Attached is the kickoff audio message for PLUS.
Author: John
Leadership consultants remind us that “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.” The meaning behind this statement is quite simple — the worse the situation, the more incentive there is to reflect upon badly needed changes. Failing to change course under such dire circumstances piles tragedy upon crisis.
Reflecting upon the situation in which our nation finds itself, it is difficult to describe it as anything but a crisis. It is an economic crisis and a political crisis; it is a moral crisis and a value crisis; it is a leadership crisis and a followership crisis. Yet, while the situation worsens, the nation continues to diverge from God without considering the correlation because between our unfaithfulness and our unfruitfulness.
We need national-level healing in our land that comes from a permanent change of direction toward humility, prayer, faithfulness and righteousness. Fortunately, the model of salvation-producing repentance should be familiar to us, one in which we reverse our direction away from the world and towards God.
II Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
During the development of this ministry burden, the Lord made it clear to me that the problems of our nation may be largely our fault. We have bemoaned society’s shortcomings, but should first examine our internal shortcomings. We as Christians have often failed in our basic citizenship responsibilities to be humble, prayerful, expectant, and pure. If we fail to exhibit these characteristics, then why should we expect our nation to be more aligned with the will of God? Consequently, II Chronicles 7:14 reminds us that the potential for national healing rests squarely on the shoulders of believers. Will our shoulders bear this burden now better than in the recent past? America needs them to and God wants them to.
The process that brought me to a realization of the need for PLUS was akin to that which brought me to understand my need for salvation eight years ago. While our first resort in the midst of life’s challenges should be to turn to God, often it is our last resort. Starting PLUS was an acknowledgement that I can do nothing to overcome the problems of our nation and instead should surrender completely to Him. This path should be recognizable as the one on which we traveled to come to Christ. Similarly, I hope that you realize the need for PLUS out of a spirit of desperation for our nation.
How can we powerfully demonstrate true Christian citizenship? We can spend a few minutes at lunchtime in specific prayer for the United States and invite others to join us.
The official kickoff is March 25th, 2013. Please tell your friends, coworkers, family, friends, pastors, classmates, and neighbors. Don’t miss it, our nation needs you.
The United States needs our regular and fervent prayers. In some ways, it seems like it is the least we can do. In reality, it is the most important thing we can do.