Mentoring Men for the Master

HAS GOD GIVEN UP ON AMERICA?

This was at the beginning of the human race.  Human history began with man knowing God by His natural creation (Romans 1:20) and conscience (Romans 2:15), but they rejected God and believed “The Lie,” namely that man is his own god, and he should worship and serve himself, not the Creator.  It was the lie Satan used in the Garden of Eden to deceive Eve, “Ye shall be as God.”  (Genesis 3:5).  The result of this “Self-Deification,” was self-indulgence which lead human kind into outrageous sins.  Because of their sins God “revealed His wrath” from heaven upon them (Romans 1:18).  Now please observe that there are four kinds of godly wrath:

  1. Wrath Upon The Earth as in the Great Tribulation ( Revelation 6-18).
  2. Calamitous Wrath, as the Great Flood (Genesis 7) and natural catastrophes.
  3. The Eternal Wrath of Hell (Mark 9:43ff).
  4. But the Wrath described in Romans One was neither of these three – It Was The WRATH OF ABANDONMENT.” 

God gave that ancient civilization “up,” which means He permitted them to go on in their sins and reap the devastating results now as they face eternal judgment.

There Were Three Progressive “Wraths of Abandonment”:

  1. The First Wrath of Abandonment Was Because of HETEROSEXUAL SINS – Romans 1:24-25, “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,  who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” These awful sins  paved the way for,
  2. The Second Wrath of Abandonment Was For HOMOSEXUAL SINS – Romans 1:26-27, “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.”  Both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, God condemns Homosexuality in all its forms (Genesis 19:1-26; Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10).  He showed His wrath against it by destroying the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19).   Paul says that homosexuals receive in themselves “the penalty of their error which was due.”  (Romans 1:27b).  This includes venereal diseases, penumocystis, a form of cancer, and AIDS.  It also includes haunting guilt, mental and emotional disturbances, and abnormal personality changes.  No practicing homosexual will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:20; 1 John 3:9).  There is a difference in a practicing homosexual and having a homosexual tendency.  It is the practice God condemns.  Some blame God that they were born with this tendency, but the fault does not lie with God but human sinfulness.  Christians should accept gays and lesbians as persons for whom Christ died without approving their lifestyle.  Like all other sinners, a homosexual or lesbian can be saved if he or she repents and receives Jesus as Lord and Savior.  God loves the gay and lesbian even if He hates their sin (1 Cor. 6:9-11).
  3. The Third Wrath of Abandonment Was The Abandonment of The MIND to foolish and disastrous thinking – Romans 1:28.  The result of such false thinking led to 24 horrendous sins (1:29-31), including “Hatred of God”, and  Massive Murders (55 million unborn babies (1:29-30).  Those who did these things knew they were “worthy of death,” but they not only continued to do such, but “had pleasure in those who do them.” (Romans 1:32).

THE QUESTION:  ARE THERE PARALLELS IN AMERICA OF THE MORAL COLLAPSE   OF THE ANCIENTS?  I believe there is, though maybe not to the full extent as of now.  In fact I have witnessed myself three progressive phases of the moral and mental collapse of our beloved nation:

  1. THE HETEROSEXUAL REVOLUTION in the 1960-1980. The slogan was “Don’t Make War, Make Love,”  meaning help yourself to sex with anybody, anywhere, anytime you like.  Illus:  I was speaking to students on campus of Memphis State University and warned them that “Play Boy Magazine” would soon hit the stands (1965).  I had seen a little sexual immorality in high school, in college and graduate school (Duke University), but never dreamed I would see the onslaught of all kinds of heterosexual But this was only the beginning of sorrow.  The Heterosexual Revolution paved the way for, 
  1. HOMOSEXUAL REVOLUTION (1980-2012) – men with men, women with women, finally, “Same Sex Marriage” and the legalization of Sodomy by a Texas Court. At first the Homosexual life style was on the margin, but within about two decades (1990-2012) the “gay rights captured the support of the American people” (Star News, Monday, Nov. 26th).  “Same Sex Marriage” was approved by three more states in the 2012 election.  President Obama announced 8 months prior to the election that he had “evolved” to embrace “Same Sex Marriage,” which he had formerly rejected, which at one time would have spelled defeat at the ballot box, but seemed to help him in 2012.

Thus we conclude that the two conditions for which God visited His “Wrath of Abandonment” on the ancients exist in our culture today and are proliferating all the time.

QUESTION:  DOES THE THIRD CONDITION EXIST?  The “Wrath of Abandonment to Depraved Minds, Wrong Thinking,” as Isaiah wrote, calling “Right Wrong and Wrong Right?”   I believe there is empirical evidence that many who once thought right are thinking wrong.  All would agree that there is “CONFUSION’ with a Capital “C” raging in the land.  Illus:  of guy who spelled Confused with a “K.”

Illus:  “The most amazing development in my mind was to note that one of our historical political parties, the Democratic, approved the sins of Romans 1 in their platform – homosexuality, same sex-marriage, etc.  And this party represents 72 million Americans.”  (John MacArthur).

Illus:  The mind of Academia is definitely tainted and often corrupted.

Illus:  Post Modernism in theology.

Illus:  Approval of “Abominable Sins” by religious bodies which bar people from heaven.  The Episcopalians led the parade. Quakers  say “Homosexuality is no more deplorable than to be born left-handed.”  The action of the liberal wing of Presbyterianism.  A Baptist pastor of note preached sermon, “The Danger of Heterosexuality.”

Illus:  Public Schools teaching toddlers raw facts about sex and juniors-seniors of alternate lifestyles.

Illus:  Partial Birth Abortion.

Illus:  God Hating Media.

Illus: New York City Schools providing contraceptives to students age 14 and above without parental consent and also “the morning after pill” which is another form of abortion.

IS THERE ANY HOPE?   Yes.  Turn to 1 Cor. 9-11, “ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”  Note:  Paul reminds the Corinthians that some of them (most all probably) were heterosexually immoral, homosexually immoral, and lesbians.  Then in verse 11, he says, “But you were justified, sanctified, and washed clean by Jesus Christ applied by the person of the Holy Spirit.”  Homosexuality is not genetic or unpardonable.  Jesus will justify, sanctify (separate) and cleanse any who repent and trust Him as Lord and Savior.  Example:  “Best Servant of Jesus in church since 1978.”

FINAL QUESTION:  HAS GOD ABANDONDED US ? as He did the ancient civilization?  I cannot say a complete yes, but I must say that if He has not abandoned us, we are well on the way to Abandonment.  But there is evidence that He may be giving us one more chance at least. Examples:

  1. The One Year Massive Effort of Billy Graham at age 94 and Franklin Graham.
  2. The Holy Spirit whispered to me to begin “The 2nd 7:14 City-Wide Prayer Meeting,” which is meeting every Tuesday, 6-7 AM, Chick-Fil-A, Mayfaire. Please join us every Tuesday if possible, if not, come as often as you possibly can and invite others.
  3. Pray for a City-Wide Summit with Franklin Graham.
  4. Pray for local Pastors like Kenny Chinn, Northside , Alan Benson, Grace, Mike Ashcroft, Port City, Paul Waters, Myrtle Grove, Baptist, Donnie Lovette, Calvary Baptist and others.