Author C. S. Lewis once said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
Americans are in high levels of pain today and the stage is set for something to explode. Many believe this is God's way to rouse us into an awareness of our toxic times and the need to turn back to Him.
Scripture tells us, "The wrath of God (His righteous anger) is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth..." (Rom. 1:18). We love to sing "God is so good," but how about "God is so mad?" Today it's not only God who is mad, but it's people everywhere.
Years ago there was a motion picture titled Network where the central character reached the boiling point and shouted, "I'm as mad as (expletive) and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" This captures the simmering moral outrage and indignation prevalent today. It's really a ticking time bomb.
- You hear it almost daily when you listen to callers on talk radio. I heard one man two days ago exclaim, "If I hear... I swear blood will come spurting out of my eyes!"
- It's obvious behind closed doors, when people drop their guard with friends with whom they feel safe and vent frustrations they've suppressed inside far too long.
- You observe it in the thundering declarations and denunciations coming from courageous political and spiritual leaders today, punctuated by the explosive responses of emotionally charged crowds.
How intense is it?
What is your recollection of the angriest, scariest confrontation you've ever seen? Is there one where someone flew into a rage—complete with eyes bulging, nostrils flaring, veins popping, arms flailing and obscenities flying? On the sensitive photo plate of your mind, can you still hear "You blankety-blankety-blank!" while bystanders bear-hugged the person in his steroid-inflamed, out-of-control rage?
How about the episode in baseball when George Brett of the Kansas City Royals charged out of the dugout after connecting on a Goose Gossage fastball for a home run, only to have the umpire disqualify it due to some illegal pine-tar on his bat? ESPN still loops the highlight decades after the ultra-tense altercation took place. When Goose was introduced into the Hall of Fame in 2008 he exclaimed, "Whew! That still is the maddest I've ever seen a person get!"
We may not be at this boiling point yet, but if things continue as they are, it won't be long.
1. Radical Islamist Threat Downplayed and Denied
Our President mysteriously and obstinately refuses to identify ISIS as the world's greatest threat, instead deflecting us to climate change.
He says that "ISIS is not Islam," "They are a JV squad" and are "being contained," all while ISIS advances globally and even in our land. This infuriates millions who are unwilling to let him continue taking risks with our lives and those of our families. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich threw up his hands recently, declaring, "Obama is the greatest national security risk to ever occupy the White House."
We feel like sheep being led to slaughter.
2. Apostasy and Compromise in the Church
Leaders and boards of historic denominations are cowardly, deceptive and unfaithful to sacred Scripture by condoning homosexuality, ignoring immorality and ordaining gay leaders and bishops. Core doctrines of the faith are undermined by false teaching and false shepherds. I stood aghast on Saturday evening in the main meeting hall of a Catholic church where emblazoned on the wall was a framed declaration of religious tolerance, declaring all religions lead to the same God! As someone raised Catholic, I was legitimately incensed.
3. Obscene and Wasteful Spending in Government
As our nation faces an unbelievable $19 trillion debt, our politicians lift the debt ceiling and continue spending our tax dollars in unconscionable ways. The government is doling out entitlements to illegal immigrants and enticing the masses with seductive promises from socialistic, utopian ideology. Honest and hard-working Americans are saying, "Enough is enough!"
Last week's announcement that our government wasted over $150 million on unnecessary Afghan villas for a handful of staffers and spent $43 million for a gas station that should've cost $500,000 makes our blood boil.
4. Lawlessness in Illegal Immigration, Failure to Enforce Drug Laws and Irresponsible Releasing of Criminals Into our Society
The uncanny popularity of Donald Trump as a presidential candidate continues because people resonate with his message of stopping illegal immigration and building a wall already on the books but not enforced. Federal drug laws recklessly ignored and thousands of violent criminals having sentences reduced for early release puts the lives of many in peril.
Add to this powder keg the hundreds of sanctuary cities where lawless officials ignore the safety of citizens and protect illegal immigrants, and is it any wonder people feel righteous anger?
5. The Trojan Horse of Radical Muslims Among Forced Settlement of Refugees
Americans are very angry because, eight days before the San Bernardino terrorist attack, President Obama reassured all of America that there was no imminent threat of terrorist attacks from ISIS as he continued his push for the reception of 100,000 Middle East refugees into America.
Projecting guilt onto those raising legitimate objections, our president speaks of us refusing "orphans and widows."
An operative working for ISIS recently revealed in an interview that the group has smuggled more than 4,000 covert ISIS jihadists into Europe by hiding them among innocent refugees. The San Bernardino couple proved that Muslims can come here capable of bypassing screening, be radicalized and conduct barbaric behavior while fooling even parents and coworkers.
Larry Tomczak is a best-selling author of eight books with 43 years of trusted ministry experience. He is a cultural commentator whose weekly articles appear on sites reaching 26 million monthly. He is a public policy advisor with Liberty Counsel. Connect and view short video commentaries at larrytomczak.com.
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