Our republic was formed for good, moral, active people. However, over the years, our moral fabric has deteriorated and the American people have lost their way and slowly stopped fighting for what's right. And our passivity has come at a great price. In the past 60 years alone, we have allowed God to be erased from our history books, prayer to be taken from our schools, and the government to exercise unprecedented control.

America has experienced unparalleled abundance. But as we began to forget the Source of our abundance and where we came from, it led to selfishness. We have gone from a strong godly nation—ready to fight for our liberties and moral principles; to one that's complacent, allowing ungodliness to creep in little by little.

Today, we are primarily a nation that doesn't even know there is a battle. As a result, we are yielding our rights and slowly becoming more dependent on the government—not God—as our source.

As Christians, the choice is up to us:We can either stand up and fight or lie down and die. But we can't stay the same and survive.

I believe God has called me to sound the alarm to bring people's attention back to their true heritage. My desire is to rally our nation to stand up and fight for the incredible freedoms and liberties that we have been given.

Ignorance is what has caused America to lose its way; however, knowledge is the key to getting back on track. I strongly encourage you to get educated. By reading books like America's Providential History, you'll discover the true godly history of our nation and the principles that made our country great. You'll discover the principles worth fighting for.

The same God who heard the cries of our Founding Fathers is still with us today. And He is looking and longing for His people to take action, fulfill their responsibilities and cry out to Him for help. He is our Guide, and with His help, we can keep this great nation that was entrusted to us more than 200 years ago...

...and not let the sun go down on America.

1. W. Cleon Skousen, "The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World," National Center for Constitutional Studies, 2011, p. xvi. 2. Ibid, p. xvii.

With all the political fussing and fighting we've seen recently, it's easy to get the impression that the United States has become hopelessly divided. It's tempting to conclude, if you look just in the natural at all the partisan strife the devil has stirred up, that America has been so torn apart that we'll never again truly be one nation under God. But I want you to know today, nothing could be further from the truth!

This nation isn’t being torn apart, it's in the early stages of the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit it's ever experienced. The troubles we've been seeing aren't signs of its destruction. They're spiritual birth pangs.

As the LORD said to me a few years ago, ‘The United States of America is in the process of being born again’.

I realize a lot of Christians might question that statement, especially if they haven't heard it before. They might find it hard to wrap their minds around it. When The LORD first said it to me, it was hard for me too. I couldn't even imagine what kind of place a born-again America would be.

The very idea was so contrary to the visible circumstances in this country, I couldn't even envision it. When I asked LORD why that was, He said, ‘Kenneth, do you think George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and the other Founders of this nation could envision what it was going to become when they signed the Declaration of Independence? Do you think they knew back then what it was going to look like 100 years, or even 20 years, down the road?

No, they didn't have a clue! They were involved in a divine move of God when they were establishing this nation. They were cooperating with Him to help bring forth something the likes of which had never been seen.

‘That's the situation you're in as an American right now,’ The LORD told me. ‘You don't have any clue what this nation is going to look like after it gets reborn. It's going to be as far beyond what can see around you right now, as the America of today is beyond what the founding forefathers saw around them in 1776.’ ‘Sonny Boy,’ He said, ‘you ain't seen nothing yet.'

Over the past few years, in times of prayer, as I've continued to seek The LORD about it, I've gotten glimpses of what He was talking about. I've seen by the Spirit this nation coming to the place where it's fulfilling God's original plan. I've seen it so overflowing with God's glory that it's affecting nations all over the earth. I've seen all races of people worshiping together, showing the world what it looks like when racism is defeated and the Body of Christ comes together as one. I've gotten so thrilled about it, that I'm determined not only to be here when it all happens, I'm going to be part of helping bring it to pass.

We, as believers, are responsible to do that, you know. We can't just sit around idly and expect God's perfect will to drop down on us out of heaven. We have to do our part.

How?
By believing and acting on 2 Chronicles 7:14. There, God said: "If my people,which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Notice, God didn't say that for Him to heal the nation everyone in America has to repent and seek Him. He didn't even say the majority of the population has to do it. He said, "If My people will pray and seek Me, I will heal their land."

What exactly does God mean by My people? How many praying believers does He need in a place before He will "heal their land"?

Not very many!

You can see that by reading about Abraham's intercession for Sodom. When he found out that city was about to be destroyed because of the wickedness that had overtaken it, he asked God to spare it for the sake of the righteous people that—he assumed—were living there. He said to LORD: Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?... Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

And Abraham answered and said... Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?

And HE said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there.

And HE said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

And he said unto him. ..Peradventure there shall thirty be found there.

And HE said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there (Genesis 18:24-30).

Eventually, Abraham asked God to save the city if He could find just 10 righteous people there, and God agreed. I've always wondered what might have happened if Abraham hadn't quit at 10. What if he'd kept interceding and taken the number all the way down to two? Would the outcome have been different? Personally, I think it would. After all, Abraham's righteous nephew, Lot, and his family lived there. God might have had mercy on Sodom and spared it for their sake alone. Since Abraham didn't ask Him, we'll never know that for sure. But we do know this: It wouldn't have taken all the people in the city turning to God to stop its destruction. All it would have taken was 10!

In Ezekiel 22:30, God reduced that number even further. HE said, "I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."

In that case, the term My people could have referred to just one person. Just one man or woman with faith enough to stand up before God in intercession could have spoken up in that situation and God would have honored that prayer. He would have heeded that one voice and kept destruction from coming on the land.

"But Brother Copeland," you might say, "those are all Old Testament scriptures. Can we be sure they apply to us as New Testament believers?"

Yes, we can! We have Jesus' word on it. In Matthew 18, He said: "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (verses 18-20).

Those are the words of the Master Himself, and He didn't teach, as religious tradition does, that heaven will determine what's going to happen on this planet. No, He put earth first. He said that when we, as the Church, bind or loose something here, then heaven will back us. He said that when we take Jesus at His WORD and get into agreement with God and with each other, even if there are only a couple of us doing it, He's there in the midst of us to carry out the agreement. In other words, the carrying out is His part. The agreeing is ours.

To truly agree by faith though, we must start believing instead of just hoping. We must take a firm, solid stand and say, where the United States is concerned, "This nation is going God's way and no other!"

"But it doesn't look like things are going God's way, Brother Copeland." So what? We're not going by what it looks like. We're going by the red words that are recorded in the Bible. We're believing what Jesus said in Matthew 18, because His WORDs are more powerful than anything else in the world. They're backed by His own blood and they will literally bring heaven down upon this nation, if we'll stand on them by faith and persistently pray. We do have to pray though, and believe God. We can't just leave everything up to a few specially dedicated intercessors. Every believer has a part to play in the unfolding of God's plan for our nation, and we're all connected to it. the welfare of our families and homes are connected to it. Our finances are connected to it.

This is not just some political thing! Politics are involved, and God has instructed us to pray first of all for leaders and those in governmental authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2). But what this is ultimately about is bringing forth the most world-changing, impactful outpouring of the Holy Ghost and fire to ever hit this planet. At this very moment, that outpouring has already started. Great and marvelous things are happening all over the world! Last year, I preached a meeting in Peru that was unlike any we've ever had anywhere. We were in a large public arena and while the meetings were going on one day, in a hospital two blocks away a woman with thyroid cancer was being examined by her doctor. Right in the middle of the examination she said, "I'm on fire: I'm on fire!" "What do you mean?" said the doctor. “What's the matter with you?" "I don't know," she said. "I just feel like I'm burning." The doctor began examining her again and found the cancer gone.

That woman wasn't even born again. But after the doctor released her that day, she walked out of the hospital, saw our billboard advertisement, and came into the meeting. By the time it was over, she was saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit.

I'm telling you, this is big stuff! Ihe end-time move of God is on, and we're in it.

If we want to see it flourish in our nation though, we need to include it in our prayer life every day. We need to get so passionate about it that we pray like the Apostle Paul did. He wrote in Galatians 4:19, "I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you."

How do you travail in prayer? You do it in the Holy Ghost. You get over in the spirit by spending time praising and worshiping God. You take your stand on what He said in His WORD, persist in putting Him in remembrance of it, and regardless of what you see in the natural you refuse to let the devil talk you out of it. Where this nation is concerned, you praise and thank God for promising in Acts 2 that He will pour out His Spirit on all flesh in these last days. You fellowship with Him over His promise to heal our land. You lift before Him words of prophecy that have been spoken over the country and stay with it until you're so on fire with desire for His will to be done here, that the only way you can express it is by praying in other tongues!

You don't have to be a seasoned, silver-haired prayer warrior to do that, either. You can do it even if you're a very young believer. My daughter Terri proved that when she was in the sixth grade! She decided she wanted God to move in her school, so she started interceding for it. She started fasting her lunch every day and spending that time in prayer. Before long, strange and amazing things began to happen. Other children began to join her at the fasting table. Then they started sharing the gospel with the other students and praying for them to get baptized in the Holy Ghost. Eventually it got to the point that one day the principal publicly announced over the loudspeaker, "There will be no more praying in tongues in the girls' restroom!"

If a little sixth grader can start that kind of spiritual fire in a school, think what Christians all over the world can do if they get serious about praying for their nations. Think what can happen in America as more and more believers, instead of complaining about how things are going in this country, start travailing in prayer and declaring WORD of God over the United States by faith.

Faith is the key to unlocking the storehouses of the Spirit! It's the answer to everything. It doesn't matter what problems the devil throws at this nation, the way we solve them is by doing what Jesus said in Mark 11:22: "Have faith in God."

"But, Brother Copeland, I just don't have what it takes to do that." Yes, you do. Romans 12:3 says God has dealt to every believer "the measure of faith." That means if you're born again, you have on the inside of you the same faith God used to frame worlds (Hebrews 11:3). You have the same faith that, when God said, "Light be," created 16 billion miles of universe within 24 hours.

So, go ahead and use that faith on behalf of this nation. Believe what God said in 2 Chronicles 7:14 and declare it before Him in prayer. Act on your faith by voting for righteous principles, keep speaking the WORD, believing what you say comes to pass, and God will do His part.

He will heal our land!

On July 4, 1776, representatives of the Second Continental Congress gathered to sign one of the most important and ambitious documents in history; the Declaration of Independence.

That day, at the Pennsylvania State House, our Founders didn't know if they were signing their death warrant or the birth certificate of a brand-new nation. They put everything on the line, and nothing was for certain. If America lost the Revolutionary War, they knew it likely meant death for themselves and even their families.

The final line of the Declaration of Independence is filled with their resolve. It proclaims: "With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred honor." 1

The colonists came out of bondage in England, and they knew they couldn't go back. In fact, they were willing to pay the ultimate price for their freedom. John Hancock signed his name on the Declaration bigger and bolder than anyone else, knowing could cost him his life. I love the statement he made:
"And having secured the approval of our of hearts, by a faithful and unwearied discharge of our duty to our country, let us joyfully leave our concerns in the hands of Him who raiseth up and pulleth down the empires and kingdoms of the world as He pleases." 2

Hancock knew they had taken their responsibility and done all they could. Therefore, he assured that God would also do His part.

The patriotism of our Founding Fathers required tremendous courage for them to be responsible and step out into what God had called them to do. And today, we are still reaping the dividends of their courage.

My definition of courage is "a willingness and ability to risk who you are and what you have for what you want and who you want to be."

It's important to note that courage cannot function in an atmosphere of ignorance; it has no ability. Courage is the highest expression of responsibility, and responsibility requires knowledge. It requires courage to follow God's plan for our lives and take steps of faith. So often, in order to move forward and have everything He wants us to have, we have to be willing to step out of our comfort zone and take a risk.

In modern times, when it comes to America, people are not often willing to risk much for their country because they don't realize that everything we have came with a price. It wasn't free. To gain freedom is not free, and to maintain it is not free.

Yes, patriotism includes celebrating our country on Independence Day and supporting our troops and honoring them on Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. But it is so much more.

I love how Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines the word patriotism: "Love of one's country; the passion which aims to serve one's country, either in defending it from invasion, or protecting its rights and maintaining its laws and institutions in vigor and purity." 3

Patriotism involves maintaining our laws, which are the Constitution of the United States. It also requires us to safeguard our institutions of vigor; our police force and our military; along with our institutions of purity, which include our homes, schools, and churches. The battle we are fighting today isn't the same as the one our Founding Fathers fought—but it is just as important. We are fighting a battle of misinformation.

For instance, students in some universities today are learning history, but it's often a revised history, stripped of the role Almighty God played in the founding of America and edited to leave out what our Framers really believed. They are being taught counterculturalism, post-modernism, moral relativisim, and deconstructionism. These schools of thought say, "There's no absolute truth. The traditions of the past don't really matter, so do what you feel like doing."

The truth is, there are many people in America today who are active in revising our history and erasing God from society. That's why it's important for the Church to become knowledgeable so it can take an active role when it comes to protecting our liberties.

Webster's Dictionary goes on to say, "Patriotism is the characteristic of a good citizen, the noblest passion that animates a man in the character of a citizen." 4

To animate means "to make alive." So, it's saying that patriotism is the noblest passion which causes a person to come alive as a responsible citizen! It's time for America to "come alive.' It's time for us to act before it's too late! And this can only happen if we are knowledgeable of what needs to be done...and then do it.

Remember, the freedom we have that if not maintained will not remain. And if it's lost because we've failed to pay the cost, we'll realize too late that we have created our fate. Freedom will cost you a portion of your time, but bondage will cost you all of your time and all of your freedom.

People often ask me where to start. I encourage you to get involved and take your civic responsibilities seriously. Take time to vote for men and women of principle. Remember, their track record is their resume, so check them out! In addition, let your voice be heard about issues on the community, city, state and national level. It's amazing what a letter or phone call to a congressman's office can do!

However, most importantly, take a portion of your time to educate yourself on our nation's true history and discover exactly what it is we're fighting to protect. As you do, I can promise you this: Your sense of responsibility will rise, and you will begin to "come alive" in a way you never expected.

Over 240 years ago, standing in what is now called Independence Hall, our forefathers literally risked everything for our freedom. And now it's our turn to fight the good fight.

It's part of our responsibility as citizens. It's what it means to be a patriot.

1. David Barton, "Original Intent," Wallbuilder Press, Aledo, Texas 2005, p. 360. 2. wordpress.com 3. Noah Webster, "American Dictionary of the English Language," Foundation for American Christian Education, 1967 & 1995. 4. Ibid.

(Webmaster – Does this sound like it is right out of the Summer 2020 headlines?? The Devils attacks are getting stronger and stronger. Stand firm in Christ and pray for America and her foundations.)

We are in a righteous revolution. Switch on the Television or read the headlines and you'll see: there's a Revolution going on in our country, and the righteous Have a key part to play in it. When the bible talks about The righteous, it's talking about us.

In Proverbs 28:1, the Bible says, "The righteous are bold as a lion." And in Proverbs 29: 2, it says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice." The Bible also says, "Righteousness exalteth a nation" (Proverbs 14:34).

Our country is stirred up. Our media is stirred up. Why? Because we're in the middle of a time when the biblical values we hold dear are being tested and tried. But it's also a time when things are turning around. Things are realigning with God's standards, and it's our responsibility to keep this righteous revolution alive.

Our Responsibility
Psalm 11:3 says, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" The word foundations refers to the moral and political standards of a nation. Notice David didn’t write, "What can the sinners do?" He didn't write, "What can the government do?" He wrote, "What can the righteous do?"

The moral and political standards of our nation are our responsibility as believers, and we cannot afford to lose We cannot afford to lose the momentum that God has given us to holdfast to biblical values and stop any godless agendas.

When you look at Scripture, you can see that this is nothing new. God always holds the righteous responsible for the well-being of a nation. When God judged Sodom and Gomorrah, He looked to the righteous. And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know (Genesis 18:17-21).

The Lord was heading down to Sodom and Gomorrah to hold a judicial investigation, but He already had Abraham—His righteous servant—in mind, ready to deal with the situation. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (verses 23-25). Abraham had the Lord's ear. He pleaded his case based on the number of righteous in those cities. And today, God still looks for the righteous to stand in the gap for the land. For us, that means America, or the nation in which you live. Though things may look dire in Washington—especially if you watch the news—the truth is, God has laid a foundation for His people. He has placed many pro-life, pro-family, pro-marriage and pro-Israel representatives in charge, and it's up to us, His righteous people, to take a stand with them and pray for them.

You Are the Righteous
You may not have ever thought of yourself as "righteous," but righteousness is the ability to stand in the presence of God without guilt or shame. It means having no concept of your past life, no concept of failure or lack. As a believer, that's you!

Every believer has received the gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17). The Creator of the universe has made us sons and daughters. That's not an arrogant or prideful statement; it's simply the truth. You have authority and God is ready to use you. First Peter 3:12 says, "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers."

Now in Genesis 15:6, it says Abram was "counted" righteous because he believed in God. But it's different for us. Our righteousness is not counted or reckoned. The Bible says we were made righteous. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, "For [God] hath made [Jesus] to be sin for us...that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." You may recall that the Scripture specifically says our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10). But that's the key. We're not talking about our righteousness. We're talking about His righteousness. You and I are not righteous because of anything we've done. We are righteous for only one reason; but because of what Jesus did.

I was blessed with a good dad. He provided for me and my sister. He had gone through the Great Depression, fought in World War II and helped rebuild America. He worked hard, and when he died, we inherited everything that he had willed to us. When I found out, I said, "Lord, I didn't do one thing to deserve any of this! I didn't make it. I didn't build it. I didn't create it. The only thing that I did to deserve what my father left me was that I was born his son. That's it!" And the Lord responded, Yes, and all you had to do to inherit what I gave you is to be born again, born into the family.

Our righteousness is inherited as a gift from God. We didn't do one thing to deserve it, to earn it or to make it. The reason we can stand in His presence without any guilt or shame is because we didn't do anything to get it. Jesus did. In Philippians 3:9, Paul says, "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." God has already done what He needed to do, legally, for us to be righteous. Our part is the "by faith" side. And it's a vital side. It's the side that works this out day by day.

What We Can Do
So...what can the righteous do to uphold moral and political standards of a nation?
First, we can pray. James 5:16 says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Like the saints of old, we need to pray with determination, not letting go until our prayers are answered.

Second, we can stand before God. Romans 5:1-2 says, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Remember, we're justified by faith, so as the righteous, we alone can stand before God without guilt or shame.

Third, we can stand in the gap for the land. Ezekiel 22:30 says, "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." It's not in God's DNA to destroy. That's not His M.O. Satan is the destroyer (John 10:10). That's why God sought for someone who would make a hedge and stand in the gap. We can pray, stand before God and stand in the gap for our cities, our states, and our nation. At our church, we've taken a stand. We've gathered our church together and joined our city's meetings. We've prayed for the board of directors. We've prayed with the governor. We've prayed with members of Congress. We've become involved, not to criticize and judge them...but to support them. In doing so, we've been able to help everyone from the homeless to the politicians.

Remember 2 Chronicles 7:14. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

The Awakening We've Wanted
We are living in a righteous revolution. This is our time to take our place in Christ and take our stand for what is right. It's time we stood in prayer, before God, standing in the gap for our nation. Pray for our president. Pray for Congress. Pray for our leaders, all the way from the national level down to the local level—regardless of what party they belong to. Pray that no weapon formed against them will prosper and no evil will befall them.

As we do, this righteous revolution will continue and flow like a wave. It's an awakening, the revival we've been waiting for.

“Our glory has never been in our military might. Our glory has never been in our education system. Our glory has never been in our statesmanship and diplomacy. Our glory has certainly never been in our brilliant politics.” “Our glory has been in our people who pray. Our glory has been in the Name of The LORD Jesus Christ of Nazareth and standing on His WORD, and we're still standing there and He's still God and He's still LORD of this nation."
- Kenneth Copeland

By Dave Meyer; Enjoying Everyday Life; joycemeyer.org

In so many ways, our lives are built upon relationships.
And whether it's our relationship with God, family, friends, or even co-workers, every healthy relationship requires our time and attention if we want to see it flourish. It doesn't just happen automatically.

Our relationship with America is no different. The blessings we enjoy today didn't simply happen by accident. They are the result of the prayers, resolve, and actions of our forefathers—the ones who forged the way for this nation to succeed. I think we often take these blessings for granted because we don't realize the great price they paid to get them.

It is our duty; and privilege; to pick up where they left off. We have to learn what our forefathers did to achieve this incredible freedom and liberty. Then do those same things to keep it. Sir Alexander Tytler perfectly sums up our need to take responsibility and play an active role. He observes that every great nation in history has progressed through the following sequence:
+ From bondage to spiritual faith.
+ From spiritual faith to great courage.
+ From courage to liberty.
+ From liberty to abundance.
+ From abundance to selfishness.
+ From selfishness to complacency.
+ From complacency to apathy.
+ From apathy to dependency.
+ From dependency back to bondage.

Take a moment to reflect. Where is America in this cycle today? Are we dealing with selfishness, complacency, apathy, dependency? Our Founders said it would take "eternal vigilance" for this country to stay strong. We don't often hear this term anymore, but it simply means we need to maintain constant responsibility. It's more than just voting in one crucial election. Eternal vigilance isn't a single event, it's a way of life.

I believe most people want to do their part and take an active role in this nation. They may even know when something's wrong, but they just don't know how to fix it. And when people don't know what to do, it leads to apathy, passivity, and even deception.

What is deception? Deception is a lie disguised as the truth. When we don't know the truth about our history; when we're not aware of the fullness of everything God has given and entrusted to us; we barely notice when these blessings and freedoms are taken away. We see bad things happen, yet think, Well, I guess it's just the way it is. You see, it's possible for a nation to be spiritually strong, yet historically ignorant. When this happens, we suffer in three different ways: personally, practically, and politically.

Personally, we lose our identity. Our 28th President, Woodrow Wilson stated, "A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do." Without a clear understanding of the past, a nation has no identity, direction or purpose. It has no clear destination and wanders aimlessly like a ship without a rudder.

Practically, we lose our rights. Because when we don't know what to do, we become passive and, therefore, powerless.

And politically, we vote in a way that can be destructive. Are we supporting candidates who are leading us toward or away from the Biblical foundation that made this nation great?

The greatest way to begin building your relationship with America is to take the time to "get to know" our nation's godly history. Learn how it all began. Find out what our Founding Fathers stood for and why. And discover the incredible role Almighty God played in establishing this country.

I can promise you this: As you educate yourself, it will ignite a passion in your heart to not only pray for America, but also to fulfill your civic responsibilities and take godly action.

The truth is, it's impossible for a Christian nation to have a passive Church. They cannot co-exist! This means that if we're going to reverse the "cycle" and once again become a strong, godly nation, then it must begin with a strong, godly Church that rises up to take its responsibility.

On May 7th, millions in America will observe our National Day of Prayer. It's an opportunity to come together and focus our eyes on the Lord; our true Source of help and strength.

When it comes to praying for our country, 2 Chronicles 7:14 is undoubtedly the most quoted verse in Scripture. The Lord says:
If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land (AMPC).

I think it's important to really pay attention when the Lord uses the words "if" and "then" in His Word. It signals that God is giving us a part to play, and if we do our part, then He will do His part. In the above verse, our part includes four specific things to do:
Humble our selves, pray, seek the Lord, and turn from wickedness.

When we do, THEN God will do His part; He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land.

Prayer is extremely important, and I believe part of my calling is to ignite a passion in people to intercede for America. However, prayer is only one of the ingredients needed. Our part also involves true humility and repentance. I often say we can pray for restoration; however, restoration can't come until there is revival; revival can't come until there is responsibility; responsibility can't come until there is repentance; and repentance can't come until we remember.

What types of things should we remember? We must remember who we are, where we came from, and why it's important to be accountable for what God's given us through our Founding Fathers. We must discover things like:
* How was our government formed?
* What price was paid for our liberty; and who paid it?
* What role did God play in the lives of our Founding Fathers?
* What responsibilities did our Founders give us?

It's been over 20 years since a friend first gave me a copy of the book, America's Providential History. I'll never forget how God used it to open my eyes to all of the great and mighty things He did to establish this nation. I also learned how recent generations have slowly chipped away at the godly foundation laid by our Founders, It pierced my heart and provoked me to pray for America like never before. This is also my prayer for you.

On May 7th, I encourage you to set aside some time to pray for America. Pray that God would turn the hearts of our people back to Him. Pray we would once again honor God and look to Him as our One True Source of strength, blessings and protection. As we pray, it's also vitally important to do what God shows us. I believe a lot of people simply want God to rescue this nation; to solve our problems without requiring any action on our part.

However, revival for America includes taking responsibility to do what the Lord shows us to help preserve what our forefathers have obtained. This includes taking action to fulfill our civic duties; it means contacting our elected officials to let our voices be heard.

One thing's for sure: A complacent Church in a Christian nation cannot survive. They can't coexist; both the complacent Church and the Christian nation will eventually die.

I often say the future of America is in the hands of those who act or those who watch. What America will look like tomorrow, next week, next month and next year will be decided by those who engage or those who stand on the sidelines as spectators.

If you love your country and value your freedom, the one place you don't want to be is on the sidelines...and the one person you don't want to be is the spectator! With your help, and with your diligence, we can protect our liberties.

But without your help and your diligence, our liberties will continue to be lost. One by one, we each have a tremendously important part to play in taking a stand for America. And as we are faithful to do what we can do, the Lord will be faithful to do what we can't...and bring healing to our land.

Honor means to respect or praise someone for their noble actions or character. We honor God when we live by His Word, take a stand for what's right, and protect the godly heritage He has given to us.

This Fourth of July America celebrates its 243rd birthday! The Fourth of July is one of our most celebrated holidays, a fact confirmed by a very elderly John Quincy Adams in a speech he delivered July 4, 1837; America's 61st birthday. John Quincy Adams properly reminded the crowd that one of the most important elements of the American movement for independence had been its spiritual underpinnings. He asked:
Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the World, our most joyous and most venerated festival occurs on this day? And why is it that thousands and tens of thousands among us; year after year; celebrat[e] the birthday of the nation? Is it not that…the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity?

The fact that there was a spiritual emphasis at the birth of the nation was confirmed by numerous others. For example, Benjamin Kent, in a letter to Samuel Adams, declared: "It is God's doing!"

So clearly did John Adams see God's hand in America's independence, he even believed that to help America achieve her independence was the single reason God had created him. As he told his wife, Abigail: "The Colonies must be declared free and independent States. ... When these things shall be once well finished, or in a way of being so, I shall think that I have answered the end of my creation."

In a similar tone, John Page (later a Virginia governor) told Thomas Jefferson, "I am highly pleased with your Declaration. God preserve the United States! We know the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Do you not think an angel rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm?"

Yet, declaring independence was only the beginning. Much sacrifice, patience and reliance on God would still be required. As signer of the declaration, Abraham Clark explained: "This seems now to be[gin] a trying season; but that indulgent Father who hath hitherto preserved us will, I trust, appear for our help, and prevent our being crushed; if otherwise, His will be done."

Our founders knew that without God's help or, as they announced in the declaration firm reliance on...divine Providence — they would never achieve their objective.

While we celebrate our liberties this year, let us not forget that those liberties came only through great, personal sacrifice: Nine of the 56 signers of the declaration died during the war. Five were captured by the British and tortured before their deaths. Twelve had their homes destroyed by British troops, and three lost their sons to the enemy. Such sacrifices remind us that liberty is never free—every generation must defend it anew.

The possibility that we might forget the sacrifices necessary to preserve liberty was something which troubled our founders. This was made clear in a letter from Dr. Benjamin Rush to John Adams after witnessing the celebration surrounding America's 35th birthday in 1811. Dr. Rush told Mr. Adams:
The 4th of July has been celebrated in Philadelphia in the manner I expected. The military men, and particularly one of them, ran away with all the glory of the day. But scarcely a word was said of the solicitude and labors and fears and sorrows and sleepless nights of the men who projected, proposed, defended, and subscribed [signed] the Declaration of Independence. Do you recollect your memorable speech upon the day on which the vote was taken? Do you recollect the pensive and awful silence which pervaded the House when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress [John Hancock] to subscribe what was believed by many at that time to be our own death warrants?

While we should remember the sacrifices, it is more important that we remember the proper manner to celebrate the Fourth of July. What is the proper manner? The answer was given in a letter John Adams wrote to Abigail:
on the day they approved the declaration. He forecast: "I am apt to believe that [this day] will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the 'Day of Deliverance' by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty!"

Celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, festivities and parades. But also celebrate it by setting aside a time to thank God for His numerous blessings upon our country.

In today's ever-changing world, it's easy to become negative and want to detach ourselves from politics. There's a prevailing attitude; even among Christians that says, ‘What can I do? Can I really make a difference?’

It's this mindset that causes us to be passive observers instead of active participators. However, the Lord has made each of us stewards of this nation; and this includes our rights and opportunities as citizens of the United States. In short, we have a responsibility to take action; and promote biblical principles in any way we can.

Voting Is a Privilege
Each Election, you and I have a tremendous opportunity, the ability to cast our votes and make our voices heard. Today, many Americans take freedom and liberty for granted. They have forgotten (or never learned) the tremendous sacrifices that allow us to live in the most free and prosperous country in the world. Many nations do not have a voice in their government; they live in fear, without the freedom to speak freely or worship as they choose. The early American colonists cherished these basic rights.

I'll never forget when the Afghan and Iraqi people were delivered from oppressive regimes in the early 2000's. Suddenly able to participate in free elections, they turned out in massive numbers to vote for their new leaders and representatives. In fact, voter turnout was close to 90 percent because they realized the importance of every single vote.1 Even under the threat of death by sniper fire or suicide bombers, they willingly risked their lives to stand in line and exercise their right.

Yet, in America, we let little things like bad weather or long lines keep us from voting! It's time for us to take responsibility and protect what has been given to us. Voting is a privilege that should not be taken for granted. Regardless of how things may seem, our votes can and do make a difference.

The Power of One
It's easy to underestimate the value of our vote. Throughout history, many elections were won or lost by only one vote. California, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and Washington became states by just ONE vote. In 1948, Lyndon B. Johnson, our 36th president, became a U.S. senator by just ONE vote. The Declaration of Independence hinged on just ONE vote.2 Each and every vote represents the voice of a citizen of the United States of America. One vote speaking out can literally change the course of history. Sadly, only about 50 percent of Christians in America are registered to vote. Then, only half of those; 50 percent; actually show up at the polls. That means 75 percent of all Christians are not taking advantage of one of their greatest opportunities to shape and protect this nation!3

The potential for standing up against ungodly things and making significant changes has never been greater. Yet, if we do not take the initiative to do our part, we forfeit valuable opportunities. I believe when we take responsibility and do what we can do, then God will do what we can't do. We cannot do God's part, and He will not do our part. I encourage you to take action and let your voice be heard EVERY election. Your one vote could make all the difference!

Keeping God in Government
I love Proverbs 29:2 which says, When the [uncompromisingly] righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked man rules, the people groan and sigh.

In order to maintain this nation we cherish, it is vital for us to vote based on our beliefs and values-for leaders who stand up for righteousness. As Christians, we commonly ask the question, "What would Jesus do?" We apply this question to matters of faith, family, relationships, and everyday decisions. But we must also apply it to government!

"What would Jesus do?" applies to educating ourselves on the important issues of society and learning the true history of America. It includes understanding our political process, how it applies to us, and knowing the consequences of our actions. The direction of our country begins with you and me. Will we passively stand by and "hope" something good happens? Or will we take action and vote for leaders who will do what is right?

1. Carol Sewell, "What Were They Thinking? on Truth, Liberty S Legacy," G2g Publishers, Inc., 2009, p. 2.

2. Ibid, p. 3.

3 providenceforum.org

On September 17, 1787 our nation's delegates gathered in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House to sign a document that would forever change history. The Constitution of the United States of America. Our Constitution was an entirely new form of government; a republic that placed the power in the hands of the people and safe-guarded the godly principles of our Founding Fathers through a unique system of checks and balances. Our Founders firmly believed the hand of God directed the writing of the Constitution and they had complete confidence that it embodied everything this country would ever need to succeed. And indeed, it has served the United States well for over two hundred years.(1) However, a little more than a hundred years after its inception, a movement began that would attempt to revise the document's original intent.

"Relative" Danger — Until the 1900s, our courts strictly adhered to the Constitution, fully embracing our Founder's biblical philosophy. However, at the turn of the century, a new philosophy arose among many of our judges and educators - relativism. It would prove to be our Constitution's greatest enemy for the next 115 years.

What is relativism? It's the belief that "views are to be evaluated relative to the societies or cultures in which they appear and are not to be judged true or false, good or bad. There are no absolute standards... man is the measure of all things."(2)

When applied in law, relativism is called "legal positivism" and is characterized by these four major tenets:
There are no objective, God-given standards of law.
Since God is not the author of law, the author of law must be man.
Since man and society evolve, therefore law must evolve.
Judges guide the evolution of law through their decisions.

There was no greater advocate for legal positivism than Christopher Langdell. As Dean of Harvard Law, Langdell applied Darwin's premise of evolution to the constitution. He reasoned that since man evolved, then his laws must also evolve; and judges should be the ones to make it happen.(3)

As a result, Langdell introduced the "case-law study" method in which students would study judges' previous decisions rather than the Constitution; a method eventually adopted by law schools across America. In time, students who embraced positivism were gradually appointed to the Supreme Court, ushering in a new era. Perhaps no statement exemplifies this period more than the famous words of Charles Evank Hughes, who served as Chief Justice from 1930 to 1941.

"We are under a Constitution," said Hughes. "But the Constitution is what the judges say it is."(4)

The Tipping Point — The United States now had two distinctly opposite ways of interpreting the constitution. The difference was summed up by U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese:
Under the old system the question was how to read the Constitution. Under the new approach, the question is whether to read the Constitution."(5)

By the early 1960s, we had reached a tipping point, and legal positivism became the enforced standard. The new decisions being handed down by the Supreme Court reflected these standards and touched nearly every area of society. In 1962, the Supreme Court took prayer out of public schools. In 1963, they then prohibited these same schools from having Bibles in their classrooms. Combined with Judge Hugo Black's 1947 decision that redefined the First Amendment and demanded a "separation of church and state," these new laws branched into every area, slowly erasing God from American society. Simultaneously, the recent teaching of moral relativism in our universities; rejecting the cultural and moral values of our past; had also reached a tipping point, leading to increased drug use, immorality and anti-American sentiment among our nation's youth. Together, these forces combined in 1962 and 1963 to create one of the greatest societal shifts in American history:
Teen Pregnancy - In 1962, the birth rate for unwed teenagers (ages 15-19) was at a decade low before rising sharply to a 50% increase in 1970; on its way to a 200% increase in 1993.(6) Violent Behavior - From 1951 to 1962, the annual number of violent crimes in America rose from 160,000 to 250,000. However, 1962 signaled an abrupt shift, with violent crimes rising to 750,000 in 1972 on its way to 1.9 million in 1993.(6) Education - In 1963, the average SAT exam score was 980, the highest it had been in more than a decade. It then significantly dropped each year after plummeting to 920 in 1974, eventually down to 890 in 1980.(6)

A Delicate Balance — Certainly, there are occasions when governments do need to change and make social adjustments. The ending of slavery and a woman's right to vote are perfect examples. However, Article V of the Constitution clearly defines that these changes should originate from the people. It establishes the proper way for us to adjust or "evolve" our government through Congress and legislation; not through independent revisions by the Supreme Court.(7)

1. Carol Sewell, 'What Were They Thinking? on Truth, Liberty Legacy," G2q Publishers, inc., 2009, p. 145.
2. The Encyclopedia of Religion (New York: MacMillan Publishing Co. 1987), Vol. X", p.274, see "Relativisrn," by Richard H. PopKin.
3. David Barton, "Original Intent," Aledo, Texas: Wallbuilder Press, 2008, p. 233.
4. Charles Evans Hughes, The Autobiographical Notes of Charles Evans Hughes, David J. Danelski and Joseph S. Tu/chin, editors (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1973), p. 144, speech at Elmira, May 3, i90Z
5. Benchmark, Vol. 2, No. j, January-February 1986, p.6, "Toward a Jurisprudence of Original Intention," by Attorney General Edwin Meeser Ill.
6. David Barton, "Original Intent," pp. 248-251.
7, Ibid, p. 236.

In the last 50 years, there have been few issues of law more hotly-contested or misunderstood than the First Amendment. What began as a safeguard for religious freedom is now being used to remove the Christian faith from the public arena. Forbidding prayer at a school assembly or preventing crosses from being displayed at a roadside memorial are just a couple examples. At the heart of the issue are the now famous words, “separation of church and state.” Through continuous usage over recent decades, the “separation” language has become so commonplace that many Americans believe it to be a constitutional phrase found in the First Amendment.

But it is not. Let’s begin by looking at what the First Amendment actually says:
“Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Contrary to what many believe, the phrase “separation of church and state” never even appears in the First Amendment. However, with these five words as the standard, the courts have now declared many American customs and traditions unconstitutional. Because of this false interpretation, the Ten Commandments, prayer, and Bible reading have all been removed from public schools!

So, if this term is not in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, then where did it come from?

“DEAR MR. PRESIDENT...”
It all began in 1801 when President Thomas Jefferson received a letter from the Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut. This group was strongly in favor of the First Amendment, however they were worried the government could one day attempt to regulate religious expression. In short, they were afraid the language in the amendment wasn’t strong enough. Specifically, there was concern about the establishment of a national church, such as the Church of England. The Baptists wanted to secure their freedom and assure the government could not interfere with the religious activities of its citizens or show partiality to any one denomination.

On January 1, 1802, Jefferson wrote a reassuring reply to the Danbury Baptists. In it, he said:
…Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship...I contemplate with solemn reverence that the act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church and State…I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights….1
Now, the use of the term “natural rights” here is extremely important. While this term doesn’t mean much to us now, it spoke volumes to the people in that day. “Natural rights” was understood to include everything God has promised within His Holy Scriptures. Therefore, the Danbury Baptists were assured by Jefferson that freedom of religion was an inalienable God-given right and above federal jurisdiction. The “wall” in his Danbury letter was not intended to restrict religious displays in public. Instead, it was to minimize the power of the government to prohibit or interfere with religious expression. Jefferson confirmed an important fact:
The First Amendment is not meant to protect government from religion—it is to protect religion and churches from the government!2

“SEPARATION” ANXIETY
Many scholars today actively seek to erase or rewrite the story of God’s influence in the lives and decisions of our Founding Fathers. They want us to believe that Jefferson meant something different and they attempt to distort his original intent. In 1947, Judge Hugo Black declared that the first amendment of the Constitution prohibits any religious expression within the government. He twisted Jefferson’s intent, convincing an entire generation that the “wall of separation” is something entirely different.

Here’s the saddest part about it: The judicial branch of our government cannot make laws. Only Congress—the legislative body—can do that. However, Judge Black made that decision and, out of ignorance, we allowed it to become a law.

That is why learning America’s true heritage is so extremely vital. It is the foundation that allows us to take action and counter those who want to rewrite history. Simply put, if we don’t know our true godly history and what is ours, then we won’t recognize when these freedoms are taken away. I encourage you to get educated and become a student of our true American history. What you discover will not only surprise you, but it will ignite a fi re and a new passion in your heart for the precious gift God has entrusted to us. There are those who want to forget what really happened. But with God’s help, we can rediscover the genuine history of our nation before it simply becomes another distant memory.

1. David Barton, “Original Intent,” Aledo, Texas: Wallbuilder Press, 2008, pp. 51-52. 2. Carol Sewell, “What Were They Thinking? on Truth, Liberty & Legacy,” G2g Publishers, Inc., 2009, p. 154.

Original Intent
Paperback by David Barton
$12.95 U.S. Funds
Discover the original plans of our forefathers and what brought us to where we are today.

By Dave Meyer as published in ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE, spring 2016

It’s easy for people to recognize our nation’s drastic moral decline. Wherever you look, God has been removed from our government and nearly every aspect of society. But it didn’t happen overnight...

Seeds of the 60’s Revolution
The plan to undermine America’s moral and spiritual roots started in 1933. To escape Hitler, a group of Marxist German intellectuals came to America at the invitation of John Dewey, who was on staff at Columbia University. Dewey is known as “the father of modern education.” However, most people don’t know that he co-authored Humanistic Manifesto I, and with the help of his friends throughout American universities, he strategically placed thousands of these men in teaching positions—specifically in education and journalism. He knew the most effective way to instill his worldview into millions of Americans was through the classroom and the media.1’

So, what did they teach? Dewey’s method was to place greater value on physical and emotional experiences over facts and practical knowledge. It rejects history, tradition, and cultural and moral values in favor of “diversity” and “tolerance.”2 Little by little, they chipped away at the moral fiber initiated by our Founding Fathers. The results were devastating. By the 1960’s, it erupted into a full-on counter-culture revolution, resulting in flag-burning and anti-American sentiment. Young people openly rejected the morals of our past and embraced the feel-good experiences of the present, leading to increased drug use and immorality. Let’s fast-forward to present day. Many of those young people are now the university presidents, professors, and authors of our children’s textbooks. And we wonder why our history has been distorted and rewritten!3 It’s just like the frog who was slowly boiled to death in the pot of water. The temperature was increased slowly, little by little, and it never realized what was happening. Likewise, the assault on our traditional values has been slow but sure, and it’s hard to overemphasize the damage that’s been done.

Out with “the Old”
In the early 1930’s, America was also still reeling from the Great Depression. As a result, President Franklin Roosevelt created the New Deal, a series of government programs designed to bail out our struggling nation and meet the needs of the people. I believe the president thought he was doing the right thing. However, in order to create the New Deal, we had to get rid of “the old deal,” which was God’s deal. God’s deal was for Christians to meet the needs of the people. God designed us—the Church—to show forth our love and take this responsibility. After the New Deal was enacted, this responsibility shifted from the Church to the government. The love of the Church grew cold...and remained that way for decades.

Another major development occurred in 1947. Most people have never heard the name Hugo Black. However, Judge Black decided that the first amendment of the Constitution says there is to be a wall of separation between the church and the state. The truth is that our Constitution does not say that.

Here’s the saddest part about it: The judicial branch of our government cannot make laws. Only Congress the legislative body—can do that. However, Judge Black made that decision and, out of ignorance we allowed it to become a law. Why did Satan want this separation? Because the Church is the conscience of our country. When he shut out the Church, he shut down our conscience.

We Didn’t Have a Prayer
What happened with Judge Black is the perfect example of how our enemy operates: Satan will work where there is no opposition. It happened again in 1962, when he used one person—just one person—to get prayer taken out of schools. Tragic ally, the Church stood by silently and watched it happen. Sure, there were a few who made some noise, but no real action was taken. In the 50’s and 60’s, the envelope was pushed even further when our government (under pressure from special interest groups) began to remove all references to God and stories of our godly heritage from our history books. I’ll never forget watching the news several years ago. The news anchor was upset about a current event and asked, “Where is God in all of this?” Almost without thinking, I exclaimed, “Right where we put Him!” What did I mean? We have pushed God out of our history, out of our country, and out of our government. Then when things go wrong, we wonder why it’s all happening. The truth is, God goes where He’s invited, stays where His r eputation is protected, but leaves when He is rejected. God alone is the reason why the United States has become one of the most blessed nations on earth. However, we can’t continually push Him away and expect to enjoy His blessings and protection.

So, What Do We Do Now?
I encourage you to become a student of our nation’s true godly history. Read how our Founding Fathers invited the Lord into every aspect of their lives and government. Unless we are educated about our past and how we got here, we cannot take responsibility. Our rights can only be maintained by Christians following their civic responsibilities. Then it’s important to take action. Vote for godly leaders and hold them accountable; participate in civil government as opportunities allow and not leave it up to someone else. Most importantly, seek God and ask Him what to do—then do it! He has a unique plan for every one of us, and you’ll be amazed at what He shows you. Friends, it’s time to take up this fight. Because the truth is, the Church can either stand up and fight or lay down and die... but it can’t stay the same and survive. The good news is, God is greater than the enemy. We cannot do God’s part, and He will not do our part. But if we’ll take steps to learn and do our part, then we will see things change for the future of America.

It’s Not Too Late To Restore The Heart Of America By Dave Meyer

WHEN I WAS A BOY, in the late 195Os and early 60s, things were very different. For instance, I never once heard a foul word used on TV. In fact, the program “Ozzie and Harriet” wouldn’t even show a bathroom because it was deemed too offensive. It’s quite a contrast to where we are today.

Thomas Jefferson once famously said, “Virtue is not hereditary.” How true! Virtue is something that has to be learned. Our Founders knew the importance of teaching the Word of God to their children, and they looked to the home, the school, and the churches to fuel the fires of virtue from generation to generation.

In fact, 106 of Americas initial 108 universities were all godly institutions with Christian presidents and faculty. Established in 1638, Harvard was our nation’s very first university. Among its rules and precepts was this:
Let every student...know Jesus Christ which is eternal life, and therefore lay Christ as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning.”

Wow! Sadly, a little over 200 years later, the very opposite is true. Instead of teaching the Word of God, our public schools teach moral relativism (which says moral judgments are simply a matter of opinion) and deconstructionism (which insists we must “deconstruct” traditional values and not subject people to accepting any one truth at all).

Not long ago, I came across an alarming statistic. It states that 76 percent of today’s young Christian men and women who attend college do not graduate with their faith intact. Once taught and trained in godliness, our youth are now indoctrinated in ungodliness.

How did we get here? Like the ever- increasing bad language on TV, we’ve learned to put up with it and have become desensitized. As a result, it eventually becomes a part of our everyday life. Our government often looks at America’s problems and tries to solve them through economics or a financial stimulus. But America doesn’t have a money problem—it has a morals problem...and only moral rectitude can change it. Moral failure in any nation is and always has been its downfall. Immoral problems occur when moral people fail to maintain the moral standard. How does this happen? Over time, as people become ignorant of our nation’s history, it ultimately leads to passivity and not taking responsibility or doing our part. The result is that righteous people become silent. James Madison said, “To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.”

Many people believe that Christians shouldn’t be involved in civic responsibilities. However, if our civil government was created by our founding fathers’ religious beliefs, then how can morality prevail in our nation if we are not involved? When it comes to restoring America’s moral compass, Christians alone are the ones who can make the difference and turn the tide. But we can’t do it if we are passive. In fact, history shows that passivity and freedom are two things that cannot coexist for very long. We cannot have a Christian nation with a complacent church! So what should we do? First, I encourage you to educate yourself about our nation’s true history, because it’s the greatest antidote there is for complacency! Rediscovering America’s past reminds us of who we are and what we are fighting for.

Our twenty-eighth president, Woodrow Wilson, said, “A nation that does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do.”
Next, it’s important to take action. Registering to vote is a great place to begin. It seems hard to believe, but half of the evangelical Christians in America aren’t even currently registered. It’s our responsibility to vote for godly men and women, then follow up and hold them accountable once they are in office. 2016 is a major election year, and the Christian vote in this country can literally make all the difference. Decide now that you will be prepared and ready. Prior to national elections, we even provide information about the candidates atjoycemeyer.org/america to help you make an informed decision. In the end, it always comes down to the people. We are a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

The preamble of our Constitution says, “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” “We the people” ordained it and established it, but we are also responsible to maintain it. And for years, we did maintain it. However, things have dramatic ally slipped in the last couple of generations. John Adams said, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” If that is the case, then how can we as Christians back off from our responsibilities in civic government? God has given us great freedoms, but in order to keep them, we have to step up to the plate and do our part.

It’s not too late, but now is the time. It’s time to educate ourselves on our nation’s true history and discover what (and Who) truly made us great. It’s time to take action, fight for righteousness, and let our voices be heard.

It’s time to restore the moral compass of America.

Our Founders’ Plan To Establish The True Source Of Government Authority
By Dave Meyer

MORE THAN 235 YEARS AGO, the United States of America declared its freedom and established a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Our Founding Fathers laid the groundwork for a system of law that was revolutionary in its own right. Americans continue to celebrate this remarkable achievement today. However, somewhere over the years, misconceptions have surfaced. After all of these years, this question only arises:
Is the United States of America a Republic or Democracy?

Today, the terms democracy and republic are both commonly used, and many Americans seem to be unable to define the difference between the two. But there is a difference—a big difference. The answer is simple, but the effect is huge. The difference rests in the source of authority. A democracy is ruled by majority feeling, while a republic is ruled by law.

Although most people—including many government officials— believe we are a democracy, the United States of America is in fact a republic.

This means we are self-governed, but self-governed under the law. In other words, we elect representatives to represent us according to our law—the Constitution. They don’t represent us the way they want to, and the people don’t change the laws. In a republic, the laws remain the same, and they are upheld by our elected officials. A democracy is completely different. This form of government allows the people to change the laws anytime they want. Therefore, as the people change, the laws change. In an absolute democracy, the entire population votes on every issue and the outcome is decided by the majority. Thus, whatever prevailing opinion sweeps through the majority of the people will become the law of the land. Our Founding Fathers understandably called this a “mob-ocracy.”

A Firm Foundation — In the years since the Declaration of Independence, other nations have attempted to adopt our form of government—a republic. However, few have enjoyed much success because they overlooked the very foundation of our Constitution—God.

Other nations have attempted to adopt our form of government.

Our government was founded on the authority of the Bible and Christian principles. The Founders knew that the people’s knowledge of these values was critical. If these principles were ever lost, then our foundation would be destroyed. This is the reason they set up a republican form of government instead of a democracy: They did it to establish the source of government’s authority. A republic ensures that these laws, based on godly principles, will not be changed by the prevailing opinion of the day. We continue to reap the rewards of this decision. The freedoms we enjoy do not rest on the whims of an ever changing majority opinion, but on the God-inspired documents we call the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. I like how David Barton put it in his book, Original Intent. He says: “Consider the stability this provides: in our republic, murder will always be a crime, for it is always a crime according to the Word of God. However, in a democracy, if the majority of the people decide that murder is no longer a crime, murder will no longer be a crime. The transcendent values of Biblical natural law were the foundation of the American republic.” 1

Guardians of History — Now, many consider a republic to be the highest form of government devised by man. However, it also requires the greatest amount of human care and maintenance. Why? If neglected, a republic can deteriorate into a variety of “lesser” forms...
Democracy —a government conducted by popular feeling.
Anarchy —a system in which each person determines his own rules and standards.
Oligarchy —a government run by a small council or a group of elite individuals.
Dictatorship —a government run by a single individual.

When examining laws and regulations, this is why we should ask questions like, ‘is this consistent with our form of government?” and ‘Is the information supporting this policy based upon the Constitution...or is it the product of revisionism?” 2

Our Founding Fathers gave us a tremendous gift. They established the laws of our land based on the solid foundation of God’s Word... then chose a form of government to safeguard these laws in the future. I encourage you to take an interest and get educated. Reading books like Original intent, America’s Providential History and others we feature will make you a powerful advocate for the godly principles of our Constitution. They will help you protect this republic for which we stand—”one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

1. David Barton, “Original lntent,” Wailbuilder Press, Aiedo, Texas 2005, p. 342. 2. Ibid. pp. 343-344.

Why You Need To Know Your Past To Help Your Future
By Dave Meyer

GOD IS AT THE HELM of our nation’s history and has been guiding America from the very beginning. Our Founding Fathers recognized this, and included the Almighty in virtually all of their writings and speeches.
For example, in the Declaration of Independence—the foundational document of the United States—God is mentioned four different times. In the final reference to God, the Founders boldly state their “firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.”

But today, most Americans know very little about their Christian heritage. This lack of knowledge has caused the nation to slowly drift away from God. Secular humanism has spread like weeds, and American society is now reaping many negative results from this—the destruction of the sanctity of life and marriage bei ng two big examples.

America needs “Divine Providence.”
What Exactly Is Divine Providence? According to Webster’s original dictionary of 1828, providence is defined as “the care and superintendence which God exercise s over His people.” When we look at how providence was defined during that time period, we see that our Founding Fathers were acknowledging a belief that God—the God of the Bible—was guiding them and orchestrating His plans for America and her new form of government behind the scenes. As our constitutional government took shape, and a new republic was constructed, the Master Craftsman left His fingerprint all over His handiwork. His touch is evident when we study the past by using providential history. Providential History? — Providential history can be defined as the practice of including God in our historical studies instead of only learning about our past by memorizing dates and events. We must look at history through a biblical lens to see the full picture.

True history involves discerning and understanding God’s plans and recognizing His acts of influence on people and events. If we believe that God is sovereign and He is fulfilling His plan here on earth over the course of time, then as Christians, it is foolhardy not to include God in any form of history, but especially in the history of our Christian nation. Yet, this is exactly what is taking place. Over the past fifty years or so, our society has become increasingly secular. As a result, most of our children’s history books have been stripped of any mention of God. We are now into the second gene ration of children—the majority of them attending public schools—who are being taught their country’s history from a secular humanistic point of view.

This current historical approach chooses to disregard Divine Providence, thus all references to God and the Christian faith are deleted from history textbooks and other forms of teaching. This has led our country to where it is today—a nation of people who have little knowledge of America’s Christian heritage. If left unchanged for another generation or so, most Americans will be completely clueless of their nation’s godly origins.

“True history involves discerning and understanding God’s plans and recognizing His acts of influence on people and events.”

A Call to Action. As Woodrow Wilson, the twenty-eighth president of the United States, once said, “A nation which does not know what it is yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about But it’s not too late for Christians in America to learn their providential history. In fact, it is imperative that more people here in the United States obtain this knowledge if our nation is to remain free.

Learning the providential history of the United States helps us to see how God inspired our Founding Fathers from the very beginning, and how, over the course of time, we as a people allowed the religion of secular humanism to creep into our institutions, enabling the slow erosion of our Christian heritage to the point where, today, most no longer recognize that Christianity is the backbone of our constitution. We must reverse this trend.

Once we know where we’ve come from, we will see where we as a nation need to go—in fact, must go—to survive as a free and prosperous country. If Christians, living in a Christian nation, will stop being passive and take more responsibility with their nation’s stewardship, then the course of the United States will be redirected back onto the path of godliness. There is still hope for our culture and our future.

We Need You. As a Christian, it is our responsibility—our duty—to participate in the political process. Together, let’s learn as much about our godly heritage as we can so that we can make wise voting decisions. With the knowledge of providential history combined with God’s Word, we will be equipped to recognize those candidates running for office that stand on the principles of our godly heritage. Proverbs 2:6 says, For the Lord gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
We will be able to look at issues such as stem-cell research, the environment, and taxes from God’s perspective—then hold our leaders accountable to uphold and maintain our godly heritage.

America’s Providential History
A paperback by Mark A. Beliles and Stephen K. McDowell $18.95

By Dave Meyer as published in May / June 2015 Enjoying Everyday Life

Although Many People Are Unaware of it,
Satan has a plan for America. He wants us to forget our godly heritage and slowly erase our rich, biblical foundation. We see the signs everywhere. God and prayer have been removed from schools and history books. God has been removed from our government except during times of emergency like September 11. Our Constitution has also been reinterpreted and re-written to change our Founders’ original intent. To take our moral temperature, all you have to do is turn on the television. Our society celebrates doing whatever they think is right, and sin is no longer called sin.

The good news is God also has a plan— and His plan is always greater. What is it?

God’s Four-Step Recovery Plan
In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the Lord says, If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

God gives us four specific things to do: humble, pray, seek, and turn. This is our part of the process. As we do these things, then God will do His part to hear, forgive and heal. But until we do our part, God will not do His part. The key word in this entire verse is “then.” It makes it clear that our part must be fulfilled before God’s part can be initiated.

Our part involves true humility and repentance. We can pray for restoration, however, restoration can’t come until there is revival; revival can’t come until there is responsibility; responsibility can’t come until there repentance; and repentance can’t come until we remember...

We must remember who we are, where we come from...and why it’s important to be accountable for what God’s given us through our Founding Fathers. We must discover things like:
• How was our government formed?
• What price was paid for our liberty.., and who paid it?
• What role did God play in the lives of our Founding Fathers?
• What responsibilities did our Founders give us?

The Bible says wisdom comes from two sources: the Word of God and life’s experiences (history). If we choose to forget the past, then we lose the wisdom of the past—wisdom that came at a great price, If we forget, then history will inevitably repeat itself...and we’ll once again pay a tremendous price.

Revival or Rescue?
On May 7, millions in America will observe the 64th Annual National Day of Prayer. It’s an incredible opportunity to come together and focus our eyes on the true Source of our help. However, as we pray, we have to be willing to do what God shows us. I believe a lot of people simply want God to rescue this nation— to solve our problems without requiring any action on our part. However, revival for America includes taking responsibility to do what God shows us to help preserve what our forefathers have obtained.

In 1787, as Benjamin Franklin exited the Constitutional Convention, a woman shouted from the crowd, “Sir, what have you given us?” Franklin famously responded, “A republic, ma’am, if you can keep it.”

What did he mean? A republic means ‘rule of law” (our constitution). This form of government offers the very greatest liberties and freedom—but it also requires the most responsibility, moral virtue and maintenance to keep it intact. America has gone from a strong godly nation, ready to fight for our liberties and moral principles...to one that’s complacent, allowing ungodliness to creep in little by little.

Evil doesn’t just happen overnight—it happens slowly over time as we fail to fulfill our responsibilities. Not doing what needs to be done in the face of evil encourages its existence and growth. Evil is only denied existence by wise action...and wise action is our responsibility!
As Christians, the choice is up to us: We can either stand up and fight or lay down entirely. But we can’t stay the same and expect the direction of our country to change.

Worth Fighting For
God is waiting for the body of Christ in America to become a courageous body...a group who will stand up and do what He is asking us to do. This is the true meaning of a “patriot.” It involves becoming educate d about our past, then taking action for our future.

The Lord wants to use our nation, our resources, and our people to once again become a beacon of light, to shine brightly for Jesus Christ all around the world.

BY DAVE MEYER as published in Enjoying Everyday Life March / April 2015

I WANT TO SHARE A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE WITH YOU. This message is at the very core of why I regularly teach on America and the need to get educated about its true foundation. Throughout the last 50 to 60 years, the godly heritage of our nation has gradually and systematically disappeared. God has been removed and our history has been revised. What was once a beautiful, exciting story is now unrecognizable. How can what we called our history half a century ago suddenly disappear? How and why was so much of the truth replaced with information that is actually false?

It’s interesting that God’s words and our nation’s beliefs are literally inscribed on government buildings and monuments throughout our nation’s capital. Yet, at the same time, the mention of God has been removed from public school history books and even many in secular bookstores. There is an agenda in this country to erase God and Christian principles from the system - even if it means taking bold, unconstitutional measures to change our laws. It’s something our Founding Fathers warned us about.

Karl Marx, the father of Communism, made this statement: “Take away the heritage of a people and they are easily persuaded.” This means they can be controlled, manipulated and deceived. Since true and accurate history is a nation’s platform for the future, their extension into the future will become dysfunctional without accurate information. I call this historical amnesia. Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President, defined it this way: “A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do.” Our responsibility to ourselves and to our country is to learn what our true history is, what it is not, and what the consequences are of both.

We can either recall and remember...or re-learn and pay the price again.

There is a reason for missing or revised segments of history. God’s Word clearly reveals the importance of recounting, recalling, and remembering the great things the Lord has done. However, Satan’s plan is (and always has been) to dilute or destroy this clear understanding of God as the Director of history. Satan functions according to his title in the Bible—the great deceiver (Revelation 12:9). History is a flow of events that begins with the creation of time. It reveals the providential hand of God as events are acted out on the stage of life. If recorded accurately and truthfully, it is the story of who we are and the when, where, why and how things took place. History cannot be foretold (except by God). It can only be recorded after time and events have unfolded. If history is not recorded in the order that it happens, it is not history but simply a listing of random events without continuity. When this occurs, the providential hand of God is no longer identifiable and our understanding of historica l events becomes chaotic and confusing. Without truthful, accurate history, the direction for the future becomes clouded and out of focus because pieces of the past are missing. People and nations lose their way and destinies are unfulfilled.

We have become victims of ignorance, forgetting how God’s Word was applied by His people to defeat Satan in times past. We also forgot how and why people failed in various situations because they didn’t apply God’s Word. When the truth of history has been discarded, deleted, or revised, nations are destined to go through the same costly situations over and over again. History repeats itself, nations are destroyed because of ignorance...and people pay the price again and again. The Bible teaches that wisdom is gained through the Word of God and life’s experiences (Proverbs 3:13 AMP). It also teaches that the experience necessary for wisdom is costly (Proverbs 5:1 AMP). When this experience is discarded, revised or forgotten by a person or a nation, they can no longer act in wisdom.

So, the question is, “What can we as Christians do about this perpetual cycle?” The answer is very simple:

Learn our true history.

This Is God’s plan for America.