What Can Be Done to Restore the Dream?

America, like so many other great nations, will one day fall from within, if drastic measures are not taken. God’s hand of judgment is already being seen upon our nation, and only national repentance will stay His hand. However, what can we, as individuals, do to restore God’s blessings upon our land, or to survive the coming collapse? Although each of us has a different sphere of influence as to how we might change America, there are some basic actions, which, if followed, can help prolong America’s future, or at least not make us a part of the problem. We may not be able to stem the tide on a national level, but we can help to preserve our own lives, our families, and our neighbors and friends.

* The most important thing that any of us can do is to pray for God’s intercession in our nation. Since it was God who helped our forefathers in establishing America; and it was God who blessed this land and made America great; and it is now God who is allowing America to fall; we are only fooling ourselves if we think that we can change America with human, or political reforms. We have already seen the failure of conservative politicians, the Moral Majority, and other political action groups, who have attempted to bring America back to God, or to conservative values. While we don’t condemn such endeavors, without God’s help and blessings, all such efforts will fail. Consider what the following verses put forward about what we say.

2 Chronicles 7:14 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 will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

* As individuals, and as a nation, we must turn our dependence back upon God. All of our false dreams were idols that caused us to turn from the true God. When America began to look to its own resources as our strength and security, we became idolatrous. When we began to look to the gods of democracy, freedom, wealth, and military might, we began to worship the blessings of the Creator, instead of the Creator. America has become so blinded by its pride that it no longer feels that God is relevant, and we have allowed every trace of our Christian heritage to be removed from our government and schools. God will continue to throw down all of these false images until we are either destroyed or turn our hearts back to Him. We cannot make this choice for others, but we can influence others by making it for ourselves.

Jeremiah 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Joel 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

*At the same time that we put our trust in the Lord, we must stop depending upon the false idols of this world. Repentance involves turning from idols to the Lord, and not just adding the Lord to our list of benefactors. The purpose of government was never to provide a welfare system, but to protect its citizenry so that they could live in peace and provide for themselves. As we have already discussed, Federal giveaway programs were only created to buy votes for those in office. America takes from those who work, or borrows against the future of America, and gives to those who want something for nothing. The Bible declares that, “if any would not work, neither should he eat.” Are there cases where people genuinely need help—of course. However, those needs are to be met first by their extended families, and then by the people of God. Are there those who are legitimately owed a living by the government, such as those who have paid into Social Security all their lives, or those on military disability or pensions, or those whose work for the government in honest and necessary vocations—of course. But the vast majority of those people who draw upon Uncle Sam for their livelihood are only leeches upon society. Here again, if we are part of the problem, then we need to wean ourselves off of government subsidies and turn our dependence upon the Lord.

Isaiah 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

 2 Thess 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

I Tim 5:16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.

*Over the last four decades, many Americans, including God’s people, have been lured into believing that the accumulation of wealth would provide them security. We have seen a proliferation in IRA’s, annuities, stocks, bonds, and other investment vehicles designed to let the average American retire in comfort. For a while these schemes seemed to be delivering on their promises, as millions of Americans started to accumulate sizable nest eggs. Dreams of retiring rich were within the reach of many; but like all dreams, they vanished with the bursting of the tech-bubble, 9/11, and the recession to follow.

God provided for the nation of Israel on a daily basis. The mania which fell in the wilderness could only be stored for one day, but then began to rot. The Lord’s model prayer for His disciples also affirmed this principle— “Give us day by day our daily bread.” We don’t need large bank accounts or retirement nest eggs for our futures to be secure. We need to serve the Lord and walk by faith, believing that He will supply our needs. Everything else that we depend upon are false idols. Is it any wonder that God allowed the attacks of 9/11 and the stock market crash to occur? God is jealous over His people, and will not allow them to worship false idols. Those who desire to live the true American Dream must return to the faith of our fore-fathers, who looked to God for their needs and were thankful.

Exodus 16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

Matt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Phil 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

* One of the major issues that many Americans face today is that of health care. This is also another area where we have become idolatrous. Although prayer and looking to God for our healing ought to be the first thing we do, few people will unless the doctor says there’s nothing more he can do. God is not impressed when we put Him last on the list of who we call upon for healing. We have the greatest (and most expensive) health care system in the world, but Americans have among the highest rates of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes found anywhere. I believe this is also an area where we may be experiencing the judgment of God. When our security lies in having health insurance to provide for our medical care, we make it an idol. When doctors, drugs, and hospitals are the first things we look to for our healing, we make them an idol. I am not saying that God does not, and cannot use these things as aides to our healing, but our trust must be in Him. If we don’t have health insurance, we still have God. If we don’t have access to medical care, we still have Him. Our forefathers lived long and healthy lives without the massive system we have created in America.  

Many of our health problems are the direct result of our modern day lifestyles. We eat the wrong foods, we don’t exercise, and we entertain bad habits that provide us with only momentary pleasures. Are we sick or have physical problems, then we should ask God for His wisdom to know what to do. Maybe a change in our lifestyle is what is needed, or maybe a doctor’s advice and care is needed, in either case we need to depend upon the Lord. Are we addicted to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, or even over-eating, then we must look to God for our deliverance. Many of our health related problems can be solved without expensive treatments.

Our nation has now instituted a national health care program that promises to provide for the needs of every American; but it will only be another massive program that will sink us deeper in debt and provide little benefit in return. It is only another government sponsored, humanistic approach to solving our problems. Although national healthcare has been the dream of many, it will only create yet another bureaucratic nightmare. As individuals we must stop looking to the gods of health care and re-focus our dependence upon the Lord. Am I advocating tearing up our insurance cards and refusing to seek medical attention?—absolutely not. It all comes down to this—who is your god, and what are you trusting in?

Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Luke 8:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

The following is a list of practical things we all can do to survive and help others, while at the same time helping to bring a change to America.

1. Get out of the rat race of making more money so you can buy more things. Materialism and covetousness are sins in the eyes of God. The lust for wealth and things is what has lured America away from God.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

2. Stop borrowing and overspending. Try to live free from debt or get out of the debt you are in. There are many good Christian programs designed to help people get liberated from debt. Debt is a sign that we want more than God intends to give us. If your mortgage and car payments have you drowning in debt, pray for an escape. If you are living above your means, try to downsize into a less expensive home or car. Sell the things you don’t need and use the money to pay off debts.

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

1 Tim 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

3. Learn to live simply with less. Stop paying full price for new clothes when you can buy nice things at garage sales or thrift stores. Cook and eat more meals at home using healthier ingredients. Enjoy simple pleasures like hiking or going to the park. Americans have been lured into thinking that we need to pay a lot of money to be entertained; but what did our forefathers do to make life satisfying? Start a hobby, raise a garden, learn to sew, make crafts, write, or paint. There are many enjoyable things to do that don’t cost a lot of money. There are also opportunities to serve the Lord by serving others. Living for others will make our lives rich and rewarding.

2 Cor 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

4. The early pioneers were known for their helping one another. Even today the Amish and Mennonites are community minded, and work together to support their neighbors. In a time when most Americans don’t even know who their neighbors are, we need to reach out to those in need. We need to recreate the spirit of brotherly love that once existed among our people. The government needs to get out of the welfare business and let churches and individuals do that work. We would all pay fewer taxes, and those who are legitimately in need would be better taken care of, if we would love our neighbor as ourselves.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Prov 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

5. Pray for and support political reform in America. We need to make our voices heard by those in office that we want less government, a balanced budget, and an end to the Federal giveaways. The major political parties each have their own agendas, and neither has shown any serious concern about America’s future. A real change is necessary if we have any hope that our children and grandchildren will enjoy the freedoms and liberties of the past generations. Each of us must pray for God’s intervention in America, and seek His face as to what we can to do to save our country.

Job 12:18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

6. Get involved with the Lord’s work in America. Too many of God’s children are sitting on the sidelines and watching our country go to the Devil. Many Christians are not even counted faithful in attending worship services, and most do not use their gifts and talents in promoting the gospel message. Believers who are not serving the Lord will have no one to blame but themselves if America falls. Unbelievers are in darkness as to what is happening in our country, and only God’s people have the light to show them the way to God and truth. Those whose purpose is to destroy America’s Christian heritage are hard at work, and as believers we must raise the standard of truth against them.

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

 1 Tim 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Matt 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Isa 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

Modern Americans now find themselves in a situation that is becoming more and more like our ancestors experienced in Europe, before coming to this continent seeking liberty and freedom. We now have a new ruling class enthroned in the rich hierarchy, and in our nation’s capital; through taxation and governmental restraints, it has become difficult for the average American to have their own business and to prosper; laws and restrictions are taking away individual freedoms; and worst of all, we have a new state church that is actively working to destroy our ability to worship and serve our Creator God.

It is once again time for Americans to embrace the true Dream of our forefathers—which is liberty and freedom under God. The enemies of this dream are firmly entrenched within our land, and it will take more than human means to overcome them. There must be an awakening in this country that will cause people to turn once again to God, and cry out to Him for deliverance. True freedom begins by turning away from the idols of this world and trusting in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God is the Author of freedom, and it is only when we are delivered from the bondage of sin, that we are able to experience true liberty. Americans have lost their freedom because we have departed from the faith of the Gospel of Christ and the teachings of God’s Word; but God has not forsaken us, if we will but turn again to Him with our whole heart. Then will the American Dream become a reality once more.

2 Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Isa 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Jer 4:1 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

Jer 24:6 For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.