One Nation Under God

by Karin Paparelli

Before I knew the Lord, you could say I was rather hopeless. As a child and even into my teens I was optimistic and idealistic, but as time went by and I matured my optimism was slowly replaced by pessimism; idealism replaced with cynicism. At the ripe old age of twenty three I was without hope; for myself, my generation, the nation, the world.

Then everything changed! My eyes were opened as if for the very first time as I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ. I had been reborn! My perceptions changed as He changed me from within and I knew hope for the first time in my life. This was the kind of hope that keeps you from making any long term commitments, because as we all know Jesus will be back before my CD has time to mature. Or will He? Now I know that Jesus himself said to be ready for His return. It is quite obvious that we are living in the end times the signs are everywhere. I earnestly believe we should live every day as if it were our last. It very well may be! But we may focus so much on eternity that we lose hope in our today and tomorrow here on earth. Or more specifically, here in the US. When that happens we simply give up. We can't see how things may improve at all and as evil magnifies we throw our hands in the air and pray for the rapture. Can you see the problem in this? I know many Christians, myself included, who have been distressed by the current state of our nation. It seems as if we're on a downward spiral and there is no way to stop it. Many have given up on a complete turn around. It just doesn't seem possible. But with God all things are possible! He has not given up and neither should we.

He's given me a vision, a plan for our nation for here and now! I believe that if you too have been despairing, this will be as encouraging to you as it has been for me. I can hardly contain myself, for the vision the Lord has given me! I want to shout it from the rooftops, and not just to us Christians but to all that would listen! For this message is full of hope, not wishful thinking but real hope.

It all started when I began earnestly seeking the heart of God. I love the Lord with all of my heart, mind and soul and desire to serve Him with all of the strength He has given me. I wanted His plan for the future. He sent me on a search through the history of America. He revealed to me that the secret to our future as a nation was to be found in our history. He sent me to uncover the covenants He had made with the founders of this great nation. I expected to do much research, but I was spared when I found "The Light and the Glory", written by Peter Wagner and David Manuel. They searched to answer the question "Did God have a plan for America?" What they found was both surprising and encouraging!

From the discovery of America to the establishment of a nation, God had a plan for America. He still does! Many believe Columbus found America by accident, but as I have learned through the years, with God there are no accidents. In Columbus' own journal he recorded, "It was the Lord who put into my mind the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies. There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit." That doesn't sound like an accident to me. Even his name was symbolic of the mission God was to send him on, Christopher meaning Christ-bearer. Coincidence? I think not. For Columbus was about to break the cloud of darkness which hung over the Americas with the penetrating light of Christ. And though Columbus and many of the explorers that followed became enticed with greed and all other kinds of sin, Franciscan and Dominican Monks also came to the new world with the hope of bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the natives. And these monks were successful for they did not fear death but were willing to sacrifice everything as many did. The light broke through the darkness and churches were established.

God had a plan for America and He had chosen the people to bring it to pass; the Pilgrims and the Puritans. It was through these two dedicated groups of Christians that our nation would become the "city on a hill", a light unto all the world that Jesus is Lord. These people endured hardships unknown to many of us, all for the sake of their God, our God. To become a nation in which God would be revered, honored, worshiped. Contrary to popular belief they did not come to establish religious freedom to worship all gods or no god, but to worship the Lord Jesus Christ! ( just a side note; I would encourage all of you to search these truths for yourselves, we have received a glorious heritage) Pastor John Robinson, pastor of the Pilgrims stated, "The Lord wants us to build a living temple for Him in the new land. It is to be a spiritual temple. Our lives are to shine as light in a dark world." That is rather specific isn't it?

The Puritans came to America with the hope of bringing revival to the Church of England. Their leader John Winthrop declared, "We are entered into covenant with God for this work...we must be knit together in this work as one man." Precisely what the Lord would have us do for His word says in Romans 12:5 that, "we who are many, are to be one body in Christ and individually members of one another." The Puritans took the word of God quite literally. They entered into a covenant relationship with each other God as they sought to carry out His will here in America.

OK so what exactly was God's plan for America? America was to be a shining example of a nation ruled by God, with Jesus Christ as King! That was the reason we fought the revolutionary war! We were to be as a" city set on a hill". A light to the nations to the glory of God. And it was for a time, but then it happened here just as it happened to Israel. We prospered and forgot our God. Gradually we became independent and self sufficient, prideful and arrogant and these opened the door to many other sins, and before long God's grace started to lift from our land. Just as He gave promises and warnings to the Israelites so too did He warn this nation. Preachers would rise up, call many into repentance, but once again we would lose sight of the plan.

Now what? You may be thinking that was God's plan back then but what do we do now? The answer is in our past. We need to be reminded of our heritage, we were created to be one nation under God! It is time to stand on the covenants made in those early years when we first became a nation. God doesn't change. His word remains true from one generation to another. He has not forgotten His plan for America. We do not live in a God forsaken land, but in a God given land! You are probably thinking, "Come on Karin, take a good look around, judgement is upon us." And you are right. Judgement has come upon us. God's grace has begun to lift. The signs are everywhere; drugs, disease, pestilence, natural disasters, and it goes on and on. God is sending us a message and we would be wise to receive it loud and clear. But it is not too late as Satan would have us believe.

Ninevah was on the edge of destruction and God sent an unsympathetic prophet named Jonah to give them one final warning. They heeded that warning, humbled themselves, prayed and turned from their wickedness. God spared their city. Do you believe that He would do less for a nation He planned to be a light to the world? He is not finished with us yet. There is still time, but we need to act now. I believe the challenge is up to God's people. God is calling us to stand in the gap for our nation. 2Chronicles 7:14 says, "If my people who are called by my name, would humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and will heal their land." We also need to practice the Covenant Way of life of the early settlers.

We live in a great nation which God himself founded. Believe BIG! We serve an incredible God. He can make this nation what He created it to be. I have such hope for our future as a nation! Not because of what I see, but because of the God I know! Will you make His plan your plan?

America, America God shed His grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!

May you walk in His grace. Thy kingdom come!

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