Ramon Arias | October 20, 2014
The popular phrase “Houston, we have a problem” was not said in the Apollo 13 moon flight in April 1970, but in the 1995 movie. The actual phrase said by John Swigert Jr., later repeated by James Lovell was: “Houston, we’ve had a problem here.”
Houston does have a monumental problem with national consequences. Houston’s Mayor Annise Parker’s office has filed an unprecedented legal demand against key pastors to submit their sermons to her government, as well as emails, text messages, and all manner of communication with members of their congregations. If they fail to submit to her request she has threatened them with fines, imprisonment or both. What is their crime? Speaking against Parker’s special ordinance for the LGBT segment in her jurisdiction as a protected class.
Emily Conley, Social Content Editor from Alliance Defending Freedom, sheds light on the matter, she said:
“Actually, Houston, we have several problems: The city of Houston passed a law that would allow members of the opposite sex to use each other’s restrooms, in the name of ‘prohibiting discrimination,’ known as HERO (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance).
Voters weren’t so thrilled, and responded by petitioning to repeal the ordinance or at least, put it up for a vote. They got over 50,000 signatures, more than three times the required number. The city secretary, (who is entrusted by law to examine and certify petitions) certified them as sufficient.
But the mayor and city attorney defied the law, claimed less than the required number of signatures was valid – and threw out the petition. In response, several petitioners organized a lawsuit.
That didn’t sit too well….”
Houston’s Mayor is an openly professing lesbian who was elected to public office by a majority of votes. Do you think her lifestyle plays a role in all this? You better believe it! Never accept the lie that people’s personal worldview or ideas don’t matter when they are in public office. America’s mess is due to dominant ideas that are now ruling over us but have nothing in common with the founding principles of the nation. These ideas come from both of the dominant political parties, Christians, atheists, and multiculturalism; it is a people problem.
Has anyone heard of the main broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC coming against the Houston mayor for such an arbitrary and dangerous action in violation to the Constitution by attacking the pastors, their congregations, the Christians in Houston and all of American Christianity for that matter? Of course not!
Mainstream journalism is highly dominated by “secular ideas.” They will protect their own and fight against anyone they consider to be the “enemy,” in this case, Christians in America, you know, those people that cling to their Bibles and guns, whom then-Senator Obama mentioned in 2008.
If we continue to ignore or deny America’s real problem, it will be futile to dream of a better future. Consider Noah’s generation in the Bible, whose heart’s desire was to do evil all the time; the outcome was a society full of corruption and violence, so much so that it had to be destroyed (Genesis 6). Evil is never positive. By its very nature evil is immoral and destructive, and no person or nation has ever been able to survive its effects when it is allowed to run rampant. Righteous Noah found favor with God in spite of that evil generation, and the human race was reset.
Can any true Christian deny that America resembles Sodom and Gomorrah’s culture? No doubt there are plenty of deniers, however, history attests that no civilization has ever survived such a condition. It is easier to blame the immoral lifestyle of people as the culprits instead of understanding the real reason for the destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah and the other cities. I ask you to pay special attention to the following statement: Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because not even ten righteous could be found! TEN! That is the bottom line for their horrific destruction, (Genesis 18:16-19:29).
Abraham, upon learning of the imminent destruction of the cities asked the Lord, “‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’ And the Lord said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake’” (Genesis 18:23-26).
Abraham realizing he had perhaps set the number of righteous to high, proceeded to negotiate the number all the way down to ten righteous: “Then he said, ‘Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’ And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place” (Genesis 18:32-33).
The synonyms for the word righteous are very revealing; let’s look at some of them:
Conscientious, ethical, law-abiding, noble, pure, spiritual, upright, virtuous, blameless, charitable, amiable, commendable, creditable, devoted, devout, dutiful, equitable, exemplary, fair, faithful, godlike, guiltless, holy, impartial, irreproachable, just, meritorious, moral, philanthropic, reverent, and right-minded.
The antonyms for the word righteous are: corrupt, dishonest, immoral, unethical, unjust, vulgar, bad, and unfair.
Whose values and practices do you think can best reform America and halt her decay, those who are righteous or the unrighteous? If people are corrupt, then what can be expected? Benjamin Franklin, during the Constitutional Convention of June 28,1787, gave an uncompromising warning:
“In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, — if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.”
In George Washington’s Farewell Address, he acknowledged the importance of God’s direction: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. . . . Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles.”
It does matter if the people follow God’s standards for living or not. President Abraham Lincoln, on March 4, 1861, in his Inaugural Address stated: “Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust in the best way all our present difficulties.” He also admitted that God governs in the affairs of men and nations when proclaiming a National Day of Fasting March 30,1863: “God rules this world. It is the duty of nations as well as men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow . . . and to recognize the sublime truth that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.”
Eternal truths cannot be challenged by unrighteousness without consequences. On the other hand, once we accept the unchangeable fact that righteousness is the expression of true character; it is the only true value in a person, not the color of their skin, poise or charismatic personality. Only Biblical Christians will be able to lead the way to social victory and stability.
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)
“When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” (Proverbs 29:2)
“When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, people hide themselves.” (Proverbs 28:12)
The good news is that Christians in Houston and across the nation are waking up. They are realizing we do have a huge problem. The problem in Houston is all over the country, it is a chronic problem that must be taken care of before national death sets in and wipes her out.
My hope and prayer is and has always been for a Biblical Reformation all across this nation with worldwide effects. When that reformation comes it will usher in great and mighty progress to humanity even greater than the Reformation of 1517. It will come, but not without a big fight.
The future of America is neither in multiculturalism nor peoples’ skin color, but rather in how well they can learn by heart the militant message for the Kingdom of God of “Onward, Christian soldiers,” and to stand up and be counted for righteousness before God and men.
By now you know the Apollo 13 problem was solved. What you need to remember is that it happened after the nation was called to prayer by President Richard Nixon, the U.S. Senate and the House; an outpouring of prayer was triggered and the world joined in. The scientific minds got to work and solved the problem to bring the astronauts back home safely.
Upon hearing of the safe return of the Apollo 13 crew President Richard Nixon said: “When we learned of the safe return of our astronauts, I asked that the Nation observe a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving today …”
Nixon continued:
“This event reminded us that in these days of growing materialism, deep down there is still a great religious faith in this Nation … I think more people prayed last week than perhaps have prayed in many years in this country … We pray for the assistance of God when … faced with … great potential tragedy.”
Christian America can solve the dictatorship problem.