Christians around the world in India, China, Burma, Africa, the Philippines, Eastern Europe, Russia, and in many other countries are praying for America. Why? Is it because we are such a godly nation? No. It is because they, and the Christian remnant of America, realize that America was born in a sense as the "promised land of the gentiles." America was raised up by God for a base of freedom in the midst of a world of religious and political tyranny. America, and those nations associated with "Christian Civilization," have been blessed by God to be a stronghold (the "restraining force" of 2 Thess. 2) against the forces of anti-Christ in our world who seek to enslave all mankind. From this base of freedom, godly saints have been able to storm the "gates of hell" - those nations where Satan has his religious and political thrones. And because of this freedom, purchased at a great price, first through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, God with us, for the redemption of our sin, and then through the sufferings and blood of millions of courageous men and women throughout history, the gospel of Jesus Christ has gone to every tribe, nation, and tongue.
Yes, we are first citizens of Heaven, but we can truly thank God for the establishment of responsible freedom which is a great gift from God, and we can, and should, thank God for America, for she has been an instrument for the Lord in these last days.
Godly freedom is why our brethren around the world pray for America. And this is why the remnant in America, who love Jesus Christ, and the Word of God, grieve for America, and continue to pray for her survival. Indeed, we will only survive, economically and politically, to the extent that we retain our identity as a Christian nation. And we are barely doing that now.
I often wondered why our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ in the Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Communist nations respected and looked so highly on American Christians. This respect is obviously noted if you, as an American, are blessed to visit the Body of Christ in these nations, behind the gates of hell. They treat us with such honor and respect which, unless you are arrogant, you realize we do not deserve in the least. Our brethren in these other nations are much stronger in their faith, in their love, in their joy, in their prayer life, and in the Word of God. We should be learning from them, and we should be doing far more to help them, and to bear some of their many burdens.
The reason they respect us so much is that they sense that we have become FREE, and this is extraordinary to them. They have never known such freedom. In their minds the freedom we possess must be because we are such extraordinary Christians, but you and I know this is not true. The reason we are FREE (for now) is because OUR FOREFATHERS WERE SUCH EXTRAORDINARY CHRISTIANS!
The above thoughts are a background for your prayerful consideration. In the months ahead, as In Jesus' Name Ministries continues to represent our brothers and sisters around the world, I hope to write continuing articles on the changes that must take place within the Body of Christ in America if we hope to see another "great awakening."
"This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'"
Jeremiah 6:16
THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS
This past year, the Holy Spirit has placed in my heart, and the hearts of several other men to pray for our Lord, by His sovereign grace and mercy, to raise up 100 men across America so committed to Jesus Christ and His Word that we would see another great awakening such as took place in the 1700's. I believe this is the only hope for America. These must not only be praying men, but fiercely preaching men. We have far too many fluffy, prideful, strutting preachers today, and an abundance of false prophets and charlatans that few are willing and able to confront. And all too many pastors, though "good" men, and well intentioned, have fallen into the traps of legalism, tradition, the love of money, and the "leaven of the Pharisees" which is hypocrisy. This has ensnared us all into the habits of "religion" (a stench before God) rather than the cross of Christ, and our responsibility to "daily take up our own cross, and follow Jesus Christ." What we need are men who will be so fearless, and disinterested in pleasing or fearing man, but only desiring to please, and fear, God, that the fear of the Lord would again return to the fabric of American society, and to the church.
Following is a link to an excellent article on the history of the Wesleyan and Asbury revivals of the 1700's. It is this that we need. This great time of true revival, led by true men has been all but lost to the modern day Western church. Please take a few minutes to go to this inspiring link.
We will either "return" to the Lord as a nation, or we will continue to degenerate to become a godless nation useless to the Lord's purposes. We must continue to pray for this "return" not for our sakes, but for the sake of the "Body of Christ" (the Kingdom of God) throughout the world, who are being preserved by the Lord through His restraining Hand of "freedom." America was born to sustain freedom. Without the Lord, America and freedom will slip from our grasp and "night will come when no man can work."
I appointed watchmen over you and said,
'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!'
But you said, 'We will not listen.' Jeremiah
Would you join with me in not only praying for this awakening, but also "walking in it", for the rest of our lives, by the mercy and grace of our great God and Savior, our coming King, the Judge of the living and the dead, Jesus Christ. We must give an account of our lives as individuals, and families. We must give an account of the church of Jesus Christ to which we have joined ourselves. And we must give an account as privileged citizens of a nation built by the sovereignty of Jesus Christ to His glory. We must give an account to the courageous and sacrificial lives of millions of godly men and women who have gone before us throughout all history. May we be found faithful in each of these aspects of our lives.
