Isaiah 1:21-26 See how Jerusalem, once so faithful, has become a prostitute. Once the home of justice and righteousness, she is now filled with murderers. Once like pure silver, you have become like worthless slag. Once so pure, you are now like watered-down wine. Your leaders are rebels, the companions of thieves. All of them love bribes and demand payoffs, but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans or fight for the rights of widows. Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says, “I will take revenge on my enemies and pay back my foes! I will raise my fist against you. I will melt you down and skim off your slag. I will remove all your impurities. Then I will give you good judges again and wise counselors like you used to have.”
You know your “leaders” are corrupt. You know they work against their people. You know they take bribes, you know they do not do what is in the best interest of the citizens of your States and Nation. You know all of this, and you turn your head and look the other way. You tell yourself that it has always been this way. You tell yourself that there is nothing you can do. So you don’t act. You complain. You point fingers. Yet you do nothing substantive to change things. You cry out to Me and ask Me to change your Nation. You ask Me to save you. Yet, was it I who did these things? Did I not answer prayer in helping to establish this Nation? Did I not answer prayer in directing those who wrote your founding documents – your Declaration of Independence and your Constitutions? Did I not give wisdom and discernment to those who fought for and created the establishment of your Constitutional Republic? Then, once established, as long as your people were obedient and followed My Word, did I not protect and establish and prosper you all? What has happened that you find yourselves in this position today? Is it I who have failed? No. You turned away. Slowly, quietly, you allowed Me to be removed from every area of your lives. You removed Me from the government. You removed Me from the schools. You removed any mention of Me from your society – from your art and your literature and your music. You went from public prayer to quiet prayer in your prayer closets, in your church buildings, and in some of your homes to now only praying sporadically – and usually when confronted with troubles or illness. My Word, your Bibles, went from being taught in schools and once being in every home to now gathering dust on your shelves – forgotten and only brought out when nostalgic or in a panic. You have relegated Me to last place in your lives – yet you blame Me for not magically saving you now. You are afraid to mention Me in public – lest you anger or “offend” someone – yet in those actions you are not afraid to offend Me. You are like toddlers who have not yet obtained any sense of self-awareness – you want what you want yet you do not see where you have responsibilities in it all, you do not see where your selfishness and self-seeking have brought you to this state, you do not see what your actions have to do with your present life conditions. You only see what you want, what you think you need, what you believe others – especially Me – owe you and should do for you. You are self-obsessed and self-indulgent. You do not believe you have any part in all of this except as a victim of these horrible circumstances, of these corrupt politicians, of these freedom-stealing rulers, of the powerful crush of the corporations that are taking over your lives. And so you continue to stumble along, overwhelmed and in despair over the condition of your lives and your Nation. Yet, you hold the power. It is your Nation. These are your lives. It is in your hands. Will I help you? Have I not always helped when sincerely asked? When you bring me a repentant heart and hands ready for battle for what is right and good? I have not changed. I have not moved. I am. Let that sink it. I AM. Today as yesterday as tomorrow. I AM. So, when you change – when you repent – when you turn to me with pure hearts and empty hands – I AM ready. I AM willing. I AM able. I am not the question here – you are.
Amanuensis 