4 line nursery rhyme unconstitutional because it might cause a student to ‘think about God’

1973 Supreme Court declared abortion to be the law of the land (Roe vs. Wade)

1980 Supreme Court removed the 10 commandments from the public schools as “it might cause children to respect and obey them”

1992 Supreme Court banned prayer from being said at graduations

III. AMERICA IN A STATE OF CRISIS

A CRISIS OF CHARACTER

“RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION, BUT SIN IS A DISGRACE TO ANY PEOPLE”

PROVERBS 14:34

CRISIS OF CONFUSION

“GOD MAKES NATIONS GREAT AND DESTROYS THEM…HE DEPRIVES LEADERS OF THE EARTH OF THEIR REASON AND SENDS THEM WANDERING INTO TRACKLESS WASTE. THEY GROPE IN DARKNESS WITH NO LIGHT”

JOB 12:23-25

CRISIS OF CONSEQUENCE

“SURELY THE NATIONS ARE LIKE A DROP IN THE BUCKET; THEY ARE REGARDED AS DUST ON THE SCALES.”

TRUTH TO LIVE BY

1. AS CHRISTIANS, WE MUST BE SALT AND LIGHT IN A DARK CULTURE

TRUTH TO LIVE BY2. AS CHRISTIANS, WE MUST TAKE COURAGEOUS STANDS AGAINST THAT WHICH IS BIBLICALLY WRONG AND STAND FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS!

TRUTH TO LIVE BY3. AS CHRISTIANS WE MUST NOT FORGET TO PRAY FOR

OUR COUNTRY!

I Tim. 2:1,2“Therefore, I exhort first of all that pleading, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and reverence.”

TRUTH TO LIVE BY4. AS CHRISTIANS, WE MUST LET GOD RULE IN

OUR LIVES, AND WHEN THERE IS ENOUGH OF US WITH GOD RULING IN OUR LIVES, HE WILL THEN RULE IN OUR NATION!

“BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD!”