It’s painful to watch our nation go from proudly pledging "one nation under God" to demonstrating that we are really just "one nation ignoring God."

I can think of no more horrible truth of this reality than the condoning of abortion and the support of gay marriages or the homosexual lifestyle. But what is really frighteningly sobering is to see members of the Church demonstrating that same 'ignoring-God' mindset.

Again, I can think of no clearer example of this than members of the Church placing economic strategies and party politics above the Word of God by casting their influence in a manner that supports both abortion and homosexuality.

God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their practice of homosexuality. We all know that there is no sinless city or nation but God sent brimstone and fire only upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Surely the message is clear that some sins are so grievous as to cause the Lord to act in a swift and severe manner (Genesis 19).

Have we forgotten that God determines the times and the bounds of our habitation and that he also sets up kingdoms and takes down kingdoms (Acts 17:26)? It would appear that we have forgotten, for how else could we cast our influence in such a way as to ask God to come in judgment against our own nation?

Do we believe that God no longer works in the world today? God forbid!

Do we now believe that God has repented from destroying Sodom and Gomorrah?

Do we believe that God loves our nation more than he loves His own will? Just because there are so-called Christians that place temporal things above the eternal purpose of God doesn't mean God is going to move heaven and earth for our own shortsightedness. How can the Christian knowingly give his influence in support of killing innocent babies and not expect to be held accountable?

The apostle Paul did not stone Stephen but was held accountable for casting his vote against him and holding the coats of those that did stone him (Acts 7:58-8:1, 26:10).

In the Old Testament there were those that killed innocent children by burning them in offering unto Molech. That horrible practice is no worse than the practice of abortion where supposed doctors jab sharp vacuum hoses into the base of the head of babies and suck their brains out as they are being born. Nor is it worse than any of the other forms of abortion where essentially the baby is chopped up into pieces and then reassembled on the operating table to make sure they got all of the pieces of the baby.

Leviticus 20:4-5 says, "And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off..."

God not only required the death of those that practiced such he also cut off those who willingly hid their eyes from those who did it. Yet we somehow think that we can get by when we hide our eyes from abortion when we cast our lot for those who believe in such? What does it mean to be "cut off" from God? Can we be saved without God?

In Exodus 1:16-21 when the king of Egypt commanded midwives to kill the male children as they were born the midwives didn't because they feared God and God blessed them with houses because of it. God will bless us too if we show proper fear of him.

God determines the times and the bounds of our habitation (Acts 17:26), and he gives power to the nations (Romans 13:1). What the Lord has given the Lord can take away. We are stewards of what God has given us and as stewards we shall give an account unto the Lord. "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (I Cor. 4:2).

Proverbs 14:34 states, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." Either we believe God still works and blesses us or we don't. If we don't believe then we fall short of Hebrews 11:6 which states, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

My only conclusion is that we have lost our fear of God. Even the condemned thief on the cross had enough fear of God to rebuke the other malefactor when he railed against Christ in Luke 23:39-40. How can we feel justified in our religion when a condemned criminal shows more faith and fear of God than we do?

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb 10:26-31). The devils tremble with fear (James 2:19), and their fate is sealed but we seem to have lost the ability to tremble and our eternal destiny hangs in the balance!

If we don't love the truth enough to allow it to alter our lives then what do we do more than unbelievers? Let us not profess to know God but deny him in works (II Thess. 2:10-12 and Titus 1:16).

Let us retain God in our knowledge while we have the ability to help bring about righteousness lest God gives us up to a reprobate mind (Rom. 1:28).

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

—Michael W. Wheeler