HEAL OUR LAND
Our nation – and the world – is experiencing one of the most momentous times in history. While the Covid-19 shutdowns have magnified poverty in developing nations, the racial unrest in the US has spilled over to other nations. Meanwhile in India, a nation into which I have invested 20+ years of my life, radical discrimination constantly threatens minority groups and faiths including my own spiritual sons and daughters.
The choices that Americans makes in this season could have as dramatic implications as did our decisions two other times - during the Civil War when our nation could have split apart, and WWII when the world could have been overrun by the Nazis. In both of those historic moments America and other nations made the right decision. But in those days we were in many ways more aligned with our roots than we are today.
The world is watching, and the powers of darkness stand poised to pounce while a nation which has halted terrorism, promoted peace, built civilization, and carried Christ’s love throughout the world is bleeding, being torn apart from within. This is not about politics nor is it about political parties. This is a crisis of VALUES, of PRINCIPLES. Will the people of this nation continue to stand upon our foundation – the Bible and a Judeo-Christian worldview? Or will we close our eyes to the lessons of which History tries to remind us, and go the way of other fallen empires, conquered by our own vices? Those lessons tell us a nation’s prosperity and peace lie in its alignment with freedom guarded by truth and Biblical morality. Those lessons warn that a peoples’ ruination lies in the way of rebellion against personal responsibility, in the way of relativism replacing truth, and the exploitation of the voiceless.
HOW TO BE A HEALER
Here is a simple example that I love to point out because it is so doable for anybody anywhere: My friend Boto and his wife have three small children and live in an apartment in downtown New York. They are just a block or so from the hospital where the most Covid-19 cases were being treated. Then the riots started. They couldn’t even take their children out for a walk without being in jeopardy.
People urged Boto, “take your wife and children and get out of here!” But instead, they chose to stay and endure the hardships. Boto and his team went out on the streets and participated – PEACEFULLY – in the cries for an improvement in America’s equality and justice. They prayed for the city and for the nation, and showed Christ’s love – not hate or bitterness.
Then, they bought Pizza and took it to the police station and honored the police, recognizing and appreciating them for the work they do to protect innocent citizens from criminals.
Thus Boto was an example of a reformer. He honored the fact that equality and social justice is an urgent need in our country, and participated with the protesters, but did so PEACEFULLY without destroying property or engaging in violence of any kind. But then he also honored our elected and delegated authorities and law enforcement. He did not engage in partisanship, but promoted principles of righteousness and truth in a spirit of love.
GRACE AND TRUTH
Jesus made this ominous statement: “Be careful that the light within you is not darkness.” (Luke 11:35) Right now there is such strong deception that well-meaning people think they are representing the light, when the “light” they represent is actually darkness. This is a dreadful thought, and worthy of deep introspection. Paul warned, “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” (2 Cor. 11:14) How can we know the difference? How can we know which is the truth? The media has become the worst deceiver today. (Go here for a fairly balanced media source.) Today, truth is rarely found in a quick Google or Hey Siri search. There is only one way to know truth from error, light from darkness: To know the Word of God. The Bible holds the words of LIFE. When we know the Bible and the heart and character of God, then we know what is light and what is darkness.
A TIME TO RETURN
The ten days between the Jewish Feast of Trumpets (Sept 18-20) and the Day of Atonement (Sept 27-28) are a time of introspection and repentance. Sept 26th – 40 days before the US presidential election – happens to fall within this time period.
These are only a few of the reasons for which I felt led to arise from comfortable, peaceful, beautiful western Colorado and plan to drive four hours over the mountain to Denver, then fly to Washington DC where I hear that violent rioters are a constant threat, to participate in a momentous solemn assembly called The Return on Saturday Sept. 26. Let all of us, no matter where we are, in what nation or in what state, take this opportunity to pray and repent on behalf of our nation and our people. God desires to HEAL and RESTORE, and I believe He will do it as His people RETURN to Him in prayer, repentance, and alignment with His love, mercy and truth. (2 Chron. 7:14)
