Author: John Page 143 of 166

Pslam 146:3 “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.”

In Dr. James Dobson’s April Newsletter (drjamesdobson.org/about/april-2014), he rightfully points out that “our nation is in serious moral decline, and that it is sliding relentlessly away from biblical values.”  After detailing several examples of such decline, Dr. Dobson states the following:

“The question is, what do we do about it?  Would a more conservative political party be able to turn the country around?  Probably not, although I would support one as a private individual.  Could a man or woman of character set us on the right path?  Possibly, but the change would be superficial and temporary unless the people rise up to demand it.”

Dr. Dobson is right.  The solution to our nation’s problems is not an organization or a person.  It is not a political party or a prince.  It is not an orator, commentator, or entertainer.  It is not a news organization or an election.  As American Christians hold out hope that some human construct can save us from the perilous path that we are on, we are dangerously distracted by a false savior “in whom there is no help.”  PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD RELINQUISH OUR HOPE IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN CHRIST TO RESCUE OUR NATION.

Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

The resurrection should quicken us in our Christian stand for a godly United States.  As much as the resurrection should offer us hope for the transformation of our nation, the resurrection should also offer us the tools to be used as a part of such transformation.  The key for Christians is to harness the power of the Holy Spirit by allowing Him to fully dwell within us.  We shouldn’t be satisfied with a small dose of the Spirit because it will not provide the quickening that American Christians need to counter a culture that constantly wears us down.  Instead, we should seek the full power of the One who raised up Christ from the dead.  Only then can we be sufficiently quickened such that we can resist and counteract the forces of culture that have dragged us down with it.

PLEASE PRAY THAT WE AS AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD EMPTY OURSELVES OF THOSE THINGS THAT HINDER THE SPIRIT’S DWELLING WITHIN US.  Our mortal bodies have failed to stand up to the anti-Christian forces in America.  It is time we receive a quickening that only the Lord can provide.

I Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”

While the concept of rapid change for the worse from the post on April 13^th is discouraging and sobering, the potential for rapid change through the Lord for the better can be far more encouraging and uplifting.  The Lord used the worst event in history, the crucifixion of the Son of God, and transformed it in a few short days into the best event in human history.  Through Jesus’ death, sin was crushed by His abundant mercy and lively hope was provided through His resurrection.  With the Lord in the midst of it, the direst situation was quickly transformed into hopefulness.

As Christians in 21^st Century America, we have plenty to be concerned about.  Yet, with the Lord in the midst there is never reason to give up hope.  Indeed, with the Lord in the midst we should always expect that He can transform the worst into the best.  PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD BE FILLED WITH HOPEFULNESS THAT THE LORD CAN TRANSFORM OUR NATION.  It is up to us to put Him in the midst of it all, since He is the one that provides us lively hope regardless of the circumstances.

Isaiah 53:5-6 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Christ died for the iniquity of us all.  Though it is difficult to fathom, He died for those that crucified Him.  He died for those believers that had turned against Him.  He died for those that clamored for his conviction.  He died for those whose complacency had allowed him to be condemned.  He died for the wolves that stirred up agitation in Jerusalem and He died for the sheep that had gone astray.  He died for Pilate and He died for Peter.

While believers in our day are as complicit as those in Christ’s time in his death and condemnation, He died to restore all of us to Him.  PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD NOT BE PARALYZED BY OUR COMPLICITY, BUT INSTEAD BE PROMPTED BY HIS COMPASSION.  Christ’s crucifixion and current day condemnation do not enact inseparable or irreconcilable barriers between us and Him.  After all, He died for this type of iniquity and welcomes our return and repentance.  The same repentance that brings about individual healing can bring about national healing.  We need it!

John 12:12-13 “On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

In recent days, I have heard Christians lament about our national decline with a sense of surprise.  While they are right to be saddened about our current situation, the hardening of our national heart has been far from rapid.  It has occurred over the course of decades and its speed is dwarfed by the terrible transition that occurred following John 12.

Consider the few days that transpired between the verses above and the subsequent verses that describe Jesus’ crucifixion.  Only a few days separate the day that Jesus was hailed as King and the day that he was condemned as a dangerous criminal.  That is a change of heart that happened with lightning speed.

What caused such a change?  It was likely a mix of complacency and hostility in the hearts of believers.  The same people that had hailed Him previously either passively allowed the tide to turn against him or actively prompted the transition themselves.  They may have done so because they allowed their hearts to be hardened by those around them.  They may have done so because following Him had made them increasingly vulnerable or uncomfortable.  They may have done so because they were fearful to speak up against the prevailing thought.  They may have done so because they thought they were powerless to stop the widespread change of heart.  They may have done so because they had been convinced that their support of Him would make them seem counter-cultural or even dangerous.  What makes it so surprising is that it happened in a few short days.  Regardless of the speed, they were complicit in the crucifixion of Christ.

Change can happen very quickly, even change that can cause the condemnation of Christ.  Whether it happens over the course of days or decades, it follows the same dangerous blueprint – a mix of Christian complacency and hostility.  PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERCIAN CHRISTIANS WOULD RECOGNIZE AND REPENT OF OUR COMPLICITY IN THE CURRENT CULTURAL CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST.  The change has been on our watch, and our complacency and hostility is largely to blame.