The evening of October 7th, 2008, PBS hosted the presidential debate in the town meeting forum, between candidates Senators Barack Obama and John McCain. They to a degree sparred with each other, but in my mind neither came away with any conclusive victory in respect to the debate itself. Both voiced, to my hearing basically the same things that they have been heard saying many times. They spoke a lot about economic issues, some about the environment, and I suppose the second major issue was that of national security, military strength, and international dealings and relations with other governments. Although I have certain personal opinions on these issues, it is not these that I believe is the real fundamental issue that needs to be addressed. For with out this certain basic issue being address the others have no hope for lasting success. NONE!
So what is this issue? You may be asking in your mind, “ what do you know DeHart that these presidential candidates don't seem to know?” Here it is. We are a people more and more estranged from the God who birthed this land. The God of truth and justice, and who is the Savior of the world. The God who alone has the power to over come Satan, who is the principle source of the woes that affect this land and our people. In very short terms I am saying that our national fathers sought God, and particularly and expressly worked to bring forth a society under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. So how is it that we in this generation think we can have hope to maintain this nation in prosperity and honor without Him?
Now I offer no personal rebuke at either of these candidates for president, but I will ask this question. Did they at any time before, during, or after the debate state the need for prayer to seek the guidance of Heaven on either the debate its self, or the election its self, or the whole of our nation? I did not hear such a prayer, nor have I any time in this whole election heard such a prayer by any candidate. Nor have I at any time during this election heard any open exhortation from either candidate stating that without the American people humbling ourselves and repenting of our many sins, and turning our faces toward God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, that we are not going to be able to pick our selves up and rebuild prosperity and honor among the peoples of the world.
America, I say again to you that we are a black-slidden people. We are a people filled with sin and confusion, which increasingly works to bring us lower and lower. Our national fathers purposely sought the God of heaven realizing that unless He built the political edifice of the United States, that their efforts to establish a central government would prove to be no more effective than the monarchies that filled the world at that time. They wishing to build a republican form of government akin to the elder-ship rule of the early nation of Israel, where men were were free, being subject to the Law of God. For the greater portion of our national fathers realized that men were never created to be independent from a vital, personal, saving relationship with God through Christ our Lord. And with out this spiritual dimension it is impossible for men to keep themselves, for the lower nature of SELF ( humanistic thought and behavior) will drag any man, or nation down. For it is the promotion of self that is the chief tool of Satan in destroying men and societies.
Step back with me in time, it is now 1787. This nation having obtained freedom from England is flaundering trying to overcome the self-centered demands of each of the thirteen colonies. Each colony having a very hard time surrendering their personal interests in order to form the Federal Republic and establish a national constitution. The Constitutional Convention is in session and they were hopelessly deadlocked and growing increasingly bitter (part of the New York delegation had already gone home in disgust and others were preparing to follow), God once again had mercy in the affairs of America. This time He used perhaps the least likely (and therefore the most arresting) vehicle—the eighty-one year old philosopher who had been publicly known to have been a resister of Christianity, and in fact before this time, this elderly gentleman was known to be a prominent physicists of his age. The Elderly Benjamin Franklin rose and speaking to the convention through it's leader, George Washington, said, “ In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor....And have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?
I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: “that God governs in the affairs of man.” And if a sparrow can not fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aide?
We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aide, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel; we shall be divided by our little, partial local interests; our projects will be confounded; and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a byword down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing government by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war, or conquest. I therefore beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and its blessing on our deliberation be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business.”
American people: I move that we return to prayer. That we seek out leaders that are known to humble themselves in prayer and in repentance, and to lead their followers in the same. This being in both the religious and political aspects of of life and society. I move American people that we as a people humble ourselves in prayer, turning from our wicked ways to seek the mercies of the God of Heaven. Even as was also illustrated in Abraham Lincoln, that famous father figure in our American past, who during a time of terrible judgment of God upon this land, in the soul wrenching reality of the American civil war was quoted as saying, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I have no where else to go.”
America: Do we have to be driven to total war, or economic collapse, or a nation wide plague of some wasting disease, or continue to experience the judgment of the Almighty against us in the form of greater and more frequent natural disasters, or the betrayal of our nation by its own leaders, (such as is seen in how our current president George Bush works to sell out this nation into a one world government), before we will choose the way of humility and godly wisdom and turn and seek the Lord?
Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. We have transgressed and have rebelled...... (Lamentations 3: 40-42a)
A Watchman,
Quotation taken from THE LIGHT AND THE GLORY by Peter Marshall and David Manuel, page 342
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