2010 – July 8 – Pledging Undivided Allegiance

Study from God’s Word… 2nd Kings, Chapters 17 - 18 … Passage for Reflection: 2nd Kings 17: 32-33, 41 … NIV 32 They [the foreign inhabitants in God’s promised lands when Israel taken captive by Assyria] worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. 33 They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. … 41 Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.

My Journal for Today: When I read Dr. Smith’s explanation and devotional entry today about how the alien inhabitants of Israel’s lands practiced religion when they were taken captive by Assyria, I couldn’t help but think about how America has become, since its founding as a “Christian Nation,” a land of hybrid faiths. And many countries in Europe, which 100 years ago would have been seen historically and demographically labeled as predominantly Christian nations have knuckled under to the cries of “tolerance,” becoming bastardized into many forms of religions; … or they are being consumed slowly by Islamic beliefs where there is NO tolerance of other faith practices.

Today the hyper-tolerance movement is sweeping the USA; and those advocating “tolerance” of faith have become tolerant of all religions, … save one, … Christianity. And there is also the spread of hybrid religious beliefs and practices, being perpetrated by new age gurus like the famous – or infamous – Oprah. And even among faith practices which are labeled as “christian,” the infusion of new ageism as well as practices from far-Eastern faiths is reshaping the face of Christianity. And the “tolerance movement” is also pressuring so-called “christian” denominations to accept sinful social practices such as homosexuality; and we see what used to be mainline Christian groups, such as the Church of England or the Presbyterian Church in the USA denomination discussing the Ordination of declared gay church leaders as well as pushing to include “gay marriage” in their sacraments.

And when one reads what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1: 18 – 32 [linked here], one can’t help but feel that God must be on the edge of allowing America to reap the same fate as did Israel in the times of Prophets like Isaiah. My dear friends, we cannot allow or tolerate idolatry or totally non-Christian religious practices to infuse our Church culture in the name of “tolerance;” because if we do, God’s wrath of abandonment is most surely to be the result as it was in the days of God’s people, which is documented where I’m reading now in 2nd Kings. Oh how we need to pray for God’s mercy [see 2nd Chron. 7: 14] and for His protection over the remnant of believers here in American, … those who stand firm in belief and worship strongly the one true God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, spare those of us who stand for You. Protect us from Your own abandonment if our prayers are not enough to shield our country from Your wrath. We know that You will never forsake us; but we’ve seen that You can or will turn us – as a people – over to Your enemies to show a culture or people just how serious You are about obedience to Your covenant. Help us, Lord. Amen