Someone remarked to me the other day, who was only a few years younger than me, that times have always been like they are today. The person who made the statement was old enough to know better. The person who made such a remark either carelessly misspoke or their memory has badly faded as to the way it was when we were growing up. When I first saw the light of day, Dwight Eisenhower was serving as President of the United States. While America has always faced tumultuous issues; no, times have not always been like they are today. We are living in times, as Paul stated that are “perilous” or savage (II Tim. 3:1). The Greek word he uses speaks of a wild beast jumping on its prey.

I must say when I pause to ponder the America of today, I am fearful for my grandchildren. My grandchildren will never experience what it is like to grow up in the America  in which I grew up. They will never know what it is like for the national conscience to be influenced by Christian morality and common decency. They will never know what it is like to be seated at their desk at school and begin the school day by hearing the teacher read from the Bible. They will never know what it is like to have the teacher say a “blessing” before marching to the lunchroom to eat. They will never know what it is like to see the Ten Commandments posted on the classroom wall. They will never know what it is like to not have history sanitized, but to actually hear a teacher teach that this country was founded by men and women who came to the New World for religious freedom and the opportunity to worship Jesus Christ without persecution and the reason this country has been blessed is because of its acknowledgment of the God of heaven and earth.

My grandchildren will never know what it is like to go to school without fear of some madman bursting through the door and shooting people. They will never know what it is like to not have police officers roaming the halls while school is in session. They will never know what it is like to walk through the door of a schoolhouse, a courthouse or an airport without walking through metal detectors or being patted down. They will never know what it is like when everyone owned a gun but to hear of mass shootings was a very, very rare occurrence. They will never know what it is like when everyone respected each other’s property and you could sleep at night with your door unlocked and not worry about someone breaking-in. They will never know what it is like when everyone knew they were either a male or a female. They will never know what it is like when there was no confusion over which bathroom one was supposed to go in.

My grandchildren will never know what it is like when marriage was only between a man and a woman. They will never know what it is like when there was a national conscience that revered the sanctity of life and politicians and abortion advocates didn’t stand up and applaud because they can kill a baby. They will never know what it is like to actually see a two-party system work and witness both sides sitting down and coming to workable solutions to problems that plague society. They will never know what it is like when everyone knew their neighbor. They will never know what it is like when capitalism, not failed socialism, was touted as the best economic system. They will never know what it is like for all people to proudly stand for the National Anthem without having to stomach someone protesting that for which the flag stands. They will never know what is like for patriotism to be embraced and a reverence for God understood, instead of now patriotism being shunned and godless secularism embraced.

Now those are just a few of the spiritual and moral characteristics of the America in which I grew up, and it is an America my grandchildren will never experience. No, it has not always been like it is today. There was once a more kind, gentler, decent, safer, law-abiding, God-fearing  and patriotic America that existed. That is no more. Sadly, America today is no longer being influenced by the moral and spiritual qualities that made her great, but instead today she is being influenced  by secularism, atheism, socialism, ecumenism, and those who tout anti-Americanism.

You see, we thought it wise to abolish prayer and remove the morality of the Bible from our schools. We thought it wise to rip the Ten Commandments from the schoolhouse walls. We thought it wise to declare killing babies is ok. We thought it wise to label morality relative and God an afterthought. We thought it wise to redefine traditional marriage. We though it wise to embrace gender fluidity. We thought it wise to say it is ok to trample the flag and label patriotism offensive. We thought it wise to shake our fist in the face of a holy God and say, “We don’t need you, we can make our own morals and do as we please and get along just fine.” And we are clearly reaping the myriad of consequence from declaring ourselves to be wise in our own eyes apart from God, and in the process have become as fools (Romans 1:22).

Yes, I am fearful for my grandchildren who will never know the greatness that once marked this great land as a result of the moral and spiritual foundation upon which it was built. That foundation has crumbled badly and as a result, unless a spiritual and moral awakening sweep across this land, the young people of America today will only know her as she goes through the death rattles.

God have mercy upon America.

Blessings,
Dr. Dan