'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son [ in whom ] he delights.' ( Proverbs 3:11 & 12 )
In today's day and age; the term judgment has come to have a bad connotation, but what does Scripture tell us about 'judgment'? As recorded by Moses in Exodus 6; God told His people, 'I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments'. Now, you might say that He was speaking of His judgments against the Egyptians, but that is just as true on the other side of the coin; His judgment was FOR the Israelites: the Egyptians got the 'bad' side of God's judgment; His people got the 'good'!
America, as a whole today, is under God's judgment, both physically and spiritually! His people, the Church, the Body of Christ, are on the receiving end of this judgment, as well, mainly because we ARE His people; we are His agents on this marvelous creation of His, that we call earth! We have not persevered to the end that we should, that of bringing all in subjection to Him, shewing forth His reign 'on earth as it is in heaven'. Now don't get me wrong; whether one acknowledges that rule, and that His will is done 'on earth as it is in heaven', or not; He is ordering all thing according to His own Purpose and Counsel!
While we labor under His rule, ensuring that His will is done 'on earth as it is in heaven', as far as we can, in our finite weakness; we find that there are many within the Body of Christ that have abdicated their position of leadership within the Kingdom of our Lord and Master, our Creator God, our Husband. His people have arrogantly assumed themselves above certain affairs, government of the so-called 'secular arena' being but one are in which She has proven faithless. Though there are many things in this world that could be regarded as 'secular'; government of 'Our Father's World' is not one of them!
God's judgment, both the bad and the good, is being brought to bear on America at this time; bad in the sense, as we've seen, that around 55 million pre-born babies have been murdered, numerous unnecessary wars have taken their toll upon this nation, and more and more states are beginning to legalize, and falsely authorize, same-sex unions, calling them 'marriages'. We could go on and on with a long list of the atrocities that are committed on a daily, if not hourly basis, in this country, much of it under the auspices of religion, and with its blessing, in many cases. Although, in especially one way of looking at it, the death, devastation, and wickedness that we see all around us, are banes upon existence, and are an adverse judgment in themselves; they are the result of our own wickedness and faithlessness, but they also have a good aspect to them. They are forcing the people of God in America to turn their accusations inward, to recognize the part that she herself has played in bringing these scourges upon this once-great nation.
Are we to judge, ourselves, the God-less enemies of America, both at home and abroad? You better believe we are, and not only to judge, wagging our fingers; we need to, it is our duty before God, after receiving the chastening of our Father, judging ourselves, and repenting of our abdication, to throw off the chains of tyranny and oppression, and take up the reins of government that God has entrusted to us!
We are weak, yes, but He is Strength itself! It is in His Strength that we are commanded to 'rule the nations'. Because we have abdicated or misused this position; He is ruling 'with a rod of iron', using the false strength of wickedness to chasten His sons: let us receive this chastening with a humble and penitent heart, and turn from our apathy and sluggish comfort, and judge as we were called to!
By His Grace,
Charles Haddon Shank
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