The Moral Collapse of America
October 4, 2006 12:11 PM'; } ?>“Pastor Joe, what do you think of the terrible situation in Lancaster County, PA where little girls were bound and murdered this week?” That question has come up several times the past few days and I want to give an answer and a challenge.
I personally believe that we are witnessing the collapse of America right before our very eyes. We have come to a place in our nation’s history where the people our children should be able to trust the most are committing horrendous crimes against our children. More parents are molesting and killing. Record numbers of clergy members are abusing the youngest in their flocks and their colleagues are covering for them. Teachers are having sex with kids in their classes. And now, politicians are going after young ones on the internet and it appears their colleagues were not paying attention to or overlooking signs that should have raised concerns. Foley is not the only one who is sick. It was not too long ago, that Congressman Barney Frank's boyfriend was running a male prostitution ring out of his home! Go figure! It’s all sick.
Our schools are not safe. Look at Albany High! Be careful now, we just don’t have problems at Albany High. A youth pastor recently told me that some of his teens had to pass by other teens having sex openly in the stairwell of their school. There are problems in public and private schools.
While there are many other problems in this land, the fact that our children are no longer safe is one of the biggest signs of this moral collapse. Convicted sex felons are living in most of our neighborhoods. The young people are not the only ones in danger. On Monday night, one of the political candidates who attended our candidate’s night told me that her grandmother was recently stalked by a convicted sex predator that did yard work for her and had unlocked the basement door so he could pay an unexpected visit. Thankfully he got caught before grandma was assaulted and injured.
What do we do?
The first thing we need to do is turn to the Lord. Thankfully, there is one Leader Who will never ever let us down if we are walking with Him! The Lord Jesus Christ is that Leader! The man in PA mentioned that he was angry with God. What the man in PA failed to understand, like so many others, is that God makes no mistakes. If we have any disappointment with God, we need to realize that it’s our problem, not His. Lamentations 3:32 says, “But though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.”
The second thing we need to do is pray. I am not kidding when I say that the Wednesday prayer service should be packed to the hilt. I do not just attend prayer meeting because it is my job. I am commanded to pray in 1Timothy 2. I also attend because I have children, some of you have children, and they need to know there are adults that care enough to pray. We need to see the Lord deliver people from the perverted lusts that breed the types of wickedness we are witnessing. We need a spiritual revival in this land. God sends revival in answer to prayer.
Don’t be deceived into believing that a few new metal detectors will deter people with murder in their hearts. While it may stop some, others will have no problem shooting up detectors and going into the schools to shoot others. If we do not start to call upon the Lord for help, the trouble will become worse if you ask me.
Do I sound alarmed? I hope so. I mean to.
Do I want you to be discouraged? No. I want us all to get on the ball with God and seek Him like never before.
As we seek His face, He will guide us and show us what do to in ministering to the hurting in this world. He will be a Shelter to us and our children in this increasingly unsafe world.
Maybe all of this news is bringing back some horrible memories of terrible experiences you had at the hands of some sick leader in your life. If this is the case, there is hope for you in the Lord Jesus Christ. At CBC, you have a place where we can begin a ministry of healing with you. Call us anytime we can help minister to you.