Is the Obama administration America’s refining fire?

While listening to Rush Limbaugh’s radio program today there was a comment made which rang true in my mind.  He talked about a previous caller who said that something about America didn’t feel right.  Rush went on to explain his thoughts on the matter.

“I’ll tell you exactly what it feels like to me. You tell me if this isn’t close. It feels like we’ve lost a war to a communist country. It’s almost like there’s been a coup. There’s been a peaceful coup. The media has led this coup, and the Democrats have taken over with popular support. We’re getting policies and implementations and things that were never, ever part of this country’s design and founding.”

The idea occurred to me, almost at the same moment, far too many Americans have little or no understanding of God’s divine intervention here in America.  Providence’s hand permitted a small band of farmers and volunteer militia to beat the most powerful army in the world. 

Steven Alan Sampson’s thoughts, as recorded in the Christian Statement, mirror my own beliefs. 

“As a rule, Americans are ignorant of history.  We are at a loss especially when it comes to recognizing the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our own country’s history.  The thought that Jesus Christ is Lord over America is enough to trigger all sorts of outcries about civil religion and heresy.  But if Jesus Christ is not Lord, who is?  Think about it.  Then think about this: If Jesus Christ is Lord how does He exercise His sovereign rule over the earth?  Does He use the institutions He established to govern our affairs?  Does He use Nations? Magistrates? Churches? Families?  If so what is our responsibility in each of these areas of government?”  

In spite of the recorded thoughts of those who acknowledged God’s hand in our founding to include preserving us against insurmountable odds there are far too many who ignore or dismiss the work of providence in our victories as well as sustaining us through other ordeals. 

Students are no longer taught certain aspects of our history, for example they never hear important facts about the Battle of Long Island in public schools because these young minds might learn of God’s divine intervention, providence’s influence which permitted Washington and his troops to escape certain death and a premature end of the Revolutionary War. 

Nothing short of a miracle permitted their escape from under the nose of the British who outnumbered and out gunned the militia; but a miracle is exactly what happened.

“Washington did not need to shoot the British the next morning; he just needed to get the hell out of Brooklyn with enough of his army to continue and win the war with. This fog provided him with precisely the time and the cover he needed to successfully sneak all 9,000 of his men into Manhattan while the British sat back and reminisced about this jolly good London weather. It was like Washington shouted, “Cover me!” at God, and God had complied like (the) world’s greatest buddy cop. There was not a single loss of life, and Washington was the last one to leave Long Island ... immediately after he snatched his whole army and the Revolution straight out of the British Empire’s back pocket.”

We hear about “deniers” as if it were some kind of pandemic which only affects weak minded malcontents.  There are man made global warming deniers,  9/11 deniers,  Obama birth certificate deniers and so on. 

I’ll take it a step further; add to that list of deniers folks who deny God’s divine intervention in the creation of our constitutional republic.  What was the line used by Steven Alan Sampson, “The thought that Jesus Christ is Lord over America is enough to trigger all sorts of outcries about civil religion and heresy”?  Modern scripture, which many deny as relevant, supports the idea that Jesus Christ truly is the Creator mentioned in our founding documents.

“And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.”  Doctrine and Covenants 101: 80

George Washington, in his Farewell Address, casually mentioned, as if it were common knowledge, a nation of individuals tested and victorious because they held, for the most part, similar religious beliefs and social graces which support liberty.

“The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.”

In our day we find ourselves mired in an economy which spirals downward toward total collapse, corruption at every level of government to include the highest offices where Marxist communists have infiltrated even the White House, threatening to destroy all we hold sacred and chipping away at the very foundations of our constitutional republic. 

How could this have happened?

In a lesson by Lorenzo Snow, former president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he reminded us that God protects His people.

“In many instances … where the destruction of the people of God seemed imminent, and there appeared no way of escape, … suddenly there arose something or another that had been prepared for their salvation to avert the impending destruction. We find this in the case of the Israelites when led by Moses. When they came to the Red Sea, and the Egyptian army in their rear threatened their destruction, there seemed no way of escape, but at the very moment when deliverance was required, behold, it appeared and they were delivered [see Exodus 14:10–25].”

Elder Snow went on to explain the challenges yet to come.

“So it has been and so it ever will be with us. Notwithstanding our difficulties may appear very great, yet there will be means provided for our escape if we ourselves perform the duties incumbent upon us as the children of God.”

{…}

“First we should know that we are the people of God. … It is our business to step forward as did Esther, and be willing to risk all for the salvation of the people. In undertaking her task, Esther said, “If I perish, I perish.” [See Esther 4:3–16.] … But the people of God will not perish. There will always be a ram caught in the thicket for their deliverance [see Genesis 22:13]. …”

If we are to survive, much less prosper as a nation, we will need the help of our Creator.  He expects us to follow His commandments and live according to the examples set forth in readily available scriptures.  Such a simple formula and yet it is the answer to our ever growing list of challenges.   

Christians are laughed at and scorned by the statists among us.  Within our government there are those who now teach that Christians are to be considered a terrorist threat; anything to discredit people of faith, God’s people.  These are the most dangerous of all “deniers”, those who deny God’s hand in our affairs and go about destroying the foundations of faith in others.

We need to stand firm in our testimonies of the Gospel, live our lives in such a way as to deserve God’s divine intervention in these perilous times.  The darkest clouds which seem to have blotted out the light within our nation’s capital are a test of our faith and resolve.  Let us rise to the challenge as we’re tested by the Refiner’s Fire once more.

This article has been cross posted to The Moral Liberal, a publication whose banner reads, “Defending The Judeo-Christian Ethic, Limited Government, & The American Constitution”.