What does the future hold for us as a nation,

as a culture as a people?

And so I did a little research and I'll share it with you briefly

and this will set up the backdrop.

It's the rise and fall of civilizations.

It's from a Scottish philosopher named Alexander Tyler.

And he says that most major countries civilizations

they last roughly 200-ish years.

And here's the process, and we see this in judges

Step one from bondage to spiritual growth because of suffering they started in slavery in Egypt

Step two from spiritual growth to great courage hardened by suffering.

That was under the leadership of Moses and Joshua.

From courage to liberty as evil is defeated.

They got to take the promise land back.

From liberty to abundance and prosperity prosperity all of a sudden the economy was

working and God was blessing. Step five from abundance to complacency and

indifference. People stop seeking God and they stop thinking God and they stopped obeying God.

Step six, from complacency to apathy and laziness.

Next thing you know, evil's taken over the land, the culture is in decline, everything from education to entertainment, the government, and the church is sort of lost its way.

Step seven, from apathy, we don't care anymore to dependence on govern it.

And so all of a sudden it is we don't depend on God,

we need a bigger government.

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