Prayers for our Nation
I read a lot of different articles from various religious websites. And many of the headlines recently are dominated by politics. - From Churchleaders.com - "In Warning for Trump, Evangelical Christian Leaders Urge 'Biblical Principles' on Immigration". From Catholicvote.com - "Kamala Harris is a "Clear and Present Danger" Because She Hates Christian Values". From Lifenews.com - "Radical Pro-Abortion Atheists Don't Understand Why Christians Support Donald Trump". Christianpost.com - "Evangelicals warn against political idolatry ahead of election".
And if you read these articles from differing religious viewpoints, you come away with diametrically opposing views of each candidate. Different Christians can believe either candidate is the devil incarnate. And that's just from a Christian standpoint! But most of our country doesn't come from a 'Christian worldview' anymore.
Our nation was founded as a Christian Nation - a nation that recognized God's authority and sovereignty. As the decades go by, it's becoming more obvious that…
I. As a Nation – we are divided
And it appears that divide is growing. My Grandpa Jones and my father had some very strong differences. One was a union man and a dyed in the wool Democrat and the other a conservative Republican preacher. One was a Green Bay Packers fan, the other a Chicago Bears diehard. But despite their differences - they had a wonderful respect and love for each other. And the one thing they had in common was their faith in Jesus. That faith covered over all the differences and they had a wonderful relationship.
It seems today, however, the shared value of faith is less common. In fact, the one thing that was a general common denominator has now become a point of division as well.
Just a few years back, a nominee for a deputy cabinet position was questioned by a Senator in a confirmation hearing. The Senator read a post by the nominee written on behalf of a Christian college in which the nominee wrote, "Muslims... do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ, His Son and they stand condemned." The Senator asked the nominee, "Do you believe that that statement is 'Islamophobic'?...
The nominee answered, "As a Christian, I believe that all individuals are made in the image of God and are worthy of dignity and respect regardless of their religious beliefs." The Senator responded, "Do you think that is respectful of other religions?" ... And he closed with, "This nominee is really not someone who is what this country is supposed to be about. I will vote no."
In the Senator's opinion - this man was completely unqualified for office because of those religious beliefs. Let's look at John 3:16-18 (NIV)...
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (18) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
According to God's Word - those who do not accept Jesus stand condemned. It's not a statement of anger or bigotry or hate but a Biblical truth. Any religion that denies Jesus as The Son of God, any individual who rejects Jesus - according to the Bible, not man's opinion - the Bible - that person is condemned. That's not a statement of worth or disrespect but a truth.
Among many - anyone professing Biblical Christian beliefs is automatically disqualified to hold office, in their opinion. But I'm curious how the Senator would respond to the words of John Jay, one of the framers of the constitution and the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who wrote "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."
Many would judge someone like me and every Christian who believes that Jesus is The Son of God as 'unfit' for public office. This reality in our country needs to be recognized, not as whining or crying foul, but it needs to be understood on a spiritual level - we're in a spiritual battle. It's not simply Democrats vs. Republicans - our nation and our government is clearly turning its back on God! But the Bible teaches that…
A. Our hope is not in politics
I saw a yard sign like this one recently, "Jesus 2024 Our Only Hope". And I wholeheartedly applaud the sentiment! Back in Jesus' day, many tried to make Jesus an earthly King - but He refused because His purposes are so much higher than politics! So if Jesus seemed to have avoided politics, why am I talking about it? Today, in the United States, our laws are not set by a dictatorial system like they had in ancient Rome, but by a representative republic through our votes. So if there is a conflict between what government says and what God says - we, as citizens, as Christians, have a voice.
The early church never looked to the government for guidance or approval. The early Church didn't ask what rights government would allow – they followed Jesus and boldly, graciously, actively worked to persuade others to follow. They understood…
Psalms 33:16-20 (NIV)
No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. (17) A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. (18) But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, (19) to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. (20) We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
A far fewer percentage of people live with a holy respect for God than when our nation was founded. But no leader, no general, no politician, no political party, no president, no court, no one can give us what Jesus Christ can! Our only hope is, and always has been, in God and in His Word!
The solution to America's problems isn't politics. But I strongly encourage Christians to participate in their civic duty to vote as guided by their Biblical values. Christians need to speak up, to have their voices heard in this Representative Republic! We should stand for, and loudly proclaim in everything we do – God is our Authority, God is our Hope! But - if our hope is not in politics…
B. Why address politics?
The Bible and the history of the Church are filled with faithful men and women who followed Jesus with extreme devotion. We're also blessed that our national history is marked with people of faith. George Washington, our first president, said, "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." And in his farewell address to the nation, he said, "Morality is a necessary spring of popular government. And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion."
I strongly agree with his assessment. And as a growing number in our nation reject God and His Word - it is becoming impossible to govern and morality is crumbling.
Without God's authority as The foundation for our laws and morality - people are left to believe that government decides what's right and moral; that government decides what 'rights' are and from where they come. Throughout our past history, this nation's leaders operated very much within a 'Christian worldview' and have acknowledged our absolute dependence on God and His Word.
These were leaders who believed that we should not be silent about our faith in God and Jesus Christ. They didn't shy away from their faith; they didn't feel that speaking about God or the Bible or Jesus Christ even while serving in government was something to be avoided. They allowed their political views to be shaped by their deep religious convictions, rather than holding political views directly opposed to God's values.
The failure of politics comes, in part, from its rejection of God's authority revealed through...
II. God's Church
This country and its success and freedom could never have happened without the establishment of God's Church first! I'd like to look back to the start of the Church from the account written by Luke, an eyewitness, in Acts 1:1-8 (NIV)...
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach (2) until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. (3) After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. (4) On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:
"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. (5) For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (6) So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" (7) He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
(8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The Church - God's Church - was established by Jesus Christ! It was not the invention of men. Its purpose and teachings were not established by a majority vote or a court, but by Jesus. The Church does not exist to fulfill the desires of any person or group of leaders – it exists for the purposes established by Jesus! And to show that it was like nothing else that ever existed before; the Church was established by…
A. A supernatural event
The Church was started in a miraculous way. I want us to pick up the story of the Church's founding in Acts 2:1-6 (NIV)...
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. (2) Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. (3) They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (4) All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
(5) Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. (6) When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
God's Holy Spirit came upon those first disciples as a sign of God's blessing and power in His Church! It was the very Spirit of God that empowered them to tell the Good News of Jesus, in multiple languages so that men and women of all nationalities could understand and see...
B. God's authority
Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." God didn't establish a Biblical set of tax rates. God didn't spell out national trade policy or carbon emissions standards or economic theory - so it appears that politically speaking, there's room for differing opinions. But God did create life. And unless we acknowledge God's authority as The Creator of life, none of those other political issues matter at all. It says this in Genesis 2:7 (NIV)...
the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Now I've heard some claim that this means that an unborn baby hasn't taken its first breath - therefore justifying abortion. But this passage isn't talking about taking in air or oxygen at all. The original Hebrew words translated as 'breathe of life' are 'neshâmâh chay' (nesh-aw-maw' khah'ee) - meaning 'vital breath', divine inspiration, intellect, soul, spirit, alive. All of life originated with God, but only human life began with the personal breath, the divine spark of God! Without God, we simply would not live!
In politics, we use euphemisms like 'abortion' and 'fetus' and 'reproductive rights' to distance ourselves from hard realities. But I want to challenge our thinking here. - We're talking about killing an unborn baby created in the image of God. And I understand that this is complicated and it affects people's lives deeply - but we can only get any clarity when we acknowledge truth here.
- Bill Maher is a liberal commentator and open critic of religion. He and I have many opposing views. But back in April, on his show 'Real Time' on HBO, he made some statements regarding the reality of what we're discussing. He honestly defined both positions on abortion. I have a video clip so you can see it in his own words.
(- Transcript) "I can respect the absolutist position, I really can. I scold the left when they say, 'Oh, you know what, they just hate women,' people who aren't pro-choice. They don't hate women. They just made that up. They think it's murder. And it kind of is. I'm just okay with that. I am. I mean there's 8 billion people in the world. I'm sorry, we won't miss you. That's my position on that. Is that not your position if you're pro-choice? You said you're pro-choice, that's your position too."
You can hear the silence when he said it, broken by uncomfortable laughter. But it's true...
The reality is - neither presidential candidate fully reflects God's view of the sanctity of human life. So I'm left to vote for the one who comes closer to respecting Gods' view. 'But doesn't that make you just a single issue voter...?' Without a chance at life - no other issues really matter. Let the politicians debate what's legal - but God defines morality. And it's my responsibility, as a believer, to follow God.
So What?
President Abraham Lincoln warned the nation in his call for a national day of prayer and fasting when he said, "We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven… But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.
Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."
As a nation, we need to turn back to God or this 248 year old experiment known as the United States of America will continue in its division and lead to its downfall.
Of course I encourage you to pray and to vote for Godly values. But I also strongly encourage you to live out those values - support the Women's Care Center in Merrillville on Broadway however you can.
I have never endorsed a politician - and it has nothing to do with 'separation of Church and state' but because I don't wholeheartedly agree with anyone but Jesus and He's not running. But I do ask you to pray for our current President and our leaders, and I do ask you to pray for our next President, our leaders and our nation.