That affirmation, simple and straightforward, is a truism applied to every walk in life.  The first thing that pops into my head when I read or hear “Stand up for something”, or today some say to “man-up”, I think of a song that I learned in bible school as a young lad.

 

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,

Through eternal ages let His praises ring,

Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

 

Standing, standing,

Standing on the promises of God my Savior;

Standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God.

 

From the time that Christ established his church, Christians have been standing up for the principles of Christ.  To stand up for something carries consequences especially for Christians.  It often makes enemies.

 

I recollect when I was in high school a Christian friend with whom I associated with most of my free time.  Let’s call him Sam.  

 

Sam’s parents were Christians and he told me that they tried to always walk the Christian’s narrow path, so I looked up to them and watched as close as possible just how they handled themselves.  I learned so much and grew to admire them and their family tremendously.  They influenced my morals, values and principles greatly.  They were what a family should be – one God fearing man married to one God fearing woman learning, living and teaching Christian values with their words and personal example.  

 

It is disturbing, to say the least, to realize that Christianity in America is declining.  If this trend is to be stopped and reversed, I believe Church Pastors must  take a fearless stand for Christ.  It is their obligation as a Christian!  And It doesn’t end with the pastor either.  All followers of Christ must wake up to reality and take a stand.  There’s no doubt about it, just as it has always been and like Winston Churchill said, enemies will emerge.  But we must not be afraid of them.  Pastors, please reveal the naked truth, the verifiable truth of the critical situations occurring in this particular period of history – from homosexuality to abortion and everything in between!  Let’s reverse the decline.

 

I broached this subject with a friend a few weeks ago and he stated emphatically that I did not know what I was talking about and that it is religion, especially Christianity in America, that causes almost all the problems and conflict between people. 

  

I replied, “Well now, I guess Christianity is the reason prayers have been banned from public schools and just recently in Franklin County, North Carolina from graduation commencement exercises.  We do not say the pledge of allegiance in schools any more because it has “God” in it.  I suppose Christianity is responsible for legalizing abortion.  America is now guilty of approximately 1.5 million unborn deaths per year.  You want me to go on?  

 

He replied, “Forget about it.  You’re a conservative evangelical hypocrite who doesn’t have a clue about life as it is today!”  And he stomped away.

 

I spoke as he turned to leave, "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."  Sadly, He threw his right hand up in a gesture.

 

My friend got one thing right however.  I am conservative so I’ll use this juncture to change direction of  “manning-up”.   Let’s man-up and take a stand for our principles.  I mean, enough is enough!  We have allowed our rights to be trampled down.    We have allowed freedoms, for which so many Americans have fought, to slip through our fingers by not “minding the store”.  It is time to stand for something again and not worry about hurting someone’s feelings.  Our enemies may not like us but we will regain respect in the world.  Our President for the past three and half years has been “kissing up” to many enemies of this nation and apologizing for our past behavior.  Do our enemies now love us? No, respect for our President and America has plummeted.  Most, if not all, continue to dislike us!  

 

I have said it before and I say again, “Make no mistake about it, I love the United States of America. I believe it is still the greatest and most generous nation on the face of earth. I believe that the United States is a Christian nation, blessed by God.  But many citizens have lost their way especially the President of this great nation and, by the way, we must clean out our White house in this up-coming election.

 

If this nation expects to survive, then she must start trusting God again. After all, United States of America was established and grew into a great nation because of her trust in the almighty God.

 

If Abraham and God can create and maintain a great nation, and they have, then so can America and God.

 

‘And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shall be a blessing:’ Genesis 12:2”