By Steve Huston
Reflecting on this week’s three Decency Minutes, the following two historical quotes struck me hard. Only the most willfully blind will deny that this nation was birthed not only by God’s will but founded upon His Word as well. Pastors from our founding era would preach on patriotism, stating that Christians were the best patriots because those who hold the Word of God dear to their hearts and minds and live it out faithfully did the best for their nation. As you read the following two quotations, please recognize that we loosed our mind, as a nation, from God’s Word long before we loosed it from our hand. Pay particular attention to our second quote from Minister Langdon, in this regard:
“The Bible is the fountain of all true patriotism and loyalty in states, it is the source of all true wisdom and sound policy. It is the spring of all true discipline and obedience, and of all valor and chivalry, in armies and fleets, in the battlefield and on the wide sea. It is the pure, unsullied fountain of all love and peace, happiness, quietness and joy, in families and households. Wherever it is duly obeyed it makes the ‘desert’ to rejoice and blossom as the rose.” ~ William Wordsworth
“Preserve the knowledge of God in the land, and attend to the revelation written to us from heaven. If you neglect or renounce that religion taught and commanded us in the holy scriptures, think no more of freedom, peace, and happiness; the judgments of heaven will pursue you.” ~ Minister Samuel Langdon, 1788
Is there any doubt that our “rose” has lost its bloom or that one might view the subjects of our first two Decency Minutes as “the judgments of heaven [pursuing us]”? Can we realize that, while we ought to pass the SAVE Act, the Citizenship Act, the Preserving A Sharia-Free America Act, and so many other good bills meant to preserve America and her Constitution, they will eventually mean nothing if Americans do not turn our hearts and minds to God and His Scriptures which are full of God’s grace and mercy? Let us remember, it’s not only judgment that “must begin at the house of God” (1 Pet. 4:17), but revival – a sincere return to God, His Word, His ways, and a deep reverence and worship of Him – also begins at the house of God. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14)
I know that verse gets A LOT of mileage, so much so that we too often gloss over it from rote memory. This ought not to be so; IT’S GOD’S HOLY WORD! It’s a precious treasure! And this verse in particular shows a nation and a people the way home. When we no longer feel the preciousness of that promise; when it no longer hits home, forgetting that my heart is the intended bullseye; when we neglect to realize that the sins of our nation offend a most holy God and that we are part of its people (think Daniel 9); then the loosening process has begun within us. May it not be so. IF it is, then let us humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked coldness or apathetic lukewarmness, for God’s promises are great, true, and to be trusted.
The great danger in loosening from God’s Word and neglecting to hold it as ever-precious in our mind is that it becomes little more than ritual and legalistic rules. Love grows cold in that realm; it withers and eventually dies. Yes, one might continue to hold to the “rules” and may even feel good about themselves for doing so, but God is to be worshiped and adored, not viewed as some cosmic tyrant. His rules are meant for our good and to remind us of His love for us.
That’s where our third Decency Minute comes in to play. Modesty is only one of the areas to which God’s Word speaks. God’s desire for our modesty is to remind us that clothing is to cover our shame; it reminds us daily that we need His covering and we should worship Him for His sacrifice, grace, and mercy. To be honest, when we fall into legalism (on any front), we’ve changed the focus from God to ourselves; we no longer worship the one true God, but worship the idol “I.” Let me close with this observation: “I” is in the center of “prIde” and of “sIn.”
Let us worship God and God alone, for our own sake and the sake of our nation.
Congress Must Pass the Citizenship Act!
In July of 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump could not exclude the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States from becoming citizens at birth in a 5-4 decision.
But Justice Kavanaugh, while voting with the majority, floated an option to ban birthright citizenship through the legislative branch.
If Congress passes a law denoting illegal immigrants as “invaders,” their children need not be granted citizenship. Under the 14th amendment, the children of invaders are exempt from that requirement.
Earlier this week, Senator Jim Banks introduced the Citizenship Act, which follows Justice Kavanaugh’s suggested path.
This issue will, without a doubt, determine the future of this country. Will future elections be determined by Americans with roots and loyalty and pride in our heritage? Or will it be determined by foreign invaders, loyal to their homelands?
Congress must pass the Citizenship Act!
Democrat Socialists aren’t just a fringe segment of the Democrat party. They proudly declare the same totalitarian goals which Democrats have surreptitiously worked toward for years –subverting the Constitution and remaking America into a socialist state.
The Democrat Socialist platform calls for undermining the office of the President and the Supreme Court; abolishing police and prisons; seizing private property; and amnesty for illegal immigrants.
Each of these have been advocated for by the Democrat party – the only difference is a matter of degrees in their radicalism.
Such treasonous ideology is infiltrating the halls of Congress. After calling for the “seizing of power,” Democrat Socialist Congresswoman Rashida Talib boasted: “Now we’re in Congress and in every corner of the United States.”
As members of Congress seek to overthrow the Constitution they took an oath to uphold, we need courageous patriots to rise up and defend it.
Often, as the temperatures rise higher, a godly person’s eyes must lower to escape the sights of the scantily clad. Immodesty isn’t relegated to the beaches; it’s in the stores, on the streets, at sporting events…it’s EVERYWHERE!
Decency and modesty aren’t decided by culture. Our Creator has set the standards; our best response is humility in obedience to God’s directives. Our clothing is a window to our soul.
In his book Beyond Modesty, Scott Brown beautifully shares:
“The Bible is clear. Clothing is designed to cover shame, conceal nakedness, display beauty, shroud sin, demarcate the distinctiveness of men and women, embody humility, profess godliness, symbolize purity, and signify how the Lord drapes the wearer in eternal robes of righteousness. On the other hand, clothing can be used to represent worldliness, sensuality, androgyny, homosexuality, apostasy, and rebellion.”
It’s not about rules; it’s worship!
Call us:
231-924-4050Email us:
info@americandecency.orgWrite us:
American Decency AssociationCopyright 2026 American Decency
