God Bless America.
This is a common phrase in our nation. We desire God's blessings, and that we should.
Some have turned the saying around recently, recognizing the state of affairs in our nation, and instead are exhorting, "America Bless God." There is a recognition that America has left her founding faith and roots, and so the call is for a nation to return to her loyalty to Almighty God.
Though it is most definitely desirable for a nation to turn to the Lord, I believe we have a much deeper issue than America needing to return to the Lord.
I believe the Church needs to return to the Lord. Church Bless God.
The church is and always will be God's agent of affecting the world. We, as the church, are God's holy nation. Our loyalty is to the King of kings and a heavenly home before any earthly leader or country. So when we point to the fact that the U.S. is leaving her founding faith, I believe it's much worse, the Church has left her only good and necessary faith in Christ.
America was influenced by founding fathers with biblical standards and principals they lived by. That is why our fathers left the shores of Europe - for religious freedom - a deep commitment to God. In other words their commitment was to Christ before a nation, and a godly nation sprung up as a result. Again, the nation itself wasn't godly, but the people who governed her and protected her were.
Their ultimate loyalty was to God alone.
If we are not careful, we think America has been chosen as God's unique vessel through which He does His work on earth. America is not, the church is. And because of that, our nation sprang up with a godly heritage.
So, our answer as a nation is not for the nation of America to return to God. Our answer is in the Church, God's holy nation, returning to God himself.
As the church, we have fallen more in love with the world than with Jesus. We think the world is in shambles, but it would be better for us first to judge ourselves - there isn't much difference between the world and followers of Christ.
Many have heard the stats regarding the church. One in particular I recently read was that the divorce rate among Christians was highest in the "Bible Belt" of the U.S. (The Jesus Letters, Chap. 3, by David Ravenhill). I have heard too that divorce rates are around 50% more or less for those who are pastors in a church! And those are our leaders!
Yes, America is slipping away from her roots as a nation. However, I would venture to say that the Church, the Bride of Christ, has left her heavenly Groom. If there is to be hope for a nation, if there is to be hope for godly leadership in the world, the only hope comes from Christ and His work through His body, the Church.
Let's (the church) return to our roots. Let's repent of the sins we have committed. We must rededicate ourselves to living and serving by the commands of heaven. To live by the statutes of God's holy nation as revealed in His word. Let's turn from our other idols and loves, and fall headlong in love with our Master Jesus Christ once again.
Before a nation can be changed, the change must first exist in the church, God's agent of change, hope, and life to the world.
Church Bless God.
This is a common phrase in our nation. We desire God's blessings, and that we should.
Some have turned the saying around recently, recognizing the state of affairs in our nation, and instead are exhorting, "America Bless God." There is a recognition that America has left her founding faith and roots, and so the call is for a nation to return to her loyalty to Almighty God.
Though it is most definitely desirable for a nation to turn to the Lord, I believe we have a much deeper issue than America needing to return to the Lord.
I believe the Church needs to return to the Lord. Church Bless God.
The church is and always will be God's agent of affecting the world. We, as the church, are God's holy nation. Our loyalty is to the King of kings and a heavenly home before any earthly leader or country. So when we point to the fact that the U.S. is leaving her founding faith, I believe it's much worse, the Church has left her only good and necessary faith in Christ.
America was influenced by founding fathers with biblical standards and principals they lived by. That is why our fathers left the shores of Europe - for religious freedom - a deep commitment to God. In other words their commitment was to Christ before a nation, and a godly nation sprung up as a result. Again, the nation itself wasn't godly, but the people who governed her and protected her were.
Their ultimate loyalty was to God alone.
If we are not careful, we think America has been chosen as God's unique vessel through which He does His work on earth. America is not, the church is. And because of that, our nation sprang up with a godly heritage.
So, our answer as a nation is not for the nation of America to return to God. Our answer is in the Church, God's holy nation, returning to God himself.
As the church, we have fallen more in love with the world than with Jesus. We think the world is in shambles, but it would be better for us first to judge ourselves - there isn't much difference between the world and followers of Christ.
Many have heard the stats regarding the church. One in particular I recently read was that the divorce rate among Christians was highest in the "Bible Belt" of the U.S. (The Jesus Letters, Chap. 3, by David Ravenhill). I have heard too that divorce rates are around 50% more or less for those who are pastors in a church! And those are our leaders!
Yes, America is slipping away from her roots as a nation. However, I would venture to say that the Church, the Bride of Christ, has left her heavenly Groom. If there is to be hope for a nation, if there is to be hope for godly leadership in the world, the only hope comes from Christ and His work through His body, the Church.
Let's (the church) return to our roots. Let's repent of the sins we have committed. We must rededicate ourselves to living and serving by the commands of heaven. To live by the statutes of God's holy nation as revealed in His word. Let's turn from our other idols and loves, and fall headlong in love with our Master Jesus Christ once again.
Before a nation can be changed, the change must first exist in the church, God's agent of change, hope, and life to the world.
Church Bless God.
Excellent!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I believe it.
ReplyDelete