by Jed Estrada

Hello friends and readers. :-)

This is officially the start of my online publication of all the articles I write. It will include the my monthly column from the MorningStar Newspaper, my articles for the ChristianTeen View e-Magazine, and also any important news about my life, or professional career. I archived all my past published works for you to read if you feel like it. But right now I want to update you all on what's going on in my life. 

First, I have officially registered for online courses through Regen University. I'll be taking Western Civilization, College Algebra, and Biblical Languages. They are quarter semester courses, and begin on October 27th. Patrick Henry College also accepts some transfers from Regent, and I still am keeping my aim towards PHC. :-) I'm taking to Algebra to help prepare for a third shot at the SAT, which I plan to take in December. I am really trying to bring my score up so I can have a chance for the Journalism Scholarship from PHC. my last try was 100 points short of the minimum requirement. :-/ I am also excited to be taking Biblical languages, as I have always wanted to learn more about the Scripture's original context.

Secondly, I have closed on an apartment deal in Elmira, NY. I have been thinking of renting there for a while now, and keeping it under a lot of prayer from my family, friends, and two churches. This was an amazing deal, and a miraculous answer to all of my prayers and hopes, as well as my mom's wishes, and my dad's advice. I am very blessed and encouraged to see God continuing to work so greatly in my life! :-D Anyway, this arrangement will really help me focus during my college courses and SAT prep. It also gives me a strategic location to continue and advance in working with the newspaper, and I wont have to cut any of my work hours since I am so close now.

On a more serious note, I realize that this is a very important time for me. My pastor told me that he observed that everything I was doing in my life rested heavily on self control, and that these next years would be very decisive in my life. As I'm looking ahead to what I am working for, I see how right he is. This is it. Everything I ever told myself I would do someday has to be done now. This is literally the first day of the rest of my life. So prayers are definitely good, and encouragement is always welcome. I feel like God is passing the ball to my court. I am excited about the possibilities, and overwhelmed at the stakes! I'll really need to trust God more than ever now, but I am greatly encouraged that I can feel Him leading me. I am really blessed. 

Anyway, I would appreciate any feedback you might have, and I would be honored if you read my opinions. Thank you for your time, and your support. :-)

- Jed Estrada

You can call it the way of the world, or you can sum it up to the Third Law of Thermodynamics at work, but you cannot deny the tendency of nations to decline. No matter how great the government, or how strong the constitution, erosion always chips away the foundations. America as we once knew it, and as it once existed is deteriorating. You can see it in the men who lead us. You can see it in the entertainment we indulge ourselves with. You can see it in man's creations. But most of all, you can see it in your average Joe American: the people who make up this country, elect our leaders, and who indulge in the worlds entertainment. And if you really take a sincere and scrutinized look, you will see it in ourselves.

What is it about nations that causes them to decline? I have observed that there is a pattern in human nature and development that makes us strive for achievement, and having gotten there we become complacent. In our complacency we then turn leisure, and have and increasing desire to have everything taken care of for us. Politically, this leads to a socialistic form of government, where the people turn to "big brother" for everything from the roofs over our heads, to our daily bread. Ironically, it is then the turn of those in charge to seek achievement, as government strives for power and authority. And when they have achieved absolute rule, it is then their turn to become complacent, and through that the structure of nations fall.

I find it very interesting that through all of that, it is an apathy among the citizens that ultimately allows them to become complacent, then to let their leaders achieve absolute rule, and then do nothing as their nation falls apart until it is much too late. Or as Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.” In this case it is important to remember in terms of moral absolutes that socialism, complacency, and moral decadence is wrong. The Bible and all of History prove this to be true.

So where are we in the U.S. today? A history teacher recently asked me if I thought the United States had peaked as a nation yet. I believe we are in the deciding moments. The peak has not yet been passed, but we are definitely on the ridge. There is a growing apathy among people today, a full grown and established decadence in entertainment, a growing and almost established moral relativism, and definitely a growing movement towards socialism. I see both discouragement and hope. The recent economic crisis is a perfect example of both. We backed ourselves to the edge of a cliff with our credit based economic system, and then the proposed federal bailout which was authored by practically ever federal leader was an enormous step in the direction of socialist control in the public market by the government. I heard so many people say that it was necessary to uphold our economic stability, or at least the illusion if it. I ask you as our patriots asked so long ago, is the economy so dear, or our comfort so sweet to be bought at the price of chains? At the end of the day, and in the closing of the market, government intervention and bailout is a step in the wrong direction. And that is where I see the hope. There were enough wise people to lobby their representatives and tell them that as citizens they did not want to burden of government intervention. There were also enough honest politicians who listened to their constituents, and opposed the measure. And now in the face of economic decline, we have a great choice and chance before us. Either we will work to rebuild our economy on sound business policies, or government will assume control over the floundering market. And trust me, such control is never relinquished. It only grows, and restricts. In these crucial moments in history it is necessary for the citizens of America to care enough for their future to become involved in their nation.

So what is the Christian's duty to America? We remember that as God's people, we are citizens first and foremost of Heaven. But you are also a citizen of the United States. What does that mean? First of all, it is definitely a good thing. Paul was a citizen of Rome, and as such he was better able to serve God in the world. But the United States is very unique nation. Take a moment to think about it, and appreciate the nation that God has given you citizenship in. Over 230 years ago when our nation was created our founders did something never done before in the History of the World. They dedicated the country as a nation Under God! That act of submission to a divine authority in the greatest form of human power (the government) is the greatest reason why God has blessed America.

But our founders did something else which was both Historic and rare. They made America a nation of the people, and the power of government in that nation was "of the people, by the people, and for the people!" Where does that leave us today? The real blame of why we have fallen so far is ultimately on the people of America. As a nation we have moved away from God, by our actions, or our lack of action. That is our greatest shame, and yet our greatest hope! The Bible says "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." In that verse, the literal Hebrew interpretation of nation is 'people.' Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. In this moment in time, God has given us a nation whose blessing under God is hinged upon the faith of its people. Why then are we the least active in their nation today? Less than 40% of Christians are even registered to vote. This is the apathy that is destroying the nation. I know people in churches who are not even ashamed to define themselves as apathetic. How can we be using our gifts and occupying until Christ comes if we are failing to use such a great gift of liberty? We are no better than the servant who buried his talent in the ground. How can we dare to look for hope if we are not daring enough to try and fight for it? The elections are coming up in this nation, and it's not just about the next president. There are offices all over the nation, the state, and even our city which are open for election. Do you even care enough about your own city to vote and raise your voice?

President Ronald Reagan said in his farewell address, “We've got to do a better job of getting across that America is freedom - freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of enterprise. And freedom is special and rare. It's fragile; it needs protection… I'm warning of an eradication of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit.” How true has this become? How important is this today? I beg you on the behalf America and the blessings that God has given to it, to understand and appreciate what you have, because if you don't it will quickly be lost. As Abraham Lincoln wrote to Congress, "We shall nobly save or meanly lose this last best hope of earth." America! May God shed His grace on thee!

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