Salt and Sonshine August 28th, 2013

One of the greatest American Patriots was Samuel Adams.  Adams was a champion of American independence.  In 1779 Adams penned a letter that said in part “A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued;  but when once they lose their virtue, they will he ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.”  Are we there yet?  If you judge by divorce courts, criminal courts or civil courts it is obvious that we are in trouble.  Hollywood produces what people are willing to buy.  The TV networks feed us a daily diet of murder, lying, cheating and everything but virtue and morality.  Anything goes.  Video games sets the stage by polluting young minds and if some weird, horrendous or sick incident happens the news media broadcasts it from coast to coast.  It almost seems like a challenge to for others to do the same.
Who is to blame?  We are.  Parents often don’t set the example or train their children on how to live.  Congress passes laws that open the door to a floodtide of evil.  Hollywood puts it on the screen and TV fans the flames.  Defense attorneys specialize in blaming somebody else and all too often journalism is more interested in a story than in the truth.  Freedom of speech has been raped and religion has been labeled as an evil.  Discipline is unacceptable whether in the home, marketplace or school.  Morality has been lost at sea and virtue is like an early morning fog that is soon nothing more than an vanishing memory.
What I have just said is a picture of the world today.  We are following the way of great and powerful nations that have gone before.  They perished and experienced defeat from within. Is there hope?  Yes!  Our hope lies in Jesus Christ and the Word of God.  God gave us standards to live by in His Word.  He showed us the power of love.  He gave us truth.  He has made Himself available to us through faith and a living relationship with Him.  Jesus said in John 14:6  “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  God is the giver of life.  He is the judge of sin and evil.  It is by His grace and not our anything.  He loves us one and all.  If we seek Him and His ways, He will bless us.  If we repent of our sins He will forgive us.  To embrace the world’s standards is to reject God.  The choice is ours and we will reap what we sow.   President Harry Truman said:  The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount.  The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and Saint Matthew, from Isaiah and Saint Paul…If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the state!  Pray for America.  Stand upon the foundation our forefathers gave us by the grace of God.  Remember, IN GOD WE TRUST!
Maranatha!