Sojourners In A Hostile Land

“We have become a reproach to our neighbors,
a scorn and derision to those who are around us.”
Psalm 79:4

There was a time when the people of America generally revered the Word of God. His Word was invoked in government assemblies and was the basis for righteousness throughout the land. I remember well those days. Homage to the Most High was the prevailing attitude among the people. Our very laws and statutes were derived from the Word of God.

Although human nature being what it is, of course there was sin among us, yet sin was not flaunted nor, God forbid, dictated by the government. Divorce was not allowed except for infidelity, abortions were unheard of except in the shadows of those who aborted their babies secretly. Likewise homosexuality was practiced between themselves privately and it was not spoken of nor approved, neither by the populace nor by the government. Sins committed in secret were between the sinner and the Lord, but they were not the law of the land, they were not approved of by the public, and the name of God was not blasphemed. Morality reigned in those days.

In 1963 came the beginning of the end of righteousness in America. Madalyn Murray O’Hair, an atheist, managed to stop prayer in public schools, asserting that it was unconstitutional for her son to be forced to hear prayer or Bible reading there. For the first time, the government did not uphold morality in this country and fell to her objections. That was the turning point. From there, look how far we have fallen. Incidentally, O’Hair died a horribly violent death. She was kidnapped, murdered, and her body mutilated. And she’ll have an eternity of regret, as there are no atheists in hell; no, in hell they know the truth which they rejected all their lives.

The God of heaven has something to say about all this. WOE has been pronounced upon this land;

“WOE to those who call evil good, and good evil,
who put darkness for light, and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Isaiah 5:20

No longer are the words of Almighty God the foundation of this people; no, the people are the source unto themselves:

vs 21:
“Woe to those who are wise
IN THEIR OWN EYES,
and prudent in their own sight!”

And now – those who DO bow to the Word of God – have become a reproach, a scorn and a derision, called all manner of hateful names, laughed at and rejected. America, the once-great nation highly blessed by God, the greatest nation that ever was upon the earth, has become a cesspool of evil, a devil’s playground, a pot of filth, a people given over to their lusts, a nation of reprobates, hardened hearts, blind and lost.

Believers though, those who believe in the Word of God, have been strengthened in their faith because it is no longer free. Those who practice righteousness do so now under threats of retaliation, so those who remain in the faith are those who have had to fight for it; the many have fallen away and those who remain are – the few. The few have come to realize the truth in the Scriptures that earth is not their home, and they realize that more and more as the country becomes their enemy and fear accompanies every expression of their faith.

When there is penalty for the expression of faith, then that creates a whole new reality. Earth becomes increasingly irrelevant to them, as they realize they are in a foreign land, enemies in a hostile land, a dangerous land, as the truth of the Scripture becomes far more obvious to them:

“For many walk, of whom I have told you often,
and now tell you even weeping,
that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ,
whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly,
and whose glory is in their shame…”
Philippians 3:18-19

When we walked in blessing, it was easy to take the Scriptures for granted. But as our faith is challenged and threatened, we come to understand the truth of the Scripture which tells us that Satan is the god of this world (2nd Corinthians 4:4). We come to realize in a way that we never did before – that we are not of this world, we are refugees here, standing true to the Word of God in a hostile world, and our purpose has now become all the more clear to us.

“For our citizenship is in heaven,
from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ…”
Philippians 3:20

Therefore it becomes central to our focus that we follow our Lord and Savior totally surrendered to him so that through us he might reach out to the lost and save as many as possible. That has to become our chief goal and purpose as we’re passing through, playing the role we are called to, for it’s all that matters in the long run.

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