Category: Blog Page 146 of 171

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.”

Battles are most easily won when an opponent surrenders willingly.  In fact, national strategies are often designed around creating the perception of overwhelming force so that an enemy capitulates before the battle even begins because they believe that a negative outcome is a foregone conclusion.  Deterrence theory is founded on these concepts, importantly relying upon actual or illusory capability, will, and credibility.  Even the less powerful can succeed through such a strategy if applied properly.

Our adversary is using a similar strategy in America.  Anti-Christian forces are pressing their current advantage in our land today through threats against those who stand for Christ.  Though they are no match of the ‘power of God unto salvation,’ they chip away at our will by planting the seeds of shame about our counter-cultural beliefs.  Once we become too ashamed of the gospel of Christ to continue our stand, they claim victory and move on to the next battle.  In many cases, we surrender without a fight because we are falsely convinced of their superior capability by their will and credibility.  We willingly capitulate, though the power of God is on our side.

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD BE PROUD AND NOT ASHAMED OF CHRIST AND CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES.  Our lives have been transformed by the power of God at the moment of salvation, and we should never be convinced that our adversary is more powerful than that.  The only way we will lose is if we fail to fight.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

There are plenty in the media who would have the onlooker to believe that faithfulness is at odds with prosperity.  One is led to believe that there is a natural price to pay for those who stand for Christ and Christian principles, that even the most casual affiliation with conservative beliefs is detrimental to success.  The forced resignation of Brendan Eich is the most recent and public example of this line of thinking.  Yet, it is not always the case that the faithful will pay a worldly price for their stand on the side of Christ.  Consider the following article that outlines the story of Chick-Fil-A:

http://media.focusonthefamily.com/fotf/pdf/channels/social-issues/pp23-25-june-july-cz-cfa-1yrlater.pdf

Not only does this fast food chain have the audacity to close on Sundays, the most profitable day of the week in the industry, but it also has a CEO that clings to a Biblical view of the family.  The results speak for themselves.  This company does not just thrive in spite of its alignment with Christian principles, but thrives because of its alignment with Christian principles.

Don’t be swayed by the world’s arguments that you must compromise to succeed.  You don’t, and Chick-Fil-A is but one example that proves this important point.  PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD NOT FEEL COMPELLED TO COMPROMISE.  We shouldn’t just seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness; we must seek it first.  The results are left up to God.

Acts 6:7 “And the word of God increased; and the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

Acts 12:24 “But the word of God grew and multiplied.”

It is fascinating to watch the explosive growth of the early church as the book of Acts progresses.  It grew steadily in early Acts, and then grew rapidly in latter Acts.  The phrase that was most often used to describe church growth was originally ‘added to’ (Acts 2:41, 47; 5:14; 11:24) and then it shifted to ‘multiplied’ (Acts 6:1, 7; 7:17; 9:31; 12:24). Growth went from additive to multiplicative.  It went from steady acceleration to full throttle acceleration.  It went from a slow Sunday drive to the Daytona 500.

Undoubtedly, the disciple’s prayer and supplication with one accord (see the previous post) played a substantial role in the growth shifting from low gear to high gear.  They were able to make an increasing impact because they pointed their prayers in the same direction.  They were able to have an enhanced influence because their supplication was unified in its purpose.

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD HAVE A MULTIPLIED IMPACT ON OUR NATION’S CULTURE.  With a chance to have a multiplicative impact through prayer and supplication with one accord, why would we settle on an additive impact instead?

Acts 1:14 “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”

The power of Christ’s message in the early church was magnified by the unity of prayerfulness; the early disciples became a powerful force because they prayed with one accord.

Other groups in America have acted with one accord, and have seen the results.  They have seized the initiative in this country because they have mobilized with one accord.  They have become the ‘voice of the public’ because they have spoken with one accord.  They have shaped our culture because they have stood with one accord.  They have shifted our nation away from its Christian foundation because they have demanded such a shift with one accord.

What have American Christians done with one accord?  Have we prayed with one accord?  Have we supplicated with one accord?  Have we humbly and earnestly asked the Lord for nationwide revival with one accord?  The evidence and the outcome would certainly suggest not.  Instead, the most that can be said about us is that we have simply complained about our national direction within the safety of the church house with one accord.  There is no providentially promised power in doing that.

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD PRAY AND SUPPLICATE FOR NATIONWIDE REVIVAL WITH ONE ACCORD.  By their prayer and supplication with one accord, the early disciples amazingly boosted the message of Christ; it went from being on the verge of extinction to being inextinguishable.  We must follow their lead!

I Corinthians 3:12-13 “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”

The crew responsible for moving the hangars at Edwards Air Force Base in 1955 (see the previous three posts) was fortunate to avoid any major crises during the five-week moving process.  Even the strong winds of the Mojave Desert did not exceed their predictably high pace during the transition.  If the moving crews had faced anything stronger than the usual, they may have been a part of a stupefying failure instead of a spectacular success.

The true demonstration of the strength of a foundation is not during nominal periods.  Instead, a stable foundation is truly revealed when faced with challenging conditions.  A good foundation will withstand the rain as it descends, the floods as they come, and the winds as they blow.  During the fiery tests of refinement, the firm foundations of gold, silver, and precious stones will remain while the feeble foundations of wood, hay, and stubble will be consumed.  Indeed, it is dangerous to assume the foundation is stable just because it is reliable in the good times.  It must be reliable in the bad times as well.  When the bad times come though, it is too late to build upon the right foundation.  You must already be there.  PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICANS WOULD URGENTLY REAFFIX OUR NATION UPON THE FIRM FOUNDATION OF CHRIST.  If not, the next crisis may make manifest our weakness to the point that we will be consumed because of it.