Is this A Vision of Our Future as Church and Nation?

[righteousdude2]

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."

This is truly a sad vision of what may be coming for this country. My question is, do agree with the words of this visionary? Just who could be so negative, so gloomy, so obscure, dark and dismal to think this could be the future of America?

That vision, or view was quoted not in 2011, but on November 21, 1864 by Abraham Lincoln!

Is America doomed to repeat history, as other countries, nations and societies have?

I believe the time is more than ripe for a major, street-by-street, city-by-city, state-by-state REVIVAL. The time has come for Christians to cease their practice of denominational segregation and join their hands and hearts in prayer, roll up the sleeves, and, if necessary, bring a house-by-house revival to this nation like its never seen before. :1_grouphug:

If not, like Rome, America will fall...:tear:

 

[HAMel]

America "was" truly a modern day promised land. I do believe however that as a country, we will be brought to our knees. This nation has fed the world and now we can't feed ourselves. America has taken down every tin-horned dictator that ever threatened world peace..., and now we are in dire straits. Our biggest threat is the push for diversity. America was founded by people from all nations but they all became Americans. Today, American's are to take a back seat to these other nations and their cultures whatever they might be.

 

[freeatlast]

There is no question that the church in this nation needs a revival. I need a revival. I have prayed for over 20 years for revival. I am still waiting and will continue to pray. As to this nation your scenario of its fall is very possible but what ever the mode of this nations downfall it is more then likely it will happen then not.

 

[Berean]

First there was Babylon, then Meade Persions, followed by The Roman Empire then Europe. The United States of America has been the number one economy, world power and the bastion of the World for the last 100 years. Could China supersede the US and become the next one by bailing out a stalled or failing econmy as we did Europe with bailouts such as the Marshall Plan and God only knows how many more billions of dollars we have poured into the rest of the world? I don't look for a Revival.

 

[Alive in Christ]

Does anyone think that the the "Moral Majority" effort back in the 70's was a legitimate "revival"?

 

[Baptist Believer]

God may well give us a revival, but I think it is foolish to do only what is often done and make seeking "revival" the focus of our church life.

Simply put, most professed Christians I have ever known are not active and engaged disciples of Jesus. Instead, they are passive and wait for God to do things (if they even think about God doing something in this world) while they bide time until Heaven.

If we engage ourselves in the life of the Kingdom of God by doing the things that Jesus called us to do (feed the hungry, take care of the poor, visit prisoners, take care of the sick, practice humility, serve each other, preach the gospel in actions as well as words, stop playing religious and worldly political games, be speakers of truth in love, be slow to speak but quick to help, etc.), there will be no need of God to use extraordinary means to turn hearts toward Him, we will be doing it every day.

Revivals are good and wonderful (that is, revivals that aren't simply emotionalism that's drummed up by a powerful speaker, but rather, movements of God that one may not completely realize is happening until you are a couple of years into it), but the revivalistic obsession in Baptist life is more of a hindrance than a help to true spiritual maturity and the expansion of the Kingdom of God in my opinion.

God was gracious and there was a revival in my home church that began quietly in 1984 and reached it's visible apex in 1986, and many lives were transformed during that period. But because of a lack of teaching on day-to-day discipleship and an obsession with trying to recreate what God did in a unique event in our congregation (a classic mountain top experience), many people who were converted/revived during that time are locked in a passive endless loop praying for another revival instead of moving along to Christian maturity.

Pray for revival? Sure, I'll pray with you and ask for God's blessing.

Distressed because we don't see revival? Nope, not me.

I don't see any major emphasis in the New Testament on praying for revival, but an enormous amount about active work toward spiritual formation/transformation and doing the works of Jesus in the world. If we want to see God's power at work, all we need to do is to do the works of Jesus. He will empower us, as needed, to make a difference in the world.

 

[Baptist Believer]

Does anyone think that the the "Moral Majority" effort back in the 70's was a legitimate "revival"?

Nope.

Not at all.

 

[tinytim]

It's time Christians quit praying for revival in order to help America to survive.. the OP is full of Nationalism!.. Nothing like equating national patriotism with salvation!.. actually it's blasphemous!...

The only reason we need revival.. and YES we need it, is to advance the

KINGDOM OF GOD....

NOT ANY OTHER NATION ON EARTH.

When Christians quit worrying over saving America, and start focusing on saving souls.. the revival will occur...

But until Christians quit putting Americans first, then the stench of Nationalism will keep God away!

 

[abcgrad94]

I understand what the OP is saying about revival being the only thing to save America. We, as a nation, have become rich and increased with goods. God is why America has been great, but we've taken our eyes off of God and think we no longer need him. That is the downfall of this country and yes, I do believe the USA will fall because of it. The Lord blesses and gives, and he also takes away.

That said, accomplishing the will of God does not depend on the current political state of a nation. God will continue to provide for his children, souls will continue to get saved, and His will is going to be done regardless of which political party is in power or who sits in the White House.

It is not up to man to bring revival. We can pray for it and witness and do all we can to win others, but honestly, as a nation I think our goose is cooked.

 

[mandym]

It's time Christians quit praying for revival in order to help America to survive.. the OP is full of Nationalism!.. Nothing like equating national patriotism with salvation!.. actually it's blasphemous!...

The only reason we need revival.. and YES we need it, is to advance the

KINGDOM OF GOD....

NOT ANY OTHER NATION ON EARTH.

When Christians quit worrying over saving America, and start focusing on saving souls.. the revival will occur...

But until Christians quit putting Americans first, then the stench of Nationalism will keep God away!

We want to save our homes, our towns, our cities and our Nation. Nationalism is a good thing and I fail to see where anyone equated it with salvation.

 

[convicted1]

The problem with the USA is that they are trying to take God out of everything. First, prayer in school is illegal, and now they are trying to take "In God We Trust" off of our currency, if what I have heard and read is true. So, remember this;"God's eyes are ever over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers. But His face is against them which doeth evil."

 

[tinytim]

We want to save our homes, our towns, our cities and our Nation. Nationalism is a good thing and I fail to see where anyone equated it with salvation.

The OP said...

"I believe the time is more than ripe for a major, street-by-street, city-by-city, state-by-state REVIVAL. .....

If not, like Rome, America will fall...:tear:"

That is not a reason to pray for revival!..
The only reason to pray for revival is to advance the Kingdom of God.. NOT America!

Nationalism cannot be a good thing.. it is the worship of a nation. America is not worthy to be worshiped.

And until the Christians get past the idea that we need to worship God in order to save our way of life, (which is a selfish reason to worship God).. then the church will continue to fail.
The only reason to worship God is because he is!...

Pray for revival.. I do.. but to see souls saved... not America.
Like ABC said, even if America falls, we will still be Christians!

 

[beameup]

I'm expecting Psalm 83 to be fulfilled soon which will deal a serious blow to Islam and expand Israel's borders and bring global relief from militant fundamentalist Islam.
Those Christians who are anticipating this will be encouraged when they see the Hand of God working in a mighty way with His People and very well could result in a revival.

 

[righteousdude2]

Continue to Take God Out Of America, and God Will Take...

...Himself out of this nation!!!

Revival will not save America. Revival will save the lost, and isn't that the heart of the problem in this nation? There are way too many who have lost their direction, and many more who have lost focus of the work of the cross in their life.

Americans are on that wide road to hell. We need to help Americans find their way back to the path to heaven. If this is not done, Americans cannot help a world that is also lost and walking side-by-side down the wide road to destruction.

Corruption recklessly runs through the once hallowed halls of DC. Nationalism is not the answer to save America. Jesus is the only answer. The only way. And it's about time all of us fall down on our knees and seek Him. The future of the greatness of this land and its rich, once fruitful bounty will not be there for our children and their children unless mankind repents and returns to what made America great: the Lord God, Jehovah.

I don't advocate God saving America for America's sake. I advocate God saving America to preserve the one last bastion of hope that a lost world could look to for everything from financial assistance, to justice, and for protection from tyranny!

America is like the salt of the earth, and without the salt, I shudder to think what tomorrow holds.

Right now, America is in a sad state of affairs, because of corrupt politicians, and greedy souls that have gutted this nation of her once rich bounty, leaving empty the once full storerooms of tradition and greatness.

This nation is spiritually and morally bankrupt. :tear:

I'm not saying have revival for America's sake. I'm saying for revival's sake, we need a God sent, soul shaking, heart searching, Holy Ghost filled revival! And I proclaim that in His name, we need it now! raying:

 

[percho]

When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

Beginning on the day of Pentecost 50 days after the resurrection God began doing,

Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

This is called the church, the called out ones, the body of Christ. It is not called the kingdom of God. They are presently flesh and blood beings who are heirs of the kingdom of God, not inheritors. Some have died and are dead in Christ and this statement applies to them just as the Old Testament saints of faith of which it was spoken,"God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." All will be made perfect in a moment in time.

After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

After this calling out a people for his name. That is the church that he Jesus is building. After this he Jesus will return. Resurrection time. 1 Cor. 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; Col. 1:18 who is the beginning, the firstborn (man, the Word became flesh) from the dead; Afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. I will come again. Then the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; The Church is resurrected/changed at his coming, they are born again as spirit beings as/into/inherit the kingdom of God. Rom. 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. That happens at the resurrection.

David sat on the throne of the Eternal God. Jesus will rebuild that throne upon the earth.

Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

The only hope for America or anyone else is the return of Jesus.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

 

[David Lamb]

But until Christians quit putting Americans first, then the stench of Nationalism will keep God away!

:saint: I'm sure I must be wrong on many things, but I have never ever "put America first"! :saint:

 

[NiteShift]

:saint: I'm sure I must be wrong on many things, but I have never ever "put America first"! :saint:

Of course not. Just as most of us here have never ever put the UK first.

Though we do generally refrain from taking pokes at it. :saint:

 

[NiteShift]

Nationalism cannot be a good thing.. it is the worship of a nation. America is not worthy to be worshiped!

Nationalism is not worship any more than honoring your parents is worship. I'm very sure most of us recognize the difference between our home and our creator. I know I can.

 

[David Lamb]

Of course not. Just as most of us here have never ever put the UK first.

Though we do generally refrain from taking pokes at it. :saint:

Just to ensure my earlier post was not miusunderstood, let me stress that I was not taking pokes at anyone.

 

[mandym]

Nationalism cannot be a good thing.. it is the worship of a nation.

That is just garbage. Quite the over statement.