We have just seen one of the greatest unbelievable things happen to America. I want to make some very strong statements that will be a test of my own strength as a born again, Bible believing Minister of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we have now seen the horrific events that has touched our nation, we are now in the shock of the after-math.
My intentions are not to be critical, nor bias. There are some issues that must be brought to the forefront for people to see some needful truths.
On Sunday September 16th I stood in my pulpit and preached the following message at Lamb Worship Assembly.
What shall America do?
Text: Daniel 1:8
“ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he should not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”
In the recent past few days we have seen the worst moments that have embraced the nation. We are now dealing with our fears, un-beliefs and uncertainties. As Americans we have been called to a moment of facing a new challenge. We face an enemy that has not changed. He maybe seen as a tyrant, selfish, and devilish in human form. Our government may seek to overcome this tyrant, but we must remember only the human identification can be reckoned with military powers. We must remember that we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities, and powers of the air. We must acknowledge that this is more than some man called “Holy War,” but a battle that has raged from the early period of time. The master mind of all evil has launched an attack on God and His creation.
What we saw on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 will change America. It has now caused a wound so deep that only time, and God can heal. As we continue to wait for the death count, and the endless stories of how many people spent their last minutes alive. Let us not allow our hearts to forget the real moment of truth is yet to be heard. It will not be how many bombs we drop. Nor will it be how many military strikes that are successful. Nor the day of victory will be the highlight of glory as our warriors come home and parade the streets of America. What is the truth we wait to hear? It will be the endless testimonies of those that turned to God in those moments of hopelessness. Those that where in the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, and the four airline flights, the many rescue workers, and the families, news reporters, the families of the many fallen. The soldiers that shall arise to conquer this fleshly enemy. May our prayers, and the testimonies of these be that “Heaven Hath Enlarged Herself,” and that the “ Kingdom of God shall be birthed in many.”
Again I ask the question “What shall America Do? I must speak what the prophet Daniel stated in Chapter1 verse 8. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”
We must purpose in our hearts that we will not allow these things to defile us. As believer’s we must arise out of sleep. Rev. Franklin Graham stated this week, “We were caught asleep.” It is easy for us to live in our comfort zones of our homes, church walls and our free society. We have slipped away with the heritage of this being a Godly Christian nation. We have found ourselves asleep with the Master doing the praying. Our comforts, privileges of being an American has been the lullaby that sung us asleep. The disciples were with the Christ when he went to pray, He would return to find them asleep.
Today we must arise, arise from our sleep and slumber from our sleep. The things of this past week have caused us to arise and wash our faces. Our faces have been washed with our many tears of sorrow. We have now moved into a new awakened unity. Our churches, leaders, and families have united in the call to prayer.
If our hearts are to remain purposed with to do no defilement we must first come to God in Repentance. Our Nation has sinned. We have forgotten God. In Psalms 9:17 we find these words. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Also, we have the exhortation and blessing of Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. We are being told that righteousness brings blessing, and sin is more than an embarrassment. We have not been embarrassed with our sin. We are open to God’s judgment when we will not repent. Our prayer must be first of Repentance! Then we must continue our communication to God for a fresh relationship with a loving and caring Heavenly Father. To use the word ‘Purpose’ we are declaring the following.... “we intend, we make a resolution, to decide, and be determined.
Our first point of ‘Purpose’ must be as God exhorted King Solomon. II Chronicles 7:14, we hear God saying the following. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” We first must acknowledge whether we are His children. Are we a believer? Can we be identified with Him? Is there enough evidence that would convict us of being a Bible Believing Born Again person. Have we had a Romans 10:9 experience. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Another important issue is our need of being humble. This situation of crisis may humble many, but until we are willing to humble ourselves before the Mighty Throne of God we will not see the ultimate promise of II Chronicle 7:14. Surely this situation in our nation has brought light to us of our need to repent, and humble ourselves. Again we must say what God said to King Solomon, Repent, turn from your wicked ways.
With God’s exhortation He also promises healing for our land. We need healing. Only God and time will heal the horrific lost of this attack on America. Our turning to God is the answer for healing. Prayer is the way we began to turn and find ourselves humbling before God. Our uniting in Prayer as families, and churches and nations is a way to reach out to each other.
This past week we have had the call from our President to come to prayer. With this thought we must give honor to our President. For we have seen Him pray in the mist of this crisis. He surely has lead the way. Many churches have opened their doors for daily prayer. Many have schedules prayer meetings. We have seen many clergy go right to ground zero at the Twin Towers to pray with many of those in this moment of need.
But sadly we must say that a spirit of hypocrisy is present even in the moment of prayer. We hear those that want to be politically correct making the statement, let us have a moment of silence. Oh I don’t apologize for the following observation. We allow our Supreme Court to make laws that say our students can’t pray publicly in the School. Then people want God in the time of need. Our schools get shot up, the cry is pray! Let’s wake up Americans, yes we have been identified to long with the Master praying and we are asleep. Supreme Court issue a degree that prayer can be in the classroom of our schools. We don’t need a spirit of Religion, we don’t need your political correctness. It stinks in the face of God Almighty. We don’t need moments of Silence. We need Prayer!
Our School Superintendent of our county sends letters to churches for us to pray for the school system last year 2000-2001. Then on the Friday September 14th, 2001, the next school year our students are asked to have a moment of silence. On Monday September 17th 2001 the Stock Market re-opens with a moment of Silence. We have had to many moments of Silence. It is time to arise and PRAY!
Why do we have to be ashamed to Pray. God has asked us to. Our President Bush has requested it. Yes, we have been silent to long. Arise America, let the silence be disturbed, Arise Church, Arise Student, be heard the silence must be broken.
Supreme Court of our Beloved land act and not be silent. Declare pray to be heard in our schools again. Congress, and Senate of this land be no more silent, nor hypocritical in your chambers with having prayer, but not in our schools. The moment of silence is over. We must arise to the moment and Pray. God said if my people will pray, not have a moment of silence we would see a forgiveness of our sins, and our land healed. We need some Daniels that will ‘Purpose’ not to be silent, but pray. For Daniel didn’t cease to pray when the King of his day made the degree for a moment of silence.
In reference to the opportunity of prayer, we have a weapon that will fight the forces that are our real enemies. We need to examine what King Hezekiah did in II Kings 19:14-19. “And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. LORD bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.”
What a prayer from the King of Judah, King Hezekiah. Doesn’t sound like a moment of silence to me. We have been encouraged by President Bush to Pray. Let’s Pray, not have a moment of Silence.
Look at the revelation of this prayer by King Hezekiah. The King gets a royal piece of mail that is not good news. The King of Assyria has plans to come and besiege Judah. This is around 701 B.C. in the history of the Nation of Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. King Hezekiah goes to the house of God and lays the letter on the altar. God is asking America to lay it all on the altar. This means we are total surrendering to Him.
Our nation has been attacked, look our gods have been torn down. We had majestic buildings that housed our economic image. Our fortress in Washington, D.C. has been cast to the fire. Have these been gods to us? Were we so powerful in our own resources, and military defense that we became blind to the enemy. Maybe the real moment of silence has been disrupted by our own spiritually blindness .
As Americans and believers let us arise from the threat of the enemy, and his attack. We must go to the altar and lay it all there. God is our only hope. Only God can heal this, and bring us Victory. In the mean time our gods have crumpled, and the cost has been horrific. What shall we do? We must be ‘purposed.’ Now is the time to turn to God alone, and stay in His ways.
Theses past weeks the out pouring of concern has been glorious. We have seen many people work, and labor to comfort the bereaved. Many have gave blood, the rescue workers have more than laid their lives on the line. Strangers, all being Americans have become one in mind to pull through this horror. Clergy have died in the ground zero zone to comfort and pray with those in need. With all this said the church must remember the Words of Jesus about the harvest. In John chapter 4:35 we read, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
What is Jesus telling us. This is harvest time! Right now people are hungry to know God. Our churches were filled yesterday the Sunday after the attack. People are needing to hear us tell them the good news, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As Dr. Billy Graham arose and shared about the hope that lays in the message of the cross and resurrection at the National Cathedral on Friday at the Day of Prayer and Remembrance.
Must we regard not the commission that our Master has given us to accomplish. We now have the interest of people to talk about these happenings in the office, in the store, and places of random gathering. Peoples minds are on what is happening, what is going to happen. I’ll guarantee that the news cast ratings are the highest in years as people listen to what is happening. Church let us arise to take the conversation to the most important place. Take people to the place of sharing the cross, and resurrection. That we have an eternal hope in God our Father through Jesus Christ His Son. Don’t be ashamed to speak of Christ now. BREAK THE SILENCE! I have had the opportunity to speak of Christ more this past week than ever. I have sat among fellow employees, in restaurants spoke to the Waitress, Cooks and witnessed of our Lord. The other day I had the opportunity to share to three people at once. I told them that it was time to be prepared for the coming of the Lord. It is time for people to repent and trust Christ as Savior. I shared that many people are praying, and many people are believers in God, but have never took Jesus to be their Savior, their Lord. As I shared God’s Word with these three, one of them said it is giving me cold chills to think about this, it is cold in this room. I didn’t let the point of directness pass. I looked at that person in the eye, and stated, “No, it’s not cold in this room, but you are feeling God’s touch. He is speaking to you. The lady then said I hope I will be ready. I didn’t get her to make a decision that I am aware of at this time, but she heard the truth and knows that God was there.
I heard on Sunday, September 16 that one ministry that has a prayer line on the internet has had at least 1,000, pray to become believers. Praise God!!! Heaven is enlarging herself, the Kingdom of God is being birthed within many. No, all may not “Call upon the Lord for Salvation,” but we have surely “White Fields,” The Harvest is Now!
As I ponder our though once again, “What shall America Do?” I must again also ask the question, “What is our purpose? Will we be purposed with the proper truth of this hour? I must say if we ever need to ask the question that Pilate ask as Jesus stood before him in judgment, it is within the hour we now live. Pilate asked in the Gospel of John chapter 18:38, “What is truth?”
Truth must be what the church, the saints of God ring loud and clear in this hour. We must be purposed for such a task. The commission our Lord is clear, that we speak and give the message of Truth. The harvest is ready to be reaped. “Heaven is ready to be enlarged, and the Kingdom of God birthed in many.” Truth will be the first step to unlocking the door. But if we sit by and let this moment, this hour pass we will miss the greatest opportunity to be a witness of Truth.
People are looking for truth right now. They are seeking the truth about why could this happen to America? Why must thousands of innocent lives be so quickly snuffed out in such an act of hate and cowardly actions? Many are asking the question how does this fit into Bible prophecy? Others seek to know is this another sign that the end is near? While others ask is God really out there, why would He allow such as this to happen? Surely, this doesn’t exhaust the questions, but we know that many are looking for truth in this hour.
If Truth must be another point of being purposed were do we start with this great task? First we must pray again. What shall we pray? As a church we must pray what the Master, our Lord Jesus Christ instructed His disciples. Look at what Jesus told them in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 9:37-38, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; PRAY ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.
Revealed to us in those two verses are the following principles of truth for the harvest. First we learn who is the one responsible for the harvest. The Lord is the one responsible. We have the mentality so much of the time that it is our harvest. We must orchestrate the harvest with our programs and man-made isms. Don’t misunderstand me, I believe in having a strong evangelism program in the church. Thank God for Evangelistic tools we have today. Great Doctors and Theologians such as Dr. D. James Kennedy, and Dr. Avery Dunn have placed two great pieces of equipment to teach Biblical principles of Soul winning, and evangelism instruction. Even then we must be reminded the heart beat of the harvest is God’s heart. For God’s first motivation shown in His Word is that He loved us. We all know what John 3:16 says, and the confirmation of Roman 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
While we where stinking, unrighteous, God rejecters, errors of the truth, liars, murders, fornicators, etc..... God loved us. God took responsibility for the restoring of His crown creation, mankind. After such a rebellious move of disobedience of Adam and Eve. They walked away from, they turned from the TRUTH of God’s Word, and the promises that God had for them and mankind.
Another point of God being responsible for the harvest must be considered. The Lord of the harvest as the scripture states is He that must give the seed. First Peter 1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” We see that the seed that produces the working of being born again is the none other than that of being God’s Word. Seed brings forth fruit. We are to be first fruits of God. James chapter 1:18 states, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth (the seed) that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. In Jesus’ parable teachings reminds us what the seed is. Luke 8:11, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.”
So, it is very important that God is the one ultimately responsible for the harvest. He orchestrates the full accomplishment of it’s coming about. It is God’s divine will, plan, and heartbeat to have a harvest. To restore, rebirth His Creation to a new Creation in and by His Son Jesus Christ.
