America In Crisis
By Evangelist Larry Ramsour
Edited copy from The Encourager, published by Larry Ramsour Evangelistic Association, June, 2004
The Bible speaks of those who, having ears, do not hear. (Psalm 115:6) The same verse speaks of those who have noses, but smell not. One day Jesus confronted some people He indicated were smart enough to look toward the west, see a cloud, and say that it was going to rain. These same people were also capable of predicting a drought by checking the direction of the wind. He then said to them, “Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?” Luke 12:54-57
Since World War II an alarming thing has happened. There has arisen a “generation” of Americans who are totally oblivious to an insidious malignancy that has been eating away at the fibers of national morality and decency. It is frightening to realize that many of these clueless Americans are religious people. Some are church members and respected community leaders.
The spiritual and moral composition of our land is in a state of decay. Those who sniff with secular noses apparently can’t smell the rot, but it is there. It doesn’t take much spiritual sensitivity to identify the rancid decomposition. It is seen on our television sets. It is recognizable in the headlines of our newspapers and on the covers of our magazines. It is visible on the bumper stickers of our automobiles and on our T-shirts. It is identifiable in our malls and in the movies. It is evidenced in the courts of our land. It is openly promoted by militant groups with destructive agendas. The gravity of this rottenness is noticeably marked by the silence of many Christians. And, tragically, the decadence that has brought our beloved country to this sad condition is blatantly disregarded, even embraced, by not-just-a-few in the halls of government.
If you doubt this deplorable loss of a moral compass in the USA, consider the following. Several years ago a prayer was written by a minister, Bob Russell, who was pastor of Southeast Christian Church of Louisville, Kentucky. Later that year, Rep. Mark Paschall delivered the prayer for the Colorado House invocation. Later, in the Kansas House in Topeka, Pastor Joe Wright of Central Christian Church in Wichita offered the same prayer. When the prayer was publicized, it captured the attention of many thoughtful Christians across America. In November, 2003, this prayer was voiced by Arizona state representative Doug Quelland of Phoenix.
In each instance the prayer was offered, howls of protest rained down on the one who prayed. When Reverend Wright delivered the prayer in Topeka he was verbally attacked.
When Representative Quelland offered the invocation in Arizona, some Arizona House members walked out on the prayer; others vocally raised objections in protest. One representative said that the prayer was “divisive” and “hateful.” Would you like to read the prayer that was found to be so disgusting to representatives in the Houses of Kansas, Colorado and Arizona?
“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know your word says, `Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. We confess that:
“We have ridiculed the absolute truth of your word and called it pluralism.
“We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
“We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.
“We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
“We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation
“We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
“We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
“We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
“We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
“We have abused power and called it political savvy.
“We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
“We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
“And we have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
“Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. In the name of your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
I first heard this prayer on the radio, read by Paul Harvey several years ago, shortly after Pastor Joe Wright had offered it in Topeka. I was impressed by its simplicity and intensity. I wanted to say “AMEN” – and “AMEN” again! I cannot imagine any Christian objecting to it, nor being offended by it.
Today America is in crisis! Any Christian who doubts where he should stand needs to take spiritual inventory. The Bible is not ambivalent on the issues that matter: the sanctity of life, abortion, marriage, family, deviant and immoral lifestyles, parental responsibility and authority, individual accountability for one’s actions, the fraudulent disregard for the truth by historical revisionists in our schools, scorn for Biblical origins and intelligent design, mockery of Christian values, judicial activism (yes, the Bible even deals with judges without integrity), assaults upon religious freedom, efforts to sever the mention of God and Biblical truths from public life, etc.
In just a few months American voters will make a choice. I would advise every Christian to take a good look with eyes that see things as they really are; listen with a heart that really hears. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that party lines and party platforms are distinctly drawn this year. Hollywood, the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, the “so-called” People for the American Way,” and a host of other godless, militant activists of every imaginable stripe have already made their choice. The disintegration of a culture is at stake. Christians hold the balance of power.
For those who are offended by Joe Wright’s prayer there is plenty of company waiting for them in one of our national political parties. Meanwhile, Christians had better get it right! There may not be a “next time.” History reveals that nations do have “points of no return!”
Earnestly and prayerfully,
Larry Ramsour