Greetings in the Strong Name of Jesus!

Like many preachers, (ours excluded) my thoughts run a little long today. Please live in grace.  But I am increasingly burdened for the church in America as well as our nation.  My thoughts today are first a lament and then a praise and encouragement.

“All the majesty of beautiful Jerusalem* has been stripped away. Her princes are like starving deer searching for pasture. They are too weak to run from the pursuing enemy. In the midst of her sadness and wandering, Jerusalem remembers her ancient splendor. But now she has fallen to her enemy, and there is no one to help her. Her enemy struck her down and laughed as she fell.  Jerusalem has sinned greatly, so she has been tossed away like a filthy rag. All who once honored her now despise her, for they have seen her stripped naked and humiliated. All she can do is groan and hide her face.” Lamentations 1:6-8 NLT

I know the prophet, Jeremiah, is speaking a word to the Children of Israel, but I see a few parallels to our nation and the American church.
I believe the majesty of America was in her devotion to God and His principles. Our earliest settlers came here to flee religious oppression. Her beauty is enshrined in these simple words - “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” ... From there it discusses the freedoms we have as a people and the importance of God’s blessings on our efforts. The shrine of majesty and beauty did not come from the goodness of the people who wrote these words, but rather from their obedience to the laws of God.  Something has happened. The majesty and beauty are falling around us. The majesty and beauty of the American church was once filled with the unmistakable Presence of God Almighty and His anointing was on those early settlers and preachers.  However, the majesty and beauty of the American church did not come from the goodness of a few believers fleeing from persecution, but rather from God who blessed the obedience and sacrifice of those who left everything to find a place to freely worship God.  In many places the majesty of the church is also falling down around us.

Why? “.

..now she has fallen to her enemy....” Who is the enemy?

 Self.

So many have become an overindulged, self-indulged society of people who have forgotten our roots just as the Children of Israel over whom Jeremiah laments. Those who have been called to hold up the banner are not without fault. Often, we God followers, have also succumbed to indulging self and replacing God and His laws with self-imposed rules and traditions.  In so many places the once respected church has become a powerless, wandering group of people burdened with sad hearts and praying prayers to a bronze heaven.  The Church of Jesus Christ in so many cities are little more than a building of brick and stone once flourishing with happy, excited and outwardly jubilant people testifying about her bridegroom, Jesus, the Christ.  They are now nearly empty halls echoing the good old days of yesterday or filled to capacity edifices where the ears of people are tickled at best and sin is rarely addressed. The church in America stands stripped naked and humiliated and powerless often times hiding her face and remembering what used to be. We have stood by with little more than a grown of sorrow over the gutting of the once majestic land in which we live.  In powerless sadness we wander remembering the once great splendor of a once great country who respected the laws of God and enjoyed the blessings of His hand.   In many lands the church has become a laughing stock rather than a courageously strong congregation committed to right principles and doctrines. We have become a mission field to distant countries who see us as a spiritually needy nation.

You say, well that is encouraging. 

I will get there,

but just one more thought.

In the days ahead, I see challenging times that have nothing to do with who wins or loses our national election. I see difficult days ahead because our nation and man of our churches seem completely oblivious to the real problems. 

 The problems are not the economy, the war, the education system, same sex marriage, drug abuse, sex offenders and on and on. These are but symptoms of a once Christian nation who has drifted so far from the principles of God Almighty, we do not even see the error of our ways. We wander in a pool of blind oblivion unaware the Hand of God is about to demand recognition of Who is ultimately in charge of nations and the church.  I believe we are nearing a time when Almighty God will show His presence in ways we have never experienced. It will terrify some, cause some to shake their fist to the sky, and cause others to fall to their knees in repentance.  Just as there was a day of reckoning in the lives of the Children of Israel, there is coming a day of reckoning in the life of our nation and particularly in the life of our church.

Let me close on a joyful note.

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My Voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.  To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:19-22 NIV

I am glad to say you and I belong to a congregation with a leader who is NOT afraid to call out sin and call us to repentance.  We are part of an exciting church who has not forgotten the Glory of the Father and the power of the Cornerstone, Jesus Christ.  We are part of a congregation who is not afraid to lift hands in praise to the One Who is full of grace and mercy.  Every Sunday I look forward to a worship experience that lifts my spirit into the Presence of Almighty God and a Word from the pulpit that challenges, confirms, convicts and inspires me to be all that God desires me to be.  For the coming days - press into His Being, get rid of anything that hinders a deep and intimate relationship with God. Keep focused on the Cross of Jesus, The Christ. Be thankful for a Pastor who leads us in the paths of righteousness. While many have fallen, and the majesty and beauty of His righteousness is absent from so many of our churches and the lives of God followers, His grace remains stable and sure. We need a renewal of God and His laws in our land and in so many of our churches...let it start with us.

You are loved and prayed for.

Pastor Roger