Author: John Page 149 of 168

II Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

In Public Law 97-280, the 97^th Congress recognized “our national need to study and apply the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.”  Imagine that.  They didn’t stop by calling the Bible interesting literature.  They didn’t hold short by declaring the Bible intriguing philosophy.  They didn’t limit their proclamation by lumping the Bible into a grouping of other religious texts.  They didn’t just call for a casual reading of the Bible.

Instead, they proclaimed the national need to STUDY the Bible and APPLY it, renewing our knowledge of and faith in God in the process.  Through such proclamation, the 97^th Congress explicitly recognized that the Bible was not a book written by man, but by God.  They recognized that its study was altogether profitable.  They recognized that it would furnish us unto all good works, strengthening us as a nation and a people.

It is no surprise that our rejection of the Bible as a nation has been unprofitable to us.  We have become unfurnished and unstrengthened.  We have become ill-equipped to face tests and challenges.  We have departed from our status as a distinctive and blessed nation.  PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD RECOGNIZE OUR DESPERATE NATIONAL NEED TO RETURN TO BIBLICAL STUDY AND APPLICATION.  We need to study and apply the Word of God and return to its profitable and formative influence.  We are only 31 years removed from a national call by our legislature to do so.

Job 23:12 “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.”

On October 4^th, 1982 the following Joint Resolution (Public Law 97-280 and Senate Joint Resolution 165) was approved by the 97^th Congress of the United States:

“Whereas the Bible, the Word of God, has made a unique contribution in shaping the United States as a distinctive and blessed nation and people;

Whereas deeply held religious convictions springing from the Holy Scriptures led to the early settlement of our Nation;

Whereas Biblical teachings inspired concepts of civil government that are contained in our Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States;

Whereas many of our great national leaders—among them Presidents Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, and Wilson—paid tribute to the surpassing influence of the Bible in our country’s development, as in the words of President Jackson that the Bible is “the rock on which our Republic rests”;

Whereas the history of our Nation clearly illustrates the value of voluntarily applying the teachings of the Scriptures in the lives of individuals, families, and societies;

Whereas this Nation now faces great challenges that will test this Nation as it has never been tested before; and

Whereas that renewing our knowledge of and faith in God through Holy Scripture can strengthen us as a nation and a people: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President is authorized and requested to designate 1983 as a national “Year of the Bible” in recognition of both the formative influence the Bible has been for our Nation, and our national need to study and apply the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.”

Even more amazing than the public proclamation by a President only 31 years ago is the bipartisan, bicameral resolution that prompted that President to make his proclamation.  During the 97^th Congress, the Senate was controlled by the Republican Party and the House of Representatives was solidly controlled by the Democratic Party.  Yet, in spite of a divided Congress, Public Law 97-280 sailed through both chambers with little to no resistance.  Those legislative members recognized that America needed the words of His mouth more than its necessary food.  So do we!  PLEASE PRAY FOR A BIPARTISAN REVIVAL ROUTED IN THE WORD OF GOD.

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

In Presidential Proclamation 5018, President Reagan recognized that America was facing enormous challenges.  The nation was to be tested as it had seldom been before.  The American people needed “resources of spirit even more than resources of technology, education, and armaments.”  That moment in history, like this moment in history, proved fitting to return to God’s word with “gratitude, humility, and urgency.”  The recipe for doing so is given in Joshua 1:8.

As Christians in this nation, we must embrace God’s word with a fervency that will never let it go.  We must meditate on it day and night, and we must do all that is written therein.  If we were to do so, we would experience eternally significant prosperity and success.  Such rewards would provide a stark contrast to our current situation brought about by rejecting instead of accepting the Bible as a core part of our cultural fiber.  PLEASE PRAY THAT ALL AMERICANS WOULD REEXAMINE AND REDISCOVER THE BIBLE.  It is fitting that we do so immediately.

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Consider the following Presidential proclamation:

“Of the many influences that have shaped the United States of America into a distinctive Nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.

Deep religious beliefs stemming from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible inspired many of the early settlers of our country, providing them with the strength, character, convictions, and faith necessary to withstand great hardship and danger in this new and rugged land. These shared beliefs helped forge a sense of common purpose among the widely dispersed colonies – a sense of community which laid the foundation for the spirit of nationhood that was to develop in later decades.

The Bible and its teachings helped form the basis for the Founding Fathers’ abiding belief in the inalienable rights of the individual, rights which they found implicit in the Bible’s teachings of the inherent worth and dignity of each individual. This same sense of man patterned the convictions of those who framed the English system of law inherited by our own Nation, as well as the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

For centuries the Bible’s emphasis on compassion and love for our neighbor has inspired institutional and governmental expressions of benevolent outreach such as private charity, the establishment of schools and hospitals, and the abolition of slavery.

Many of our greatest national leaders – among them Presidents Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, and Wilson – have recognized the influence of the Bible on our country’s development. The plainspoken Andrew Jackson referred to the Bible as no less than ‘the rock on which our Republic rests.’ Today our beloved America and, indeed, the world, is facing a decade of enormous challenge. As a people we may well be tested as we have seldom, if ever, been tested before. We will need resources of spirit even more than resources of technology, education, and armaments. There could be no more fitting moment than now to reflect with gratitude, humility, and urgency upon the wisdom revealed to us in the writing that Abraham Lincoln called ‘the best gift God has ever given to man . . . But for it we could not know right from wrong.’”

Amazingly, this isn’t a proclamation from the 18^th or 19^th Century.  It isn’t from the far distant past.  In fact, it was made a mere 31 years ago by President Ronald Reagan.  Sadly, in the intervening three decades we have drifted far from embracing the Bible as a part of the American public mindset.  Presidential Proclamation 5018 ended with the following:

“The Congress of the United States, in recognition of the unique contribution of the Bible in shaping the history and character of this Nation, and so many of its citizens, has by Senate Joint Resolution 165 authorized and requested the President to designate the year 1983 as the ‘Year of the Bible.’

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, in recognition of the contributions and influence of the Bible on our Republic and our people, do hereby proclaim 1983 the Year of the Bible in the United States. I encourage all citizens, each in his or her own way, to reexamine and rediscover its priceless and timeless message.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of February, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventh.”

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICANS WOULD RAPIDLY RETURN TO THE ROCK ON WHICH OUR REPUBLIC RESTS.  Its priceless and timeless message, and the Savior who it describes, is indeed the best gift God has ever given to man.

Hebrews 11:1-2 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  For by it the elders obtained a good report.”

A year ago, on January 31^st, the Lord encouraged me to faithfully pray for our nation every day at lunch.  With the initiation of the PLUS ministry still several weeks away, I began this personal time of prayer the next day by walking out of my office and finding a place to specifically pray for my country.  As of this Friday, a year will have passed and thanks to the Lord’s help, every day at work since then I have been able to step out of my office and specifically pray for the United States.  In the course of this past year, I have been able to pray in 17 states and in Washington DC.  I have prayed on roof tops and in chapels.  I have prayed in my car and in the outdoors.  I have prayed on airplanes and in airports.  I have prayed closer to breakfast time than lunchtime, and have prayed closer to dinnertime than lunchtime.  Most importantly, I have prayed.  In doing so, I have tried to remain faithful to this calling the Lord has given me.

What fruit have I seen?  Frankly very little, but the fruit is not up to me.  My role is to remain faithful.  Our role is to remain faithful.  The fruit is in the Lord’s hands, and our lack of faithful stewardship may be limiting God’s ability to work here among us.  PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD BE FERVANTLY FAITHFUL TO GOD’S CALLING IN OUR LIVES.  In the midst of today’s ungodly cultural messages, we need a good report.