Day 4 What Do Politics, Pundits, Preachers and the Pew Have In Common?

Everyone's angry and looking for someone to blame for the state of our nation. I am praying for our nation, president and the candidates that are lining up to take him on, but I get distracted by the pundits and their commentaries, which have become more like hateful attacks than political rhetoric. 

We are deeply embedded in the 2012 political season.  The many political ads and the rise in national hostility are too much of our daily media diet.  Everybody who is speaking seems angry about something. It doesn’t matter the political issue, they're just angry! Are you?

  

So, what’s a Christian to do? 

Two things.  

1. We must change our perspective.

It must be clear to us that any person elected to the highest office of our land isn’t perfect, and brings with them agenda items we are not interested in.  As Christians, we assign too much blame on our nation’s leaders and their agendas as reason for our moral decline as a nation; we can’t. The blame should be placed squarely on the shoulders of the Church, where it belongs. 

God never intended morality to be legislated through government edicts or judicial laws.  The government is only a reflection of the constituents it is made up of.  We the people have allowed our moral anchors to be moved and they now rest in murky and polluted waters. If America is to survive moral decay, the citizens of this nation must return to the Word of God. Morality should begin with the Church, and must start with each of us.    

2. We must stop placing blame and humble ourselves and pray. 

 

While praying during this fast, please ponder these verses and ask yourself what changes you should make before you begin expecting change from our political leaders.

“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Ps. 34:18)

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Ps. 51:17

“…This is the one I esteem; he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word.” (Isa. 66:2)

“Rend your heart and not your garments.  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”  (Joel 2:13)

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”  (2 Cor. 7:10)

If we who make up the Church will humble ourselves and in contrition seek our God and stand for what is righteous, there is help. But the choice is ours.  God’s words through Moses still has meaning and merit for the Church today:

 “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for your or beyond your reach…See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.  For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the Land you are entering to possess.  But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed….This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.  For the Lord is your life…” (Deut. 30:1, 15-18, 19-20)

Keep humble and keep praying…who knows what our God will do in and for America, but I’m not angry! By faith,  I am hopeful and believe that prayer can change a nation.

I’ll meet you at the Throne,

Pastor George