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A Prayer for America

pray-for-AmericaPrayer prayed for the National Day of Prayer by Pastor Greg Laurie, honorary chairman for the NDOP in Washington, DC, May 2nd, 2013:

Father, we come to You to pray for our nation, the United States of America.

How You have blessed us through the years, Lord! We rightly sing, “America, America, God shed His grace on thee.” Yet we see trouble in our culture today. We see the breakdown of the family, crippling addictions, and random acts of horrific violence.

Lord, we need Your help in America. In recent days, we have done our best to remove Your Word and Your counsel from our courtrooms, classrooms, and culture. It seems, as President Lincoln once said, that we have “forgotten God.” But Lord, You have not forgotten us! You can bless and help and revive our country again.

Scripture tells us that “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Lord, in Your mercy, we ask that You would exalt our country again. We have had a number of great awakenings in America. We have experienced times of refreshing, and revivals that changed not only the spiritual but also the moral landscape. As the psalmist said, “Will You not revive us again, so that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85:6).

That is our prayer for America today, Lord. Send a mighty spiritual awakening that will turn the hearts of men and women, boys and girls, back to you. You have told us if we will humble ourselves and pray, and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways, that You will forgive our sins and heal our land (2 Chronicles7:14).

Forgive us today, Lord, and heal this troubled land that we love so much.

We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

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Counter Culture

Just last week I purchased David Platt’s new book Counter Culture. I’ve only read the introduction. It’s worth sharing (and it looks like it’s going to be a worthy read.)

DavidPlatt

What if Christ in us actually compels us to counter our culture? Not to quietly sit and watch evolving cultural trends and not to subtly shift our views amid changing cultural tides, but to courageously share and show our convictions through what we say and how we live, even (or especially) when these convictions contradict the popular positions of our day. And to do all of this not with conceited minds or calloused hearts, but with the humble compassion of Christ on constant display in everything we say and do.

Isn’t this, after all, the essence of what it means to follow Christ in the first place? “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Talk about countercultural. In a world where everything revolves around yourself–protect yourself, promote yourself, comfort yourself, and take care of yourself–Jesus says, “Crucify yourself. Put aside all self-preservation in order to live for God’s glorification, no matter what that means for you in the culture around you.”

And isn’t this, after all, the main issue in any culture? Maybe better stated, isn’t he the main issue in any culture? What if the main issue in our culture today is not poverty or sex trafficking, homosexuality or abortion? What if the main issue is God? And what might happen if we made him our focus instead? In a world marked by sex slavery and sexual immorality, the abandonment of children and the murder of children, racism and persecution, the needs of the poor and the neglect of the widow, how would we act if we fixed our gaze on the holiness, love, goodness, truth, justice, authority, and mercy of God revealed in the gospel?

Well said. I’m sure I’ll be sharing more.

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How Now Shall We Pray?

Much has been said, written and debated about last Friday’s Supreme Court decision: blurred lines about right and wrong, confusing ideas about how love wins, and foreboding realities about a court of nine whose decision mandates a country of millions. Fears abound regarding potential threats to religious freedom. Regardless of what comes next, you can do one thing: pray. That freedom can never be revoked. You can pray in a courthouse, the White House and your house. No one will hear you but God…and He’s the one who matters.

How now shall we pray?

  1. Pray for informed children. A 2010 Kaiser Family Foundation study revealed that kids spend 7 1/2 hours a day “consuming media — watching TV, listening to music, surfing the Web, social networking, and playing video games.” Apple, Yahoo, Facebook, Youtube and Google promulgated much of the errant message regarding right and wrong in the recent gay marriage campaign. Pay attention to what your children are hearing, watching and reading…and pray.
  2. Pray for faithful marriages. Inattention to a biblical definition of marriage among heterosexual couples gave way to a widespread redefinition of marriage among everyone. When one lesbian couple was asked in a CNN interview what the rings meant on their fingers they responded, “Nothing. Nothing at all. It’s just a ring.” Sadly, their view of marriage is no different than many heterosexuals’ view of marriage.
  3. Pray for Gospel clarity. Paul asked believers in Ephesus to pray for him. “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel...” (Ephesians 6:19, NIV) The good news that Jesus died for sinners, whatever their sin, and rose from the dead is inherently powerful. The proclamation of the Gospel is the hope of our country.
  4. Pray for gracious truth-telling. The new intolerance suggests that disagreement equals discrimination, that principled thinking is prejudiced thinking.  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. (Ephesians 4:15 ESV) Grownups speak truth to one another. A sign of maturity is gracious truth-telling.
  5. Pray for a genuine turnaround. Though written to a people in different circumstances, God’s message in 2 Chronicles 7:14 still resonates today: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV)

Billy Graham said, “To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees.”

It’s time to get on our knees.

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God Will Have His Way

Eli, Israel’s priest was aged and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas were worthless rebels. Rather than assist in the temple worship they gorged themselves on the sacrifices. They mocked worship and blasphemed God. Eli, who knew better, only helped them. Israel’s future depended on a gluttonous priest and his two spoiled brat sons. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision. (1 Samuel 3:1 ESV) Even God had gone quiet.

But God will have his way.

What Israel didn’t know was who God had waiting in the wings. He wasn’t a decorated general or a celebrated politician. He didn’t run a Fortune 500 company or lead a major non-profit organization. He was a boy–his name Samuel. Born from the former barren womb of the anguished Hannah, she gave him to God. Little did she know that her boy would step up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with two outs. God called little Samuel to a big task.  And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” (1 Samuel 3:10 ESV)

God will have his way.

Within a short time of Samuel’s call, Israel fell to the Philistines. In a day 30,000 Israelites died, including Hophni and Phinehas. When Eli heard the news, he collapsed and died of a broken neck. Why did God judge Israel? Because Eli refused to discipline his sons. Why? Because he refused to heed God’s warnings. Phinehas’s wife was pregnant. When she heard the news of the defeat of the Israelites and the death of her husband, she went into labor. She aptly (and sadly) named her baby boy Ichabod saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!”

But God will have his way.

God called Samuel. Samuel answered God’s call. Though God’s glory had departed from Israel, his love for Israel had not waned.

And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD. (1 Samuel 3:19-21 ESV)

I am convinced that the answer for our country’s woes will not come from a politician. It definitely won’t come from media moguls or dot.com executives.  Somewhere in the shadows is a Samuel.

Because God will always have his way.

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Why Marriage Matters

“So what’s the big deal?” you may be thinking. Why does it matter that the Supreme Court presumably “redefined” marriage? Consider the following realities about marriage:

  1. Marriage predates civilization. God invented marriage. It is astounding to think that God deemed all of creation good until the sixth day. Then, with Adam in the middle of paradise and even with no hint of sin, God said it “is not good” for man to be alone. So he put Adam to sleep, removed a rib and created Eve. Marriage was God’s design before government ever regulated it.
  2. Marriage replenishes civilization. Once God created Adam and subsequently Eve he gave clear instructions: Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28, ESV) Every boy or girl since Adam came from the womb of a woman and the seed of a man.
  3. Marriage prefigures Christ and the church. Jesus refers to the church as his “bride.” It is interesting that Scripture begins with a wedding (between Adam and Eve) and ends with a wedding (the marriage supper of the Lamb). The story of redemption is one large unfolding romance between a God who is crazy about us, the Son he sends to rescue us, and the bride he makes us to be.
  4. Marriage is the ultimate love relationship. Ravi Zacharias aptly says, “Love is given one word in English but there are four words in Greek. Agape is God’s love. Phileo is friendship love. Storge is protective love. Eros is romantic love. Marriage is the only relationship that pulls all four of these together. When you say “I do” to the one you’re saying “I don’t” to all the others. When you say “I will” to the one you’re saying “I won’t” to all the others. Any departure from that beauty and sacredness of the full confluences of love is not the biblical notion of what it means it to be married.”

The Supreme Court may misconstrue marriage but they cannot redefine it.  God made his opening statement in Genesis 2 and his closing argument in Revelation 19.

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. (Revelation 19:6-8 ESV)

That wedding day will come. God has never lost a case.

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How Now Shall We Act?

In light of Friday’s Supreme Court decision Christians find ourselves in a predicament. The new reality in America today suggests that, if you do not agree with the Supreme Court’s decision, you are intolerant, prejudiced or even bigoted. Is it possible to disagree without disrespecting, to love without compromising? I say “yes” if we practice the following five principles:

  1. Stay anchored in God’s Word. Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32 ESV)  Right is still right and wrong is still wrong–and right and wrong are found in God’s Word.
  2. Speak the truth in love.  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV) The church has always swam upstream, gone against the flow, spoken into the ills of its day. This time is no different.
  3. Remember love is always right.  So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV) While those outside Christianity struggle to understand this paradigm, it is possible and necessary to love sinners while speaking out against sin.
  4. Don’t confuse people with politics. Friday’s decision was more politically motivated than people oriented. As Christians we must never confuse the two. Paul said, “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22 ESV)
  5. Remember who you are. While the church has become the whipping boy for many problems in the world, the church has been and still is the source of feeding the poor, clothing the naked, starting hospitals, ministering to the desperately sick in developing countries, responding to natural disasters all over the world, defending freedom, fighting sex slavery, loving orphans…you get my point.  Jesus, the hero and object of our faith, had this to say. Let his words resonate in your mind and hearts today: Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. (John 15:20-22 ESV)

Martin Luther said, “Anyone who is to find Christ must first find the church. How could anyone know where Christ is and what faith is in him unless he knew where his believers are?” Let’s be the church.

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How Now Shall We Think?

With Friday’s news of the Supreme Court’s decision regarding gay marriage, questions abound.  What is marriage? Why is marriage so important?  How can a court of nine people make such a weighty decision for 320 million people? What will this mean for Christians (and other religious people) who disagree, not on the basis of prejudice but conviction? As I write this blog, the color bar at the top of my WordPress screen is the color of a rainbow. Google’s home page has this statement, “YouTube and Google are proud to celebrate marriage equality. #ProudtoLove.” Today, the White House’s Facebook page colored the White House with the colors of a rainbow.

With so many loud voices, how now shall we think?

What is marriage? Friday the high court weighed in on something that predated the existence of this country and the existence of American culture and all other cultures. As Christians we believe that God created the world, then he created marriage. God created man and woman and determined early that marriage should be between a man and a woman. For this reason marriage is called sacred. As such it is the pillar of civilization, the cornerstone of societies. Jesus affirmed the centrality of marriage (Mark 10, Matthew 19) and even considers the church to be his bride. In his earthly role he assumes the position of the bridegroom wooing us to himself. When the foundational fiber of civilizations is redefined by a court of nine people for a nation of 320 million, what happens to the course of that nation?

How can a court of nine people make such a weighty decision for 320 million Americans? I turn to Ravi Zacharias for help. Zacharias, referring to Paul Tillich’s philosophy of cultures, says we must determine which culture we are. We have three choices.

  • Theonomous culture (theos:God; nomos:law) The law of God is so embedded in our hearts that we all think in the same categories. The culture of India (with Hinduism) approaches this.  We don’t believe in theonymous culture in the west.
  • Heteronymous culture (heteros:another; nomos:law)  The mainstream of the culture is dictated to by the leadership at the top. If you look at Marxism in secular terms it is a heteronymous culture. The handful controls the masses. Islam (Saudi Arabia, Iran)–the people at the top tell the masses what they will do.
  • Autonomous culture (autos:self; nomos:law)  Each person dictates their own moral prerogatives. Zacharias talks about a conversation with someone who disagreed with his opinion: “If we are an autonomous culture and I answer your question are you going to give me the privilege of my autonomy too, or as soon as I give you my answer you will switch to a heteronymous mode and dictate for me what I must believe as well?” That is the sociological dilemma. If A disagrees with B, B wants to enforce his/her principles upon A.

The court’s decision on Friday was a heteronymous expression of power. The leadership at the top dictated how 320 million people must think. Rather than allow states to hold referendums and the people’s voices be heard, nine people attempted to redefine a building block of civilization. As an autonomous culture, this should greatly concern us.

How Now Shall We Think? 

I appreciate the words of George Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God:

Politics reflects culture, and culture reflects religion. If you are concerned with the political drift of American culture, preach the gospel! As it sends out roots in the lives of believers, the seed of the gospel will change hearts and minds.

You are privileged citizens of a blessed nation. Use your citizenship well! Seek the common good. Advocate for the last, the lost, and the least. Speak the truth in love. And vote for candidates and issues that reflect a biblical perspective on issues. The difference in so many conflicts in American politics and culture turns on who turns out to vote.

If you are troubled with the Supreme Court’s decision, keep perspective! In this and every other matter, always remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ:

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

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Ask Great Things of a Great God

ask-god-for-help

O FOUNTAIN OF ALL GOOD,

Destroy in me every lofty thought,
Break pride to pieces and scatter it
to the winds,
Annihilate each clinging shred of
self-righteousness,
Implant in me true lowliness of spirit,
Abase me to self-loathing and self-abhorrence,
Open in me a fount of penitential tears,
Break me, then bind me up;
Thus will my heart be a prepared dwelling
for my God;
Then can the Father take up his abode in me,
Then can the blessed Jesus come with healing
in his touch,
Then can the Holy Spirit descend in
sanctifying grace;
O Holy Trinity, three Persons and one God,
inhabit me, a temple consecrated to thy glory.
When thou art present, evil cannot abide;
In thy fellowship is fullness of joy,
Beneath thy smile is peace of conscience,
By thy side no fears disturb,
no apprehensions banish rest of mind,
With thee my heart shall bloom with fragrance;
Make me meet, through repentance,
for thine indwelling.
Nothing exceeds thy power,
Nothing is too great for thee to do,
Nothing too good for thee to give.
Infinite is thy might, boundless thy love,
limitless thy grace, glorious thy saving name.
Let angels sing for
sinners repenting,
prodigals restored,
backsliders reclaimed,
Satan’s captives released,
blind eyes opened,
broken hearts bound up,
the despondent cheered,
the self-righteous stripped,
the formalist driven from a refuge of lies,
the ignorant enlightened,
and saints built up in their holy faith.
I ask great things of a great God.

From the Valley of Vision, a book of Puritan prayers.

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Everyone in Everything

…just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:33 ESV)

Taking Scripture out of context is dangerous. If you read 10:33 without reading 10:31, you will become the quintessential chameleon–blending in everywhere you go, pleasing everyone you know, becoming whoever you’re with. So here goes verse 31:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

If God’s glory is your highest aim, pleasing others can be your second aim. You will please God and others. If God’s glory is your highest goal, then pleasing others can be your second goal and you won’t become a “people pleaser.” For Paul it is a question of motive. Why does he please everyone in everything?

“…that they may be saved.” 

Paul glorifies God and pleases others hoping that it will result in the salvation of others. This is why a believing wife will respect her unbelieving husband–not seeking her own advantage–but hoping that he may be saved. This is the reason the father of a wayward child will appear to capitulate–not seeking his own advantage—but wishing that his son may be saved. This is why a friend will bend over backward to help an unbelieving friend–not seeking her own advantage–but praying that her friend will be saved.

Who is your everyone? What is the everything you can do so that he or she may be saved?

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3 Questions to Ask Before You Act

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24 ESV)

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

  1. Will this help the other person? Will what you are about to do satisfy a need (not necessarily a want) of the person for whom you plan to do it? Meeting every “want” someone has ultimately ends up hurting, not helping. Helping requires discernment. Sometimes people around you view wants as needs. Your “no’s” may be as critical as your “yeses.”
  2. Will the other person be better because of what I am about to do? To build up literally means to “build a house.” Will what you are doing add to the other person? This requires having a vision for the other person that sees them not only as they are but as who they can be. In parenting, Smalley and Trent call this “picturing a special future.” If you’re a leader at work, you see your staff member as a supervisor, shift leader, or vice-president. If you’re a teacher, you see your student walking across the stage and graduating one day.
  3. Will this glorify God? A simple non-theological way to approach this question is: will God’s reputation be enhanced because of what you are about to do or say? Will your actions make his name greater? When all is said and done, will people talk more about you or about God?