The theme is Wake Up America – sounds like a very emphatic call for the Church. Yet most of what I have viewed today has been about Cinco De Mayo or Holocaust Remembrance. While the latter to holidays are worthy in their own right, I find a disparaging problem with America even willing to Prayer, not just for the country, church or cultural environment, but to pray period.
Isaiah 58:1 is the theme verse “Cry loudly, do not hold back; raise your voice like a trumpet, And declare to My people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins.” Obviously, the organizers have in mind a time of confession and repentance from known and secret sins, both for Israel, and the nations. But repentance happens individually. I am distraught with the cultural shift to unrestrained, unremorseful sinning for personal right and identity. I was talking with a pastor friend this week, I had to ask him, “is this the End of the Age?” He said something interesting, “I never expected things like this in my own time, but for my grandchildren’s time. I didn’t expect the change would happen so fast.”
This tells me that while he did expect a “falling away” he felt he would be okay. There is great forces of evil working and lurking over most of the world. An apathy has taken hold of people, where they just want to live out their days without fighting for what is biblical truth. The Church is a micro-cosmism of the culture, it saddens me that the Church isn’t more concerned about the Lost or the direction all of humanity is going. But rather wanting their own “felt needs” met at the expense of the generations that follow.
When I saw the theme Wake Up America, I immediately thought of Revelation 3:1-6, the church at Sardis. The dead church that thought it was alive. Jesus tells the Church to “Wake Up and strengthen that which remains, and which are about to die, for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” Pretty much the Church had started something but did not have the desire or motivation to finish the task. I think of the Great Commission as something the Church has fallen short of completing.
If like my pastor friend thinks that these are the Last Days, and the time is short, what manner of people ought the Church be? There should be a sense of urgency about us. We must declare the Gospel and the warning of God that He will come and judge the world. I know a lot of people talk about prayer, but many only talk about it. Those days have to be over – the believers of this age must intercede for the rest of humanity. Wake Up Church, let your voice be heard over the noise of the culture!
preachbetweenthelines 
How in the World do I vote?
In the last 2 years the American people have been inundated with political rhetoric and viewpoints. I have heard that many are thinking of not even voting, for they find both candidates undesirable. There is a lot of anger, stress and opposition within America. The election is important, and we all must exercise our constitution rights. Voting is more than just a right it is also a responsibility. While I agree that all eligible people should be registered and vote; there is more to voting than casting a ballot. As Believers we are commanded to respect and honor those civil authorities over us [Romans 13]. We are to “render unto Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s. We live in two worlds, as believers were are to be “pilgrims and aliens” for we seek a city whose builder and maker is God; having said that we do live life in the earthly existence so we can just ignore civil issues. I have been in a dilemma as many of you asking “how do I exercise my citizenship in America, while remaining faithful to trusting God?” Well I know that Caesar is always going to be Caesar, therefore I must seek what God’s will is in all things. Our voting responsibility means that we must be informed about each candidate, and seek to understand what God is doing in our country. As the Holy Spirit illuminates your understanding through reading and listening to the abundance of material – you have to ask “How does God want me to vote?” Let me give you two examples from scripture that will show you that God’s choice isn’t necessarily man’s choice. The first is when Israel wanted to be like all the other nations and have a king. Samuel told them they didn’t need a king, they had Jehovah. Pressed by the people, God instructed Samuel to let the people have a king. God gave them King Saul, he was the tallest and most impressive “candidate,” needless to say, Saul last a year before the Holy Spirit was removed from him by God. [1 Samuel 9-11] The second example was King Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon. The Father in heaven chose to elevate Nebuchadnezzar to a lofty position as the greatest kingdom to ever exist. God used the Babylonians as His instrument of discipline towards the unfaithful Israelites. The reigning king Zedekiah was flabbergasted that Jeremiah would proclaim such a thing to the people of Judah. The point I am trying to make is that people want a king of their own liking and supportive of their own agenda and issues. However, God is the reigning King and will remain so. We may not like what He is doing – but we must accept His judgment and person He chooses to raise to power. Now I know that the situation for my two examples is opposite. God chose Nebuchadnezzar to discipline an unfaithful, carnal people of God. They went into captivity for 70 years – only 4600 people were saved after the disciplining of God. I don’t think I have to explain the condition of America. But I do want you to know why we are in such a condition. I believe that the “Church” is the fault. The Church has followed the demise of Israel then; it stands to reason any people who refuse to live for the Lord will be the object of His punishment and anger. If we want to see the morality and ethics of our nation changed to a biblical standard, then it starts with us. We must live out what we say lives in us. Jesus Christ is the difference maker, not an elected official. I am reminded of how the early Church was persecuted terribly by the “Caesar’s” yet they turned the known would upside down with the Gospel. Who do you vote for? Be educated on the candidates, be fervent in prayer and listen to the Holy Spirit being convinced of what God in doing in our midst – then vote accordingly and leave the results to God.
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