The Late Great United States*

The title of this message comes from Dr. Stevenson's yet to-be-published book, "The Late Great United States". That book grew out of a message titled, "America's Last Hurrah", given to the Church upon the election of William Clinton as President. Dr. Stevenson then sent an open letter to newly elected Pres. Clinton, based upon what the Holy Spirit was saying in that moment. Since then, Dr. Stevenson has sent open letters to each successive president. When the results of this recent election are certified, Dr. Stevenson will send a letter again to the president. Much of what will be said in that new letter will be a reprise of the letter sent to Pres. Clinton, because America has not changed its course spiritually since that time. Because America has continued down the road that turns away from God, rather than towards Him, the same truths of the Word of God apply now as they did then. To this nation and its president, and to all of the people of God, the Word of the LORD came to the prophet Micah saying, "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Mic. 6:8). Pres. Clinton, like many of the presidential candidates, spoke in churches, quoted scriptures, and claimed faith in God, and in Jesus Christ. This word from Micah requires something from those who claim to know God in this manner. Yet recent politics especially have been an arena of hostility, rather than humility. Racial animus has grown in this country, rather than justice and mercy. Pestilence has come to this country. In the era of Pres. Clinton, there was an A.I.D.S. epidemic that took the lives of many. Yet neither then nor now, none of those who stand in leadership of this nation have called America to the repentance and humility that scripture tells us in 2 Chron. 7:14 will cause God to hear our prayers, and heal our land. The LORD clearly told His people when it was time to repent. He said, "If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chron. 7:13-14). When we go against the Word of God, it brings consequences. Moses said that if the people of God rebel aginst God, they will be judged. It is obvious now as it was when President Clinton was elected, that we were choosing to go down the road to approve and legitimize sin. Consider the condition of men in the last days as written by Paul to Timothy: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof: from such turn away...ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth...these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate cncerning the faith." (2 Tim. 3:1-8, excerpt). Do we not see these very conditions and attitudes now in our nation? Some may say that a president is not the one to call America to repentance, that political positions are to be separate from spiritual principles. However, two of our greatest presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln directed the nation to prayer and repentance. President George Bush, upon entering the Persian Gulf War, called the American people to prayer. In that war, American troops experienced what many would call a miraculous and overwhelming victory. As we sought God as a nation, we had a reprieve from our headlong rush into God's judgment. The Apostle James wrote, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up...to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:8-17, excerpt). According to the Word of God, healing won't come through any government program, or by taking hands and singing "God Bless America". Healing will only come when we get on our knees. We have forbidden our children to pray in schools. We have banned the mention of Jesus, or prayer in His name, in public. At the same time, we have allowed churches to be invaded and services to be disrupted by those groups who wish to express their contempt for God's commandments. America is on the verge of judgment. The prophet Jeremiah was given this word of the LORD to His people who enter into His gates to worship: "...Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place....if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings...if you thoroughly execute judgment...If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever." (Jer. 7:1-7). This was the condemnation that the LORD had for His own people as told to Jeremiah: "...ye trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Ba'al, and walk after other gods...; and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?...they hearkened not nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward...This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth....they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it. And they have built the high places of Tophet...to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart." (Jer. 7:8-31, excerpt). The LORD commanded Jeremiah, "...pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee." (v. 16). Having ignored the LORD's many corrections and warnings up to this point, the LORD would no longer receive any of the prophet's prayers and intercessions for the people of God. Jeremiah laments, "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." (Jer. 8:20). Have God's people in our nation also failed to heed the many warnings of the LORD? Will the time soon come when the LORD directs spiritul leaders not to pray for this people any longer? We hope never to hear that command. At the time of the original letter, President Clinton had claimed that with his election, we as a nation were entering a "new covenant". There is only one new covenant. That is the new covenant established by the blood of Christ. No one has the liberty to change the Word of God. As is our habit, we will continue to pray not only for the president of this nation, but all of those who are in government leadership. We will continue to pray for pastors and spiritual leaders as well, that the Word of truth and righteousness be delivered to the people. Especially during this week of Thanksgiving, our prayer will be that God's people humble themselves, repent and return to Him. I pray in thanks that God hears our prayers, and that our land would be healed. I want to see an end to this pandemic. Don't you? I want to see a return to righteousness. Don't you? *The above is based on Dr. Stevenson's 11/22/20 message to the church. To contact: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705; or Everlastingcovennt@ymail.com