Focus verses: Psalm 44
"Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love."
The hand of the Lord reaches to His people because of His love, not because of anything we have or have not done. There is none pure enough to stand righteous in the face of God on his own merits.
We are a weak and sinful creation. Left to our own devices, we fall into sin and wantonness. We tend to follow the lust of the flesh rather than the love of God. We satisfy our immediate appetites regardless of the consequences. We behave as if there were no consequences.
This psalm should be our prayer for our nation today. Look at all the things we've done.
We've allowed prayer to be stripped from our schools.
We have gagged the word of God and removed symbols of our faith from public lands.
We've misconstrued our own Constitution and the amendments thereto, twisting them to read that not only can government not interfere with religion (which was the original intent), but religion can have no say in government (which was not true even when the constitution was written).
The Declaration of Independence refers to a Supreme Being three times. Look for these three phrases: "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" - "endowed by their Creator" - "the Supreme Judge of the world."
The foundation of our freedoms lies in our understanding of God and His moral laws. Having flouted those laws and turned our backs on the Author of those laws, we are now reaping the consequences of His disfavor.
Father, God,
Remember our beginnings. In Your unfailing love, draw our nation back to Yourself. Restore us to the values of our roots and cleanse us from our iniquities.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.
Showing posts with label nation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nation. Show all posts
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Friday, September 18, 2009
Unfailing Love
Focus verses: Psalm 44
"Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love."
The hand of the Lord reaches to His people because of His love, not because of anything we have or have not done. There is none pure enough to stand righteous in the face of God on his own merits.
We are a weak and sinful creation. Left to our own devices, we fall into sin and wantonness. We tend to follow the lust of the flesh rather than the love of God. We satisfy our immediate appetites regardless of the consequences. We behave as if there were no consequences.
This psalm should be our prayer for our nation today. Look at all the things we've done.
We've allowed prayer to be stripped from our schools.
We have gagged the word of God and removed symbols of our faith from public lands.
We've misconstrued our own Constitution and the amendments thereto, twisting them to read that not only can government not interfere with religion (which was the original intent), but religion can have no say in government (which was not true even when the constitution was written).
The Declaration of Independence refers to a Supreme Being three times. Look for these three phrases: "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" - "endowed by their Creator" - "the Supreme Judge of the world."
The foundation of our freedoms lies in our understanding of God and His moral laws. Having flouted those laws and turned our backs on the Author of those laws, we are now reaping the consequences of His disfavor.
Father, God,
Remember our beginnings. In Your unfailing love, draw our nation back to Yourself. Restore us to the values of our roots and cleanse us from our iniquities.
"Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love."
The hand of the Lord reaches to His people because of His love, not because of anything we have or have not done. There is none pure enough to stand righteous in the face of God on his own merits.
We are a weak and sinful creation. Left to our own devices, we fall into sin and wantonness. We tend to follow the lust of the flesh rather than the love of God. We satisfy our immediate appetites regardless of the consequences. We behave as if there were no consequences.
This psalm should be our prayer for our nation today. Look at all the things we've done.
We've allowed prayer to be stripped from our schools.
We have gagged the word of God and removed symbols of our faith from public lands.
We've misconstrued our own Constitution and the amendments thereto, twisting them to read that not only can government not interfere with religion (which was the original intent), but religion can have no say in government (which was not true even when the constitution was written).
The Declaration of Independence refers to a Supreme Being three times. Look for these three phrases: "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" - "endowed by their Creator" - "the Supreme Judge of the world."
The foundation of our freedoms lies in our understanding of God and His moral laws. Having flouted those laws and turned our backs on the Author of those laws, we are now reaping the consequences of His disfavor.
Father, God,
Remember our beginnings. In Your unfailing love, draw our nation back to Yourself. Restore us to the values of our roots and cleanse us from our iniquities.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.
Amen.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
God's Wrath
Focus verses: Nahum 1:1-6
"The Lord is slow to anger and great in power." One reason the Lord is slow to anger is His great love for mankind. He is not willing that any should perish, so He withholds His anger until it is obvious that the sinner or the sinful nation is not about to repent.
Remember His conversation with Abraham over Sodom. He would have withheld His anger with Sodom had there been but a few righteous men in the city. There was, in fact, only Lot. And He made a way for Lot to escape.
In Jonathan Edward's famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", we read "The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given, and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. "
Personally, I tremble for our nation. The abominations and desecrations we tolerate in the name of political correctness have earned us the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. God is withholding his anger, I believe, because of the remnant of the righteous who still are here and still praying for the nation.
Social responsibility would have every Christian evangelizing and bringing people to God. Let us resolve to be the buffer between our nation and the hands of an angry God until we can turn this nation back to its roots in faith.
Father, God,
While we are Your children, never let us for get that we have a responsibility to bring all men unto You. Help us to see ways to woo the lost for Your kingdom so that Your righteous anger will be quenched.
"The Lord is slow to anger and great in power." One reason the Lord is slow to anger is His great love for mankind. He is not willing that any should perish, so He withholds His anger until it is obvious that the sinner or the sinful nation is not about to repent.
Remember His conversation with Abraham over Sodom. He would have withheld His anger with Sodom had there been but a few righteous men in the city. There was, in fact, only Lot. And He made a way for Lot to escape.
In Jonathan Edward's famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", we read "The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given, and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. "
Personally, I tremble for our nation. The abominations and desecrations we tolerate in the name of political correctness have earned us the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. God is withholding his anger, I believe, because of the remnant of the righteous who still are here and still praying for the nation.
Social responsibility would have every Christian evangelizing and bringing people to God. Let us resolve to be the buffer between our nation and the hands of an angry God until we can turn this nation back to its roots in faith.
Father, God,
While we are Your children, never let us for get that we have a responsibility to bring all men unto You. Help us to see ways to woo the lost for Your kingdom so that Your righteous anger will be quenched.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.
Amen.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sin Paraded
Focus verses: Isaiah 3:8-15
Unacknowledged and unrepented sin is fatal. When a people will not acknowledge its sins as sin and will not repent of it, they have marked themselves for destruction.
I read this verse and shuddered: "They parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves."
As a nation, we, too, parade our sins like Sodom. We parade the sin of sodomy and give it place in our world by trying to legitimize it.
We make laws that put innocence in danger and justify expediency over righteousness.
We reward those who manipulate and scheme and commit fraud.
Our legal system has been skewed to favor the powerful over the just; it has overstepped its boundaries at the behest of the powerful.
As a nation, we are in terrible shape. We have committed every sin in the book. We have earned all the reprisals listed in the book.
God is just and merciful to those who acknowledge their sin and repent. But God is also righteous, and those who flout their sin proudly will not receive mercy.
As individuals, let us examine our hearts to root out and repent of our personal sins. As a nation, let us work to return our country to the righteousness of the Lord.
Father, God,
Shine the light of Your love into our hearts to show us our sins that we may repent of them. Give us the discernment to see those who would lead us astray, and let us have the courage not to elect leaders who will pull us down that path.
Unacknowledged and unrepented sin is fatal. When a people will not acknowledge its sins as sin and will not repent of it, they have marked themselves for destruction.
I read this verse and shuddered: "They parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves."
As a nation, we, too, parade our sins like Sodom. We parade the sin of sodomy and give it place in our world by trying to legitimize it.
We make laws that put innocence in danger and justify expediency over righteousness.
We reward those who manipulate and scheme and commit fraud.
Our legal system has been skewed to favor the powerful over the just; it has overstepped its boundaries at the behest of the powerful.
As a nation, we are in terrible shape. We have committed every sin in the book. We have earned all the reprisals listed in the book.
God is just and merciful to those who acknowledge their sin and repent. But God is also righteous, and those who flout their sin proudly will not receive mercy.
As individuals, let us examine our hearts to root out and repent of our personal sins. As a nation, let us work to return our country to the righteousness of the Lord.
Father, God,
Shine the light of Your love into our hearts to show us our sins that we may repent of them. Give us the discernment to see those who would lead us astray, and let us have the courage not to elect leaders who will pull us down that path.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.
Amen.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Directions
Focus verses: Proverbs 6:16-19
This is one of the scariest passages in scripture. It enumerates things the Lord hates. And if we examine ourselves carefully, we find we have probably transgressed on at least one of these.
As a nation we are doubly guilty. We shed innocent blood in the name of choice. Our world is full of deception and wickedness. Our nation has become party to all these evils.
We cannot believe that the Lord will just wink at these things. We have seen how He dealt with the nation of Israel when they were faithless. We must turn this nation around to follow His precepts lest similar ills befall us s well.
We, the Christians, are called upon to pray for our country and its leaders. The prayers of no one else will be sufficient.
As followers of Christ, we must examine ourselves, confess our shortcomings, and be in constant prayer for this land that we love.
Father, God,
Have mercy on our land. Help us to right the wrongs we have done as a nation. Keep us on our knees in prayer for change.
This is one of the scariest passages in scripture. It enumerates things the Lord hates. And if we examine ourselves carefully, we find we have probably transgressed on at least one of these.
As a nation we are doubly guilty. We shed innocent blood in the name of choice. Our world is full of deception and wickedness. Our nation has become party to all these evils.
We cannot believe that the Lord will just wink at these things. We have seen how He dealt with the nation of Israel when they were faithless. We must turn this nation around to follow His precepts lest similar ills befall us s well.
We, the Christians, are called upon to pray for our country and its leaders. The prayers of no one else will be sufficient.
As followers of Christ, we must examine ourselves, confess our shortcomings, and be in constant prayer for this land that we love.
Father, God,
Have mercy on our land. Help us to right the wrongs we have done as a nation. Keep us on our knees in prayer for change.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.
Amen.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Since the elections are over, we have a large job ahead. The largest of which is to covenant to pray for our new president-elect.
Please join me in reading the following:
http://fireinmybones.com/index.php?col=110508~10%20Ways%20to%20Pray%20for%20Barack%20Obama
And print it out to pray daily for our new administration, remembering always that God is sovereign, that leaders lead according to His will and pleasure.
We are charged in scripture to pray for our leaders. Christian America cannot fail in this endeavor at this important time in our nation's history.
Grace and peace to you all.
Please join me in reading the following:
http://fireinmybones.com/index.php?col=110508~10%20Ways%20to%20Pray%20for%20Barack%20Obama
And print it out to pray daily for our new administration, remembering always that God is sovereign, that leaders lead according to His will and pleasure.
We are charged in scripture to pray for our leaders. Christian America cannot fail in this endeavor at this important time in our nation's history.
Grace and peace to you all.
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