The Wall Street Journal published a poll that it created with NORC comparing the importance of traditional American values to Americans in 1998, 2019, and 2023. The above results are not just sad, they are frightening. What you see in the above graph is what a Romans 1 level judgment looks like. Like hospice, where most people go to live out the last remaining days on earth as comfortably as they can. Barring a miracle, they will never walk out of, so is the same with America surviving as a Chrisitan nation. Not only is this Romans 1 level judgment; it is death of Western Civilization as we know it.
The original data for these graphs can be seen here. As bad as the original graphic was, nothing was as bad as the one above, which shows the rapid decline of American values from 2019 to 2023. In these last four years values: patriotism, religion, having children, and community involvement have taken a nosedive into hell. As you can see there was a significant decline of these values over a span of twenty-one years from 1998 to 2023, but the last four are terrifying. Nothing about any of these graphs are gradual.
But what thrived and increased these last twenty-five years? The love of money.
Since Americans consistently valued money over God, does this mean that money has become their god? Quite possibly.
Possible Causes
There have been dramatic changes in the structure of America over the last twenty-five years. Advances in technology like computers, internet, have made it not only possible for large swaths of information to travel at the speed of light, but it could be wielded by anyone. Children had the ability to create their own programming and shows on YouTube. Video games became more realistic and violent, and to Gen Z it is more entertaining to watch someone play a video game than it is to watch sports or even play sports for that matter.
As social media usage increases, attention spans decrease. The desire to do better diminishes, goals fade away, and the only thing that increases is the rot gut of society played out on handheld devices in people’s hands. You and I know, there’s nothing social about them.
Amercian culture has been whittled away at for as long as I could remember. I was proud to be in the Boy Scouts. I remember going to school in my uniform, and riding my bike to meetings on Wednesdays. Now, girls are allowed to join and take part in all the events like camp outs and jamborees. In the town I grew up in, during Christmas time, I remember a manger scene was placed in the town center along with a Hanukkah Menorah, Santa Claus, a snowman, and overshadowing all of it with a lighted sign that said, “Merry Christmas / Season’s Greetings!” This was displayed for decades until one person who just moved to town complained and said it was offensive. Because of one, they never displayed them again.
I remember growing up in the 1980’s and into the 1990’s I had a lawn mowing business I started when I was 9 years old. I made a lot of money even in today’s standards. I saved up for things, and even put money away. Now, kids are not allowed to push a mower or even earn money before a certain age, and trust me — 9 years old isn’t it.
These last few years have taken an even worse toll on us as Americans and the world during Covid-19, and it shows doesn’t it. Separating us from loved ones, preventing us from going to church, demoralizing us to the point we were not fighting back. Lockdowns, masks, vaccinations increased the, “Us vs. Them” mentality that was already there. What’s really going on is that we are being worn down and out. Now we fight against each other instead of looking at who is really pulling the strings while wondering what happened.
What’s the Solution?
I think it’s an understatement to say that this country needs a national “come to Jesus” moment. We cannot come away from this without a revival of biblical proportions. Like a person in hospice, we need a miracle to walk out on our own. I’ve seen it happen; it can happen. What are some things we can do?
Pray
Not only pray, but pray to the One and Only True God — the Creator of everything. Believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. Pray not only for this country as a whole, but pray for your heart to be changed and molded into the image of Jesus Christ.
As far as I know, Jesus never prayed for the lost; He prayed for workers to go into the harvest. He prayed for Spirit filled Christians to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person (Mark 16:15-16).
Share the Gospel
Taking God’s Word and sharing it with those who don’t know is a great way to start revival. To open the eyes of the blind and save those captives by Satan to do his will. The following is a good start:
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
2 Timothy 2:20-26 NKJV
Read and Study the Bible
God’s Word, the Bible, is our authority of morality and practice. It is our manual, our guide written by God Himself to us. It is everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Today, we don’t consider the authority of the Bible. Religious cults like the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists claim that the Bible has errors, it’s not inspired or written by God. Just like society today, God’s Word is chipped away at till there’s nothing left.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV
Make Disciples
We are not told to make converts, but disciples. A disciple is a learner, a follower, and one that will become like the teacher and make disciples. It is the passing of the baton in a race; if you don’t pass the baton of the truth of God’s Word to others so that they can pass it on to someone else, you lose the race.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV
All these things we should have been doing a long time ago. When we learn the Bible, share the gospel, and teach others, we are not only affecting the person we are talking to; we are impacting others around them, and generations to come. Twelve-year-old boys become twenty-four-year-old fathers, who become sixty-year-old grandfathers. Children and grandchildren of these once kids will teach their kids also. Family generations won to the Lord, and saved from a multitude of sin and hell.
This, “frog in the boiling water” is a slow burn in hell that will one day arrive and it will be too late to come back from. Let us by God’s grace, power, and mercy not let it; or at the very least dragging us while holding tight not wanting to let go without a fight.
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Pens & Wrenches 