The Future Of America

July 4th!  The day we celebrate as America's Independence Day!  While America isn't a perfect place, it is still a great place to live and I believe one of the greatest nations in the world.  I feel blessed by God to have been born and raised in America.  The Bible gives us several things we can do to keep America in God's blessings.  Whether we want to accept the responsibility or not, the future of America depends on us, the people of America.

1.  We are to pray for America.  Our founding fathers laid the groundwork for the freedom that we

enjoy today and it is vital that we pray for our country and our leaders.  Even if you disagree with our leaders, the Bible instructs us to pray for them.

2.  Live righteously.  If we want to change the way America is headed, we need to live our lives "in all godliness and honesty."  We do this by living according to the standards set forth in God's Word. Sin will disgrace God's name and our nation.  As believers we can do something about it by living righteous before God and the nation.

3.  Share Christ.  The unbelieving world is shouting out its message and as Christians, we need to speak out as well.  If God lives in you, He ought to show through, so a lost and dying world can see God in us. (Matthew 5:16).

FREEDOM COMES WITH A PRICE

We enjoy our freedom today, because of what our founding fathers have done to get and preserve this freedom.  The patriots fought and died to give us our "freedom of religion" not "freedom from religion."  America was founded on Christian principles.  It was founded on prayer and belief in an Almighty God.  If we are going to see good come from America, we...the church, God's people...need to pray for America and our leaders.

AMERICA'S CONDITION

There are many wonderful things about America that we can be proud of.  Yet at the same time, America has digressed a long ways from where we started and if we aren't careful we can lose everything God has blessed us with.  Our nation has strayed away from God's Word and the original intent of our founding fathers.  As Christians we can't be content to sit in church and say amen to the sermon, but do very little outside the church to be a witness for the Lord.  God expects us to use the freedom that our founding fathers made possible and be a witness for Christ in this sinful world we live in.

AMERICA'S FUTURE

What will America be in the future?  God's Word is clear as to how we are to live.  Micah 6:8 gives us three ways we are to live:

1. First, we are to "act justly."  This means do what is right.  God expects you to do the right thing even though the wrong thing is the easiest and maybe the most pleasant thing to do.
2. Secondly, we are to "love mercy."  That means to extend mercy and forgiveness to others. We all know that we're the recipients of God's mercy and have been forgiven by Him.  It is imperative that we extend the same mercy and forgiveness to others.
3. Lastly, we are to "walk humbly" with the Lord.  Humankind's natural tendency is to be proud, arrogant, and overconfident.  Yet God's desire is for us to live humbly before him. Recognizing who He is and who we are in relation to Him.

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." (Psalm 33:12).  When our nation, including those who call themselves Christians, cease to look to God...we cease to be blessed by God.  Our forefathers claimed this nation for God.  We need to re-claim it for Him.

-- Pastor Temple