“NOTES ON GOD’S FINAL APPEALS TO AMERICAN CHRISTIANS: GETTING HUNGRY AGAIN BEFORE NIGHT FULLY FALLS” (WITH VIDEO)

1. THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “Collect your thoughts, yes, unbend yourselves [in submission and see if there is no sense of shame and no consciousness of sin left in you], O shameless nation [not desirous or desired]! [The time for repentance is speeding by like chaff whirled before the wind!]

Therefore consider, before God’s decree brings forth [the curse upon you], before the time [to repent] is gone like the drifting chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you—yes, before the day of the wrath of the Lord comes upon you!

SEEK THE LORD [inquire for Him, inquire of Him, and require Him as the foremost necessity of your life], all you humble of the land who have acted in compliance with His revealed will and have kept His commandments; seek righteousness, seek humility [inquire for them, require them as vital]. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.” – ZEPHANIAH 2:1-3, AMPC

KEY TERM: “SEEK THE LORD!” ‘Baqash’ [בַּקְּשׁ֤וּ]: “To strive after, beg, beseech, [urgently] require.” NOTE: “The verb appears about 225 times, stretching from Genesis to Malachi. Its semantic field ranges from intentionally searching for misplaced animals to the: HIGHEST ACT OF COVENANT DEVOTION: ‘Seeking the LORD with [one’s entire] heart, soul, and strength.’ Narrative, legal, poetic, and prophetic texts alike employ the word, demonstrating its importance for: (1) Personal Piety, (2) National Policy, and (3) Eschatological Hope.”

QUOTATION. “The greatest Enemy of hunger for God is not poison but Apple Pie. ‘It is not the Banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for Heaven, but endless nibbling at the Table of the World.’ It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of Triviality we drink in every night.” – DR. JOHN PIPER, A Hunger for God, 2013; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘The Prophet calls to National Repentance, as the only way to prevent National Ruin. A “Nation Not Desiring’” – That has not Desires toward God, is not desirous of His Favour and Grace, has no mind to Repent and Reform. ‘Or, “Not Desirable,’” not having anything to recommend them to God; To whom God might justly say, “Depart from Me!” But He says, “Gather together to me that you may seek My face.’”

We know what God’s Decree will bring against impenitent sinners, therefore it highly concerns all to Repent in THE ACCEPTED TIME.’ How careful should we all be to Seek Peace with God, before the Holy Spirit withdraws from us, or ceases to strive with us; before the Day of Grace is over, or the Day of Life; before our Everlasting State is determined! Let the Poor, Despised, and Afflicted, seek the Lord, and seek to understand and keep His Commandments better, that they may be more humbled for their sins. ‘The Chief Hope of Deliverance from National Judgments rests upon [FERVENT] PRAYER.’” – MATTHEW HENRY, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

1. TEACHING

MENSCH. “A Mensch is a Yiddish word that translates to: “A person of integrity, honor, and rectitude.”  Figuratively, it describes an upstanding, responsible individual with a good heart who can be relied upon to consistently do the right thing. It is a term of high praise and admiration for ‘a truly decent human being.’” – AI Overview, ret. July 10, 2026; edited

Most of us are painfully aware of the well-documented condition of America’s White Evangelical Church and their Leaders as inarguably LUKEWARM for at least the past ten years or more. That word, a stinging reference rebuke to the Last Days Church of Laodicea is defined by the following Greek term. It is used only once in the entire Bible:

• REVELATION 3:16 (AMP). “So because you are LUKEWARM (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust].”

• ‘CHLIAROS.’ [χλιαρὸς]: “Tepid” [indifferent, cool, half-hearted; unenthusiastic, lacking in interest or passion]. NOTE: The adjective denotes water that has lost both its healing warmth and its refreshing coolness, standing as a vivid metaphor for Spiritual Indifference. ‘In Revelation 3:16 the Risen Christ employs the term to portray a Church whose professed faith lacks both fervent love and clear conviction.’” – James Strong, Bible Concordance, 1895; edited

What all this evidence instantly communicates to me is an overall ‘Absence of Spiritual Hunger for God’ inmost Church congregations. So let’ take a look at that before moving on.

HUNGER GAMES. The Hunger Games (2008) by Suzanne Collins is a Dystopian Novel set in the oppressive Nation of Panem, where a Wealthy Capitol forcesits 12 surrounding Districts to annually send one boy and one girl (aged 12-18) to Fight to the Death in a televised battle royale known as “The Hunger Games.”

For some reason in the preparation of this Commentary, this book and its subsequent movie series kept coming to mind as ‘I sensed some sort of CONNECTION between the corrupted Nation of Panem and the United States of America.’ Then I found this.

An engaging piece of analysis of that Connection by theologian AMY HAYES titled, “What Do ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Have to Do with American Christianity Today?” (Baptist News, Dec. 9, 2021; edited). Let’s take a brief look at her MAJOR IDEAS.

• OPEN [The Opening of the First Hunger Games Movie]. “At the Annual Reaping Ceremony in District 12, Capitol representative Effie Trinket plays a short film for her captive audience. The montage, narrated by President Snow, depicts scenes from Panem’s history — the Districts’ Rebellion against the Capitol, the ensuing devastation, the Capitol’s victory over the ‘Traitors’ — all culminating in the Origin of the Games as a ‘Pageant of Honor, Courage and Sacrifice.’ Stock images of young people with arms raised in victory silhouetted by the dawning sun float across the screen. Soaring music reaches a triumphant peak.”

• POLITICS. “‘This is how we remember our past,’ intones Snow, referring to the Games. ‘This is how we safeguard our future.’ After mouthing along with these final words, Effie’s pink eyelashes flutter open as she gasps breathlessly. ‘I JUST LOVE THAT!’ she exclaims, purple lips quivering. Wait, what? She, she … loves what now? ‘The Ritual Murder of Children by other children? The State’s Brutal Oppression of the masses? The Starvation of the many for the gluttony of a few? Yikes.’ How could a person possibly love any of that? It’d be easy to write off Dear Effie as a monster, plain and simple. But labeling people as Psychopaths, while incredibly satisfying, is just lazy and boring. Perhaps this character isn’t as one-dimensional, nor this story as far-fetched, as we’d like to believe.”

• HARBINGER. “‘Because in this Post-Apocalyptic World, Panem rose from the ashes of the United States, it’s plausible that Effie practices Christianity.’ But would the Capitol even allow Christianity? It is, after all, a Faith founded on a Rebellious Peasant Who defied an Oppressive Empire to bring the Good News of Liberation to the least of these and then encouraged others to do the same after His public execution by the State. A bit of a problematic narrative for the Capitol, I’d say. Still: ‘It is easier to PERVERT Faith than Persecute it.’ In fact, the loyalty and fervor of the Faithful offer a strategic advantage to any Empire that successfully harnesses them, so it’s more likely than not that: ‘The Capitol encouraged Christianity — at least an interpretation that supported, rather than threatened, their Empire. And it would only take a few tweaks.’”

• AMERICA. “It takes a lot of theological acrobatics to force Christianity to make (nonthreatening) sense inside an Empire. ‘First, you must Gut the Gospels’ of their obvious focus: Justice and Liberation for the least of these. Then you must fill the resultant vacuum with something, probably the Pursuit of Personal Righteousness a la cultivating the Fruits of the Spirit. ‘Purity Culture’ [Self Indulgence] also works particularly well here. And then just Spiritualize any remaining odds and ends that don’t already make sense, like God’s Promises to provide for the physical needs of the poor. ‘That’s how Panem would’ve done it. How do I know? Because that’s how WE do it! Offended by the thought that we’re more Capitol than District 12? Honestly, same here.’”

DK NOTE. Collins writes as a secular artist and takes the same dim view of American Christianity evident today, long before the Trump Era burst upon the scene in that epic escalator ride in New York on June 16, 2015.

The way I would sum up her perspective of The Church in admittedly oblique literary terms is this:

(White) American Christians are obsessed with the acquisition of wealth and power and pay mere lip service to the Teachings of Christ, and are thus capable of the most brutal and unlawful means necessary to retain that wealth and power. Selah.

1. TOWARD RIGHTEOUS HUNGER

God’s Principle. “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who HUNGER AND THIRST for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.” – JESUS CHRIST, Matthew 5:6, Amplified

Kelly’s Corollary. ‘And all those who choose not to hunger and thirst after His Righteousness will not, nor may ever be, filled with the Master’s Vison, Purpose, and Destiny.’ Selah.

INTRODUCTION. Courtesy of an AI Overview (ret. July 9, 2026; edited), we dip our toes in these crucial waters in this way. The phrase “Hungering for God in the Age of Trump,” my search engine label, represents, therefore:

‘A deep cultural and theological inquiry into the State of a Pampered and Deluded American Faith during the Donald Trump Presidency.’

It is frequently used to explore how Christians and other religious groups navigate the intersection of Political Allegiance, Spiritual Renewal, and the perceived Moral Character of the Nation.

• AWAKENING VS. IDOLATRY. Many conservative Christian leaders argue that Trump’s Presidency aligns with God’s Plans, viewing the Current Era as a time of National Rededication and increased Patriotic Fervor. Conversely, many Progressive [and Politically Unaligned] theologians and critics argue that the Trump Movement leans toward White Christian Nationalism or dangerous Political Idolatry.

• THEOLOGICAL RESISTANCE. ‘Bible scholars and religious activists often frame The Trump Era as a “CONFESSIONAL CRISIS,” emphasizing Justice-Oriented Faith and Resistance to what they view as Exclusionary or Unchristian Policies.’ Books that dive into these theologically shark infested waters include Doing Theology in the Age of Trump: A Critical Report on Christian Nationalism (2018) by Drs. Jeffrey W. Robbins and Clayton Crockett; and New York Times best seller, Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez. Among a growing number of others.

• THE NATURE OF POWER. ‘Critics have severely questioned Trump’s personal Religious Life and Narcissism, as well as the tendency for his supporters to view him as a Messianic figure or a literal, in the flesh modern-day Biblical Messiah.’ Thus have the Great Majority of White American Evangelical Christians placed their hopes for National Salvation on natural Political Power rather than the Spiritual Commission to save souls and help the broken among us. This constitutes a doctrinally Deep Fracture among American Christians that conservative Biblical scholars view as a SCHISM. “Schism is Sinfully Dividing the Church of Jesus Christ. Schism is sin against the real and precious Spiritual [Doctrinal] Unity of Christ’s Church” (Prof. Barrett Gritters, The Standard Bearer, Aug. 1, 2021; edited).

REIGNITING THE FLAME. Now to the more Joyful part of our conversation: ‘How to Cultivate an Everlasting Hunger for Christ as Our “Magnificent Obsession.’” To do so, after an extensive search of the literature, I was led to the work of a Pentecostal theologian and Pastor who graduated from (hold on to your hats, beloved) – Liberty University!

In a thoughtful piece titled, “Hunger for Righteousness: How Desperate Are You for God?” CHAPLAIN JEFF DAVIS gives us SIX SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES for moving toward such Hungering for Christ published recently in his Blog (Feb. 25, 2026; edited).

1. HOLY HUNGER IS NOT CASUAL. “‘Jesus did not describe Righteousness as a hobby [or habit]. He described it as “Hunger and thirst.’” That language is intense for a reason. Hunger is not casual. Thirst is not convenient. When you are truly thirsty, you stop pretending you are fine. You go looking for water. David captured that Desperation when he wrote, ‘As the deer PANTS [‘arag’ (תַעֲרֹ֖ג), ‘desperate, audible longing for, an expressed deep desire’] for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God’ (Psalm 42:1, NIV). A deer searching for water is not browsing. It is pursuing. It is focused. It is aware that its life depends on what it finds. In the same way, a person who hungers and thirsts for Righteousness is not content with a faith that only shows up in church attendance or religious language. ‘They want God’s Presence, God’s Purity, God’s Power, and God’s Pleasure.’ They want to live in a way that makes Heaven smile, and they are willing to let God reshape what needs reshaping. That kind of hunger does not start with perfection. It starts with Desire. It starts with a Willingness to say, ‘Lord, I do not want to stay stuck. CHANGE me!’”

• INFLUENCES AROUND YOU FEED YOU. “Take an honest Inventory: ‘Who is influencing you the most?’ Not who you love. Not who you hope will change. Who is shaping your thoughts, your attitudes, your habits, your language, your patience, your purity, and your faith. Scripture is clear that the people closest to you will either strengthen your hunger for God or dull it. ‘Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm’ (Proverbs 13:20, NIV). That verse is not cruel. It is mercy. God is warning you that companionship is never neutral. Influence is always doing something. It is either building you up or breaking you down. You can care about someone and still recognize they are not safe for your growth right now. You can pray for people and still set boundaries. You can love someone without letting them have front row access to your heart. This is not about becoming judgmental. ‘This is about Becoming Intentional!’ If you keep feeding on conversations that normalize compromise, you will eventually call compromise ‘just life.’ If you keep sitting in environments that stir up anger, lust, bitterness, or pride, you will start to think those things are your personality instead of your bondage. If you keep letting negativity disciple you, you will lose your appetite for righteousness without even realizing it. ‘God loves you too much to let your DESTINY be starved by the wrong influences.’”

• OBEDIENCE THE FIRST STEP, NOT THE LAST. “‘Sometimes we pray for freedom while still holding hands with what is pulling us under.’ We ask God to deliver us, but we keep returning to the same environment, the same voices, the same patterns, the same excuses. God is gracious, patient, and kind, but He also calls us to cooperate with His work in us. ‘Often, the Miracle starts after the First Act of Obedience.’ Think about Israel stepping into the Jordan River. The waters did not part while they stayed on the shore analyzing outcomes. They had to move. They had to step. God met them in motion. Your part is not to save yourself. Your part is to surrender. Your part is to obey the next clear thing God is asking you to do. That may mean deleting a number. Leaving a group chat. Choosing accountability. Ending a late-night pattern that always leads you somewhere you regret. Changing what you watch, what you listen to, what you laugh at, what you rehearse in your mind. Not because God is harsh, but because God is healing you. ‘When the Lord sees you DOING what you can, with His strength, He steps in and does what only He can. He gives Power you did not have. He gives Clarity you could not manufacture. He gives Peace that does not match your circumstances. He gives Courage that feels borrowed from Heaven.’”

• GOD’S PROMISES TO THE HUNGRY. “Jesus did not say the Hungry will be ‘teased.’ He said they will be ‘filled.’ ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled’ (Matthew 5:6, NIV). That word ‘Filled’ is not a trickle. It is Satisfaction. It is Fullness. It is God meeting you at the Deepest Place. Jesus makes it even more personal in John’s Gospel: ‘I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever [fervently] believes in Me will never be thirsty’ (John 6:35, NIV). Your soul has cravings that money cannot touch. Your heart has thirst that applause cannot satisfy. Your mind has hunger that entertainment cannot heal. ‘You were made for God, and nothing else can take His place.’ Here is the Good News: if you feel empty, that does not mean you are hopeless. It might mean you are finally honest. It might mean your spirit is waking up. It might mean God is stirring hunger in you again. ‘And Jesus never turns away a hungry heart.’”

• GOING FORWARD. FIRST: ‘Name what is draining you.’ Write it down. Not vaguely, specifically. A person, a place, a habit, an app, a time of day, a repeated conversation. Ask God for clarity, then be brave enough to face the truth. NEXT: ‘Replace, do not just Remove.’ Empty space gets filled. If you remove a bad influence but do not replace it with something life giving, you will drift back. Replace toxic voices with worship. Replace late night scrolling with Scripture. Replace isolation with community. Replace secrecy with accountability. James gives this promise: “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:8, NIV)When you move toward Him, He meets you. FINALLY: ‘Choose one Act of Obedience before the day ends.’One phone call. One boundary. One apology. One confession. One change. One step. You do not need to overhaul your whole life in 24 hours, but you can take one real step in the right direction today. And when you do, do not let shame talk you out of continuing. God is not looking for flawless people. He is forming faithful people.”

• ENCOURAGEMENT FOR YOUR HEART. “If you are reading this and realizing you have been influenced in the wrong direction, hear this clearly: ‘God is not done with you.’ The fact that you care, the fact that you feel the tug, the fact that you are hungry for something better, that is evidence that the Spirit of God is still working in you. You are not too far gone. You are not too damaged. You are not too late. ‘Jesus blesses Hunger. Jesus honors Desire. Jesus responds to Pursuit.’ Keep choosing the wise path, even if it feels lonely at first. Keep saying ‘No!’ to what weakens you. Keep saying ‘Yes’ to what strengthens your soul. Keep showing up in prayer. Keep opening the WORD. Keep walking forward. ‘God fills hungry people.’”

1. LAST THOUGHTS

That’s a lot, beloved, but I promise you: If you wish for God to Prepare you for the Days Ahead, this may be the most important Commentary I have ever penned for that Great Purpose: ‘Your very Destiny!’

MISSION READY. What our still gracious King is doing, to the best of my spiritual assessment, is in the indelible words of the Prophet Isaiah A QUESTION of us all: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ’Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’” (6:8, Amplified).

The Question burns in the hearts and very bone marrow of the True Seeker of His Righteousness. It is not an easy question, especially these DAYS OF CHAOS brought through the Church-Invited Spirit of Antichrist. Here is what we face according to Canadian novelist and cultural analyst, DR. STEPHEN MARCHE.

“The 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence has arrived at a Moment of some Embarrassment for the Republic. The United States of America, established to overthrow a Mad King, has elected, 250 years later, a MAD KING OF ITS VERY OWN. America is setting itself on fire at its Birthday Party. It always had a dramatic streak. In 30 or 40 years, scholars of history, if they exist, will want to know how the richest country in history, with the world’s most powerful alliance network, and a scientific and research capacity fuelled by the talent of the world, chose to throw it all away.” – “America is Destroying Itself: It’s No Surprise,” The Guardian, July 4, 2026; edited

PRAYER. Thus, to close, I offer a lovely and powerful Prayer written by Chaplain Davis at the close of his essay on Hungering After Righteousness. I was moved by it and wanted to share it with you all.

“Father, thank You for stirring HOLY HUNGER in my heart. Thank You that You do not shame me for where I have been, You invite me into where You are leading. Give me Discernment to recognize influences that pull me away from You and give me Courage to set boundaries that protect my growth. Strengthen me to OBEY the next step, even when it feels hard. Fill me with Your Spirit, Renew my mind, and Restore my appetite for Righteousness. Satisfy me with Your Presence and help me live in a way that HONORS JESUS. I trust You to complete what You started in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Selah.

MEDIA

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/2U6ZaU0F-uE