PLUS

Ephesians 3:17-19 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

Ephesians 4:14 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.”

As America was getting prepared for a looming World War II, President Roosevelt set some ambitious goals for improvements in industrial production.  When Adolf Hitler heard about these milestones, he discounted the capabilities of the American industrial machine.  In fact, he responded to our goals with the following: “What is America but beauty queens, millionaires, stupid records, and Hollywood?” (Freedom’s Forge, pg. 13)

May we never be simply a country of beauty queens.  May we never be just a land of millionaires.  May we never be known only as the producer of stupid records.  May we never be defined by being the home of Hollywood.

We need breadth, length, depth and height. We need to be rooted and grounded and built up in Christ and his love.  We need to be stablished in the faith.  We need to abound therein with thanksgiving.  Otherwise, we will be tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, by cunning craftiness, and by those who are waiting to deceive us.

Hitler may have been right, but when the crisis of world war came, we snapped back to our foundational source of strength.  May it not require a crisis to snap us back to our foundational source of strength today.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICA TO REST ON A FIRM FOUNDATION OF FAITH, WHETHER IN GOOD TIMES OR IN BAD TIMES. May America be known not for its beauty queens, millionaires, stupid records, and Hollywood, but by our stunning foundation that produces lives that are rooted and grounded in love.

Matthew 10:32-33 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

Matthew 12:30 “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”

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.”

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Rosalind Picard recently wrote a powerful article describing her testimony in Christianity Today:

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/april/rosalind-picard-mit-professor-meets-author-knowledge.html

Her concluding paragraph describes her spiritual journey brilliantly:

“I once thought I was too smart to believe in God.  Now I know I was an arrogant fool who snubbed the greatest Mind in the cosmos – the Author of all science, mathematics, art, and everything else there is to know. Today I walk humbly, having received the most undeserved grace.  I walk with joy, alongside the most amazing Companion anyone could ask for, filled with desire to keep learning and exploring.”

Earlier in the article, she describes the important transformation in her life after coming to Christ:

“Have you ever tried to assemble something mechanical, and it only kind of works?  Maybe the wheels spin, but not smoothly.  Then you realize you were missing a piece.  When you finally put it together correctly, it works beautifully.  This is how it felt when I handed my life over to God:  I thought it had worked fine before, but after it was ‘fixed,’ it worked exponentially better.  That’s not to say nothing bad ever happened to me – far from it.  But in all things, good and bad, I could count on God’s guidance, comfort, and protection.”

As Christians in America today, may we help the world around us understand the life-changing truths so wonderfully explained by Professor Picard.  May we help an arrogant society who snubs the greatest Mind in the cosmos appreciate the undeserved grace of God.  May we illuminate the source of all joy and the most amazing Companion anyone could ask for.  May we help people recognize that they are missing a piece while assisting them to see how they were carefully designed to work brilliantly.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR TESTIMONIES TO HELP THOSE IN SOCIETY KNOW THAT THEY CAN COUNT ON GOD’S GUIDANCE, COMFORT, AND PROTECTION.  Once they do, their lives will work exponentially better.

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

II Samuel 12:7a “And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.”

II Samuel 12:13a “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned again the Lord.”

At this year’s State of the Union address, leaders of the military were invited as is typical as a part of the pomp and circumstance of the event.  This year, General Joseph Lengyel, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, was a part of that august entourage.  There was only one problem with this plan; General Lengyel’s uniform was out of regulations – he had put on his impressive ribbon rack upside down for the world to see.

General Lengyel’s response was impressively and admirably humble.  It was reflective and it was instructive.  He tweeted the following as a result of the event:

“Question:  What’s wrong with this picture?  I’ll give you a hint…It’s why they keep putting erasers on pencils.  Answer: The ribbons on my uniform are upside down.  Let this be a lesson and don’t let it happen to you!”

He went on to post these thoughts:

“Well, we’re all human, including me.  And, as I made a final check in the mirror just before I walked out the door, I missed it…Plain and simple.  I hope this is a lesson for everyone who wears the uniform, and really for anyone…They put erasers on pencils for a reason.  When you make a mistake or miss a detail, own it and move on.  One thing is for sure…My ribbons will NEVER be upside down again.”

General Lengyel is right in so many ways.  We are all human.  We all make mistakes and miss details.  When we do, we should learn from our errors.  We should acknowledge our faults.  Ultimately, when we fall short we should own it and move on.

Nathan courageously confronted King David about his series of sins and shortcomings, and David owned it. He fasted, and prayed, and repented, and moved on.  When we fall short, we must do the same.  Covering our errors or wallowing in our mistakes will sap our energy and hinder our testimony.  Instead, we must move on for God.

PLEASE PRAY FOR CHRISTIANS TO LEARN FROM OUR ERRORS AND ACKNOWLEDGE OUR FAULTS.  When we stray from God’s plan, we must own it and move on.

Psalm 105:17-22 “He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:  Whose feet they hurt with fetters:  he was laid in iron:  Until the time that his word came:  the word of the Lord tried him.  The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:  To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.”

Genesis 39:4 “And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him:  and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.”

Joseph had unrivaled influence with the leaders who surrounded him.  He had a reputation of faithfulness and wisdom.  He impacted the people of the land and provided council to leaders at the highest level.  When Joseph spoke, people listened.  When Joseph advised, leaders yielded.

There are faithful and wise Josephs in our land today – those who influence and impact, those who advise and council.  When they speak , people listen.  When they advise, leaders yield.  They are at the local, state, and federal levels.  They are in government and industry.  Maybe you are one of them.  If not, maybe you will be.

Whoever they are and wherever they serve, they need our prayers and our support.  As they teach senators wisdom, they need to be uplifted by us and guided by God.  We must pray that they would find grace in the sight of those in leadership positions; we must pray that they would rise to positions of authority and influence.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICA’S JOSEPHS.  May they have the opportunity to be overseers of houses, rulers of substance, and lords of houses.  May our prayers help them to teach senators wisdom.

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.”

March 4^this a substantial day in the history of our country.  On that day in 1789, our U.S. Government began under the Constitution. It didn’t begin with the Inauguration of a president.  That would take place at the end of April of that year.  It didn’t begin with the convening of the Supreme Court.  That would take place in February of the following year.  It started with the governmental body most responsive to the American citizen – the Congress.  It started with the Constitution’s Article 1, Section 1: “All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.”

All power to legislate in this nation was given to that important body in 1789.  It continues to rest with that body 230 years later. They hold the responsibility for creating the laws that govern this great nation.  Their laws dictate our direction.

All power in heaven and earth has been given elsewhere.  It has been given to the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings for all time.  He holds the responsibility for all things, and has charged us to Go, Teach and Baptize while He has promised us that He will be with us always.

PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW THE CHARGE GIVEN TO US BY OUR SAVIOR.  All power has been given unto Him, and he has told us to Go!