About two weeks ago, I had the feeling that God wanted me to go and evangelize at a park near my house. So, I went. School was out for the summer. It was the middle of the day. I was sure there would be people present and I’d be able to share the good news of Jesus with them. When I arrived, however, a group of parents and children were leaving. By the time I got my own kids out of the car, the people were gone. The park was empty. The entire time my children played, not a single soul joined us. Why had the Lord led me to this park? I wondered. God soon made the answer to my question apparent.

After exhausting themselves on the shiny new playground equipment, my children set their sights on a big metal slide from ages past. The slide had obviously been a part of the park’s original playset. It was one of those tall metal slides whose height terrifies you, but you’ve just gotta slide down anyway. And when you do, you almost always burn your bottom from the heat of the metal and the friction of your descent.

Paying no mind to the rusted steps and gnarled slide legs, my kids hurried up to the top of it. I climbed after them, just to make sure the slide was okay. That thing didn’t wobble an inch. It was quality. American made—the steps said so. “American,” the word had been proudly forged into each of the slide’s twelve, or so, treads.

As my kids gleefully seared their bottoms coming down the slide, I noticed a name written with a black sharpie on the underside of it. Many people had written their names on the slide, but this name was bold. It stood out. The name was “Aliyah.” This might not seem significant to the average person. But as a follower of Jesus Messiah and a lover of the Jewish people, through whom God sent Jesus, I was struck by the word. When a Jewish person living outside of Israel goes up to Jerusalem, it’s called “making Aliyah.”

Later that day, when I got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about the empty park, the big metal slide, and the name “Aliyah.” In my Spirit, I knew God was speaking to me. He was sending me a message. Whenever God sends me a message, I write it down and post it on my blog, as a way of documenting it for others. My pen is ready, Lord. My hands are your hands. My mind is fixed on you alone. My whole being belongs to you, purchased by the precious blood of Jesus.

Here is the message I uncovered in the details of the day. The empty park was God’s way of telling me that fields for evangelism in America are changing. Our once Christian society is now moving into the realm of post-Christian. Many people living in the US have heard about Jesus, and they either believe, reject their need for Jesus, or they’ve adopted a “been there done that” attitude toward Jesus. There are also some people who haven’t heard about Jesus or who have heard but are undecided. Yes, believe it or not, every now and then, I encounter a US-born adult who has yet to have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ fully explained. What a joy it is to tell them the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection! Also, as long as God keeps blessing America with babies, Christians will always have people to evangelize.

God tells us not to wait for a more opportune time to proclaim Jesus. We must evangelize now. The fields are white with harvest (John 4:35). The empty park was God’s way of telling me to dig deeper, search harder to find fruitful mission fields. Christians, we all need to get creative. Let’s evangelize online, rent booths at markets, hand out holiday treats with gospel tracks to everyone we encounter, take the gospel to Jewish populations, share Jesus with people imprisoned by occult practices and false religions, and go to events and festivals where large crowds are present. We have to be bolder in our conversations, challenging people who claim to follow Christ but live lives that reflect the opposite. God’s word tells us to restore our lost brothers (Galatians 6:1).

In some cases, Christians will have to re-evangelize in the USA. Almost everyone I speak to in my country has encountered Jesus meek and mild who died on the cross for their sins. But very few have heard about Jesus, bright as lightning, riding on a white horse into battle against unbelievers (Revelation 19:11-21). Or Jesus so-full-of-glory that His best friend John fell down as if dead when He saw Him (Revelation 1:10-17). We all need to remember, and to remind others, that Jesus is fully human and fully God, that He’s supreme, that He is most High and Holy.

I also felt God speaking to me personally as I stood there looking out at the empty park. My Father assured me He would replace missed opportunities for evangelism in my life with other opportunities to serve Him, such as the writing of articles. I am still called to evangelize whenever possible, but if an evangelistic event doesn’t work out, for whatever reason, God will redirect me to another task. He will always have an assignment for me, so long as I’m ready and listening.

As per the old metal slide, she represents the decay of America’s national conscience. It pains me to write these words. I love America. I am grateful to have been born and raised in this country. I am also grieved by my country’s current moral and ethical condition. How far we have fallen. How swift our descent.

There was a time when the US made most of our products, right here on our own soil, by the precious hands of our own countrymen. These products were of high quality, like this steel slide, which was still erect and sturdy after decades of exposure to weather. About a hundred feet to the left of the old slide stood a new playset, made of plastic and materials that I would wager a fortune had not been made in America.

There was nothing outwardly wrong with the plastic playset. It looked durable and attractive, and it was probably much safer than the metal slide. But the process by which it was made is the same process that’s been chipping away at America’s soul, and sustainability, for years now—outsourcing. I could go on and on about this topic, but to boil it down, I’ll put it like this: In the same way that America acquired much of her land—through bribery, force, and the trading of trinkets with the Native Americans—we’ve sold out our land, exchanging our people, our resources, and our national soul for trinkets manufactured in other countries. We are sliding downward as a nation and becoming a people given over to bribes, force, and greed. Thank you to PlayStar, and like-minded companies, for making your playsets and materials right here on US soil.

As per the name “Aliyah” on the underside of the slide, I can only conclude that it has to do with US relations with Israel. The United States has always been a haven for the Jewish people and a strong ally of the nation of Israel. In fact, some Biblical scholars believe that America has been blessed for all these years because God promises to bless the nations who bless Israel and to curse those who curse her (Genesis 12:3).

The Bible also tells us that in the end times all nations will come against Israel (Zechariah 12:3-6). This means Israel will have no allies, not even the US. God will display His supernatural power and covenantal love for Israel by singlehandedly saving her from her enemies.

How exactly will the US come against Israel? The US might not actively engage in war with God’s chosen people, but she could betray Israel by removing support, attempting to divide up the promised land, accusing Israel of illegitimately inhabiting the land God has given her, or something of the sort.  Or perhaps the US will grow so weak and become so preoccupied with her own troubles that she’ll be unable to help Israel.

When the day comes when the US relegates Israel to her underside, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jewish people make aliyah from the US to Jerusalem. It’s also possible that some great disaster or turn of events on US soil will incite the Jewish people to make this move. Or maybe after the rapture, the US will deteriorate to an unlivable quality, and Jewish people will return to their God-given land at that time. Or perhaps the land of Israel will become so enticing that the Jewish people will be drawn back to her, making the move willingly, without the need of an inciting event.

Whatever the case may be, woe to America on the day she joins all the other nations in coming against Israel. God will curse us, as he curses anyone who comes against his chosen people. When America betrays Israel, the whole world will see that the US is no longer the bright, steel-strong nation favored by God. Our nation will stand out as a giant rusted eye soar—morally corrupt, sold out, and indebted to the countries who’ve been manufacturing our plastic trinkets. Ouch, that hurts. Please, God, turn America back to you, to your word, to your truth—before it’s too late.

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