What Has Happened to our Country? #4 "A Weak, Prayerless Church"

Really, where you to start when it comes to answering the question "What Has Happened to our Country?" I have pointed so far to the decline of the family which undoubtedly is BIG. Secondly, I wrote about pluralism or "our worship of many gods" in America. Yesterday, I talked about the rise of individualism and I tried to describe how it is effecting our nation in many ways. These are all powerful contributors and these along with other factors are causing America to cease to be a great nation. But let me give you another one that maybe the greatest factor of them all.

#4 - A Weak, Prayerless Christian Church

Believe me, I am doing everything to see that this changes. But it's true, a weak church leads to a weak nation. As the church (God's people) in a nation goes, so goes the nation. Why is that? Because the church traditionally sets the standard for the nation's morals, ethics. Some today would say the government does that. But the founding fathers didn't believe that. Their moral convictions came from the preaching and teaching of the bible in their Christian churches. Those men took those Christian convictions and made them a part of America's founding principles written into our most basic foundational documents. In reality, the principles of God's Word through men who read and studied the bible has powerfully influenced our nation for nearly the first two hundred years.

But for nearly one hundred years now in America, there has not been a national revival in America. The last one at Azusa Street in Los Angeles was a part of a move of God that birthed the Pentecostal movement in the United States and was a major force in launching missionary efforts throughout the world. But over the last one hundred years the American church seemingly has taken a beating from humanism and lately, secularism in America. America's educational system especially, followed by the powerful influence of the media has become preachers and teachers for humanism and secularism without realizing it. Meanwhile, the church became more and more isolated and disconnected especially in the intellectual circles of our nation. In the infant years of our nation, our colleges and schools read and taught Judeo-Christian principles and they became mainstream in intellectual thought. Over the last fifty plus years, humanism as been the religion of the intellectuals and it has shaped and formed America's thoughts and philosophies now for two generations.

How does a weak, prayerless Christian Church change? 2 Chronicles 7:14, 15 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attend unto the prayer [that is made] in this place."

Notice, what I put in bold. We, the church, must HUMBLE OURSELVES, PRAY AND SEEK GOD'S FACE (NOT JUST HIS HANDS OR WHAT GOD WILL DO FOR US), AND REPENT OF OUR WICKEDNESS. God says this is the beginning and then He will hear, forgive, heal. It's not too late! But it's 11:59 pm in America and we must pray like it...now!

-Pastor Randy