Posted on August 24, 2020 by Slim
This portion of the written prayer is the conclusion I read at a church in Maryland a few years ago: As I mentioned in part one of this series, I tried unsuccessfully not to have to lead the prayer. This prayer, not in the usual prayer format, will be very burdensome and will offend many here today. I am even stricken with fear to share it right now and would gladly take my seat, if it was an option, and let someone else pray today.
Many Christians seemed shocked when they discovered that several governors across the country, yes, that included California Gavin Newsom, using questionable science during the COVID-19 pandemic as a wedge attempting to keep churches closed, trampling on our first amendment rights, while allowing businesses to remain open, also allowing mobs and rioters to roam the streets causing mayhem. Why are we so surprised we are considered non-essential? Because, we don’t want to offend man, so we invariably offend God. For the last seventy-years, the church has done everything in their power to appease society at the expense of watering down the moral truths of God. Eventually, the chickens will come home to roost – and so they have. (This paragraph was not included in the original prayer, I recently added it).
“If my people who are called by my name, will 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.” II Chronicles 7:14.
Lord, how can this be happening in America when millions of Christians claim to be filled with the Holy Spirit and walking in the will of God? Jesus said in Mt 7:20 “By their fruit you shall know them” There’s not much moral fruit happening in America. Jesus led and taught his disciples by example, even giving his life. On the day of Pentecost, 120 Spirit filled Christians began to change the most powerful nation in the world – the Roman Empire. However, millions of Spirit-filled Christians haven’t made any real difference in the American culture. Why? Because men, women and children living in the first century followed the examples of their leaders and were willing to lay down their lives for the truth claims of Christ. Christians in America, however, are following the examples of their leaders. They are afraid to lead. They are afraid to stand publicly against the evils in our nation (the cost is too high for them) and most of all they are afraid to lay down their lives for Christ. Our leaders fear men rather than God. Where is the Church? Lord, have mercy on us!
Christians live like the world when they are away from church (they are cursing, lying, cheating, stealing, using drugs, practicing homosexuality, watching pornography, fornication, adultery, divorce, etc.). How do we defend these actions? We frequently use the famous Christian mantra, “I’m not perfect” “I’m only human” usually to justice our behavior not to be repentant of them. We seemed to be more concerned about pleasing the world, than obeying God. We are forever learning, and still don’t know how to share our faith or biblical truth with unbelievers. Christians claim the Bible is true, the infallible Word of God, yet most Christians have never read through the whole Bible, nor do they care too. It’s boring to them and too difficult to understand. Why don’t you purchase and listen to the Bible on CD-Compact Disc.? We “have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.” We are afraid to go minister to the lost souls, so God sends them to our doorstep and we still send them away. Yet, we willingly spend hours taking care of our fleshly needs – eating, watching TV, American Idol, Sports Center, getting new hair dos, manicures, pedicures, purchasing houses, cars, going on vacation, etc. These aren’t sinful in and of themselves (but for many of us they have become our idols, substitutes for God). The fact that we have little interest in the things of God, while at the same time claiming He’s the most important person in our lives. Lord, have mercy on us!
Christians should be the “Boldest, Wisest and Most Honest” citizens in America. We claim to have the Spirit of God, but we aren’t even aware, that we are being deceived every day. If Spirit-filled Christians were obedient to God the things happening in America wouldn’t be happening. This is happening by those who claim to have our best interest at heart (namely, political/religious/mainstream media leaders). Most Atheist, Liberals, Progressives who are opposed to the moral foundations presented in the Bible are within the Democratic Party platform. But since Spirit-filled Christians lack discernment, we get deceived by them every time – they claim they are for what’s just, honorable and good, but their actions demonstrated otherwise – and Christians still defend them.
Are we not Deaf, Blind and Dumb? They tell us what we want to hear. We rarely ask a politician for their complete or official voting record (at least the past 10 years) which is public record. We vote them into office not caring they support views contrary to scripture and they are the ones that are destroying the moral foundations of our nation (promoting abortion, homosexuality, comprehensive sex education, atheistic evolution, separation of church & state, etc.,) keeping blacks poor and locked in the inner cities. Black Christians today often vote based on skin color and political-correctness, not based on biblical truths. Yet, we can’t understand why the moral foundations of America are crumbling. We defend black leaders who lie to us, and condemn white leaders who tell us the truth. Why? Because we are Deaf, Blind & Dumb, we lack discernment. This is wicked and evil. You have Black Christians that are racist and White Christians that are racist – this shouldn’t be in the church. White Christians (the KKK) did the same during Slavery and the Civil Rights movement. You called them racist, now you are doing the same (the BLM), yet you don’t call yourself a racist. This is wicked and evil. God has made the Christian churches in America “blind in part” hoping we repent, but like the Children of Israel we are a stiff-necked, rebellious people, and we won’t understand until after God sends His full wrath upon us and only then a remnant will be saved. Lord, have mercy on us.
We are putting many Liberal and Progressive democrats into political office. Check their voting records, and you will find they are promoting laws against the teaching of God and the church, yes Spirit filled Christians defend and support them (especially in the Black community). Are we not Deaf, Blind & Dumb? You really don’t understand why America is so immoral today? You are deceived! If YOU are a Bible believing, Spirit-filled Christian that claims to believe and follow the Word of God, you need to admit that it is because of YOUR disobedience that America is in the state it is in today. It is for this reason the Christian church has become irrelevant in the 21st century to people in America.
Christians tend to boldly quote scriptures about the power of God, in the church where it is safe, yet the church out of fear, refuses to demonstrate their faith publicly. Where the world needs to see in us “the Light of the World which cannot be hide” but we are ashamed of Jesus Christ publicly and won’t admit it. The government has told us to keep our faith in our homes, churches and synagogues. And for the 501C3 tax status – so many churches have preferred going along with the government position instead of obeying God. Not like Peter & John who said, “Shall we obey men rather than God?” Our own words condemn us. We often say, “The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” We can no longer say that either, but should say, “The Flesh is willing but the Spirit is weak” because Christians seem never to have a problem obeying the Flesh, but not the Spirit. Lord, have mercy on us!
We claim to have the spirit of God is in us, yet we have no power and no real answers for the world. God refuses to hear us because of our disobedience. There is a church almost on every corner. We are constantly going to church, constantly praying, constantly having revivals, constant bible studies, spiritual retreats, and religious conferences, but to no avail. Our churches are still empty. We have Bible colleges and universities, bible book stores, multiple bibles in our home – no time to read or study. We claim the spirit is moving in the church on Sundays, yet this hasn’t translated itself into the American culture. Why? Jesus said in Mt 9:37-38 “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, to send workers into his harvest field.” We pray, but we won’t go! We are afraid! Lord, have mercy on us!
Most Christians wrongfully claim, “We are living in the last days” and that events happening in America is predicted in the Bible. Jesus is coming soon and He will rapture us away from the great tribulation and wrath to come. This is wrong! How do I know this? Because Christians around the world (in Syria, Iraq, Africa, Russia, China, etc.,) are being rape, beheaded, murdered, kidnapped (they are experiencing great tribulation) but God hasn’t rescued them. Yet, Christians in America who consistently disobey God, actually believe they will be spared from the great tribulation when Christians around the world are dying for their faith. Are we not indeed Deaf, Blind and Dumb? Christians should not be saying the Lord’s coming soon, but instead, “Lord please tarry for 50, 60 or 100 more years because there are so many lost souls and I want to be used by your Spirit to reach as many as possible before you return.” Lord, have mercy on us. The prophet Isaiah boldly states,
“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor is his ear to dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things. No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.”Isaiah 59:1-4 Lord, have mercy on us!