Remember the classic tale of Rip Van Winkle, written by Washington Irving?
Rip Van Winkle was a carefree farmer living in the Catskill Mountains before the Revolutionary War. One day while squirrel hunting, he met a strange little man carrying a large barrel on his back. Rip politely agreed to carry the barrel into the forest for his new acquaintance.
Upon arriving, he found numerous little men playing ninepins. Popping the cork, Rip joined them in consuming the intoxicating drink in the barrel. Rip fell into a deep sleep. Awakening 20 years later, he was astounded to find his hometown village hardly recognizable. His village and the colonies had experienced a revolutionary war!
The colonists were no longer subject to King George. They fought for their freedom and won! This new government was "of the people," "by the people" and "for the people." Twenty years had passed him by and he was now a citizen of the United States of America!
Today, over 200 years have come and gone and the government has once again become our king. We have become intoxicated with the mind-boggling elixir of slick politicians and a media that is out of control. Under the guise of "freedom of the press," they tell us 24 hours a day how we're supposed to live and think—not just about government, but about everything, including our faith in God!
Christians have been lulled to sleep while our freedoms are being ripped away from us. The erosion of our Constitution and stealth disregard for it has degenerated into what I would call "Rip Van America!"
A child can smuggle drugs into their school easier than a Bible. They can give a speech on witchcraft or evolution, but they dare not talk about a divine Creator. We are not only being told when and where we can pray, but also what we can pray.
It is no longer politically correct to pray in Jesus' name. After all, we must not offend people who worship other gods. We can no longer think for ourselves, let alone speak for ourselves. There is a large host of strange little men who have seduced us into a deep sleep of "dependency and apathy."
We've been told for years how much better off we are than other people in the world. Therefore, we should shut up, sit down and do nothing while our leaders play ninepins. God gave us our nation and we must defend it before it is too late. Liberals have been forcing their lifestyles on us far too long because over 20 million Christians failed to even vote in the last several elections.
Your one vote can change our cities, states and nation. Your vote is your seed.
- In 1776, one vote gave America the English language instead of German.
- In 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union.
- In 1923, one vote gave Adolf Hitler leadership of the Nazi Party.
It's time for us to come to the forefront and vote righteous. Get involved in the political process. Prayer is not enough. The body of Christ is a "sleeping giant" in America. Let's sound the alarm and take our country back! 
Dr. Milton Smith is a teacher/evangelist. He has ministered on prayer, healing, faith and numerous other subjects by radio, television and the printed page. He deeply loves God and country and believes that we each have an obligation to uphold the great freedoms God has given us. Visit his new page at facebook.com/faithchurchonline.
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