"In God We Trust"
By Glendol McClure

The Psalmist David wrote, "Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for Himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto Him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD." (Psalms 4:1-4)

It is interesting to note that the phrase, "In God We Trust" is printed on the back of U.S. paper currency. The same phrase is also found on U.S. coins. But when one watches the nightly news on TV, listens to a news broadcast on the radio, or reads a newspaper, it is evident from what is reported that we live in a society that does NOT offer sacrifices of righteousness and that does NOT put its trust in God! And, I wonder how long it will be before we remove this phrase from our currency. In recent years, we have seen and heard reports of horrible, unspeakable, and sinful crimes.

In September 1995, a family made a wrong turn down a street in Los Angles and was met by a barrage of gunfire that killed their 3-year-old daughter. Gang members riddled their car with bullets, just for the fun of it. (Los Angles Times, September 18, 1995, p. 1A)

In June 1997, a New Jersey teenager delivered a baby in a Delaware motel; then she and her boyfriend allegedly beat the baby to death, placed it in a plastic bag, and threw it in a garbage dumpster. (Bergen, N.J. Record, November 17, 1996, p. AI)

In October 1997, a 16-year-old boy in Pearl, Mississippi murdered his mother, then went to school and shot nine students, killing two, including his former girlfriend. (The Washington Post, October 22, 1997, p. A3)

On May 21, 1998, Kip Kinkel, a freckled-faced Springfield, Oregon youth murdered his father and mother, then went to Thurston High School cafeteria and, with a semi-automatic rifle, opened fire on his fellow students, killing two and wounding 22 others. (Antioch Ledger Dispatch, May 22, 1998, p. AI)

On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, who had plotted for a year to kill at least 500 and blow up their school, killed 14 students and one teacher, and wounded 23 others at Columbine High School. At the end of their hour-long rampage, they turned their guns on themselves. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html)

More recently, on April 16, 2007, 23-year-old Virginia Tech student, Cho Seung-Hui, killed two in a dorm, and then two hours later, in a classroom building, killed 30 more and wounded 15 others. His suicide brought the death toll to 33, making that shooting rampage the most deadly in U.S. history to date. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777958.html)

These crimes were not committed by hardened criminals, but by mixed-up teenagers.

Should we stand by in awe and amazement, wondering why kids are killing kids? John Hazelwood's 14-year-old son, Brandon, attends the Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas. There, two students--one 11 and one 13--opened fire, killing four girls and a teacher and wounding numerous others. Mr. Hazelwood hit the nail on the head when he said: "This is not the kid's problem, it's the way we're raising them today. They know only what you teach 'em."

Undoubtedly, the mayhem we have witnessed in recent years is a product of a society that DOES NOT put its trust in the Lord! The Apostle Paul answered the question "WHY?" when he wrote, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." (Romans 1:28-32) Our nation is now reaping the rotten fruit of its distrust in God and His divine word. In my estimation, we are now seeing only the leading edge of the storm. Its eye has not yet hit!

Do we have a right to expect our young people to value human life? Consider the example being set before them by our liberal, immoral, ungodly, hypocritical politicians. They pass laws that deprive innocent children in the womb from protection from murderers who puncture their little skulls and suck out their brains in abortion clinics? Bill Clinton publicly lamented the fact of the Springfield, Oregon shootings; yet he supports the woman's freedom of choice, which allows her to slaughter her unborn child at will! This is blatant hypocrisy gone to seed! Both Bill and Hillary Clinton travel about the country expressing pious concern about our children's future in the classroom and their right to be educated and prepared for crossing the bridge to the 21st century, but they show utter disregard for the innocent child in the mother's womb and that child's right to life. Sadly, many children in the womb will never see the light of day before they meet their doom in an abortion clinic! Hillary Clinton has pledged to provide taxpayer funding for America's number-one abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. The Clintons, and others who support abortion on demand, need to wake up!

Truly, many in our nation do not trust in God. Morally speaking, many of America's citizens are disgusted by God; they certainly do not trust in Him. Let us never forget that the world in which we live is saturated with all manner of wickedness. May we, as God's people, heed Paul's instruction to young Timothy, "For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, Who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe. These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:10-12)

Finally, let us remember to offer supplications, prayers, and intercessions for all men, especially the leaders of our nation and every nation (1 Timothy 2:1-4). All of them, especially our federal, state, and local political representatives, need our prayers.

Brother McClure has done a masterful job of showing the utter hypocrisy of a nation that calls itself a "Christian nation." True, this nation was founded on Christian principles, but sadly its citizens have forgotten many of those principles. Following are a few other things to consider about this "godly nation."

  1. Prayer has been removed from the public schools.

  2. Young women can have abortions or receive counseling without the knowledge of their parents.

  3. The ACLU stands opposed to anything that has God's name in or on it.

  4. We are more offended by a man who promotes dog fighting, which kills dogs, than we are by those who kill human beings. For example:

    • A woman who, some years ago, drowned her two children to "get even with her husband" received an 18-month sentence; she is now out of jail.

    • A minister's wife who killed her husband in cold blood and pled guilty by reason of insanity because he abused her will spend a total of seven months in prison.

    • The football player who pled guilty to dog fighting and killing dogs may go to jail for up to 18 months.

  5. We get up in arms about saving the planet (trees, whales, natural wildlife, etc.) while continuing to press the government to pass laws allowing stem cell research, which uses the remains of aborted babies.

  6. Our children have access, via the internet, to all types of sexual immorality and vices. Much of this is made possible when their parents place computers in their rooms, behind locked doors.

  7. Many of the mainstream denominations now accept gay men and women as priests and leaders.

  8. The world's largest religious organization has a growing problem with some of its leaders who engage in homosexual acts with young boys. The hierarchy has attempted to remedy these situations by sending the guilty priests to other areas of the country and/or giving the boys' families money to buy their silence so as to avoid jail time for the guilty sex offenders.

It may be later than we think!!! God is taking notes. To be sure, everyone will give an account of his/her sins. Yet, the thing that is more worrisome to me is the fact that our citizens appear to be unconcerned about these matters. I can only wonder WHY NOT! (KMG)


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