ONE NATION UNDER GOD

by CHARLES ROBEY
(MOODY AL USA)

PROLOGUE

The year was 1954. The historic announcement was transmitted over the school intercom system. I was in the ninth grade of Junior High. I believe it was in the study hall period. President Dwight Eisenhower had just signed the bill to insert the phrase “under God” into the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance that children recited every morning in school. Shouts of joy were heard throughout the school grounds.

In doing so, in my humble opinion, this political move gave way to the concept of faith-based prayer, of dedication, and of spirituality within America’s youth. So, what has happened in today’s American culture, to turn this concept around?

Let's move on, referencing a look back to the past and also into today’s America’s socialistic, regressive condition. This rendition is entitled “One Nation Under God.”

Psalm 2:1-5 "Why do the heathen rage, and the peoples imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed, saying, let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath and vex them in His sore displeasure."

It’s hard out there, like the world is ripping apart at the seams. Sometimes it feels like our hearts can’t take any more hurt. But no matter what the world throws at us each day -- anxiety, fear, confusion, temptation -- we have a choice on how to respond.” (Dr. David Jeremiah)

Unless you have been hidden under that proverbial rock, you are probably aware of the struggles of our great Republic in today’s evil-generated world. We are faced with a fight for good versus evil, and for our providential Constitutional freedom, as opposed to the power of socialistic control.

With respect to this blog, have you done your homework? Have you read your newspaper, tuned in the television news, listened to talk radio, surfed the internet, talked to your next-door neighbor, or even listened in the modern church service lately? If so, is America still one nation under God?

In today’s world, with all its uncertainties, I have virtually stopped tuning in the drive-by news and social media, in lieu of the Scriptures.

In today’s world, one need only to place your big family Bible on top of the local newspaper, for they both read the same. Simply put, it’s prophecy in the making. Prophecy can be very simple or a bit hard to understand, for you see, the teachings of prophecy actually came from God, through the men like us who wrote it. (II Peter 1: 20-21) God superintended those human authors so that using their individual personalities, they composed and recorded without error God’s Word to man.

Regardless of the regressive socialistic thinking of today’s culture, Christianity, the Bible and America’s founding documents go hand-in-hand. One need only see what our founding fathers wrote about Scripture to see how that is so. (II Timothy 3:16)

Where and when, did this regressive mindset start? It didn’t happen necessarily in the educational advancements, but much, much younger. It starts with day care, moving upward through kindergarten, on into grammar and high school and upwards into the college realm. The final landing is in today’s social philosophy.

It’s the so-called “woke” psychology, or progressive socialistic mind set of today’s environments. From the very onset of life, we are being taught that America, as a nation, is oppressive and shameful.

From the very beginning our children are taught that slavery, not freedom, is the main defining trait of America. That unequal equality rights need to replace individual freedom. In other words, our founding documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are portrayed as being outdated and now have no legal standing in America’s socialistic culture.

Identity politics are the order of the day, rather than our Constitution's individual freedoms. Concepts such as our unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are no longer of value in today’s world. The founding fathers' appeal to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of our Intentions, is no longer necessary.

Nonetheless, this evil evolution didn’t just start with today’s modern culture. It goes back to our founding civilization, starting in a garden, the beautiful Garden of Eden. Satan himself, through his untruthful misconception, persuaded our first parents, Adam and Eve, into sin. (Genesis 3:1-7)

The serpent, a beautiful creature in its uncursed state, was used of Satan to reach out to our first parents. Eve apparently was not alarmed and then persuaded Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit, believing the serpent's lie that, far from causing death, was desirable for making them wise. They both fell into sin and caused the inherited sin to enter the human race. (Romans 5:12) Now as a result of this action, all mankind is born with a sin nature in need of redemption. (Romans 3:23)

So, what about today’s world? Today’s progressive sinful actions are a progression forwards through time from this beginning sin. Its dreadful consequences have now grown throughout all aspects of today’s socialistic culture. In other words, as the old-time religion preacher put it, “the cows are now out of the barn.”

The Scripture is as true today, as when written. We all are created in the very likeness and image of our Creator, God. (Genesis 1:26-27) So, what’s the bottom line give within this blog? How can those evil generational stumbling blocks be turned into future stepping-stones?

The first chapter of the Bible book of Romans outlines the condemnation of mankind, his willful ignorance (Romans 1:18-23), and the condemnation that results from his sin. (Romans 1:24-32) I suggest you read these passages represented in this blog.

Simply put, we all are without excuse. We need only to look around us. God’s attributes are clearly seen, as He has placed eternity within our hearts. The things that are made (creation) reveal to all men the power and the divine nature of the true God, so that the rejection of this truth makes a man without excuse before God.” (Romans 1:19-20)

Nonetheless, even though they knew God, they failed to honor Him (Romans 1:22) From the very beginning, upwards into today’s culture, the rejection of this truth continues to make mankind without excuse before God. (Romans 1:18, 21-24, 28-31)

Yes, the Old Time Religion is still alive and well. Good works do not save (Ephesians 2:8-9) but are evidence of a changed life. Salvation comes through the finished work of Jesus on the cross to pay for our sins. He died, was buried and came back to life (I Corinthians 15:3-4), thus completing the redemption for our sins. Only by believing and trusting Him with our immortal souls can we be cleansed from sin and made ready for an eternity with Him.

EPILOGUE

Did you enjoy this look back and into the now? Yes, those were the good old days. It was a simpler time, a wholesome time. The pledge was always transmitted via the school PA system each morning. We all would stand at attention, hands over our hearts, reciting the pledge in unison.

If we could only turn back the clock. Wait just a minute. If we did, what may we find? Would we like the former lifestyle, after being accustomed to the present, the high-tech world, to all the conveniences of today? The prophet Job puts it this way,

“For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. (Job 33:14-16)

So, how did I remember the main event of this blog, that being the Pledge insertion of “One nation under God” when often I can’t remember what day it is?”

My memory bank often spits out memories without warning, now that I’m older than dirt and twice as gritty. Many are followed by the recall of past important events of my life.

I don’t exactly understand how our brain mechanism works, but it just does. My dream world is strong living proof of such. Now being retired, I oftentimes simple sit and think, while other times I just sit. So, proof of my dreams is simply recorded within my dream world blogs.

According to the internet, “Neuroscientists have discovered that when someone recalls an old memory a representation of the entire event is instantaneously reactivated in the brain that often includes the people, location, smells, music, and other trivia. Recalling old memories can have a cinematic quality. Memories often seem to play out in the mind's eye like an old Super 8 home movie or vintage Technicolor film, and this new research explains why.”

“Of the many memories you accumulate every day, only those marked as meaningful are recorded in your brain's long-term files. We have a system in our brains that tags memories that are important in some way, so we'll remember them in the future," explains Dr. Andrew Budson, a neurologist and chief of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology at VA Boston Healthcare System.”

So, you did enjoy this little musing? You may want to paste its contents in your favorites file. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Bye for now.