History books are written and re-written according to what someone wants to say to promote their position. I don’t know what the history books will eventually say about the America that I grew up in, but I do know what I have seen and experienced over the past 75 years. In that period of time, it is like I lived in another country in those early years and at some point moved into the country that I live in now. Both from a natural and from a spiritual perspective, it is indeed a different place than the one that I knew. My hope and faith is that 75 years from now there will be a different and better nation and world than the one we live in now. I pray and believe it will be a much more godly world.
I remember sincere patriotism that was real and was deserved. The most godly nation in the world became the most powerful force in the world for good. The world was filled with bad things like Hitler and his rampage that brought about World War ll. However, America was always seen as on the side of right, fighting for freedom and liberty of the oppressed peoples. Always seeking to stop the invaders and prevent their oppression of other peoples and nations.
The churches that were on almost every other major street corner in small town America may not have had it all right but were corporately the greatest force in the world for sending the message of Christ Jesus as Saviour to all the world. Multitudes of sincere and dedicated missionaries left their families and the safety of their homeland to take the message of the cross to most every land in the world. They gave their lives without reservation to help the people of the world. To carry the gospel of Jesus Christ was a noble and highly respected service to the world.
From the fertile farm lands of America, more tons of food than anyone can count have been delivered into foreign lands to feed the hungry. Medical missionaries left potentially lucrative medical practices in America to help the suffering and carry the love of God to the remote regions of the world. We could go on and on with the sacrifices of many lives and much goods that have flowed to the world from America. Back when I was young, it really felt so good to be an American and to know that you and your country would give its all to preserve peace and freedom and well-being for the world.
In those days there were bad things in America, but not nearly so much, and at least we knew bad things were bad. A man and woman who lived together unmarried was a shame and a disgrace to their families and the community. It was called shacking up and was rarely practiced and then only by the non Christian bottom rung of immoral society. Women were moms and wives, and men worked hard to provide for their families. Meals were family affairs where much communication and informal training took place as parents passed on the wisdom of their fathers to the children.
Prisons were few, and the people who were in them were seen as different from the general population. Movies and even early TV shows were believable and taught good morals. The good guys always won, and it was not hard to tell them from the bad guys.
A child born out of wedlock was known as a bastard child and was a rare happening. Some people had pre-marital sex, but they knew it was bad and usually got married sometimes by what was called a shotgun wedding. That is the girls dad showed up with a shot gun and politely told the young man that he had taken his daughter’s virginity and would find it greatly to his advantage and continued good health to marry her NOW. After the wedding he was accepted as part of the family.
Homosexuality was not tolerated and was known to be a deadly sin. None of us could have possibly imagined that this would become known as a lifestyle alternative with gay marriages. Even the word gay meant a happy excited light feeling back then and had nothing to do with sexual perversion. No one could have imagined the violent in-your-face and in-God’s-face actions of homosexuals of today. Neither could we have believed the push by society to train our children in public schools in the acceptance of this life-damaging practice.
A man’s word was his bond and most would suffer great loss before they would go back on their word to someone. A written contract was not needed when a man gave his word, and a handshake sealed the deal.
When someone had need, the neighbors jumped in to do what they could to help. Welfare was not needed to be administered by the federal government. The local community took care of its own. When state-run welfare did begin, it was a shame to have to live off of someone else’s money, and only people in the most dire situations would accept this charity.
Americans were among the best educated in the world. Illegal drugs were unheard of in schools and across the countryside. Only in the big city slums were drugs a problem. There was alcohol, but even that was not for sale everywhere. Many areas of the country were known as dry, and no liquor was legally sold in those areas.
Housing was modest and simple. Only the most affluent had brick homes. Fishing boats used paddles, and only the rich had boats with motors. Time payment credit plans were just getting started, and most saved their hard earned money until they had enough to buy what they needed. Children were even taught to save at school.
Most higher learning institutions began for the purpose of teaching the Bible and biblical standards of life and conduct to the people. Public prayer was normal in schools and the name of Jesus was commonly used in prayer as the Son of God and not a curse word.
I could go on and on with how things have changed in my 75 years, but I think you get the picture. It wasn’t perfect, and there was bad stuff; but it was a very different America.
What happened? How has America fallen into spreading the filth of Hollywood and perversions of sin and filth to the world? How is it that young people are trained in sexual immorality and violence as pleasure? How have our business, church, and government leaders become known as greedy and selfish? How is it that the great institutions of learning have become filled with hate for Christ Jesus and the truth of the word of God? How has it happened that we have become known as the invader rather than the protector? How is it that “One Nation Under God” has rejected its God and is hated by much of the people of the world? All this and much more has come about in my lifetime.
Is it that there was always a hidden crack in our solid quest for liberty? Was our foundation of a nation under God noble and right but with an underlying flaw? In our early national history, had we preached Jesus to the native Americans while driving them from their homes, taking their land, and breaking the strength of their existence? What about the importation of Africans and treating them as chattel property rather than human beings. Yes, the strength of the church and the work of God played a big part in the continuing cleansing of the evils of oppression committed in the foundations of America.
During my lifetime there have been great strides toward righting these wrongs. But did we have deep within the fabric of our culture a remaining need that led to greed and immorality? And is that what is surfacing again as we become seen by many as the aggressor and the oppressor instead of the deliverer for the oppressed?
Is our underlying flaw a fatal flaw?
The flaw must be identified and corrected if it is not to be fatal. Perhaps many views at different levels would be seen by various people as the primary flaw. However, the need is to get to the very deepest level of the problem, recognize it, and change it. In my opinion, the Lord is in this season revealing the fatal flaw that has been the downfall of every powerful nation of history and is now in the process of taking down America and the coalition of western powers.
Our potentially fatal flaw did not originate in America. It was seeded into this nation from its European roots. The early settlers brought it with them as one of their greatest strengths. Some of you may think I have gone mad when I reveal to you what I believe the fatal flaw of America and other powerful nations over two millennia of history has been. However, please see me through and consider the full depth of this situation before you cancel your subscription or send me hate mail.
The fatal flaw is religion and religious systems. Let me explain. The only nation or power on earth that will ever remain without end is the nation ruled by God, empowered by Him and directed by Him. It is the assigned role of the church, the holy people of God, to bring forth the pure holy reality of Christ Jesus in man by the Holy Spirit to rule and reign on earth. The religious church systems failed to do this and substituted empty religion for the reality of the love and power of God indwelling the people through Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Religion has enough appearance of godliness to cause the people to think they are where they are supposed to be with God. Therefore, the people stop seeking for more of God and His kingdom. Religion is like a vaccination that keeps us from catching the real thing. When in reality, religion has only the appearance of godliness without the power and reality of God. Our nations without the power and reality of God have moved far from the ways of God and established man-centered, self-focused secular ways that were easily infiltrated with spiritual darkness.
2 Tim 3:5: having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Mark 7:9: He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
Col 2:8: Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
Religion instead of the reality of relationship with God is our fatal flaw. This is why our forefathers could preach Jesus to the Native Americans and destroy their lives at the same time. That is why this nation could buy and sell Africans and go to church on Sunday and pray. This is why Christian leaders fall into greed and immorality. That is why the deceptions of spiritual blindness allow this nation to be led by the greed and lust of the hearts of deceived people. That is why the western nations are becoming a violent immoral people fit for destruction.
I am not anti-American and not anti-Western and surely not anti-church. I love America, the church, and all the western nations, and I am sincerely thankful for all the value we have been. I love too much to sit back and say nothing when God is speaking and our hope depends on seeing who we really are and in what condition we really are. I love too much to not search for a road to change.
The good news is that the road has been found, and the way is open. Many people are getting up and moving out on the road to the reality of God and the establishment of His nation of holy people within many nations. People are moving out of the religious systems that are the fatal flaw and moving into Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit, becoming the holy purified Body of Christ. The kingdom of God from heaven can come forth in His people on earth. A fresh new extreme abandonment of all that our greed and lust has built and a passionate to-the-death commitment to God is the way to God’s power and love flowing rivers of living water into the nations of the world. There is a passion for God and for His people coming forth in people. Especially youth are giving birth to a new generation with a new level of passion for God and His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Rev 12:11: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Kingdom revival is a passionate move of God in people that leads to the kingdom of God lifestyle in the made-alive people of God. It is the life-giving Spirit moving upon and within, transforming ordinary people into maturing supernaturally-empowered men and women of God. People in every walk of life and every part of the world can get in as the Spirit of God is moving across the world. The substitute religion is being washed away by the life-giving Spirit of Christ Jesus moving upon our hearts. Get connected to and become one with the Spirit of Christ and connect with other passionate believers; then preach the kingdom, anticipating the power of God to move through you to touch and change the lives of the people who come within the sphere of the Spirit flowing through your life. Let your faith become without limitation and speak the truth in love. Do the work set before you, and we shall see the hand of God move to bring change and heal our fatal flaw.
This is not a time of fear and despair. This is the time to do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Psa 33:12: Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
Psa 144:15: Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!
Keep on pursuing love.
It never fails.
Ron McGatlin
http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net
Radical Disciples - A Remnant Revolution 