On Sunday morning, July 10, 2016 at 6 a.m., I was awakened with a deep stirring for our nation. I knew that I had to get ready to minister at Brownsville Assembly of God Church in Pensacola, Florida. Of course, this is the same church that had experienced a great revival from 1995 well into 2000.
I found myself struggling to focus on the morning ahead. The events of the previous week had sent our nation into a state of shock, dismay, anguish and confusion. Not only had two black men lost their lives at the hands of the police in Louisiana and Minnesota, which now brought more criticisms of racism and protests, but also now on Thursday night five Dallas police officers were slain by a sniper who had professed his desire to kill white police officers. As a missionary to America I found myself weeping before the Lord. I know that God is not done with America, but I do believe that we are on the precipice of a becoming a forgotten nation. We can no longer dance with the demons and expect God to attend the ball.
Many wonder what has happened to our nation. The decline has not happened overnight. I believe that the problem with our nation is not a racism issue. Oh, I am sure racism still exists, but I must admit most every true believer I know has very little stomach for such a mindset.
In fact, my wife and I minister nearly every week in multi-cultural churches all across this nation. How is this possible? I have rarely, if ever encountered the hatred of a man’s skin between the doorposts and the altar. I believe that when a holy and loving God is worshiped in spirit and in truth the bloodline of the saints blends together. There are no color boundaries when an awesome God is on display. After all, we know that heaven will not have racial divides, but rather radical believers.
Revelation 7:9: “Then I looked. And there was a great multitude which no one could count, from all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands.” I truly believe the greatest issue in America is a sin and complacency issue. As I prayed I felt the Lord stir in my heart to write a few notes down that I called the “Recipe of a Fallen Nation.” I then shared the following tweets:
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“‘God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak.’ Proverbs 14:34 (MSG)”
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“Many wonder what has happened to our nation? It is simple, we have devalued life, turned Christianity into a voting block & persecuted truth!”
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“Our nation didn’t change over night. It changed when holiness became odd and much of the church decided it would be offensive to declare truth!”
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“The recipe of a fallen nation: legalizing perversion, outlawing holiness, the desolation of values, and the criminalization of distinction.”
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“The compass of a nation is the church of Jesus. The compass is destroyed when it is demagnetized by removing the drawing power of the cross.”
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“The confused look on the face of a nation can be understood in the reflection in its eyes as it now looks upon a land that has removed truth.”
America must have a Holy Spirit awakening. We are the brightest light to a dark world, but our light is growing dim. The world is looking to us for answers. In fact, just this last week Russia passed a law banning all public evangelism. We must be silent no more. As the late Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” The day of hiding in our places of worship and hoping our love will permeate our walls into the community is over. This is the churches greatest hour … that is, unless we would rather wait until the iron curtain is raised in front of our palatial structures. We must all have a Revelation 3:19-20 moment: “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me (MEV).”
I will close with the last tweet I shared on Sunday morning July 10, 2016!
- “Dare we say to our kids our nation was destroyed because we whom had a voice decided the price to speak was more costly than their freedom!” {eoa}
Pat Schatzline is an international Christian evangelist and author to students and adults. Pat and his wife, evangelist and author Karen Schatzline, co-founded Remnant Ministries International in 1997. Pat has ministered to over 2 million people as he has traveled the globe ministering at churches, conferences, camps, retreats and universities.
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