Sorry it has taken so long to get back with the second half of this post. I have written and re-written this post about a dozen times filling about 8 to 10 pages, I keep changing things each time I review it. Of course there is also that little thing called work that keeps getting in the way. I have learned from this post that in the future when I have a post divided into several posts, I need to have them all written in advance so I don’t leave people hanging. Guess I won’t be a writer in demand.

Please take the following as a generalization as there are definitely exceptions, but I am convinced that this crisis applies to even some of the most conservative homes.

The crisis in America goes deeper than politics. It goes deeper than the liberal left or the conservative right. And it goes deeper than the social and financial problems of our country. These are all symptoms of a bigger issue. I believe the biggest crisis that we as a nation are facing is a battle for the Christian home. Satan is in overdrive attacking the Christian home like never before. Unfortunately, in many cases he is winning. Look around us today we can see even homes that appear to be so strong falling apart. How does this happen?

Over the last 20 to 30 years we have seen the Christian home attacked by Satan through local, state and federal government actions. Our homes are bombarded with media every day discounting parental authority and the family in general. Our children are victims of a perverse society. The home is attacked on all sides. Sadly, even groups within the church can have a negative effect on our homes. Yet while all of these things are difficult on the home, the home can be victorious in each of these cases if it keeps the Authority of Scriptures as its first and final authority and it is taught in a loving and instructive manner.

Why is the Authority of Scriptures so important, why is this the key to keeping our families strong? Because if we lose this, if we divert from the foundational building blocks of doctrine and faith, our faith will begin to crumble, we will be tossed with every wind of doctrine as the book of James says and our life will become as a swinging pendulum swinging back and forth going from one extreme to another. As our home takes such wide swings, we lose credibility and an effective testimony with our friends and family.

If we begin to move from Biblical Authority and it’s foundational principles for everyday living, our homes will begin to become like the church of the Laodiceans as described in Revelation chapter three. We are neither cold or hot, but lukewarm Christians. Our homes will just “function” instead of thrive. It is interesting to me that the Laodiceans said in their hearts, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” – Rev 3:17. Doesn’t that sound like Christians in America today? We have become so satisfied with the cares of this world that we don’t e even realize that we are wretched miserable people, spiritually poor, blind and naked. We fail to realize that God has so much more to offer us if we would only learn real obedience.

So how did we get this way? Like the church of Laodicea, we have become immune to the world and Satan’s devices. We have learned to accept the things that we cannot change, we accept the status quo. We have forgotten that our God is a great God and He controls even the wind and the waves. We have accepted the world’s humanistic worldview of self-reliance, selfishness and pride. We have forsaken the Word of God for so called “tolerance” and ecumenicalism. We have accepted the false teachings that God didn’t really mean what he said in the Scriptures such as in Genesis chapters 1-11, it was all an allegory. Yes, many of us would be firm that we believe in the inspired Word of God, yet our actions deceive us and we become poor examples to our family.

We have become so much like the world that our form of Christianity appears to be no different than the definition the world gives to Christianity. Far too often, we look and act no different than the world. Our attire, even in church has become immodest and rebellious yet we call it stylish. Our concerts look and sound like the world, our church services have become an entertainment venue and a social club instead of a spiritual hospital and place of encouragement and in depth spiritual training. Our homes have become fragmented with each member running at a full tilt in different directions. Our homes are contentious and tumultuous, instead of a home of unity, forgiveness and love. Our homes should be a refuge for the hurting not a place of harassment and nagging. It should be a place of security, not a place of loneliness. Our homes should be a place of rejuvenation and fulfillment, not a place that drains the spirit. We have allowed the world to define us as Christians and what a good and strong family is instead of looking to the Scriptures for guidance. The world says two mommies or two daddies is fine, that a broken home is the norm, that the parents are fools and the kids should have free reign, and discipline and responsibility is old fashioned. And, yet while we may disagree with such characterizations, we do little to act and make a difference. We are afraid to be called intolerant, we are afraid to be call fanatical, we are afraid to be different. Are we ashamed of our faith? Good question.

Why is this crisis in our homes a crisis for America? Our government spends more than it takes in because our homes do the same. Many have an entitlement mentality in our nation because in our homes, we don’t develop responsibility and accountability. We have cheats and thievery all around us because we teach our children that we deserve a break today and the end justifies the means and the little things don’t really matter. Our children see their mom or dad clawing to the top in their business for “success” while ignoring and spending little time with their spouse and children. The morals, values and character are missing in our businesses, our government, our county because they are missing in our homes. America is the way that it is because we have allowed our homes to fail. Do question why we don’t have principled leaders? It’s because as fathers, we have failed to be leaders. As the home goes, so goes the nation.

Yet there is still time, there is still hope, as long as there is hope for our homes, there will be hope for our country. We must fall on our knees and repent from our sin of failed leadership, we must repent of our pride and self-reliance and self importance and remember we can do nothing of any lasting value apart from God. We must be willing to break away from the world’s view and get back to a biblical worldview. We need to call our families to holiness and righteousness regardless of the cost. We must be willing to take a stand on our knees for our family’s sake, for our country’s sake.

There is a crisis in America, and it is in our homes. Who sits in the Whitehouse all depends on who sits in the heart of the people.