Prayer: Praying for America

Prayer: Praying for America

The text that follows is notes from a sermon I preached last Sunday, October25, at Bible Heritage Church. 

Next Sunday I plan to preach on Praying for the Election.

Proverbs 14: 34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

Text: 2 Chronicles 7:11-22. Scriptures from the English Standard Version of the Holy Bible.

If My People Pray

11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king's house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the LORD and in his own house he successfully accomplished. 12 Then the LORD appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 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. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 17 And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, 18 then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, 'You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.'

19 "But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will pluck you up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

21 And at this house, which was exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished and say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?' 22 Then they will say, 'Because they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore he has brought all this disaster on them.'"

We’ve all read or heard of 2 Corinthians 7:14 – “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.”

This was the promise God gave to King Solomon, son of David, concerning the endurance of his Kingdom.

Some people believe that America is a second Israel. I’m not sure of that, but it is possible to compare any kingdom which obeys God to Israel. Likewise, any nation which disobeys God can expect to be destroyed, just like Israel. God allowed Babylon to wipe out the nation He loved because it disobeyed the commandments of the Lord.

America is not following God’s commandments now! If God allowed Israel to be overthrown, how can America expect to be spared?

America, and Americans, are and have been blessed more than any modern nation. Yet America acts as though the blessings are because of her own greatness and  Power. Israel, Judah, Jerusalem, and even Solomon’s magnificent Temple were literally wiped out. Then, after the restoration of Jerusalem under the returned exiles, and again by Herod in his time, the temple (and the city) was destroyed again. If we believe in the God of heaven, we should understand that the greatness of America will be destroyed as well. Europe was virtually destroyed in WWII. An evangelist, missionary, and expert in Christian Education visited Europe after that terrible war. She expressed the belief that Europe had been destroyed because she had forsaken God. She went on to say that if America continues to walk away from God, America, too, can expect the same judgment. Many expositors of the Bible, and scholars of Eschatology, hold that there is a reason why America is not mentioned in the end time prophesies. That reason is that America will not be there.

Christians need now, more than ever before, to pray (earnestly, fervently) for America. If America was ordained to spread the Gospel, but now has turned away from the will of God to do according to the will of man. Be that as it may, it is imperative that we pray for the true soul of this nation.

[From my devotions October 27, 2020 I read the following verses in 2 Chronicles 15:

1 The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, 2 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

America needs to hear and do what the prophet said].

The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6: 10-20,

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

[I have in my Old Scofield Bible an outline on this scripture which is adapted from a sermon preached by an old time Pentecostal preacher. I used it once as a devotion in Bible Class at HBC. My Homiletics teacher, Rev. James Newton, recognized the source!]

Jude, the brother or kinsman of the Lord Jesus, wrote (Jude 3-7) :

3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day-- 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

What then, is the prayer that we should pray for America?

2 Chronicles 7:14 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.

A prayer of Confession

A prayer of Repentance

A prayer of Supplication—earnestly praying for God to save our nation.

It is also a Prayer of Faith

Jesus Calls and Commissions His Disciples

In the Biblical book of Matthew, among other things, Matthew tells of how the Lord Jesus trained His followers. While reading the ninth and tenth chapters of this notable book, I observed that in the ninth chapter there is a succession of paragraphs which involve training experiences, concluding with His call for the disciples to "pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

This is followed by His calling and instructing the twelve for what might be termed a training mission among the Jews of the region. Others are not included in this mission, but the call to go into all the world comes later. I encourage you to  read both of these chapters, but here is part of His training as stated in Matthew 10: 1.-14

The Twelve Apostles

1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.

2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,

6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

9 Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts,

10 no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.

12 As you enter the house, greet it.

13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

Read the remainder of Chapter 10 for more of His training style.

I hope that this speaks to you as it does to me!

Don Watson

 

A Prayer for "the Holidays"

A Prayer for the Holidays

Our Heavenly Father,

We thank you for the blessings of your Grace.

As we celebrate the time we know as “the holidays,” may we focus our hearts upon you.

May our Thanksgiving be authentic, may our Christmas truly about Christ, and may we prepare for a new year of service to you.

Forgive us for our misdeeds.

In your Wonderful Name,

Amen.

Have a Glorious Resurrection Sunday!

Easter:   The Resurrection

As far as I know, the word “Easter” is mentioned one time in the King James Version of the New  Testament. It appears to be a mistranslation of the Greek Word, “Pascha,” [Passover]. There is not absolute agreement on the origin of “Easter,” But this one reference seems to have become the title for the observance of Jesus’ resurrection among Christians. It may be too late to rename it, as it is used so widely in society as a whole as well as in churches to designate the Christian holiday.

I have a growing inclination to refer to the Christian holiday as “Resurrection Sunday.” I’ve been using that as a greeting rather than “Happy Easter.” People whom I have greeted this way have reacted with smiles and pleasantries. There is nothing more important in the Calendar of the Christian Church than the Resurrection of our Savior. The Apostle Paul said,

13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:13-17, KJV).

So! I want to wish you a glorious RESURRECTION SUNDAY!

Donald Watson,

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and is AIVE forevermore!

"Good Friday"

Today is known, in Christian History as “Good Friday.”

It is the day which is commemorated as the day of the Crucifixion of The Lord Jesus Christ. I have doubts about His being crucified on Friday, but I do not have any doubts that He was crucified. After many other Biblical references to His crucifixion, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:3,4:  

3 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,”

Two great truths: Jesus was 1) crucified and buried, and 2) He was raised on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures.

 In Speaking of Abraham’s faith, Paul tells us in Romans 4:  

23 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It

will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was

delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

 His body lay in the tomb for three days, and three nights. On the morning of the third day, when the day

was dawning,  He arose from death, from the grave, and He is alive forevermore!

That third day. Commonly known as Easter, but a far better name is Resurrection Sunday!

Donald Watson

Scriptures are from the English Standard Version