By the Rev. Glen Vaughn

One cannot deny we are experiencing some eventful times in our nation’s history. To some it is a time of victory, to others our nation is coming apart at the seams.

I identify with the latter. There is so much hatred and division in our nation today. No longer can we say we are “one nation under God.”

We forget the singular most important thing that made our nation great was our nation was founded on the principles and laws of God.

Can anyone deny our nation wasn’t more safe and stronger when we followed God.

Now we can’t feel safe anywhere, anymore not even in our churches.

Of course the people leading us down this degrading path have no regard for God or His word. There has never been a time when everyone followed God. God has always given people the privilege of choice. He never forces people to serve Him.

However not following God is not without great consequences.

God’s judgments have come in different forms through the generations to try to turn people’s hearts back to God.

Godless people are trying to remove God from us and make us a nation without the true God. I believe many of the tragedies we face now are judgments of God trying to get us to turn our hearts back to Him.

With all the chaos in our country it should cause all of us to wake up.

We don’t want a nation without God.

Evil people for their own personal gains are stirring hatred between the races, some even under the guise of Christianity.

Friend consider the source, God is not the author of confusion and division.

I have no doubt we have racists in our country just like we have thieves, murderers, rapist and there will always be, God forbid.

These few do not speak for me nor many like me.

Racism is wrong, even if they call themselves a reverend.

God has nothing to do with racism.

I was grieved when I turned on the news on a Thursday morning and heard about the shooting at a church in Charleston, S.C.

None of these my brothers and sisters deserved to die like that. I believe God impressed on me these should be recognized among the great martyrs of faith.

These were not killed by some sick man as some propose but by a man that was influenced and possessed by a devil, the same devil that is trying to divide us today.

The victory, though it took their death and God help us all to not let them die in vain, when I saw thousands of different races and nationalities flood to Charleston to support the families of the victims.

To watch them love, stand and pray, to forgive, that one thing defeated the devil. That spirit of unity my friend is the true Spirit of America and that spirit did not come from the devil of division but from the Holy Spirit of God that made us the great land we are.

Five justices of the Supreme Court have taken upon themselves to redefine our Holy God’s only pattern for marriage. God will be the judge of that decision and those justices.

Our only hope for America is not in any political party or candidate but only in God himself.

If I could request anything of our president, Mr. Sharpton and other political leaders it would be this “If you’ve really got backbone and you are really a Christian like you say you are quit stirring division, stand up and call America back to prayer and repentance to the living God that made us and gave us this land.”

– The Rev. Glen Vaughn is the pastor at Andalusia Church of God.