Author: John Page 98 of 164

Proverbs 13:15 “Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.”

Because of our personal and national sins, we are setting ourselves up for further hardship in this nation. Our transgressions are making our ways hard. The results are plastered all over the news, though the media neither recognizes the correlation nor reports on the causality. The results are financial hardship and economic hardship; social hardship and community hardship; security hardship and legal hardship; educational hardship and vocational hardship; leadership hardship and followership hardship; domestic hardship and international hardship; political hardship and diplomatic hardship.

The difference is as stark as any. We could live quiet and peaceable lives (I Timothy 2:2) or we could live hard lives. We could pray for righteousness and wisdom for ourselves and our leaders and benefit from peace, freedom, and prosperity under God, or we could neglect our most basic citizenship responsibility to pray and accept a society that embraces transgression while being burdened by hardship.

The choice is as simple as the difference is stark. Christians must rise up and preach to government, participate in government and pray for government. We must strive for personal righteousness while seeking societal renewal. We must not accept a life of hardship.

PLEASE PRAY THAT OUR NATION WOULD NEITHER BE CHARACTERIZED NOR DEFINED BY TRANSGRESSION. Such a nation faces hardship, though it need not be so if we return to God and righteousness.

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re ENCOURAGED (by the 12 states who are standing up against massive federal overreach), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!
SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (by the 38 states who are not standing up against massive federal overreach), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

Numbers 23:23 “Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!”

In using the Biblical phrase “Look what hath God wrought!” in the first official telegraph, Samuel Morse may have also been giving advanced credit to God for the impact of such an invention. He may have been telegraphing (excuse the pun) the amazing influence that the telegraph would have on the world.

Indeed, the telegraph played a fundamental part in America’s westward expansion. A decade later, there were more than 20,000 miles of telegraph cables connecting various parts of the growing country. The telegraph also drastically sped communication between Europe and North America. The first transatlantic cable, transmitting in 1858, cut the time it took to send a message between the two continents from days to minutes. All of this was only possible by an invention enabled by God. Look what hath God wrought!

What impact is God having in our lives? What has God enabled us to do? Are we giving Him credit? We should be regularly proclaiming to the world – Look what hath God wrought!

PLEASE GIVE GOD CREDIT FOR THE INFLUENCE HE HAS HAD IN YOUR LIFE AND THE IMPACT YOU ARE ABLE TO HAVE THROUGH HIM. Of your life, humbly proclaim to the world – look what hath God wrought!

Numbers 23:23 “Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!”

On May 24^th, 1844 Samuel Morse demonstrated the first official telegraph from the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. to Baltimore, Maryland. Surrounded by members of Congress, Morse telegraphed the following message: “Look what God hath wrought,” quoting the last part of Numbers 23:23. In doing so, Morse publically gave credit to God for His miraculous creation that made such an invention possible.

In 1844 there was no uproar about Morse’s reference to God. There was no lawsuit about the use of a Bible verse in the halls of Congress. There was no withholding of public funding for the invention whose inventor dared give God credit for His amazing creation. In fact, a Biblical quote and a reference to God was a natural way to declare a revolutionary invention that was enabled by God’s great creation.

2016 is far different from 1844. Yet, there is no reason that Christians should be ashamed to give God credit for His great creation. Declare the emphatic exclamation as you witness God’s creation – look what hath God wrought! The world may no longer give Him public credit, but we should.

PLEASE UNABASHEDLY GIVE GOD CREDIT FOR HIS AMAZING CREATION. It is what He alone hath wrought!

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that we’ve rejected the only leader, God, who can Make America Great Again) set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Thomas Jefferson’s gravestone (see previous post) demonstrated a desire to pour his life into those things that would last. He wanted to live a life that left a legacy. He didn’t want his work to be in vain, but wanted it to continue beyond his death.

Missionary Charles Thomas Studd wrote the following poem entitled “Only One Life, Will Soon Be Past”:

“Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, ‘twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”

How are we spending our time so that our lives are not in vain? Are we living for the temporal or the eternal? What are we doing today that will last? Are we living for today, or to leave a legacy?

PLEASE LIVE A LIFE THAT FOCUSES ON WHAT WE CAN DO FOR CHRIST. We must focus on a life lived to produce a legacy. After all, our life will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.

II Corinthians 5:9-10 “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

In accordance with Jefferson’s specific instructions, the following is written on Thomas Jefferson’s gravestone:

“Here was buried
Thomas Jefferson
Author of the Declaration of American Independence
of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom
& Father of the University of Virginia”

He wished to be remembered “by these as testimonials that I have lived.”

Interestingly, there is one obvious omission from this impressive list – President of the United States. While Jefferson never explained this omission, it is reasonable that Jefferson was selflessly most proud of his creation of lasting institutions rather than his possession of fleeting positions. In the three listed institutions, Jefferson highlights independence, liberty (notably religious liberty), and education.

What institutions are American Christians building today while the mainstays of society are crumbling around us? What are we doing to support the notions of independence, liberty (notably religious liberty), and education? Are we selflessly striving towards the creation and strengthening of lasting institutions rather than the possession of fleeting positions? Jefferson didn’t sit idly by and watch with concern as problems arose in early America. He tackled them, with passion, vision, and selflessness. By these testimonials, he wished to be remembered. What have we done?

PLEASE PRAY FOR CONVICTION TO FALL UPON AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO SELFLESSLY STAND FOR GODLY INSTITUTIONS. May we be remembered by these testimonials that we have lived.

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that maybe the best America deserves are two deeply-flawed candidates for President), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!
SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (at massive federal overreach and a clear violation of the Tenth Amendment), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

Please see the following posts for thoughts on Thomas Jefferson:
https://prayatlunch.us/principled-principal-men/
https://prayatlunch.us/inalienable/
https://prayatlunch.us/removing-a-conviction/
https://prayatlunch.us/trembling/
https://prayatlunch.us/tyranny-over-the-mind-of-man/
https://prayatlunch.us/moral-authority/