We're in a 2nd civil war -- where's the church?

Are you aware how seriously we've gone off track as a nation? To grasp the reality, read this commentary not as another article but as a word from God.

I'm not trying to be sensational or provocative, but the dramatic downfall of America is scary. The secular, leftist, liberal worldview is gaining traction at an alarming speed; the spiritual, conservative, Judeo-Christian worldview is being dismantled. Add scores of broken hurting people being misled into dangerous and destructive lifestyles; and multitudes of Christians are sadly silent or simply asleep.

Here's the deal: We're currently experiencing a "breather" due to an historic presidential upset, but we're in the midst of a second civil war in our nation. The dark is getting darker and the light is getting lighter, while the difference between the two is becoming increasingly evident.

Many, not all, pastors shake their heads at what's happening but don't really understand how much of the church in our nation resembles the Laodicean church of Revelation 3:16-17. My friend Mario Murillo says, "The American Church still thinks this is a game … stays in her safe zone … and like a party on the Titanic, pats herself on the back for her 'big events.'"

"So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth. For you say I am rich, and have stored up goods, and have need of nothing, yet do not realize that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked."

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Deception and decadence are epidemic! Daily the media, entertainment and education are propagandizing the masses contrary to Judeo-Christian standards upon which America was founded and thereby blessed abundantly. The prophetic warning of 2 Timothy 4:3 accurately pinpoints our day:

"For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but they will gather to themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, having itching ears, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths."

My greatest concern in this hour is that so many sincere Christians are not being prepared amidst the escalation of evil, apostasy and mounting persecution. Because of this, many will be offended at God! Jesus warned, "Then many will fall away ... because iniquity will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:10;12). Lawlessness leads to lovelessness.

"When our shepherds saw the storm clouds on the horizons, why'd so many go on with business as usual, focused on drawing crowds, avoiding anything controversial in sermons and not equipping us to handle issues bombarding us in our culture? They majored on positives, avoided negatives and now we're not prepared with barbarians at the gate! I'm disillusioned and mad at God. This is not what I signed up for!"

Brace yourself and be ready

A few weeks ago, Franklin Graham made this sobering statement as his father entered his 100th year of life and ministry. "Moral decline has moved with breakneck speed in the past two decades. … If the coming 10–20 years proceed at the same perilous pace as the past 20 years, then I shudder to think what our culture will look like."

Last week I received a note from a leader in Alabama who told me, "Larry, many leaders don't want to hear the prophetic warnings God gives you and others to trumpet but simply stick with the 'love of God.' Then people fall away. Jesus foretold this. It happens because they're not being prepared!"

America's 2nd civil war

Like the frog boiled to death slowly in water without recognizing what happened, scores of Americans are imperceptive to today's encroaching darkness. Some communicate with me that they no longer pay attention to news or anything "political" because it discourages them. This is a subtle deception of the enemy because what's happening is moral not merely political; and if ignorant, how can we pray effectively, proclaim truth countering falsehood and participate in public discourse if we retreat?

Pastors doing likewise to avoid controversial issues like abortion, LGBT agenda, protest marches, global warming, immigration, Planned Parenthood, propaganda in schools and the like aren't effectively "equipping the saints for the work of ministry" (Ephesians 4:12). When they exit the Sunday service, they'll lack courage to engage with people.

Church leaders must make a major paradigm shift away from a myopic vision of merely "growing" our church to a kingdom mindset of bringing the reign of God to all aspects of society. Remember, Jesus did not instruct us to pray "Thy Church come" but "Thy Kingdom come." His intent is that local churches be showcase examples of His benevolent rule plus covenant communities of prepared people infiltrating our culture as informed influencers who are "salt" and "light."

A 3-alarm fire

Consider for a moment the alarms going off to arrest our attention as the darkness is spreading into all sectors of our society.

• Alarm 1: Lawlessness regarding immigration and drug enforcement; dishonesty and bias in media; rampant fornication ("living together" and casual sex); homosexuality and adultery; epidemic drug addiction and acceptance of legalized marijuana.
• Alarm 2: Profanity, nudity and perversity pervasive in entertainment; rampant online pornography; student protests shutting down free speech; Islamic terrorism and mass shootings; abortion, euthanasia and infanticide; secular propaganda in schools; gay "marriage," transgenderism, sexual harassment and abuse; casual divorce and rampant fatherlessness.
• Alarm 3: Corrupt politicians; dishonor of our president, police and military; threat of nuclear conflict with North Korea or Iran and catastrophic consequences; pervasive "filth" in today's music; eradication of God from sporting events, schools and town halls; and, erosion of religious freedoms and our Judeo-Christian heritage.

If we snooze, we lose

I recently saw a University of Austin student group advocating incineration of police, and their president did nothing about this hate crime.

Two leading contenders for "Best Picture" feature: 1) Frontal nudity and fornication with an amphibious creature, and 2) A homosexual adult seducing a minor as a "love story."

Not one Democrat voted for tax reform to bring relief to hundreds of millions of individuals, families and minorities.

Planned Parenthood is not only killing one-third of a million babies yearly and selling their organs, while celebrating their profits and using our tax dollars, but now offer transgender transition services to "change boys into girls."

The City of San Francisco voted 10-1 to eliminate "Columbus Day" and change the holiday to "Indigenous Peoples' Day."

The Atomic Scientists' "Doomsday Clock" was just set to two minutes till midnight, the same as in 1953 at the height of the Cold War.

Let's face the facts. If we snooze, we lose. Are we finally recognizing we're reaching critical mass and the tipping point to jolt us into an awareness of this second civil war in America?

May this mobilize masses of Christians to awaken to our desperate need for a Third Great Awakening in our time.

"I am sending you to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God" (Acts 26:17-18). God commissioned Paul with these words. God help us to realize they apply to us.