Perhaps no nation that has ever existed in the history of the world other than Israel, has known the incredible blessings of God like the United States. In just over 200 years, this nation has become the most powerful and prosperous nation in the history of the world. It is the hand of God that allows nations to rise, and to fall. God allowed this nation to rise up. He poured out His richest blessings on our country. Sadly, we have squandered those blessings, misappropriated them, and now must face God's judgment.

This nation began to decline in the mid '60s. That decline continued throughout the 70s. It intensified in the me years of the 80s. The decline began to occur at warp speed during the 90's, when even the President became a symbol of our decline. As we are now 8 years into the new millennium, we are in free-fall and I am sorry to say, things are never going to get better, only worse.

There are 5 key factors that has brought our nation to this time of God's judgment. First, is the Federal Government legalizing the killing of innocent babies. In the 30 years since abortion was legalized, there have been over 40 million babies killed, approximately 1.3 million each year, around 4,000 every single day.

Second, is the bold, unrepentant, unashamed, gross sexual perversion that exists in our nation today. From those who choose homosexuality, to the epidemic of sexual activity outside of marriage starting as young as 12, to the ever increasing numbers of men and women who commit adultery, to the unrestricted pornography industry, to those who proudly engage in every type of sexual perversion that man has ever dreamed of.

The third factor is the millions who have rejected the God of the Bible to follow the false gods of the world. The fastest growing religions in our country are the cults like the Muslims, the Mormons, the Scientologists, and the various New Age movements. They have preyed on the generations in our nation that have for the most part never been to church, and during those difficult times in their life are seeking answers. Sadly, they have believed the lie from satan instead of the Truth of God's Word.

Fourth is the destruction of the family. A Godly family consisting of a man and a woman that both love the Lord and have only been married to each other, with children that love and honor God, is the exception today, rather than the norm that it once was. In this nation today, marriage is no longer God's holy institution, but little more than a legal date. Divorce damages the lives of both spouses and the children involved. A large percentage of children now grow up in unstable homes where God is never mentioned, and go on to have unhealthy relationships and children of their own, that also grow up in unstable homes void of God.

The fifth factor is the media. Satan has full control over 99% of the media (the 1% being the Christian media) and there are no longer ANY constraints on what can be produced. Between television, films, music, the Internet, video games, and publications, you can access an unlimited amount of whatever type of filth, garbage, perversion, and disgusting deviant behavior that you want 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, right from the comfort of your home.

If we think that any of these 5 factors are going to change, we are simply being naive. Things are not going to go back to the way they used to be. To not expect God's judgment on such blatant and gross rebellion is also very naive. God will not be mocked. You cannot live in rebellion to God and not pay the price in your personal life, and we cannot live in rebellion to God and not pay the price as a nation. But here is the good news. God always has a remnant, always has a people. Despite whatever He let's happen to our nation, there will always be a group of people that will never bow their knee to Baal!

Dear reader, I hope you will be part of God's remnant. I hope and pray that you will embrace the opportunity that we have as the people of God to share the hope and love of Christ with this lost and hurting nation We have incredible opportunities to see great numbers of souls saved.

May we never waiver in our faithfulness to God, serve Him to the best of our ability, and always be proud to be called Christians.

by J A Christian Daily Devotional for Sunday, July 20th, 2008