As I consider the history of this nation, on this day that we celebrate its independence, I am very concerned that what seemed to start so well is not finishing well at all.

John Adams, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and also the second President of the United States said this: “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

His words seem prophetic to me, for we see a nation tearing itself apart and the government can do nothing to stop it. This is because the individuals that make up the nation are now casting off all restraint and wholly going after the satisfaction of their lusts and selfish desires. We have turned our backs on God, kicking Him out of our schools, our courts, our businesses. We now deny the very God who so greatly blessed us and made this nation – at one time – the envy of the whole world. We are now a nation given over to its lusts. God, in an ironic twist of fate, has given us just what we have asked for, to be unhinged from His moorings.

There’s drugs on our streets, guns in our schools, pain in our homes, and nobody seems to know how we got here. The Bible tells us how we got here, “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against the godlessness and wickedness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). We know the truth about God, but we choose to rule ourselves instead of submitting to the King of Kings. We choose to chart our own course instead of following the Lamb of God who gave Himself for us, to save us from our sins.

Now I know this sounds pretty gloomy and you may think that I have lost hope, but I have not. This is because I know my God and I know how merciful and patient He is and I have come to know just a small bit of His vast love. I don’t believe we are at the point of no return where God tells His people to stop interceeding for the nation. But I write these things because we must understand the serious times in which we live and know that we are limited in our time to respond. If we will turn to Him with all our hearts and turn from building our own houses and begin to build His house again, then the Lord says, “I am with you.” (See the Old Testament Book of Haggai).

This isn’t a plea to get out and vote for anybody, just as Mr Adams predicted, there is no answer to our problems to be found in government. Nothing but revival among God’s people will deliver us before it’s too late. If the Church fails to respond the judgments will only grow more severe but if she will repent and turn to God in faith, we will have a glorious season of revival. Arise Church of the Living God!