I have always had the greatest respect for the men and women who have served or are currently serving our country. The sacrifices they make, the hard work they put forth, the courage with which they serve and the danger they subject themselves to is worthy of our respect and honor.
Make no mistake about it, in a world where people look to movie stars, athletes and musical artists as their heroes, the men and women of the armed forces are the real heroes! In fact, in a very specific way, every individual that has ever served our country and sacrificed (some giving their lives) to make this land a better and safer place leaves behind a memorial.
A memorial is something left behind to preserve the memory of a person or event. Therefore, the individual who serves our country tirelessly and sacrificially leaves behind a memorial of who they were and what they were willing to give for our great nation. And through their efforts, they helped make America a great land where our freedoms are protected and opportunities are endless. From this pastor to all our service men and women; I thank you for your service and respect you immensely!
It was George Washington who said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.” The first President of the United States understood something other people today would do well to learn: America is great because God made it great! Yet, in this day and age, we live in a society that has done everything it can to kick God out.
We live in a world where the very name of Jesus is so offensive to most that it is disallowed in public arenas and events. We live in a world where tolerance is not only acceptable but expected regardless of what a man desires to do, yet when it comes to Christianity, there is no tolerance. We live in a world where life is not valued or protected and where God’s principles are mocked and rejected.
I’ve often wondered, “How much longer before the Lord says enough is enough!” How much longer before judgment falls on this great land? How much longer before we pay the price for the sins we as a nation have allowed and committed? How much longer?
The Bible tells us that God is longsuffering towards mankind, “Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Yet, there will come a day when judgment shall fall and life as we know it will be no more. However, as long as God chooses to be patient, as long as He provides mankind the opportunity to make a difference in this world, shouldn’t we “the church” take advantage of that?
Most of us will never experience a fire-fight or crawl into a foxhole. Most of us will never visit a foreign land and fear for our lives because of the enemy and the threat or terrorism. Most of us will never put our lives on the line to defend this great country of ours and leave behind that type of memorial. However, there is something we as believers can do to impact our country and our world. There is something the church can do to leave behind a memorial in hopes that generations to come will see our sacrifices and honor our efforts.
It is time for the people of God to make a difference for the kingdom of God! It is time for the church to influence society instead of society influencing the church. It is time for Christians everywhere to bind together and pray persistently and live righteously. This is the memorial we can leave for our country. This is how we “the church” do our part in reaching our country and making our nation great once again.
It was Charles Spurgeon who said, “I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach.” In 1 Timothy 2, Paul is urging Timothy to address the church at Ephesus concerning their priorities. Apparently, the church had stopped praying for the spiritually lost and for those who were in authority. Yet, Paul encourages these believers to pray for the salvation of these people, to pray that God might get a hold of their hearts and that they might embrace the gospel message and turn from their sin.
It was as if Paul was asking these believers; “Where is your compassion? Where is your conviction? Why aren’t you pleading before the very throne of God? The reality is, we live in a society which no longer honors prayer, this just means God’s people must pray even more.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 the Bible says, “Pray without ceasing.” In the Greek, to pray without ceasing means to pray constantly. We as “the church”, as the people of God, must pray constantly for the lost and for those in authority over us that they might come to Christ and be transformed by the power of God. We must be faithful to pray for our country and we must be faithful in teaching our children to pray as well.
It is time for the people of God to sacrifice their time, energy and efforts to pray down from heaven the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the very blessings of God. Jesus himself understood the value of prayer, the power of prayer and the importance of prayer. He prayed with such compassion and conviction whenever He surveyed a land or people group in need of God and the salvation He offers. And when this pastor surveys the landscape of our country littered with wickedness, rebellion, and rejection concerning the things of God, I realize the need for prayer and stand ready to answer the call.
I ask that you stand with me. This can be our memorial to our country and may God work mightily in response to the prayers of His people!
