PLUS

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

On January 10^th, 1776, Thomas Paine published a landmark document that fanned the flames of independence in colonial America. A brilliantly written pamphlet, Common Sense swept through the colonies as a well-reasoned rationale for separation from the British Empire. In his own words, Paine described his endeavor in the following way: “In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense.” These simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense rested upon several underlying premises that will form the next six PLUS posts.

Paine began his argument by establishing the purpose of government – to restrain our natural vices. He states:

“Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.”

Based on this rationale for government, Paine contends that this institution must be as small as possible to meet its limited role. He calls government a “necessary evil” with a small government being “preferable to all others.” Short terms in government would help minimize its power by allowing officials to “return and mix again with the general body of electors” and prevent the elected from having interests separate from the electors. Nevertheless, the entire institution is only necessary because of our lost innocence through sin.

We have created a government that now ignores its underlying and limited purpose. As we allow it to grow into areas beyond its restraint of our vices, we continue to “furnish the means by which we suffer.” PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR GOVERNMENT TO RETURN TO ITS ONLY REAL PURPOSE – TO RESTRAIN OUR VICES.

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that in diverging from the Constitution we also diverge from our Biblical basis), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

Joshua 6:20 “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”

Yale President Ezra Stiles called General Washington the “American Joshua.” In a 1783 sermon, Stiles marveled at the miraculous hand of God that enabled victory in the Revolutionary War. About the victories at Trenton and Princeton, Stiles wrote the following:

“While oppressed by the heavy weight of this combined force, heaven inspired us with resolution to cut the Gordian Knot; when the die was cast irrevocable in the glorious act of Independence. This was sealed and confirmed by God Almighty in the victory of General Washington at Trenton, and in the surprising movement and battle of Princeton; by which astonishing effort of generalship, General Howe and the whole British army, in elated confidence and in open-mouthed march for Philadelphia, was instantly stopped, remanded back, and cooped up for a shivering winter in the little borough of Brunswick. Thus God turned the battle to the gate; and this gave a finishing to the foundation of the American republic.”

Christians Americans may be oppressed by the heavy weight of the combined force of our adversaries. Yet, victory can be sealed and confirmed irrevocably by God Almighty. The enemy can be instantly stopped.

PLEASE PRAY FOR HEAVEN INSPIRED RESOLUTION TO STRIVE TOWARDS SPIRITUAL VICTORY IN 2016. The Gordian Knot of our current situation can only be cut by God’s power and our faithfulness.

II Timothy 2:19-21 “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

As the calendar turned from 1776 to 1777 and fresh off their Christmastime victory at Trenton, the colonial army executed a brilliant surprise attack on the British garrison at Princeton. The colonists were nearly driven to retreat until General Washington surged to the front lines, dangerously close to the British position, and rallied the troops.

The following depiction of that moment was sculpted by Clark Mills and sits in Washington, DC today:

During the statue’s dedication ceremony, Mr. Mills stated the following:

“The incident selected for representation of this statue was at the battle of Princeton where Washington, after several ineffectual attempts to rally his troops, advanced so near the enemy’s lines that his horse refused to go further, but stood and trembled while the brave rider sat undaunted with reins in hand. But while his noble horse is represented thus terror stricken, the dauntless hero is calm and dignified, ever believing himself the instrument in the hand of Providence to work out the great problem of liberty.”

Each of us can be an instrument in the hand of Providence. We have been placed here to work out the great problem of liberty that is rapidly slipping through our fingers. We must rally the troops by an undaunted advance towards the enemy’s lines. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE COURAGE TO BE USED OF GOD IN AMERICA TODAY. Through God-inspired courage and personal revival, we can be meet for the Master’s use.

Please see this prior post about the state of the colonial army at the end of 1776:
https://prayatlunch.us/engage-anew/

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re alarmed (that we have not properly bathed the 2016 election in prayer), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!

Joshua 4:20-24 “And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.”

There are stones of remembrance spread throughout American history to remind us of how the Lord helped our forefathers to pass over barriers and overcome challenges that faced our nation. In the upcoming year, PLUS will direct our gaze to many of those from the year of our independence. As children, we need only look back to our founding fathers to see how God dried up the waters that hindered them and allowed them to pass over.

Times were bleak at points in 1776. Yet, time and again the Lord sustained the faithful patriots and prevented sure defeat as they turned to Him. By their example, the people of the earth knew the mightiness of the Lord’s hand. So must we!

PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD BE ATTENTIVE TO THE POWER OF GOD IN THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA. Through the testimonies of our fathers and the miracles that they experienced, we should know the mightiness of the Lord’s hand. It is the same power that is available for us to harness today through prayer.

Please click on the following links to see related thoughts:
https://prayatlunch.us/no-people/
https://prayatlunch.us/minority-miracles/

Psalm 145:3-7 “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.”

As 2016 approaches, we must be mindful of its importance in the future of our nation. We cannot overstate the criticality of the juncture at which we sit. The next year’s election results at the local, state, and federal levels will indicate whether we are headed for national revival and restoration or irreversibly away from both.

In order to prepare our hearts for the upcoming year, we must turn our minds back 240 years. The year of 1776 was critical to our nation. God’s centrality to the formation of America cannot be overstated, and it will be a PLUS focus of 2016. During that pivotal year, God acted in miraculous ways. That generation expressed praise to the Lord and declared His mighty acts. They spoke of His glorious honour, His amazing majesty, and His wondrous works. Today, we must utter the memory of His greatness and sing of His righteousness as we consider God’s role in our formation. Doing so will encourage, equip and challenge us.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO LINGER ON GOD’S IRREPLACEABLE ROLE IN OUR FOUNDING. We must utter the memory of His greatness at all times.

SET YOUR ALARM: If you’re ENCOURAGED (by the reminder that Christ came to save our fallen world), set your alarm (to pray for our nation)!