Consider these statistics of Christianity in America as reported in a recent article by Bert Farias: Eighty-four percent of the inhabitants of this nation say they believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, according to Barna Group, and 45 percent claim to be born-again Christians. (Other studies show it is closer to 33 percent.) Either way, these numbers are high.
How do you think God feels about the following facts about America?
- Homicide and incarceration highest of any industrialized nation. Ten times that of Japan, Sweden, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
- Crime increased by 371% since 1960, with Juvenile Crime up 920% since 1985, the highest in the world.
- Divorce quadrupled in the last 30 years, making the U.S. the world leader.
- Teenage pregnancies also quadrupled in the last 30 years (more than a million a year) making the US the Western World leader.
- Voluntary abortion leader in the world.
- Illegal drug use leader of the world.
- Illiteracy world leader, with National Educational Standards among the lowest in the world.
- Teen suicides more than doubled in the last 30 years.
- America has the highest percentage of single-parent families in the industrialized world
- The highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases
- The highest rate of teenage birth by far
- The highest rate of teenage drug use
- The largest prison population per capita than any country in the world.
- The divorce rate has doubled
- Teen suicide has tripled
- Reported violent crime has quadrupled
- The prison population has quintupled
- The percentage of babies born out of wedlock has risen six fold
- Couples living together out of wedlock have increased seven fold
- Homosexual marriage is now a legalized reality in a number of states, with many believing the end is not in sight.
In this past generation, we have experienced an overwhelming increase in lawlessness, permissiveness and selfishness. Moral actions that were unthinkable a few decades ago are now commonplace—Christian leaders indulging in sexual sin and grossly immoral scandals, addicted to pornography and accompanied by an exploding divorce rate have greatly factored in the rapid decrease of morals in the American church. And as the church goes, so goes the world. In fact, the results of a survey among young American adults showed that the percentage who follow biblically based values for living has now dropped from 65 percent to a mere 4 percent since World War II.
There has never been a society in the history of mankind whose moral values have deteriorated so dramatically, in such a short period of time, as those of Americans in the last 50 years. And so far it shows no sign of stopping. These statistics are eye-opening, and they serve to warn us that something is terribly wrong with our brand of Christianity. They reveal how poorly the church has communicated the true gospel to mainstream America, and thus the reason for so much deception in our culture.
When the rich man died and went to Hades (Luke 16:19-31), he was surprised to find himself there. In the Jewish culture, they equated wealth with godliness, so this man thought God favored him. The common thought, especially among the Jews, was if you were blessed financially, then you were a good person and therefore favored by God and on your way to heaven. This also explains the disciples’ astonishment when Jesus told them how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 19:23-25).
Are you in touch with your true spiritual condition, or are you like the rich man? Are you conforming to the world’s standards or to the Bible? Are you deceived? How can a nation of people among whom a large percentage claims to be born-again Christians experience the kind of degradation the above statistics reveal?
Today I’m meeting with a dozen men from all over America to try and come up with messaging that will resonate with Christians in America in order that they would seek repentance for us, our families, and our nation. I ask you to pray for us, because without repentance there can be no revival and without revival there is judgment.
Interestingly seventy-seven percent of Americans believe their chances of going to heaven are excellent. Thirty-three percent believe that one day everyone will go to heaven.
This of course is entirely contrary to God’s word the Holy Bible. God hates sin and is going to judge it harshly. Read it for yourself. Psalm 7:11 God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day. And in Revelation 2:23, I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am He who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
But it is not too late to turn to Him and repent.
Listen to the Spirit:
2 Chron. 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
That is a big “IF”. We must repent, (turn from our wicked ways), in order for America to survive. Do you anguish over what is happening to our country? Or do you shake your head and mumble, “Oh yeah that’s really bad”, and then go on about business as usual and not give it another thought? Have you meekly accepted that America will be turned over entirely to satan and be destroyed, or are you ready to do something about it?
Start by getting down on your knees and praying for our nation and if you haven’t done so, join us at www.RenewalofAmerica.org We intend to fight the forces of evil to the last breath! This is not a political movement, or is it denominational, and we are not asking for your money or anything other than that you stand up for Christ and biblical values. Do it because it’s the right thing to do.
Isaiah 60:13
“Arise, my people! Let your light shine for all the nations to see! For the glory of the Lord is streaming from you. Darkness as black as night shall cover all the peoples of the earth, but the glory of the Lord will shine from you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see the glory of the Lord upon you.”
July 28, 2014 – Click here to listen