Yes, my statement is rooted in a Bible verse citing from the lips of Jesus in Matthew 23:27-39 as He lamented over Jerusalem.  My America has, in many ways, abandoned her heritage and forgotten from whence she was formed.  Some may not appreciate what I am about to say because it will be rooted in my faith and arises out of my concern for the moral fiber of my beloved nation, the United States of America.  If that is you, you probably want to stop reading now rather than become upset with me and my position.

I make no apologies for my faith, it is my foundation and that which keeps me going.  It is my basis for a hopeful future and inspires me to strive to do better and be better each day.  Recently, in prayer and meditating on the Word of God, the conditions of our world, and searching for solutions something arose within my spirit that will not turn me loose.  It is with me every day and many times throughout the day I will muse on the thought that I believe was birthed in my heart by the Holy Spirit.  Again, what I will say today, is rooted in the Bible, my Faith, and my love for America and Freedom.

The thought that came to my heart and causes me to use the title I have chosen was a question.  “If you knew that this year was your last on earth, what would you do?”  There will come a time, for all of us, that that eventuality will become a reality.  Everybody dies, it is just a matter of when and how.  Death is inescapable and as the Bible declares in Hebrews 9:27 every human being has an appointment they will keep with death.  Please understand that I am not trying to be morbid but hope to bring us to sober consideration of our life, past, present, and future. 

America has become anesthetized on many moral issues and that makes me weep.  We have allowed Political Correctness and the PC Police to bully us into accepting things the Bible calls abominable.  There is a saying, “What parents allow in moderation their children will do in excess.”  I am not sure who first said it and I find its roots in the Bible but have found it to be a reality in my years of Christian ministry and serving as pastor of congregations.  Today’s church today, too often, has allowed the threat of government intervention and the loss of their tax-exempt status to bring about a modifying of their stance on some issues.  That is tragic! 

Abortion, to this American Christian and Patriot, is an example of our insensitivity to the sanctity of life and opens a very dangerous door that includes euthanasia and genocide.  I weep when I think of the 60 million lives that were never allowed to complete their journey but were aborted before they could become what they could have become.

We have allowed greed, envy, hate, and perversion to prevail, more frequently than I could have ever imagined.  We have churches and religious schools modifying their positions in the name of inclusivity placing them at direct odds with biblical precepts and tenets.  I weep when I discover that and wonder what the disciples would have said, and if our LORD is standing at the portals of heaven and weeping over America as He did over Jerusalem.  Today’s America and those seeking to ‘fundamentally transform’ this nation are waging a very real war on our moral and traditional values and on the faith of millions of Christians.  We have replaced God with the god of political correctness and the dangers and damage are indomitable. 

But back to the thought and question that has caused me to evaluate and reevaluate what I am doing and why.  “If you knew that this year would be your last on earth, what would you do?”  I want to be careful to articulate this in a way that is not condemnatory or give the impression that I am somehow ‘holier than thou.’  That is as far as the East is from the West from my intent.  I want to inspire each of us to reevaluate our lives and our purposes.  I want us to come together as a people and see the restoration of our heritage and the re-mooring of our morality to the anchor that birthed this Republic.

It is not my intent to question anyone’s salvation or relationship with God. That is a personal matter that only you and God can determine.  I may look at what you say and what you do and wonder but I do not know your heart, only God can.  You may look at me and my positions and question my salvation, but you do not know my heart, only God does.  Therefore, my purpose is not to question or condemn you but to encourage you to take some definitive actions that will bridge every aspect of life including the spiritual, political, and relational.

I would hope that the first thing and the daily thing you would do if you knew this was your last year would be to make absolutely certain of your standing with God.  Some will say, “But you can’t know.”  I suggest you meditate on 1 John 5:5-13; 1 John 1:9; Romans 10:9-10; John 5:24; John 14; John 15; and a myriad of other passages.  2 Timothy 1:12 frequently comes to mind when I think on God and salvation, “…I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced or persuaded that He is able to guard or keep that which I have entrusted or committed to Him until that day.” 

Matthew 16:26 gives a reminder that I frequently meditate upon regarding the worth of my soul and my relationship with God in comparison to anything else.  Nothing is more valuable than the peace of my heart and the assurance that my name is written in heaven.  All will die, and all will stand before God and the books will be opened and having our names written in the Book of Life is critical.

I would hope that, if you knew that this year was your last, you would prioritize everything and do that which is absolutely the most important.  I would hope that you would seek to shore up crumbling relationships, if possible and give and receive forgiveness.  I would hope that you would consider posterity and the legacy you are leaving behind personally and as a nation.  I would hope that you would determine that popularity and ease and secondary to what is right and best. 

I am finding, within my own heart, that the more I focus on God, the more I see rightly politically, relationally, fiscally, and spiritually.  I find that I cannot be silent on some things and cannot speak regarding others.  I find my heart craving to leave my children and grandchildren a world better than the one in which I now live.  I find my heart more desirous of reaching people for God than persuading them politically because I know that the eternal is far more valuable than the present.  That does not mean I will not be involved in the political discussion or arena, it means that I believe that if I can reach a man or woman’s heart and help them to truly make Matthew 6:9-13; 14-15; 33-34 foundations in their lives I will achieve what is needed spiritually, societally, and politically. 

Love me or hate me, but I ask that you ask yourself, “If you knew for certain that this would be your last year on earth, what would you do?”  Then begin to do it because even if this is not your last year it will be the best approach you can have for life.

God bless you and God bless America!