I was met this morning in my devotion time with a rather bold challenge I would like to share. Since the election of Barak Obama to the presidency of the United States, I have been seeing our country through some very dismal lenses. Each day brings about a new challenge for our already struggling country. Those of us who grip our heart at the fierce and rapid pace by which Obama and his administration is transitioning this country to a European look-alike, are increasing daily. As Obama loses support his ambition to bring about the America that he envisions becomes more urgent. We have shouted, we have yelled, we have gotten mad, we have blogged our thoughts and views but what have we really done to save this great nation. What is happening to our nation is not just political it is spiritual. In many ways we have exchanged the good heritage of this country for a much more sinister one.
One of the things I was challenged about is my role as a Christian in the situation of our country. Proverbs 26:4-5 says this:
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will also be like him. 5(Answer a fool as his folly deserves, that he not be (E)wise in his own eyes.
I had to think about what answer I had for the things I disagreed with in these past months. One of the things I have now discovered in all of this is that Obama and his administration are hoping for our continued bitterness and anger over his decisions. Can God work for us when believers behave with ungodly attitudes? This is very hard for me to write, I would rather be letting off steam like we have been accustomed to doing. But what do we accomplish? Our strength is in administering the love, grace and mercies of God. God is not impartial to believers when they speak out in ways that are not like Him. We have power within us to change the course of these events if we are led by the spirit of God and behave in lack manner.
So tonight I am asking all of those who are like minded to consider taking a new direction. Joshua 1:9-11 says this and I believe it is appropriate for the place we find ourselves as Americans:
One of the things I was challenged about is my role as a Christian in the situation of our country. Proverbs 26:4-5 says this:
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will also be like him. 5(Answer a fool as his folly deserves, that he not be (E)wise in his own eyes.
I had to think about what answer I had for the things I disagreed with in these past months. One of the things I have now discovered in all of this is that Obama and his administration are hoping for our continued bitterness and anger over his decisions. Can God work for us when believers behave with ungodly attitudes? This is very hard for me to write, I would rather be letting off steam like we have been accustomed to doing. But what do we accomplish? Our strength is in administering the love, grace and mercies of God. God is not impartial to believers when they speak out in ways that are not like Him. We have power within us to change the course of these events if we are led by the spirit of God and behave in lack manner.
So tonight I am asking all of those who are like minded to consider taking a new direction. Joshua 1:9-11 says this and I believe it is appropriate for the place we find ourselves as Americans:
9"Have I not commanded you? (A)Be strong and courageous! (B)Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." 10Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11"pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, 'prepare provisions for yourselves, for within (C)three days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you, to possess it.'"
As Joshua encouraged those who were with him, I am also encouraging those of you who stand together to bring this country back from the brink of disaster. There is much we can be doing instead of allowing our hearts to become harden. How do we possess this land again and bring it back to its moral foundation and reverence and God-fearing state? Our greatest work is in becoming visible, actively involved in our local communities and expressing our needs and concerns in the public square. We must join our local community organizations, not those affiliated with a specific party but those affiliated with making policy within our neighborhoods. The greatest mistake I believe we have made is to become silent when major decision was made concerning our way of life. Our silence in past years has caused those who desired to rebrand American to work as if this country was theirs to conquer. But when we so speak it does not have to be filled with bitterness or unforgiveness. Our voices do not have to be insulting or belittling in order to make our point. We can not forget the standard that Christ has set forth for us. When we walk according to the ways of darkness we cause more harm than good. As Christians we have the most powerful weapon on our side, answered prayer. But God’s favor will not be granted to those who are not following His instruction.
When we pray, we must pray without offense of our own. There are times when after I have written a blog, the Spirit of God convicts me and I am left feeling that I could have done things differently. So as of today, I will be removing those blogs that reflect an attitude unlike Christ and embark on writing in a manner that will help take us to a better place. We can turn this country around by living according to the great standards God has set forth for us. It is not that we behave as if we are happy with what is going on in our country, but we have been given hope through Christ Jesus and that hope which we possess must be a beacon a light to all those who are looking up to us. The greatest thing that can happen to our President is that he see’s the error of his ways. But how can they see if they don’t have anything to reflect anything different. I had a visual of what is going on right now. I saw everyone up in arms, fighting and yelling at each other. We were all consumed with what was going wrong, the evil we saw caused evil to take hold of us. This is what happens when we don’t deal spiritually with the things that are happening around us. James 4:6-8 challenges us in this manner:
But (A)He gives a greater grace Therefore it says, "(B)GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." 7(C)Submit therefore to God (D)Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8(E)Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (F)Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and (G)purify your hearts, you (H)double-minded.
This is exactly what we should be doing, drawing near to God. Not being sucked into the chaos that surrounds us. So I hope that as you read this post that you will consider what God may be saying to you. I hope that you will decide as well to put down the club in your hand and submit our country, our leaders and our future as Americans to God. He is the only one that can change any of this. Will you join me?
