You know, with any problem that I tackle, I have this innate need to walk all the way around it, examine it as a whole and get a general impression of the whole of it, before I can delve in and start teasing it apart into it’s various components and get to work on it.

Like many of you, I have been “studying on” this predicament America finds herself in, and likewise, the World, and as I seek the Lord, He has helped me see it more from His perspective little by little.  All Americans should be concerned right now, but as I said in the previous post on this subject, I’m particularly addressing Christian here and perhaps also those who though they may not count themselves as Christian, still abide by and uphold Judeo-Christian values.  That is to say, marriage, one man-one woman, abortion is murder, don’t steal, just old-fashioned integrity, respect for your fellowman, that sort of thing. 

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.

My people:

Who is God talking to in this verse?  At one time, it was the Jews, because at the time it was written, those were the only ones God had a covenant with, who had no excuse, who knew Him and what He required because He had personally told them so.

But once the promised Messiah Christ came, it was the Christians who were His people (including individual Jewish believers in the Christ as the Messiah) because at that time the Jews as a nation or as “a people” had rejected the Christ.  (The first believers were Jewish believers and were indeed the foundation of the church, laid on the Cornerstone which was Jesus).

It is not America who is today “my People”, God’s people are scattered all over the world.  But for the sake of the current subject, which has to do with America’s influence, I am focusing on this verse in reference to America’s Christians.

Lets look at the next piece.

What does it mean to humble ourselves?

The Bible gives a really great explanation of that in 1 Peter chapter 5

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

² Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

³ Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.

⁴ And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Notice whom the Lord addresses first here.  It is the elders.  Those who have been at it the longest, those who are fathers (spiritual and physical) and teaching elders (pastors), what is their job?  To pass on what they know to the younger generations.  When the Lord talks about feeding the flock, it is a reference to the fact He is the shepherd and we are the sheep and sheep are not that bright.  They need someone looking out for them, feeding them, and keeping them out of danger.  Pastors and spiritual leaders are referred to as “under-shepherds” since Jesus is the head shepherd.  He also warns them not to “Lord it over them” which is to bully, abuse or misguide the sheep, take their responsibilities lightly, or abuse their own power.

Have the spiritual leaders in America been true to this mandate?  I am not here to interpret this passage or to provide the answers, I see my role in what I do here, as that of getting people to think by asking the right questions, and focusing on what is significant in these troubled times, in light of Scripture!

⁵ Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Christian youth in America, have you done this?  Even middle-aged Americans, have you rejected the “old-timey” church of your parents and grandparents in lieu of the more exciting, less guilt-inducing “best-life-now” version?

⁶ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Christians, for example those in Starke, Florida who raised a ruckus in protest when the Atheists put up their Atheist monument beside the Ten Commandments, did you humbly engage with these unbelievers, bowing in prayer or singing praise to God or like the pro-abortionists in Texas last week, did you just strive to out-bully them? What have we to do with such deeds of darkness?  What threat is that atheist monument to our God?  Is He not mightier?  Have you not read that our struggle is not against flesh and blood and that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal?
But this is not just to Christians in Starke, Florida, if no battle that we fight in this world is truly against flesh and blood, why is it that we so quickly and so often engage the carnal weapons first and foremost? Like our sharp tongue and quick retort, like our angry voice, or show of disdain with haughty looks?

⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Are we more involved and outspoken at political rallies and protests, than at Evangelistic crusades?  Do we do more letter-writing and phone calls to congress than appealing to the Throne of the Most High God?  Do we bring each of these concerns before Him as a matter of prayer.  He stands a much better chance at getting through to your Congressman than you or I do!

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Do you have un-confessed sins and continue to hold grudges against others who have wronged you?  If so, you are the very prey that Satan is looking for because God has said when we hold others debts over their heads even while our own have been forgiven, He will turn us over to our tormentors.

⁹ Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Do you wear the Armor, and stand for what is right, even if it costs you?  Are asking God to prepare you for that and applying your own efforts to letting Him accomplish that in you?

¹⁰ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Do you believe God to use suffering for His own good purposes in your life?  Are you asking for and looking for Him to teach you via your trials, establishing you firmly in your faith, and using them to strengthen you and focusing on whatsoever things are true, pure, honest, lovely, and of good report, so that you may have peace?

Definition of HUMBLE

1: not proud or haughty : not arrogant or assertive

2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission <a humble apology>

3: ranking low in a hierarchy or scale : insignificant, unpretentious

Origin of HUMBLE

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin humilis low, humble, from humus earth; akin to Greek chthōn earth, chamai on the ground

First Known Use: 13th century

^{These defining words all refer to low, lower, deference, submission, but in relation to what or whom?}

Will submitting to government solve the disintegration that is taking place?  Every man doing “what is right in his own eyes” certainly hasn’t improved the situation.

What are the other requirements in the verse, for seeing our land healed?

Pray,

Seek God’s face,

turn from their wicked ways.

If Roe-v-Wade were overturned, would that constitute a “turning” from our wicked ways?

If all individual states define marriage as being between a man and a woman, despite what happened this past week, wouldn’t that constitute a national “turning” from wicked ways?

We don’t need to save the economy to have this Nation healed.  We don’t need to fight a blood revolution.

We also don’t need another “National Day of Prayer”.  Individuals need to get on their knees, or on their faces, alone in their own “prayer closet” and let God deal with ONE American.  That is, the individual American, and individual Americans need to keep praying until something happens!  Even if you have already been doing that for years, until and unless this thing turns around, we need to keep at it.

Each individual American needs to turn from their wicked ways.  But if all preachers did it, that would be a huge move in the right direction.  If all fathers did it, that would make a huge difference too.  If all Business owners, Single moms, married moms, and yes, our President, as a singular “representative and spokesperson” for this nation.

So we should pray accordingly.

Regardless of your eschatology, the battle is not over until the Last Trump.  There may be varying opinions on when that occurs, but none of us have any doubt that we will recognize it when it happens.

If you wonder if a “sea change” in America still has the potential to influence the rest of the world, try looking at it this way:

There are many Christians in other parts of the world this moment, which  are honoring God more than most American Christians are.  Many of those Christians know the Lord today because a missionary came from America at some point and brought the gospel there.  But we didn’t invent the gospel, and all the blessings this nation ever had are due to the fact someone brought that gospel here!  We have all but let the light of the “spiritual soul” of America go out.  Like with individual human spirits, if we dwell in increasing darkness, we eventually can become blind.  God help us if we don’t re-kindle the flame of Truth in this faltering land.  We don’t have to preach, expound, or even convince.

Truth does not need to be defended.  It only needs to be proclaimed!