30 Days of Prayer~~Day 28~~One Nation Under God~~Here We Come

 

Staring into the Belly-Button of the Giant

                              Staring into the Belly Button of the Giant 

Have you ever wondered what is must have been like for David to challenge Goliath? Did David’s heart pound as he sized up the giant? When they stood facing each other, was David’s head much higher than Goliath’s belly button? Have you ever faced a “giant” in your life?

I have, almost every day the last year and a half. I’ve been overwhelmed with the “giant” which has been attacking the moral fiber of our nation, stripping us of our Christian liberties and announcing to the world that the United States of America is no longer a Christian nation. Discouragement and disgust have pierced my heart and I’ve wondered, How could this have happened? The answer is summed up in a statement I heard years ago, “All that is needed for the forces of evil to succeed is for enough good men to remain silent” (Anonymous).

Unfortunately in the past, I’ve been one of the silent—but not any more. I believe that God created this nation to take the gospel to the world. I believe that this is One nation, under God and that we can keep it that way—IF we all pull together in prayer and take action immediately. There’s no time to waste. Our religious freedoms are vanishing before our eyes. If we don’t make our voices heard now, we may not have another chance.

“What can I do?” you might ask, as you stand overwhelmed, staring into the belly button of the giant named “Discouragement.” First, let’s look at what David did. Instead of being overwhelmed by the size and ferocity of the giant, he focused on how big God is and how He’d rescued David in the past. Secondly, David refused to listen to the peer pressure which tried to discourage David by saying, “Who do you think you are? You are just one scrawny boy.” Let’s take the word discouragement apart: it’s dis courage, or no courage, not empowered. Discouragement makes a person feel like they are a hopeless and helpless victim before they get started. So what did David do? He knew that God was standing behind him. He refused to listen to things and people who discouraged him; rather he focused on succeeding because he knew God as a mighty and powerful deliverer. Then David called on the Name of the Lord and acted as if he couldn’t fail.

You might say, “That’s great for David, but what can I do?” Here are a couple things where you can start:

1. Pray: 1 Tim 2:1-4 NIV says, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ^ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ^ who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”^[1]

 

Billy Graham’s son Franklin says, “I believe our nation is in a perilous spiritual state. We must pray. We must call on God to heal our land, forgive our sins, and lead us in the path of righteousness.” Join thousands of folks across the nation praying the prayer that Franklin Graham wrote for the National Day of Prayer http://nationaldayofprayer.org/coordinators/updates/

1. 2.      Let your voice be heard: Email has made making our voices heard simple. With a click of a mouse and a few seconds time, we can send letters to our congressmen and other leaders, urging them to vote the way we need them to. I’ve listed several links below of organizations which keep folks abreast of the latest developments which affect Christians and Christian values. By getting on their email lists you’ll be able to stay tuned on pressing Christian issues. 
2. 3.      Take action: Stand for Christian values & virtues—get informed and involved about your local issues and national issues—in spite of peer pressure.
3. 4.      Join together making a stand: Have you heard about the Manhattan Declaration? I was thrilled when I heard about it. Here’s why, it bridges the gap between different religions: “The goal of those who released the Manhattan Declaration is to build a movement of Catholic, Evangelical, and Eastern Orthodox Christians who will stand together alongside other men and women of goodwill to advance the sanctity of life, rebuild and revitalize the marriage culture, and to protect religious liberty.” Visit www.manhattandeclaration.org to read the declaration and, if you agree, sign it and share it with others. Signators include a list of high-profile people including: Chuck Colson, Jim Daly (Focus on the Family), Dr. James Dobson, Josh McDowell, etc.

 

Join me and refuse to be discouraged. Rather choose to be empowered by taking a stand for Christian values A great place to start, is by reading the Manhattan Declaration and signing it. I’ve also listed a few Christian links which provide up to date information on pressing issues. .  It’s not too late. God is standing behind us. Let’s act as if we can’t fail in this opportunity to turn this nation around—can we count on you to be one good person, who refuses to be silent?

Links to Christian organizations which are fighting on our behalf:

American Family Association: http://action.afa.net/

Liberty Counsel: http://lc.org/

Family Research Counsel: http://www.frc.org/issues

Susan B. Anthony List: www.sba-list.org

The Manhattan Declaration: http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/home.aspx

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^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1984, S. 1 Ti 2:1