What's happening to the church and to our country?

This is not going to be a "feel-good" post. In fact, there's no longer time for feel good messages.

If you've taken time to stay informed about the state of the church and our country in the last twelve months you already know how serious things have become. If you haven't, you need to.

Jesus died and rose again to provide, and guarantee, freedom for those who believe. Within every true believer is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Freedom. His Spirit never rests in His desire to bring as many as possible into the freedom bought and paid for by the sinless life, death, and blood, of Jesus Christ. Empowered and enlightened by His Spirit, He leads us to manifest His will and purpose to bring this freedom to anyone who will listen and believe.

As I write this, the church, and our country, are not pursuing His freedom. They are pursuing something that both God and our Founding Fathers warned us about: security and peace at the expense of both.

The wisdom of God determined the price for freedom and that price was the life of the Son of God. How is it that man can possible believe that any lesser cost will provide real freedom?

Many today in positions of authority are selling the church a false sense of security by instructing them to participate in all manner of ritualistic prayer, meditation, and "ancient practices" far to numerous to mention in this post. Like J. Z. Knight, they promise that through these they will enhance their relationship with God and release certain powers within themselves.

Our President and his cohorts are spreading a similar message: if we will trust them and allow them to carry out their policies based on the philosophies they've been schooled in, all our troubles will be solved and utopia will spring forth.

I say, "Hogwash!", to both the church leaders and our nation's leaders. Neither are pointing their fellow man to the One who can save them from death and provide the real freedom and peace offered only by Him. Not one of the policies currently being employed will succeed in bringing freedom to a single person in America, including those who are promoting them.

The Bible says that men are like birds who do not see the snare set before them. Without the guidance and revelation from the Spirit of God no man can see the real snare set right before their eyes.

As world conditions have worsened (or so we're told) men are convinced that catastrophic destruction will be inevitable unless they do something now. Many times, doing "something" is much worse than doing nothing at all. Common sense clearly says to wait when you don't know what to do. The Bible says to call upon the Lord and wait on Him for help. Tell me, leaders of the church and our nation, how many of you are calling out to the Lord for wisdom and how many of you are waiting for His answer before you "do" something?

Those who lay the snare are as blind as those who walk into it. They have no idea that they themselves are walking into a greater trap than the ones they set for others.

Children of God, listen to me. The Spirit that is within you is greater than the spirit of this world. He will guide you and tell you what to do. Listen to Him!