PLUS

Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

Ephesians 6:13-14 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness”

Shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Abigail Adams delivered the following thoughts to her husband:

“May the foundation of our new constitution be Justice, Truth, and Righteousness.  Like the wise man’s house, may it be founded upon those Rocks and then neither storms nor tempests will overthrow it.”

Abigail knew that the new nation would face storms and tempests.  After all, proverbial rains, floods and winds are a natural part of our lives.  Our ability to resiliently endure these expected challenges is completely based upon the stability of the foundation to which we are affixed. 

This Founding Mother makes an important point, not only in her clear Biblical reference to Christ, but in her understanding of the needed ultimate foundation for our nation.  She doesn’t say that our founding documents are our foundation.  Instead, she says that the principles of our nation that are embodied in those founding documents need to be affixed to something more steady, sure and supernatural.

The most effective way to permanently undermine a structure and to overthrow a system is to erode its foundation.  Those who would cause us to question the fundamental tenants of Justice, Truth, and Righteousness and to doubt their ultimate supernatural source are actively engaged in America today.  These malign forces would have us to affix our nation on shifting sands instead of steady structures.  If they succeed, their folly will cause us all to fall and to fail. 

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR NATION TO FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE WISE MAN.  If we do, then modern day America will be able to withstand the rains, the floods, and the winds that swirl around us, and neither storms nor tempests will overthrow it.

For similar thoughts please see the following previous PLUS posts:

• (From 2013) https://prayatlunch.us/exceptional/

• (From 2018) https://prayatlunch.us/compacted-and-crushed/

John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

I Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Upon the nation’s bold declaration of independence, John Adams wisely understood the following:

“You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not.  I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these states.  Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory.  I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means.  And that Posterity will triumph in that Day’s Transaction, even although We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”

Adams signed the Declaration of Independence with open-eyes; he was well aware of the reputational and practical costs associated with support and defense of his homeland and its revolutionary cause.  Yet, through all the gloom, he saw rays of ravishing light and glory.  The ends of independence were well worth the means of short-term hardship, and future generations would profit from their present challenges.  As stewards of their cause, they must be found faithful.  After all, their service would bring forth fruit in its season and their posterity would triumph from their transactions. 

As Christians in America today, we must enter the cultural fray with open-eyes; we must be well aware of the reputational and practical costs associated with our Christ-centered stand.  Yet, through all the gloom, we must see rays of ravishing light and glory.  The ends are well worth the means of short-term hardship, and future generations will profit from our present challenges.  As stewards of the cause of Christ, we must be found faithful in our prayerfulness, in our passion for righteousness, and in our selfless service.  After all, our service will bring forth fruit in its season and our posterity will triumph from our transactions. 

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO BE FAITHFUL STEWARDS IN THE MIDST OF THE CULTURAL CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE TODAY.  Through all the gloom, we must keep focused on the rays of ravishing light and glory.  Posterity will triumph from our transactions today.

Joshua 4:1-3, 6-7 “And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night…That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?  Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.”

Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”

John Adams immediately understood the importance of our nation’s declaration of independence, both the act and the document itself.  It was on July 2, 1776 that the Continental Congress approved the following resolution: “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”  The public declaration of these sentiments occurred two days later, memorialized in our Declaration of Independence.

John Adams wrote to Abigail describing his thoughts about that day:

“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the history of America.  I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival.  It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty.  It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

Though our nation has settled on the 4^th of July as our official day of independence, it is right to give God thanks and praise for our nation on this day and every day as we remember this most memorable Epocha in the history of America.  It is proper and appropriate to take a day to celebrate our great anniversary Festival.  It should be commemorated by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.  It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade from one end of our continent to the other.  It must be commemorated as a day of deliverance while being diligently taught to our children.

AMERICAN CHRISTIAN, PLEASE PRAISE GOD FOR HIS IMPACT ON THE FOUNDING OF OUR NATION AND PRAY FOR HIS CONTINUED GUIDANCE AND PRESENCE IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY.  On the upcoming Independence Day weekend, it is right and proper to remember this most memorable Epocha in the history of America.

I Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.  Let all your things be done with charity.”

I Kings 2:1-3 “Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself”

I Timothy 6:11-12 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

John Adams made the following commitment to Abigail and their children in a letter from December of 1781: “My Children, shall never have, the smallest soil of dishonor or disgrace brought upon them by their father, no not to please Ministers, Kings, or Nations.”

As we celebrate Father’s Day this weekend, let all Christian Dads make the same commitment to our wives and to our children.  Regardless of the temptations that swirl around us, let us resolve to stand strong against anything that would bring dishonor or disgrace on our families.  Let us stand fast in the faith as the men we were designed to be.  Let us live our lives exuding the love of Christ.  Let us walk in the ways of the Lord, while keeping His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies.  Let us flee anything that would lead to the smallest soil upon an upright reputation, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness.  May we all fight the good fight of faith.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIAN MEN TO LIVE UP TO OUR HIGH CALLING IN A SOCIETY DESPERATE FOR PROPER MALE ROLE MODELS.  The smallest soil can hinder the cause of Christ, but a determined Christian husband and father can shew himself a man through a Christlike combination of righteousness, strength, and love.

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher that your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

I Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

The American Revolutionary War began on April 19, 1775 in the skirmishes of Concord and Lexington in the colony of Massachusetts.  John Adams wrote the following to Abigail about these monumental events shortly thereafter:

“It is Arrogance and Presumption in human Sagacity to pretend to penetrate far into the Designs of Heaven.  The most perfect Reverence and Resignation becomes us.  But, I can’t help depending upon this, that the present dreadful Calamity of that beloved Town is intended to bind the Colonies together in more indissoluble Bands, and to animate their Exertions, at this great Crisis in the Affairs of Mankind.  It has this Effect, in a most remarkable Degree, as far as I have yet seen or heard.  It will plead with all America, with more irresistible Persuasion, than Angels trumpet tongued.”

John Adams illuminates two vital spiritual truths in this short paragraph in the midst of their dreadful calamity.  First, he reminds us that we cannot know the mind of God in the orchestration of human events.  As God’s plans unfold around us, we are to avoid arrogance and presumption in thinking that we understand the workings of an Almighty God.  Instead, we are to remain faithful in perfect reverence and resignation, realizing that His ways and His thoughts are far higher than ours.  Second, we must know with surety and imagine with creativity that God’s workings are magnificent.  He is the Master Composer and Conductor, crafting a perfect symphony though the individual notes at the time are unsure and uncertain.  When we are tempted to fret about the situation around us, we must remember that He is masterfully working all things together for good. 

In the midst of a situation in America in 2021 that seems at times like a dreadful calamity, we must similarly cling to these spiritual truths.  First, as God’s plans unfold around us, we are to avoid arrogance and presumption in thinking that we understand the workings of an Almighty God.  Instead, we are to remain faithful in perfect reverence and resignation, realizing that His ways and His thoughts are far higher than ours.  Second, we must know with surety and imagine with creativity that God’s workings are magnificent.  He is the Master Composer and Conductor, crafting a perfect symphony though the individual notes at this time are unsure and uncertain.  When we are tempted to fret about the situation around us, we must remember that He is masterfully working all things together for good.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO HUMBLY TRUST GOD’S PERFECT PLAN FOR OUR NATION WHILE WE REMAIN FAITHFUL.  Reverence and resignation becomes us!

Please see the following prior posts on the events at Lexington and Concord:

Heard Round the World

Pressing Towards the Mark

NOTE:  My next PLUS post will not be until June 19^th.  Enjoy your next few weeks, and please continue to faithfully and fervently pray for our nation and our leaders.