Dan A. Rodriguez Articles, Books, and Podcasts
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
Many say, “All hands on deck” when they want everybody involved and responsive. For our purposes, I’ll say, “All EARS on deck!” Jesus said what follows as He finished preaching and teaching on the great parable of the sower.
“Pay attention to what you hear. By your own standard of measurement [that is, to the extent that you study spiritual truth and apply godly wisdom] it will be measured to you [and you will be given even greater ability to respond]—and more will be given to you besides.” (Mark 4:24 AMP)
If the disciples would pay close attention to what they heard, then God would show them more. That is my prayer for you right now. May you listen closely and may more be given to you from the Lord.
Following is a warning from God for ALL nations. It includes the United States of America. It was not a warning only for Israel and Jerusalem. Notice that it is God speaking, so, “ALL EARS ON DECK!”
7There are times, … when I (God) threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom. 8 But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it. 9 And there are times when I promise to build up and establish a nation or kingdom. 10 But if that nation does what displeases me and does not obey me, then I will cancel the good I promised to do to it. 11 So now, … The LORD says, ‘I am preparing to bring disaster on you! I am making plans to punish you. So, every one of you, stop the evil things you have been doing. Correct the way you have been living and do what is right. 12 But they just keep saying, ‘We do not care what you say! We will do whatever we want to do! We will continue to behave wickedly and stubbornly! (Jeremiah 18:7-12 NET)
America’s founding fathers wanted to build a country that was “one nation under God.” America has swerved from that original intent. So many Americans no longer serve God, and many others have a deep hatred of anything Christian that upholds a Bible based morality.
Many scorn God’s holy moral guidelines in Scripture that call for marriage to be between one biological male and one biological female, and the Biblical call for holiness in body and spirit. The false prophets on mainstream media, in Hollywood, sports, false teachers in schools and colleges, these have spread their poison of moral looseness and depravity. Many think fornications, having multiple sexual partners, adulterous relationships, homosexuality, violence, murder of the unborn (abortions), cursing and “cussing,” and much worse are just “who we are” as a society. No, it is what society has become because they heeded the false prophets and have refused to listen to God and His Word. (See Jeremiah 5:31, 14:14; Lamentations 2:14; Matthew 7:15, 24:11, 24; 2 Peter 2:1.)
We see the moral looseness (lawlessness) portrayed by self-righteous Hollywood in most of its movies. They are not, and never have been the moral compass for this nation. To the contrary, most of Hollywood is a cesspool of wickedness and rebellion towards God, but they are not alone. We see the depravity displayed during Spring break, carnivals, concerts, parties… and the list could go on for a very long time. It looks hopeless, but is it?
Is liberty tolerating such things, and is it a sign of progressive thinking? No, it is a sign of decay and, finally, death. The wages of sin are still death. (Romans 6:23) Real liberty is serving God according to His Word and living in a country (America) that has bestowed rights on each citizen according to its Constitution and Amendments. Don’t believe the lies of the revisionist left that denies the clear truth of the deeply religious nature and beliefs of the founding fathers of our country. Our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence came from the minds and hearts of, almost unanimously, committed believers. (1)
Where is America as a nation right now? Are we humbling ourselves, praying, and repudiating (repenting of) our evil ways as a nation, or are we stubbornly falling into the “I don’t care what God or the Bible says about it” attitude of lawlessness?
11b So, every one of you, stop the evil things you have been doing. Correct the way you have been living and do what is right. 12 But they just keep saying, "We do not care what you say! We will do whatever we want to do! We will continue to behave wickedly and stubbornly!" (Jeremiah 18:11b, 12 NET)
The last two sentences of what God said about it really speaks to America and many countries of the world. Many don’t care about what God says. They want to keep doing their wickedness with impunity. Many want to continue to behave wickedly and stubbornly, and they flaunt it all over TV, in movies, over the internet, and on social media!
Is it possible to change what is happening in America? Let’s see a Bible example of a nation that changed.
Nineveh was a wicked city, possibly, the most wicked city in its day. God threatened it with total annihilation. Jonah was sent to preach repentance to the city. Fortunately for them, they heeded the word of the Lord and repented in sackcloth and ashes.
4Jonah began to enter the city by going one day’s walk, announcing, “At the end of forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown! 5 The people of Nineveh believed in God, and they declared a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, put on sackcloth, and sat on ashes. 7 He issued a proclamation and said, “In Nineveh, by the decree of the king and his nobles: No human or animal, cattle or sheep, is to taste anything; they must not eat and they must not drink water. 8 Every person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly to God, and everyone must turn from their evil way of living and from the violence that they do. 9 Who knows? Perhaps God might be willing to change his mind and relent and turn from his fierce anger so that we might not die.” 10 When God saw THEIR actions—that they turned from their evil way of living.—God relented concerning the judgment he had threatened them with and did not destroy them. (Jonah 3:4-10 NET)
They put into practice exactly what the Lord God told Jeremiah! What happened? God cancelled the judgment he had threatened them with! Notice, that it came to head in Nineveh when the leader (king) of the nation PUBLICLY called for fasting, prayer, and turning away from wickedness and violence. God heard and saw from heaven their actions as they turned away from their evil living, and He stopped the destruction planned for them. (See also 2 Chronicles 7:13, 14.)
That is a Word for America!
On March 6, 1798, President Adams called for a national day of fasting and prayer for the country could "call to mind our numerous offenses against the most high God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, implore his pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past transgression, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit, we may be disposed and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience. . ." (2)
It is time for governmental leaders, at the White House, in Congress and the House, and also from pulpits and the congregations, to call for national repentance, prayer, and fasting so that destruction can be stopped by the hand of Almighty God. Repentance started among the populace in Nineveh, but when the leader (king) stood up and called for national fasting, prayer, and repentance was when things were taken to another level. Then, and only then, God saw THEIR actions. It wasn’t the people alone, and it wasn’t the leader alone. The leader and the people repented, and God saw it and responded.
May our leaders declare it for America again. May our country come back to God and the Lord Jesus. May a national repentance revolution take place. Amen!
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Notes:
(1) The leftist revisionists are attempting to rewrite history by denying the deeply religious nature of the founding fathers of our country. Don’t be deceived! See David Barton’s book, Original Intent, and study chapter 6, “The Religious Nature of the Founding Fathers”, chapter 17, “Religion and Morality: The Indispensable Support”, and chapter 18, Returning to Original Intent. The whole book is VERY informative, but I am emphasizing those three chapters for our present article. This book is available through Barton’s organization, wallbuilders.com. What is surprising are the powerful Christian quotes (with original source references) from the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
(2) See references for this declaration and a copy of the original publication in a local newspaper at the time at https://wallbuilders.com/proclamation-humiliation-fasting-prayer-1798/
Hear more about this subject on the accompanying anointed podcast message. Be mightily and overwhelmingly blessed!
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