Join Rick Hughes as he delves into critical discussions about the future of America not merely as a nation but as a spiritual entity. This episode unpacks the unseen forces that may determine whether America thrives or falls apart. With socio-political chaos and moral ambiguity on the rise, Rick focuses on the spiritual crossroads we face – and how we, as believers, can alter the trajectory. Insights include the role of effective spiritual leadership, the importance of mature believers standing as the ‘pivot,’ and how individual righteousness can serve as a stabilizing beacon in turbulent times.
Welcome to The Flatline with your host, Rick Hughes. For the next 30 minutes, you’ll be inspired, motivated, educated, but never manipulated. Now, your host, Rick Hughes.
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Good morning and welcome to The Flotline. I’m your host, Rick Hughes. And for the next few minutes, please stick around. It’ll be a short time of motivation, some inspiration, a whole lot of education, and absolutely no manipulation. We’re not conning anybody. We’re not trying to solicit funds, although we need funds to operate. There’s no doubt about that. But we trust the Lord to provide those, and he always has, always will, always does. But thank you for listening. Thank you for being a part of the show today. The Flatline comes every Sunday morning, same time, same place in your city. And I’m so honored to have you listening to us this morning. We’re going to cover a subject that’s very critical, very important. The name of the subject is Will America Be Destroyed? Will America Be Destroyed? Before we get into that, let me remind you that we have several new books coming out. We have a brand new book that’s just being at the printer, being published now, called Crash Course in Basic Christianity. And that book is free. If you’d like to order that book from our ministries, just simply go to the website, rickhughesministries.org, rickhughesministries.org, and you can order that book online, as well as some of the other new ones we have. We got out the 2020 transcripts of all radio shows done in the 2020 year. And we have a new book out called Christian Problem Solving. These are all available also as well through the website, rickhughesministries.org. Okay, will America be destroyed? There can be no doubt about the future of this great nation is in the balance. You and I can see that. No doubt about that. Every day, you and I see indicators that alarm us in regards to the direction in which we’re headed. Chaos in the immigration sector, confusion in the health field, consternation in regards to food and fuel and conflict with foreign forces, combative politics that we see every day on television and in the news, and even a confused enemy wondering who’s actually in control over here. However, I believe… that the determining factor of what will happen to this country is based on the course of our spiritual direction. Not who’s running the country, but what we’re thinking in our souls. There’s no doubt at one time we were very Christian-oriented. That’s the United States of America I’m speaking about. Great evangelists traveled back and forth across America, holding massive crusades, calling people to Christ in the 40s, all the way through the turn of the century. But religion got into politics. And many preachers became performers, and that was about the end of that. Terrible wars like World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, along with financial suffering. drove many people to their knees asking God for protection and God for deliverance. However, great prosperity called many of the same people into a lifestyle of lasciviousness and greed. You see, preoccupation with gifts and forgetting the giver is the trend that led us into the valley of spiritual decline and the coming destruction of this great nation, if in fact it does happen. If we lose the great client nation, the United States of America, either through military defeat or internal chaos, the question has to be answered, exactly whose fault was it? And I believe the blame is twofold. I believe, number one, it’s the failure of pastors across this land to teach accurate mechanics to salvation and the mechanics to the spiritual life. Ritual without reality won’t cut it. We don’t need performers, we need instructors. And the second reason that I believe America could go down is the failure of believers, you and I, to be the light and the salt to this nation. So what I want to do on this radio show is look at these two areas very close and remind you we are at a crossroads in history. And it’s very, very possible that what you know as a free United States of America may not exist in the next few years. And it won’t be the fault of any politician It won’t be the fault of the Democrats or the Republicans. It’ll be your fault and my fault because we did not advance our spiritual lives. We did not do our part, and I’m going to show you where it says so in the Bible. So let’s look at these two areas very closely. First of all, you may have heard me say there’s a great fog, F-O-G, across America. I call it a fog. It’s an acronym for three things. Failure of spiritual leadership. F, the O stands for open rebellion to the rule of law in our streets. And three, God’s word is now rejected and ignored every day. So let’s start with the failure of pastors to teach God’s word. And this does not imply that all men who pastor churches are failing to teach the Bible. But there is no doubt that many are not spending time studying or teaching the word of God to their congregations. One of the greatest distractions of the religious community that I find is Christian activism. In other words, churches and Christians trying to clean up the devil’s world. And here’s something that might shock you. Listen carefully now, listen carefully. It’s not your vote that will change our future. It’s your spiritual life that’ll change our future. So when Christians like you and me, when we grow to spiritual maturity, Our impact as members of the pivot is what God uses to bless this land. Why does he do that? Well, it’s called an invisible impact. And those invisible heroes leave a historical impact for future generations to enjoy. But it’s true that we are sheep and sheep need a shepherd. A shepherd to protect them, a shepherd to nurture them. And your pastor is your shepherd assigned by God to feed you and watch over you. Listen to what the scriptures say in Acts 20, verse 28. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you an overseer. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. And then in 1 Peter 5, 2, be shepherds of God’s flock, that is, under your care, watching over them, not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be, not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve. Let me say that again, not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve. God does not condone or allow any pastor to make a fortune off of his name. in jeremiah 23 1 woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture declares the lord therefore what is the lord the god of israel says to the shepherds therefore this is what the lord the god of israel says to the shepherds who tend to my people quote now because you’ve scattered my flock you’ve driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done, declares the Lord. Now, this is a different time and a different generation. It’s not the church age, the age of Israel, but listen again. Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture, declares the Lord. Because of this, or therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who are supposed to be watching over my people. Because you have scattered my flock, you have driven them away, you have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done, declares the Lord. These three verses I read to you, Acts 20, 28, 1 Peter 5, 2, Jeremiah 23, 1 through 3, they indicate God’s instruction to those who shepherds his flock, the flock being believers, you and me. The shepherd, the pastor, must feed his sheep if they’re going to grow and reproduce. And I’ve said it before, and I want to say it again. If the song service is longer than the preacher’s message, you’re getting gypped. Sadly, unrealistically, some pastors have these demands on their time. Unrealistic demands from the congregation who want people in the congregation who want special attention. You know, they want the preacher to come have tea with them. You know, pastors, if he’s doing his job, he doesn’t have time to run around and hold everybody’s hand. It’s true people get sick and get in the hospital and they want the pastor to come pray with them and pray over them as if that’s going to produce some kind of miracle. If you are a spiritually mature believer, you don’t need somebody coming down there saying, my brother died with it, but you’ll make it, hang in there. You need to be able to stand on your own two feet, glorify God with your own decisions and and not insist that some pastor come hold your hand and pray over you. I believe that with all my heart, and I see this happening more and more and more. Pastors that need to be studying, need to be spending time in the Word, on their knees, can’t do it because of the unrealistic expectations of the congregation demanding personal attention. So the cosmic system, cosmos diabolicus, you’ve heard me talk about it, that system is a recruiting tool for Satan. And the lure of the world, the cosmic system, calls believers to chase the dream, the dream to achieve financial security, the dream to be happy. And sadly, unfortunately, happiness is not found in people. It’s not found in circumstances. The Lord Jesus Christ made it clear in Luke 11, 27 and 28, happiness belongs to those people who hear my Father’s word and keep it. But even pastors who are forced to work along with their pastoral responsibilities are subject to buy into this thinking. I’ve seen pastors that fleece their congregation trying to sell them things and get them involved in multi-level sales. Ministers are not called to be paupers, that’s evident, but they are also not allowed to fleece the sheep. So let’s notice Hosea chapter 4 verse 6 as to why God might allow a nation such as us to fall. A client nation. America is a client nation to God. We represent God across this world. We’re a haven to the Jews. We protect his word. We send out missionaries all over the world. This is a client nation to God. And if we go down, and very likely it looks like we are, then let me tell you why we’re going to go down. No, it’s not what you think. It’s not because there’s a lot of sin, not because there’s a lot of murder, not because there’s a lot of immorality. If we go down, listen to this passage in Hosea 4, verse 6, as to why God may allow a client nation like us to fall. Quote now, Hosea 4, 6, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being my priest. Since you forgot the laws of your God, I also will forget your children. Uh-oh. I also will forget your children. Principle, by failing to learn, failing to execute the Christian life, you are guaranteeing the poverty and the hardship of your children and grandchildren in the future. In other words, you’ve got to gain knowledge in order to execute the Christian life. But knowledge of what? What are we talking about? What kind of knowledge? Well, that knowledge is called the protocol plan of God for the church. And who is it that’s designed to teach you that knowledge? Well, obviously, it’s your shepherd, it’s your pastor. So how’s it going today in Client Nation USA? Does it look like they’re doing a good job? Does it look like we’re holding the enemy back? I mean, Satan has succeeded in getting God kicked out of all our public schools. Satan has managed to replace all of the good, clean instructions with his kind of social mandates, which try to impose unity and equity among the students and their families. Hasn’t always been this way. It’s changed. It changed a long time ago when we got into politics as Christians instead of teaching and learning and living God’s word. So many churches have now become miniature dolly worlds. I hate to say it, but it’s true. They do it in order to attract new members. And ministers that you know and I know are writing and selling books, buying jet airplanes, building massive churches, even paying professional performers to entertain their congregation while they serve them coffee and donuts. Is that true? Absolutely it’s true. In spite of this sort of distorted view that I’m painting with my word picture to you, There are many wonderful churches evangelizing and teaching, but are they enough? See, we have over 332 million citizens. And how many of those citizens in the United States are on the road to becoming mature believers? and taking their place within the pivot. Could there be 33,200,000 mature believers in our nation? Why do I say that figure?
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33,200,000?
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33,200,000 because that’s 10%. 10% of 332 million citizens is 33,200,000 mature believers. Do we have that many mature believers in America? You answer the question. Well, what about 5%? Are there 16,600,000 mature believers in America? What about that figure? What about this figure, 1%? Would you say there are 3,320,000 mature believers in America? What would it take for God to spare this nation, for God to deliver us from the incoming doom and disaster that we’re facing? politically, militarily, financially, in Genesis 18, 23 through 33, you’ll find what God did with Abraham. Abraham came near to God, and this is in regards to Sodom and Gomorrah, and he said, Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Verse 24 of Genesis 18. Suppose there are 50 righteous people in that city. Will you indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of at least 50 righteous who could be in it? Far be it from you, Abraham said, to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked. so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from you, shall not the judge of all the earth deal justly? And so here’s what the Lord said. If I find in Sodom 50 righteous people within the city, I’ll spare the whole place on their account. And Abraham replied, well, now I’ve ventured to speak to the Lord, although I’m but dust and ashes. Suppose the 50 righteous are lacking five. Will you destroy the whole city because of five? And he said, I will not destroy it if I find 45 righteous people living there. Abraham spoke to the Lord again and said, well, suppose 40 are found there. And he said, okay, I won’t do it on the count of the 40. And then he said, well, Lord, don’t be angry, and I’ll speak. Suppose 30 are found. And he said, I won’t do it if you can find 30. And then he said, okay, I’ve ventured to speak to the Lord. Now suppose there are 20 righteous people. Will you spare the town? And he said, okay, I’ll spare it if there are 20. In verse 32, then he said, oh, may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak this once again. Suppose 10 are found. Would you spare the town for 10 righteous people? And he said, I will not destroy it on account of 10 righteous people. As soon as he had finished speaking to Abraham, the Lord departed and Abraham returned to his place. And you know the story. There were none righteous found in Solomon Gomorrah, not one. And the whole town was melted. And Lot was told to leave and don’t look back. So what are these verses implying that I just read to you? Well, here it is. One, how many righteous people will it take for God to spare us? And what are righteous people? Who are the righteous people that I’m talking about? Well, number one, they’re the people that have the righteousness of Christ imputed to them at salvation. And number two, they are growing to spiritual maturity, becoming members of the pivot. So have you made that decision to believe in Jesus Christ? Have you? The Bible says he that knew no sin was made sin for us so that we could be made the righteousness of God through him. That’s how you get that righteousness we’re talking about. Are you a member of the royal family of God and are you a mature believer that can make up the pivot and sustain the nation? That’s the question. Remember Gideon only needed 300 to defeat the Midianites and the Amicalites, the number of which the Bible said was as numerous as the locust. Only 300. He didn’t need millions. He didn’t need thousands. He just needed 300. If you and I are going to avoid destruction from God’s divine discipline, we must have a pivot of mature believers. And that means either you’re part of the solution or you’re part of the problem. Which one is it? It’s the job of the pastor to recruit and train the pivot so they can stand against the forces of Satan in the cosmic system. And at this very moment, you and I are involved in the angelic conflict and you and I must step up. We must represent the Lord Jesus Christ in the conflict. Listen to what God said in Ezekiel 2230. I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before me for the land so that I would not destroy it. i found nobody i found no one i could not even find one god said that would stand up righteous the northern kingdom of israel had sinned and forsaken god much like we’ve done today and as a result god was about to punish them and disperse them among the nations can one man deliver a nation from divine discipline can one person Could it be you? Could it be your spiritual life? Can one man deliver a nation from divine discipline? Ecclesiastes 9.14, there was a small city with a few men in it, and a great king came to it, surrounded it, and constructed large siege works against it. But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. And Solomon wrote, so I said, wisdom is better than strength. If the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not listened to, the words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Principle, learn it quickly. A pastor who teaches God’s word consistently and accurately can be that one wise man. He can raise up many other wise men and many other wise women whose spiritual life can indeed hold back the wrath of God. Every week I get calls, emails from people just like yourself across the country, from Maine to California, looking for a well-qualified pastor in their area. People that are hungry to grow, but have no spiritual food available. Oh, there are churches around them, most of which have ritual without reality, but a very few faithful Bible teachers who proclaim faith alone in Christ alone. In those cases, what I try to do is refer them to my own pastor who makes all his messages available, either online, streaming video, or on DVD disc. But they’re free, and they can get those words and study them at home with a cup of coffee and a notebook and a Bible around their kitchen table and grow that way if they can’t find the church and ask the Lord to show them eventually what they should do. But the failure that I want to talk about now is the second stage of why we might be defeated. And that’s the failure of believers to re-present Jesus Christ. Failure of the pastors, now let’s talk about failures of the believers. In Matthew 5, 13 through 16, you are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has become tasteless, how could it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket. But the lampstand, and it gives it light to all who are in the house. So let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who’s in heaven. Our Lord used these two metaphors to inspire his followers in their mission to represent God to the lost world. And when you talk about salt, it’s a preservative. It’s a flavor enhancer, no doubt about that. A mature believer preserves his client nation by means of his invisible and historical impact as a member of the pivot. His spiritual life holds back God’s national discipline, but instead brings national blessing. The light metaphor gives the concept of enlightenment. So the mature believer illuminates the cross of Christ and his victory over death by means of the resurrection. The cosmic system loves to function in the darkness, and our job is to light up the cosmic system. In Acts 26, 18, open the eyes of them so that they may turn from the darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God so that they may receive forgiveness of sin and and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in me. In Ephesians 5, 13, But all things become visible when they are exposed to the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. And in John 3, 19, This is the judgment that the light has come into the world, and men love the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were evil. A mature believer, which is what I’m asking you to be, that person, that individual, you will be a beacon of hope to a lost nation. You will be the light to the world. That’s your job. That’s what you’re supposed to do. And you can do that. You can be a beacon of hope to this nation. Your mature spiritual life will attract and draw folks to you. Can you imagine going down a dark road at night and you have automobile trouble? Your car breaks down and you’re struck and your cell phone’s out of range and it won’t work and you’re wondering, What do I do? How do I get help? And you look across the field and there’s a house with a light on it. You go to the light. You go to get help. That’s what you must be. You must be the light in the dark world, the light that represents Jesus Christ. They must be able to see Christ in you. That’s why you must learn and deploy the flood line in your soul. The flat line, God’s 10 problem-solving devices are, in fact, the essence of the Christian life being lived in you. It’s the mechanics to the Christian life. Not all of them, but this is most of them. Rebound, confessing your sin, deals with your sin problem. Filling of the Holy Spirit, deals with your problem of your genetically formed sin nature. Faith rest drill, deals with your problem of unexplained circumstances. On down the line, grace orientation, biblical orientation, personal sense of destiny, personal love for God, impersonal love for all, sharing the happiness of God, and occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ. These are all the unique problem-solving devices we have. And as a mature believer, if you operate in that sphere, having a flat line in your soul, you attract and draw people to yourself. You know, something else I need to warn you about. Darkness hates light. Why? Because light exposes sin. This is why, as a mature believer, you will be demonized. you will be marginalized, maybe even put to death because of your testimony. In John 16, one through four, listen to what the Lord Jesus Christ told the disciples. These things I’ve spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. They will make you outcast from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you will think he’s offering service to God. These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor me. these things i’ve spoken to you so that when the hour comes that’s the hour of your death that you will remember that i told you it was coming these things i did not say to you at the beginning because i was with you to comfort you and now he alerts them that’s how serious it is we are in an angelic conflict satan is a known murderer and a known liar he will do all that he can to keep control in the darkness and to keep darkness over the world. The fog across this nation is real and we must wake up, we must realize it. Will America be destroyed? That’s how we started this out now. Will America survive? Will we be destroyed? I can’t say for sure, but I can say this. I can look at the trends of history. Anybody can do that. I’m not a prophet. I can’t prophesy anything, but I can look at the trends of history and any idiot with eighth grade education can see we’re on a dead end street. We’re barreling down this dead end street, 90 miles an hour, and if something doesn’t change, we will not survive. What’s the change gonna require? You getting serious about your spiritual life. you getting under that well-qualified pastor, you starting to study on a daily basis, you staying filled with the Holy Spirit, you walking by faith, you representing Jesus Christ and you becoming the light of the world and the salt to the nation. That’s the only thing that will deliver us, you. That’s why I brought you this message today. I pray you’re listening. I pray you’re paying attention because you are the solution, not your vote. Your spiritual life is a solution. Will you do it? Will you stand in the gap? Will you make up the hedge? Will you be that person? I’m reminded of that verse in the Bible that says, here am I, send me, Lord. Here am I, send me. Will that be your prayer today? Will you pray that prayer? God, here am I. Let it be me. Until next week, I’m your host, Rick Hughes, saying thank you for listening to The Flatline.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you for listening to The Floodline with your host, Rick Hughes. If you’d like to contact Rick, please write to him at P.O. Box 100, Cropwell, Alabama, 35054, or online at www.rickhughesministries.org.
