Author: John Page 159 of 166

Jude 22 “And of some have compassion, making a difference.”

At the individual level, investing in lives with a heart-felt compassion can make a difference.  Compassion demonstrates care and concern that breaks down barriers and creates an environment conducive for trust and growth.  True compassion motivates action while feigned compassion masks apathy.

At the national level, compassion can make a difference as well.  True passion about our country’s condition should motivate action among those who are concerned about a nationwide divergence from Christ.

What does it say about us if we fail to act?  Likely, it indicates an apathetic condition among Christians who are not actually concerned about America’s dedicated drift away from the Lord.  We may complain about our national direction within the safe walls of the church house, but a lack of action reveals that such complaints are simply feigned for effect but nothing else.

If Christian Americans want to make a difference, we need to put our passion into action.  Indeed, we need to demonstrate our passion by our actions.  PLEASE PRAY THAT CHRISTIAN AMERICANS WOULD PUT A PASSION FOR THE THINGS OF CHRIST INTO ACTION IN OUR NATION.  Otherwise, it is probable that our passion is nothing more than pretense.

PLUS is intended to prompt action before it is too late.  It is my response to the question – what can we do to help our country as it diverges from its Godly heritage?

The tract depicted under the PLUS Tract tab on this website is yet another tool in the arsenal of the concerned American Christian.  Put it on your wall to remind you to pray daily for our country.  Give it to friends, family members, neighbors, coworkers, and classmates so they can do the same.

Give it to anyone you hear complain about the errant direction of our country.  This tract can send a variety of messages in response to such a concern.  The challenging message – what are you doing about it?  The implicit message – here is something you can do about it.  The hopeful message – there is something you can do about it.

These options are far better than the fatalistic message prevalent among American Christians – there is nothing we can do about it.  PLUS intends to erase that message by turning to the One who can do anything.

If you are interested in ordering these tracts, please refer to the ordering information under the PLUS Tract tab.  I just bought 1,000 for my church, and maybe you will feel led to do the same.  PLEASE PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER HOW THIS TRACT CAN HELP YOU MEET YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A CONCERNED AMERCIAN CHRISTIAN.

Daniel 9:5 “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments.”

The nation Daniel described in this passage over 2,500 years ago sounds frighteningly similar to our nation today.  His nation was filled with sin, iniquity, wickedness, and rebellion.  His nation had departed from the Lord, ignoring God’s precepts.  As a result, his nation teetered on the precipice of God’s justified judgment and wrath.  Our nation is filled with sin, iniquity, wickedness, and rebellion.  Our nation has departed from the Lord, ignoring God’s precepts.  As a result, our nation teeters on the precipice of God’s justified judgment and wrath.

Daniel’s rightful response as a citizen of a nation that needed to return to the Lord before it was too late was simple and powerful.  He turned to the Lord in fervent prayer.  Our rightful response as citizens of a nation that needs to return to the Lord before it is too late should be simple but powerful.  We need to turn to the Lord in fervent prayer.  PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD TRUST IN FERVENT PRAYER TO THE LORD TO ARREST OUR DANGEROUS DEPARTURE FROM GOD’S PRECEPTS.  Do so before it is too late; Daniel did!

Hebrews 11:2 “For by it [faith] the elders obtained a good report.”

In the days leading up to July 4^th, 1776, morale was waning among the colonists.  Supplies were in short supply, financing was scarce, and victories were rare.  It was in this context that General Washington recognized the need for encouragement.  As a prelude to the reading of the Declaration to his assembled troops, the following was offered:

“The General hopes this important Event will serve as fresh incentive to every officer and soldier to act with Fidelity and Courage, as knowing that now the peace and safety of his country depends, under God, solely on the success of our arms:  And that he is now in the service of a State possessed of sufficient power to reward his merit, and advance him to the highest honors of a free country.”

Indeed, the public proclamation had its intended effect.  As the members of the Continental Army considered the courageous act of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, it steeled their resolve.

In this way, faithfulness is much like courage.  The faithfulness of the men and women described in Hebrews 11 should steel our resolve.  Furthermore, if we are faithful, then our faithfulness will steel the resolve of others.  It only takes a few to encourage the many.  PLEASE PRAY THAT YOUR FAITHFULNESS WOULD ENCOURAGE THE FAITHFULNESS OF OTHER CHRISTIAN AMERICANS.  After all, it only took 56 men to encourage the fidelity and courage of an entire army.

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

In the days following the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the news spread like wildfire throughout the colonies.  Though the colonists risked much in dissolving their connection with a world power, they did so proudly and publically.  The Continental Congress ordered that copies of the Declaration, produced by a local Philadelphia printer on July 4, 1776, be sent on horseback throughout the newly independent United States.  It was printed in local newspapers and read publically in town squares.  The new nation was abuzz with the news, though they knew that a dark cloud of war was hanging on the horizon.  They were not ashamed of their life-changing decision.

Oh that today’s American Christians would show as much pride in our eternity-changing decisions for Christ.  Instead, we often guard the truths of our testimonies as if we are ashamed of Christ.  Other groups, feeling no such bashfulness in their causes, seize control of the public dialogue and drown out those few who are brave enough to stand for Biblical truths.  Though the personal risks that would accompany our public proclamations of faith are minute compared to those faced by the colonists in 1776, we cower in the closets of our unjustified shame.

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERCIAN CHRISTIANS WOULD PROUDLY AND PUBLICALLY PROCLAIM CHRIST AND WOULD STAND FOR HIS TRUTHS.  After all, it is the gospel of Christ that caries with it the power of God.