Tag Archives: civil war america

While We Were Sleeping

Still of Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping

Sandra Bullock starred in the 1995 comedy romance playing a toll booth collector who falls in love with a man in coma.  Exaggerations lead to gossip, gossip to rumors and eventually everyone believes Sandra is engaged to this man who doesn’t even know she exists.  While he was unconscious, she falls in love with his brother.  While many churches in America have been spiritually sleeping, many of our citizens have fallen in love with sinful desires, lusts of the flesh and the ways of the world, 1 John 2:15-17.

The motto in “In God we trust” was inspired by the Civil War, cultivated from a letter sent in 1861 to Secretary Chase from Reverend Watkinson, a pastor in Ridleyville, Pennsylvania.  Secretary Chase wrote a letter to James Pollock, the Director of the Philadephia Mint  in December 0f 1863 with designs for a one, two and three cent coin with 2 options:  OUR COUNTRY or GOD, OUR TRUST.  On April 22nd, 1864, Congress passed this Act into law by placing In God We Trust on the back of a two cent coin.  The Reverend’s letter came full circle when congress and the president approved a joint resolution on July 30th, 1956 to declare “In God We Trust” as America’s national motto, inscribing this on the back of all one dollar bills.

When the church as a whole took a decade long nap, the Bible was removed from public education in the early 1960’s, even though the Bible was the initial inspiration for education based upon the New England Primer.  Prayer quickly followed as atheists, the minority religion at this time, convinced public officials to separate the church from state based education by banning prayer from schools.  It’s no wonder that a 1962 high school diploma is now equivalent to a college bachelor’s degree, when knowledge was taught, not ideology, political correctness and secular worldviews.  Yes, the church slept through the 60’s, responding to the sex, drugs and rock and roll era with weekly fire and brimstone sermons in the 1970’s.

As church attenders felt they were going to hell after each sermon, government officials began to fundamentally change America forever.  Roe vs. Wade in 1974 made killing unborn babies legal, resulting in 55 million abortions since the 1970’s.  Prior to this decade, married spouses who considered divorce were excommunicated from churches.  Today, many pastor’s embrace marrying the same people 2 or 3 times, creating extra money for their family.  At a time when communities needed churches the most, to hold and support their families together, once again the church was asleep at the wheel.

Though President Obama has indeed fulfilled his 2008 promise to fundamentally change America, there were forces in play, behind the scenes preparing the way for his socialist agenda.  Labor unions, government officials and Marxists have enabled president Obama to create a nanny state where God doesn’t have a seat or home.  Though our currency still has His name on it for now, how long will it be until this too will be erased.

If Washington state and Colorado can vote overwhelming to legalize marijuana, this is an obvious sign the end is drawing near to our once great nation, Romans 1:18-20.  Arise O church, awake from your slumber.  A third great awakening is necessary to change the course of America before we become like the great fallen empires of the past.  Stop hitting the snooze button while there is still time to get up, be involved and make a difference in your neighborhood.  The body of Christ needs you immediately!

by Jay Mankus

President’s Day Facts: Never Give Up

As media outlets create their latest History Day special to air today, most if not all will forget spiritual leaders whom established America as a Christian nation.  While revisionist historians continue to eliminate Christ and his devoted followers faith from most modern textbooks, facts reveal a different story.  Francis Scott Key was instrumental in establishing Sunday School in local churches.  Noah Webster, created a dictionary to help people better understand the meaning of the Bible with many of the original definitions having a biblical reference.  The founding fathers, well, all they did was create the America Tract Society, to publish religious pamphlets to help people better understand biblical principles.  George Washington, our first president, played a key role in forming this organization.

However, my favorite History Day fact comes from the life of Abraham Lincoln.  The media overemphasizes Lincoln losing his first 6 elections, yet fails to mention his faith which pushed him to never give up.  Today, most people give up on the first, second or third try.  What if Michael Jordan had quit after getting cut from his first basketball team?  What if the Wright brothers decided to stop pursuing airplanes, not happy with their progress?  What Abraham Lincoln taught us is that life is full of failures.  Success is not determined by our failures, but how we respond to and learn from our mistakes.

After the Civil War, America was in financial ruin.  Lincoln’s faith inspired him to call for 4 different national fasts.  Like king Josiah in 2 Kings 22:13, Abraham Lincoln inquired on the Lord.   Leading by example Abraham abstained from food, praying to God, asking for His help and blessings.  This final fast, 1867, resulted in the purchase of Alaska and an eventual surplus for 2 decades.  On this President’s Day, don’t get distracted by commercialism and all the sales, learn from Lincoln to never give up, keep fighting until life’s last breath so that you can hear God say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant,” Matthew 25:21.

by Jay Mankus