Dear Friends,
As our nation celebrates a birthday and we give thanks for the freedom we enjoy - I ask you to join me in a prayer covenant with churches across America - believing God desires to heal our land.
Sadly - the recent egregious murders in a South Carolina Church and that of Cincinnati Policeman Sonny Kim who was killed in very close proximity to our church building - remind us that relational crisis has become more of a rule than an exception in our country.
Psalm 34:18 NKJV says - The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit - would that America again have such a heart and spirit that only comes through repentance from sin and unity in faith and prayer.
The Bible says we reap what we sow - and culturally we have sown moral relativism into the hearts of our finest treasures - by teaching America's children that it is acceptable to abort life and redefine marriage without regard for the moral authority of Scripture.
As America listens to voices in the public square - may the voice of the church be the clarion bell that restores responsibility for unity of the spirit in the bond of peace that is available only through the Son of God - Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.
In Christ the Bible says there is neither Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female - there is oneness in relationship with Jesus Christ - oneness that cannot be obtained through laws of the land that define the lowest acceptable standard.
In Christ there is the law of unconditional love for God and one another that defines the highest acceptable standard - the standard by which God created all men to live - the standard by which He sacrificed His own Son to bring us back to that life in Him.
My prayer is that all Americans and especially those Americans elected to lead our nation as one nation under one God - would fall to their knees and repent of sin - and then rise up with a renewed commitment to sow the seed of Christ in our nation afresh.
When the seed of Christ is sown - the Bible promises a peace that passes all human understanding will guard our hearts and minds - would that all communities in our nation be integrated again by His seed of unconditional love for life and authority.
I leave you with a quote about God's Sufficiency - the quote was rendered in days past by Dr. Billy Graham - "Happy are they who mourn the inadequacy of self, for they shall be comforted with the sufficiency of God."
Please join me and others in churches throughout America as we celebrate our nation's birthday - may we continue to give thanks for the freedom we enjoy - may we also mourn the inadequacy of self and seek the sufficiency of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
God's Peace,
Jeff
It always comes down to whether we want to live in the kingdom of God or the kingdom of self. There are consequences to our decision, in this life and in the life to come.
ReplyDeleteI choose to live in God's kingdom, having counted the cost, knowing there is a reward for staying faithful.
We do not choose the times we live in. God chooses us for the times.
May our light shine - individually, as families, as a church, and hopefully one day again as a nation.