"What to Pray For Regarding Our Nation" from may 31 2015

"What to Pray For Regarding Our Nation"

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Many are praying for a revival to stay off judgment citing Joel in the bible (if my people repent... heal their land) but forget a few points: 1) This was said specifically to the Jews, his people, and about Israel, their land, no one else. 2) For this to even apply to America we would have to be not ‘A’ Christian nation but ‘THE’ Christian nation. There are more Christians in Africa then citizens in the US. Even the official numbers in Asia and the ME are almost 3/4 of our population. No where are Christians promised a nation of there own as our citizenship is in HEAVEN. that is ‘our land’. 3) To apply the promises of Israel to the church comes directly out of replacement theology and applying them to America comes out of British-Israelism. Replacement theology is the foolish idea that God is done, finished, completely over Israel and has transferred the promises to her from Israel to the church. British –Israelism is a off shoot claiming Britain and America have replace Israel and have her blessings. BOTH of the ideas are heresy! 4) The American church is very divided. The biggest division is not Protestant/Catholic but Liberal – Progressive/Conservative. Within the conservative side are those who hold to the truth of the bible and God’s unalterable laws (fundamentalists) and those who mostly believe the bible but to fit a changing society ”discover” that certain passages have been misinterpreted all these years. Even on the Liberal – Progressive side there are those who basically believe none of the bible, yet dare to call themselves Christian and in doing so misrepresent Christ to people making people converts to a false Christianity and those who differ on their interpretation of the bible greatly but honestly believe they are doing God’s will. They fight against God, in the name of God, believing they are doing the will and work of God. With such division in the church, even if you would transfer that promise of healing land to us, there is no agreement that A) Repentance is necessary or B) If it is for what do we repent of? Couple that with part of the church actually praying for the very things that bring judgment - gay marriage (marriage equality), abortion (reproductive freedom), out of wedlock sex (sexual freedom) and a host of other sins (also called freedoms or equalities) how could a church-wide message of repentance even be sent?? It can’t. 

 

America is dying a death of a thousand cuts – slowly and agonizingly bleeding to death. The best prayer I can think of is that he judge the country quickly and thoroughly and that the remaining people then turn to God. America would probably be a bunch of nations of a few states each but if those nations throw out sin and throw out satan and come humbly to God then maybe his blessings will flow again here in what was America and those remaining after the judgment can help each other survive till the second coming.

 

A verse to keep in mind also is “do not pray for these people I will not listen”. I am reminded of this verse when people talk of praying for congress or for the president.

 

God’s glory can be demonstrated two ways – in blessings and curses/judgments. Since the nation is too far gone for his blessings let us pray for his judgment to shine forth his glory. If we can no longer be the “shining city on a hill” to the world let us be the “smoldering ruins” that shows that God is still on his throne and still running the universe.

 

Paul Wilson