Just one week prior to today, on July 14, 2024, I published a blog post entitled, “The Call for Prayer for Our Nation”. The purpose behind that blog post was to point out the real need. That need would be to encourage the Body of Christ to get busy about the Lord’s business. That is the business of making disciples. That is how I believe that any nation, including the United States of America, will be in line with the blessings of God.
As we all have been paying attention to the goings on in our nation and around the World, it is hard not to miss the obvious. That being, that many in society seem to be fading away from God or any idea of God in their lives. It seems to have become socially and politically unacceptable or at least undesirable to speak about personal faith in God let alone to claim to have anything to do with Christianity. In fact, it has been the impression for many, that Christianity of any form has been painted to be the enemy of today society today.
As I mentioned in the last blog post, “The Call for Prayer for Our Nation” the best hope for this nation is for the body of Christ to be busy making disciples. It always has been the will of God to bring His loved ones to Himself. It has been His plan to use those who believe in His Son Jesus as Lord and Savior to help others to find Him. It is true. God does not hide Himself from those who genuinely are seeking Him.
The same is true for any group of people around the world. Any nation who pursues God will find Him. There is plenty of evidence throughout the history recorded in Old Testament scripture of God’s people being close to Him and then finding themselves away from His blessings. Each time this happened it is because they began to compromise and ultimately reject Him and His Lordship over their lives. When that did happen, the Israelites found themselves suffering at the hands of their enemies as well as suffering consequences from their sinful behavior. This did not happen because it was God’s will for them, it happened because it was their own will for themselves.
We can see, if we study the history of God’s people, that each time they strayed from Him, they would eventually come to face the truth and cry out to the Lord in repentance and He would restore them once again into His blessing. Some refer to this as the sin cycle. This sin cycle is evident with the Israelites in Old Testament scripture as well as every generation of people since Adam and Eve. Yes, even in today’s society. We individually as well as a people group or nation have been caught up in this sin cycle.
God has never changed. Sadly, neither has the human race. We still battle with sin and wrestle with the existence of God. We can have a few generations who draw near to God and surrender to His lordship and His presence is evident as peace is evident. But then there are generations who get too comfortable with His presence and all that it affords and begin to compromise. Compromise leads to neglect when it comes to our relationship with God. Ultimately, rejection is where we find ourselves. God is no longer welcome.
When a society arrives at this place of rejecting God, the peace and security is gone. Life is full of darkness and fear. Everyone begins to do what is right in his own eyes. Total chaos. All of the unthinkable ideas and acts suddenly are the norm. What has always been wrong is now right. What has always been right is now wrong. Anything that has to do with God and His will or His ways becomes the enemy of society. And it gets worse and worse as the generations come and go.
This is why it is urgent that the Body of Christ be busy about proclaiming the gospel to the lost! It is not until people start crying out to God that we as a people or a nation will begin to feel God drawing us into His presence again.
The Psalmist wrote this: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” – Psalm 33:12
This was originally written about the nation of Israel. Israel is who God chose to be His people for the purpose of bringing our Savior into the world! Then we read in the New Testament that since Jesus was crucified and resurrected completing the law, there is grace. We read in Romans that the blood of Christ is for all who will believe, Jews and Gentile. We also have plenty of evidence that it is God’s desire that all would be saved.
The Word of God is clear about who will be saved. Who will be called His children. Those who believe and call on His name. And, since God is the same yesterday, today, and forever more, I believe that the truth of Psalm 33:12 is still true and applicable to any nation whose God is Lord!
Now I do not spend a lot of energy talking about politics. However, without promoting any party, agenda, or idea, I will point out that as I watched the Republican National Convention, I heard a lot of people talking about God and praying in Jesus’ name. Some even shared the gospel before all who were tuned in! Now, I do believe that there are people who believe in every political party. What stands out to me lately is when those who are in leadership of this nation have the courage to speak about God or even say the name of Jesus publicly is a big deal. And yes, it is true that I do not know if these politicians are saying these things as a political stunt or ploy. I figure that is between them and God.
One thing I will say about it all. It is obvious to me that there are some who call on His name and some who do not. That speaks loudly to me. Mostly, because as we all have been praying for our nation, I cannot help but wonder how God will draw us back into His blessings. Because, if we look into the book of Romans again, we will see that no one gets into leadership roles without God allowing it.
So, whether or not I approve of anyone who is on the political stage or not does not much matter. God has all the authority and sovereignty to use anyone whom He will to do His work to get the attention of not only this nation but the entire World! And, because He does not answer to me or anyone else, I suggest that those of us who are part of His church should stay busy making disciples and surrendering to God’s will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven!
I pray that God will continue to show our nation the way back to Him. Whatever that looks like and whatever that takes. Meanwhile, I will make every effort to help as many as possible to have the opportunity to know Jesus and call on the name of the Lord!
To God be the Glory!
