My Spirit is heavy as we near the approaching train wreck of American History.  The hands of the deceiver are set firmly at the small of our back forcing us into the path of the oncoming locomotive.  Where we had once been bystanders on the platform now we have become headline news with epic narrative and graphic images of gore and plasma.  The whistle blows, the light illuminates the tunnel, while screeching brakes spasm our nerves to the point of collapse.  Thing is, our friends, our families, our history books, our Pastors, our girlfriends, wives and daughters had all begged us not to go to the station.  Pleading with us and showing solid evidence that someday we would be involved in cataclysm, one which was totally avoidable.  At the last moment as gravity calls us wantonly to the third rail we remember distinctly reading in the Bible our Grandmother gave us that all we had to do was repent, believe and have faith and we would be saved from this moment, but we didn’t listen.

My country is teetering on edge with not but a hand’s width fluctuation in angle of derivation making this a foregone conclusion.  We have forgotten God, we have forgotten what made this country great, departing from the morals and solid foundational practices that accompany all to greatness.  We have carelessly swallowed the bait laid out for us by the enemy and are now crumpled over grasping our midsection wondering what has happened and begging our corrupt officials to save us from the inevitable.  We are wretched, tired, hungry, naked, blind and alone and the worst of it is that we haven’t even humbled ourselves in that state enough to cry out to the Lord for deliverance.  We how offer ourselves the choice of two leaders, neither who believe in the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob nor would proclaim the Name of Jesus even if it guaranteed salvation for the entire nation.  We have sold our birthright for a bowl of soup and have no right, recourse or recipient for our complaints.  To the winner goes the spoils, well in this fight the enemy is winning and his golden cup is the destruction of the blessing called America.

Who will stand for her?  Who will risk everything to protect the unborn, the unwed, the widowed, tired, alone and hungry?   Who will challenge the wicked, pray for the unsavory, visit the incarcerated and proclaim the mighty name of Jesus, no matter what the personal consequence?  Who will demonstrate their love for the Lord by obeying His command and walking the path of righteousness?  Who will remember this grand lady, dressed for ceremony, holding her light high, leading all misbegotten souls to safety in a country where God is King, not men?  Who will waste the last ounce of pride, treasure, talent and breath calling her to repentance at the feet of the Most High God?  Will it be me, will it be you, or are we just through?  Waiting and watching for God’s return does not mean sitting on the bench, with helmet in your hand. as the field goes one player short waiting for you to get in the game.  Wait on God.  Perhaps it is you that He is waiting upon.  Praise Jesus Amen.

Whatever you don’t control, controls you.  Rampant lusts and unbridled hungers may not lead to trouble, but excesses always come with baggage.  Whether food, sex, entertainment, shopping, anger or affection overindulgence serves another master, namely the god of flesh.  If my actions, thoughts and prayer time is not focused on the Lord then I am serving someone else.  And the Bible explicitly says this is not possible as we will love one and hate the other at some point.

Is flesh my god?  Emphatically I say “No”, the Holy Spirit of God rules in my universe and therefore He leads me toward self-control.  The difficult learning in all this is that this is entirely none of my doing.  The Lord calls me to surrender and then He will indwell me, making the changes to my internal landscape so that it may accommodate His Glory.  I was incapable of saving myself, I am incapable of sanctifying myself.  The irony of Christianity is two-fold; one I must surrender in fearful wisdom of the Lord I serve and then humble myself in weakness so that I may be used to fullest extent of my capacity.  This is antithetical to the world’s understanding and paradigm, therefore, the spiritually blind cannot see God.

Oh, Lord speak to their hearts.  Let them see worldly aspiration as futility wrapped in a blanket of pointlessness.  Winning the world means nothing if I am to be forever separated from Almighty God.  I will have achieved less than nothing, stealing from myself the opportunity for Eternity spent with my maker.  Let me surrender my entire life to You so that Your Grace may expose every corner of my humanity to Your Holiness.  Bring into line all my behaviors so that nothing I do offends You or serves another master.  You alone are God, King, Majesty, Might and Honor.  Jesus be praised.  Amen.