Dean Welty, VCA DirectorOnward and Upward for God and Country on Valley Radio or Online HERE Anytime
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18)
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Prov. 14:34)
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. When the wicked rule, the people mourn.” (Prov. 29:2)
“The government is downstream from the culture, which is downstream from the church, which is downstream from “We the People” – and all of which is downstream from God!” (Rakazzi)
A New Day Dawning — From Despair to Hope for America
In recent years, we have witnessed an accelerated departure from our Judeo-Christian heritage toward a secular state that rejects God as well as the constitutional principles on which America was founded.
In its place, we have seen the growth of government as our new Provider “from whom all blessings flow” and to which we are beholden for all of our rights – in place of our Creator.
We have also been forced to bow down before a Supreme Court as the all-knowing oracle which knows better than God and His Word what is Right and what is Wrong.
As a result, God’s design for Life has been expanded to include a “Choice” that allows for abortion, and His design for Marriage has also been expanded to allow for a “Choice” of same-sex “marriages”. As a result, people are encouraged to live as they please even when it violates God’s laws and the laws of nature.
And finally, we have mortgaged the future of our children to a national debt that is rapidly approaching $19 trillion – all so we can live in the styles to which we have become accustomed.
Against this sad background, it is tempting to slide, like John Bunyan’s Christian, into a Slough of Despair and Despond. We cannot let that happen, but what can we do? Where is the hope for 2016?
A New Year’s Vision for America
That is our challenge, and our Crossroads radio team this weekend will present a new vision for America aimed at reversing the trends described above. It carries us through Seven Golden Arches, beginning with Remembrance and then on to our final destination — a National Restoration.
We cannot have Political Reform unless and until we have a new Spiritual Awakening in America. It won’t be easy but, with willing hands and the help of Almighty God, it can be done, as described briefly below with periodic references to Scripture for background.
Arch No. 1 — Remembrance: We must know where we came from in order to know who we are and where we are going. We have a rich Judeo-Christian heritage in America, and like the children of Israel in the Old Testament, we must keep that flame of faith and freedom alive. (Deut. 8 and Ps. 105)
Arch No. 2 — Repentance: As Israel did so often (Ps. 106), we too have disobeyed God in many ways. So, like them, we too must humble ourselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways, for only then will God hear our prayers, forgive our sins, and heal our land. (II Chron. 7:14)
Arch No. 3 — Revival: Just as the two Great Awakenings in the 18th and 19th centuries were spiritual events that stirred Americans toward freedom from British tyranny and from the shackles of slavery, so we too must have a spiritual revival and a Third Great Awakening that returns us to our Godly heritage.
Arch No. 4 — Righteousness: The Bible contains 515 references to “righteous” or “righteousness”. For example, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.” (Prov. 29:2). Elections matter (!) as we work for a rebirth of Righteousness in America.
Arch No. 5 – Resist and Rebuke: With hearts revived and on fire with righteousness, a confrontation with evil is inevitable. Just as the prophets of old resisted evil kings and our Founding Fathers stood up against tyranny, so we too must now stand up and speak out against evil in our culture. (Phil. 2:15)
Arch No. 6 — Reform and Rebuild: Like Nehemiah as he worked to repair the broken-down walls of Jerusalem, so we too must now work to rebuild America on its Biblical foundations as “One Nation under God.” That includes working to rebuild Life, Faith, Family, and Freedom. (Nehemiah 1-13)
Arch No. 7 — Restoration: As George Washington emphasized in his Farewell Address, religion and morality are indispensable supports for our political prosperity. On those two great pillars, we can again reclaim and restore the early vision of America as a shining “City on a Hill”. (Mt. 5:14)
Final Gate No. 8 — Rejoice! At this point, we can then praise God for what He has done, reflecting the words on top of the Washington Monument: “Laus Deo”! Like the people of Israel when the wall was rebuilt, we can now celebrate with such gladness that our joy is heard around the world! (Neh. 12:43)
Crossroads: Where Faith and Culture Meet
To that end, and for more details, please join our Crossroads Team this weekend as we discuss this new “Vision for America” on one of the following six Valley radio stations: WBTX (1470) at 4:00 p.m. today and again at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, followed by WSVA (550) and WSVA/FM (92.1) at 8:30; WHBG/ESPN (1360) and ESPN/FM (101.3) at 9:00; and on WNLR (1150) at 11:30.
If you miss the broadcast, you can also listen online by going HERE and clicking on the appropriate Crossroad’s link shown on the home page.
We deeply appreciate your prayers, your encouragement, and your financial support of these programs. All gifts are tax-deductible and can be sent by check to Crossroads at PO Box 881, Harrisonburg, 22803.
On Behalf of the Crossroads Team of Rita Dunaway, John Sloop, and myself, we again wish you a very happy and prosperous 2016 as we work together to achieve this Vision for America!
For God and Country,
Dean Welty serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Christian Alliance and is Director of the Valley Family Forum, a network of families in the Shenandoah Valley that helps build Faith, Family, and Freedom in the culture and in the public square. He also hosts a weekly television program entitled “Valley Faith in Action“.
Valley Faith in Action airs at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and at 8:30 p.m. Sunday on WAZT-TV, which is Comcast Cable Channel 13 in the Harrisonburg area. It will air again at Wednesday midnight. You can also access it and other recent programs by clicking HERE.
