"America's Top Ten"

A few weeks ago I was interviewed on World Harvest Radio’s “Trunews” broadcast. The host and I conversed about America’s growing depravity, and the desperate need for nationwide repentance. We agreed that profound repentance could not only bring our “one nation under God” into a third great awakening, but also alleviate if not eliminate impending divine judgments. Toward the end of the interview the host invited me back on the show at a later date to outline exactly what sins America needs to repent of, which inspired me to write this article.

Much like our parents, the Lord would much rather reward than rebuke His children. Truly, divine mercy triumphs over divine judgment. Therefore, if we will, as a nation, judge ourselves and submit to the chastening hand of the Lord, divine retribution can be averted. However, when a nation not only practices sin, but also celebrates it, judgment is imminent. Indeed, our chronic sins and generational iniquities have exceeded the boundaries of divine mercy. Therefore, more death and destruction are on the horizon if we don’t repent. Divine judgment manifests in many forms including drought, famine, pestilence, economic upheaval, environmental disaster, and even invasion.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain (drought), or command the locusts to devour the land (famine), or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

The spiritual condition of America mirrors that of Israel just prior to their exile. In their arrogance, Israel could not even entertain the thought that they could be invaded much less exiled. The prophet Jeremiah bitterly lamented over Israel’s exile, and squarely placed the blame on the shoulders of her prophets.

Lamentations 4:12-13 “. . . all inhabitants of the world would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem – because of the sins of her prophets . . .”

How did Jerusalem’s prophets sin? They sinned by seeing false and deceptive visions, envisioning false prophecies and delusions, and for not uncovering Israel’s iniquities (Lamentations 2:14).

A Challenge to America’s Prophets

If America’s prophets will repent now, the judgment upon our nation will be lessened. Therefore, I challenge every genuine prophet of God in America to:

1. Repent if you’ve been delivering flesh-indulging, false prophecies regarding America’s imminent financial breakthrough and dawning prosperity.

2. Repent if you’ve been a hireling, or a prophet for profit. Don’t go the way of the prophet Balaam, who in his greed forsook Israel for the sake of a large offering. Prophetic ministry and money don’t mix (II Peter 2:15, Jude 1:11).

3. Repent, if you’ve been ambitiously competing for prestige or a platform. The Lord never intended prophetic ministry to be a popularity contest.

4. Preach repentance, for the kingdom of God is at hand! Instead of prophesying what America wants to hear, we need to prophesy what our nation needs to hear (Matthew 3:2, 4:17).

5. Prepare the way of the Lord in the spirit of Elijah by asking Him not only for a message or repentance, but also a mantle of repentance.

The future of America depends on our prophets’ obedience. Together, let’s respond to this challenge for the sake of our “one nation under God” and the expansion of the kingdom of God.

America’s Top Ten Sins

Although we have the Ten Commandments as our guide, the following sins are specific to America. There are probably some that will disagree with the following list of “America’s Top Ten” sins. Nevertheless, it’s a start.

1. Abortion – Since abortion was legalized in 1973, over 50 million babies have been slaughtered on the altar of convenience in America. Not unlike the Ammonites, who burned their children in sacrificial worship to Molech, our worship of Baal through the blood sacrifice of our seed has caused our nation to continually reap a harvest of divine judgment (Jeremiah 19:5-6).

2. Greed – Contrary to a phrase in a popular movie this year, Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps, greed is not good. In fact, the love of money is not only the root of all evil, but also has empowered the ascendency and establishment of Mammon as a ruling demonic principality over America (I Timothy 6:10).

3. Pride – American’s pride is known worldwide. We have forgotten that the favor and blessings our nation has experienced throughout our history are due to our worship of and devotion to Jesus Christ. In our arrogance and vanity, we have been deceived into believing in our own greatness. Unless we corporately humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, America will continue to experience destruction and eventually fall (Obadiah 1:3, Proverbs 16:18).

4. Sexual Immorality – The abundance and accessibility of pornography through the internet over the past fifteen years has captivated, corrupted and enslaved millions of Americans. With 60% of all websites being pornographic, and 70% of Christians secretly admitting to a pornography addiction, our depravity is much worse than most Americans realize. Pornography has also catalyzed a great epidemic of adultery, fornication and homosexuality in our nation – sins that remove God’s protective hand and draw His wrath (Ephesians 5:3-6).

5. Debauchery – The American dream for many has been reduced to a reckless pursuit of pleasure. Debauchery, which is excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures, includes drug abuse, drunkenness, and gluttony. Our pleasure-seeking and godlessness has produced a growing constituency of overweight, self-medicated, inept, unproductive and irresponsible drug addicts, drunks and gluttons. When will we learn that only Jesus can fill that void inside? (Galatians 5:19-21, I Peter 4:3)

6. Idolatry – Idols usurp God’s rightful place in our lives, and can easily be identified by how and where we spend excessive amounts of our time and money. Our covetousness has erected many idols in America including video games, movie stars, rock stars, television programs, entertainment, Facebook, E-mail, sports, careers, education, automobiles, gambling, shopping, fitness, investments, hobbies, etc. We must topple these idols and simply spend more time with the Master in the secret place (Colossians 3:5, I John 5:21).

7. Divorce – Our sexual immorality, debauchery and idolatry has produced a society characterized by discontent. As a result, in the United States, 50% of first marriages, 67% of second marriages, and 74% of third marriages end in divorce. When our life partners cease to satisfy us, we abandon the covenant of marriage in favor of cohabitation, which currently is eleven times more prevalent in America than in 1960 (Malachi 2:14-16).

8. Abandonment – Crumbling marriages have eroded families, which have been the cornerstone of America’s foundation. Indeed, divorce has been a chief contributor to fatherlessness in America. Left to themselves, our children have been mentored by their peers and programmed by Hollywood movies and music. If the hearts of American fathers are not turned to their children, our nation will soon be smitten with a curse (Malachi 4:5-6).

9. Covenant Breaking – Of the more than 800 treaties the U.S. government made with Native Americans, not one of them was kept. Moreover, the number of Native Americans killed by colonists and the United States government exceeds the number of Jews murdered by Adolf Hitler during the Holocaust. Therefore, the blood of countless Native Americans cries out from the ground for redemption. Indeed, our nation must not only repent to Native America, but also bring restitution for our murderous and covenant-breaking ways. Only then will we witness the healing of the First Nations and the healing of our land (Genesis 4:10, Psalm 89:34, Proverbs 18:19).

10. Prayerlessness – In America, pastors on average only spend five minutes per day in prayer, which is a sober indication of our backslidden spiritual condition. Prayer is one if not the greatest act of humility. If we will, as a nation, daily humble ourselves through prayer, and seek the face of God in genuine repentance, God will hear us from heaven, forgive us our sins and heal our land.

Prayer: Lord, we repent as a nation for these sins and pray that You would not only forgive us, but also grant us the fear of the Lord that we might forsake them forever. Save your people, and bless your inheritance, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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