America

Minutes in Hell

Published on September 14, 2024September 13, 2024 by amylinneaLeave a comment

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

As we remember September 11th, the iconic images float before us once again.

A tower on fire.

Screaming sirens.

Plane slamming into the other tower.

Confused faces.

Firefighters running towards the chaos.

Blackness engulfing as the towers fall.

Silence and death creeping towards more victims.

We saw it in real time. We witnessed the horror. We try to make sense of the evil we saw.

Can you imagine the terror overtaking those souls as they waited in hell?

47 minutes. How long Flight 11 was in the air before slamming into the North tower.

48 minutes. How long Flight 175 was in the air before crashing into the South tower.

34 minutes. How long Flight 93 knew they were hijacked before crashing themselves to the ground in PA.

56 minutes. How long the South tower was on fire before collapsing to the ground.

100 minutes. How long the North tower was on fire before collapsing to the ground.

Minutes that seemed like eternity.

Minutes lived in uncertainty and fear.

Minutes which became their last.

Those in the planes or towers suffered while waiting.

Waiting for certain death on the plane or the unknown in the tower.

In an instant all went to meet their Maker.

Were they ready?

Were they ready to meet God?

We never know when our last day will arrive.

Could be today, could be tomorrow.

Or maybe in a few years.

Guessing none of these precious people even thought about death that morning before events erupted.

But that didn’t matter, did it.

We must be ready today as God doesn’t guarantee our tomorrows.

As those precious people waited long minutes in hell, their life ended, quitting the turmoil surrounding their end.

But if we are appointed to meet God, and we’re not ready?

Our hell will last for all of eternity.

Those minutes will evolve into hours, days, months, years, and decades, turning onto forever.

Forever separated from God.

Forever living in agony.

Forever living in hell.

We try to imagine the hellish moments endured by those precious people on September 11th.

We cry out from the depths of our souls at the injustice of their suffering.

Yet it will be nothing compared to our eternity apart from God.

The choice is still yours.

Where will you spend eternity?

Choose wisely. God has already chosen you.

Photos by Martina Mainetti, Aidan Bartos, Tim Mossholder, & Ben White on Unsplash

Justified Sin

Published on July 16, 2022July 16, 2022 by amylinnea2 Comments

It’s just the way I am.

It’s how God created me.

Nothing I can do about it.

How do you justify sin in your life?

Could be as simple as overeating or having one too many drinks.

But I deserve it, you might say.

Deserve what? Altering your body size or clarity of mind as a reward?

Confusing.

What if you like stealing. Could be from an actual store, or could be padding the expense report from work.

Again, you deserve it, I get it. Heard that before.

What if you’re attracted to the same sex? Bible calls that sin, too, when you act upon those urges.

But that’s the way I’m made, you say. Can’t help it.

Or even more popular: sleeping with your significant other outside the covenant of marriage.

Any sin can be justified. In our minds, we can satisfy our conscience with putting ourselves at the very top.

Don’t have time for children, so, putting myself first. I’m going for that abortion. After all, it’s my right.

Looking over these arguments, a theme emerges: justification of sin.

If you remove the moral plumb line, God’s decree of right and wrong, moral relativism moves forward.

That’s the notion right and wrong are different for different people who believe different things.

Societies fall when adhering to this philosophy.

And folks, we are close.

I’m justified to assault a judge because they ruled against my “rights”.

I am defacing this historical statue because it stands against my “rights”.

I am attacking a store owner because he won’t give my girlfriend her chips for free. That is her “right”.

Entitilism. Justification of sin. Demands.

All goes back to the moral plumb line of right and wrong.

C.S. Lewis reminds us “conscience is nothing more than the voice of God within our souls; the bridge that links the creature to the Creator.”

Pray with me for our homes, our country, and our world that the conscience of God deep within their souls will once again be heard.

We must return to listening to our conscience, created by God for determining what we know is right and what we know is wrong.

Justifying sin only allows it to continue with normalcy.

We all have tendencies to sin. Some greater than others. But justifying them as simply the way we are doesn’t cut it.

Take back responsibility, aligning yourself to God and the moral plumb line deep within your soul.

Photos by Maksym Kaharlytskyi, Ben Wicks, Jonathan Borba, & Aaron Burden on Unsplash

July 2, 1776

Published on July 3, 2021 by amylinnea1 Comment

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. — I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. — Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not. John Adams’ letter to Abigail Adams, July 2, 1776

Before America’s birth, John Adams predicted we would celebrate America’s independence.

Her birthday.

Fireworks, games, and parades.

From Maine to California.

Celebrating our Day of Deliverance by our solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.

He knew it will be hard.

Birthing our country.

Separating ourselves from England’s tyranny.

Untold toil, blood, and treasure to spend.

But with those solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty, he saw the End is more than worth all the Means.

He saw our country free, celebrating our freedom every year for generations.

America was birthed almost 250 years ago.

We’ve never been perfect, but we’ve tried to do our best.

We fought against ourselves for the end of slavery.

We’ve produced unending talent easing our modern selves with food, industry, and entertainment.

We’ve fought to protect innocent lives around the globe.

America’s story is a beacon of hope for the world.

More than merely a nation fighting for independence so many years ago.

America stands for freedom.

Freedom to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

Freedom to say what we want.

Freedom to defend ourselves.

With hard work, we have endless opportunities in this great land of ours.

However…

Only with God’s sovereign help will even keep our country alive.

As our country was founded on the foundation of God, we must fight to keep Him firmly planted within our laws, actions, and words.

As the Israelites saw God’s provision, they would eventually forget, walking away from God.

Repeatedly, they would follow God, living within His blessings and protection.

And a few generations later, they would forget, falling down to worship false gods out of God’s protection.

As our country has systematically removed God from many avenues, may we repent for our actions.

May we seek God’s direction for our nation.

May we remind ourselves and our children how blessed we are to live in America.

And may we rise up as leaders to protect and defend our nation under God.

Photos by specphotops, Luca R, Samuel Branch, Trent Yarnell, NASA, & Luke Stackpoole on Unsplash

John Adams letter: https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760703jasecond

Morality

Published on December 19, 2020December 18, 2020 by amylinneaLeave a comment

What is morality?

Well, it’s when one is moral or has morals.

What’s the definition of morals?

Webster says “of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior- ethical.”

Makes perfect sense.

Especially when Webster continues: “conforming to a standard of right behavior or sanctioned by one’s conscience.”

So, morality has to do with right and wrong.

Knowing deep in your conscience the right and wrong ways to go.

Wait.

I thought our world no longer held the standard of absolute right and wrong, because God has essentially been removed from the public square.

Unfortunately, that’s true.

Our world has adopted moral relativism, meaning what is right for me might not be right for you.

They declare right and wrong are different for everyone, depending upon what they believe is right for them.

Think about voter fraud.

If you believe it’s right for your candidate to win, you’ll justify the fake votes, because that’s right for you.

Think about extended lockdowns.

If those in charge believes it is right to remove personal freedom for the good of the general public, then that is right for them.

Nothing will stop them as it’s right for them, even if it’s wrong according to the Constitution.

Think about politically correct speech.

If someone thinks it’s right for them to be whatever pronoun they desire, no matter their God-given gender, then it’s right in their mind, suddenly becoming wrong for you to object.

Think about abortion.

If someone thinks it’s right for them to kill their baby, they remove your right to protest as they deem you wrong.

When there is no standard of absolute right and wrong, societies always fail.

They crumble.

May God help us.

May God increase our strength and words, providing us His wisdom to stand up against the moral decline of America.

May He provide us avenues to stand up for His absolute truth, teaching our children to do the same.

May we not be afraid to speak up.

Oh, God, give us your strength to stop being silent.

Have mercy on our country.

You, God, are the Author of our liberty.

Long may our land be bright, with freedom’s holy light.

Protect us by Thy might, Great God our King!

Photos by Aaron Burden, Paul Weaver, Justin Casey, Luke Michael, & Martin Jernberg on Unsplash

Published on July 4, 2020July 4, 2020 by amylinneaLeave a comment

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior. 1 Timothy 2:1-3

How often do you pray for our country?

For our leaders?

The ones you like and don’t like?

You know we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph 6:12)

God urges us to pray for our leaders whom He has placed in power over us.

He reminds us how to live a peaceful and dignified life.

Through praying for our leaders and country.