When a nation is in crisis we can either see what God sees for the nation, and align our hearts and thoughts with Him, or we can be overwhelmed by circumstances and allow offense and cynicism to take control of our heart. We can see how God sees and have faith, or we can see evil and tragedy without discernment - and lose faith. There is no in-between place for the heart of a Christian.
How do we respond to such a crisis? Does the word of God have anything relevant to say about such a crisis?
As I’ve been thinking and recording my prayer list for 2019 (in the Every Nation prayer and fasting devotional guide), I find myself in a common dilemma: how ambitious should I make my prayer list?
Do I pray for abundant provision, or do I pray for daily bread and wisdom to steward it well?
I wrote this in response to the shootings in Oregon a couple years ago – almost two years exactly. Some thought it was helpful, so I share it here in light of the shootings in Las Vegas, which has been called “the worst mass shooting in U.S. recorded history.”
Jesus is building his church.
Jesus’ church knows no borders. It is not confined by time, language, culture, or politics.
Jesus’ church has stood the test of time. It cannot be stopped by force, political pressure, or even political correctness. It has weathered tumultuous years and lived through multiple heretical diseases.
Jesus has been building his church, is building his church, and will continue to build his church (Matt. 16:18) until he returns in glory to redeem his bride. And absolutely nothing and no one can get in his way.
Three years before my father passed away, he turned to Christ for salvation. It was amazing, actually. My dad had quite a temper prior to his conversion. My childhood memories of his displays of anger still echo in my mind. Though my grandmother was a strong believer, Dad never showed interest in Christianity. In fact, he first believed that many routes lead to God; “we’re just following different paths,” he told me.
Revival is a gift from heaven. We don’t work it up. God sends it down. When Jonathan Edwards described the awakening in his church, he had to use words like "surprising," "extraordinary" and "astonishing." The Bible says of the early church that "awe came upon every soul" (Acts 2:43). We can’t program that into our worship: 10:45 AM – Awe comes upon every soul.
Since revival is of God, we should pray for it. But how? The Bible teaches us how to pray: Isaiah 63:15-64:12 is a biblical prayer for revival.
When a nation is in crisis we can either see what God sees for the nation, and align our hearts and thoughts with Him, or we can be overwhelmed by circumstances and allow offense and cynicism to take control of our heart. We can see how God sees and have faith, or we can see evil and tragedy without discernment - and lose faith. There is no in-between place for the heart of a Christian.
How do we respond to such a crisis? Does the word of God have anything relevant to say about such a crisis?
