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I pray for revival in America!
By: Pastor Mike Sanders

America is blessed. I pray for revival in America! I pray that God will renew the church and he’ll awaken His people. Who knows what God might do in us and through us as we pursue Him and His righteousness.

Many are frustrated with our culture because they are disappointed with the direction of our country. Earlier this year, we had several football players who wouldn’t stand up during the national anthem. First of all, I love America and I’m very patriotic, but we have such knee-jerk reactions. Our first reaction is to start tearing down the person, as if that could help the cause of Jesus Christ. Second, social media explodes with all kinds of accusations. One thing about America, we have the freedom to be dumb. You have the freedom to be stupid. You have the freedom to make bad decisions. Trust me, life will take care of itself. You live in a country like America where so many people are patriotic, and you get up, and you act like that. There’s going to come a time when people are not going to support you. You won't have that one million-dollar contract. The point is don’t react towards other people’s issues. Who knows what’s going on, so don’t get caught up in all that. Be repentant and pray for revival.

The truth is we need to learn that God is confronting our sin. He is saying to the church, “why don’t you deal with your sin.” The Apostale Peter says, judgement begins first in the house of the Lord…” We think that a lack of patriotism is destroying America. America is in the condition that she is because of the church’s status. The church is more worldly than it has ever been. The church is departing from the word of God.

The Bible says in Romans chapter two verse four “…do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance.” It is the goodness of God that should lead us to repentance. It is the goodness of God that should lead us to repentance. If there is any nation that should be repentant it is America, because of how good God has been to us. America has let the goodness of God and the grace of God and the mercy of God cause them to become arrogant, defiant and unwilling to rely upon the strength of God and the wisdom of God; therefore we have made a mess of ourselves.

God’s people are responsible and accountable to each other. The mistake of Americanism is that we are individualists, and we take great pride in our individualism. We don’t need anybody else. We can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, but God calls us to learn to support and to encourage one another.

The point is that we must humble ourselves and submit to God. We must line up under him, and follow his will no matter what obstacles we face. We willingly offer ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ.

BY: PASTOR MIKE SANDERS

The story is told of a dad who took his son on a fishing trip. A window was rolled down slightly, and a bee buzzed his way into the car. The little boy was frightened and grew more agitated as the bee flew around the interior of the vehicle.

Moments later the dad stopped the car and quickly grabbed the bee in his hand. He gripped the bee tightly until it penetrated the flesh of his palm. Leaving the stinger embedded in the flesh. Then he let it go.

The dad then explained, “Son, his stinger is in my hand. He will fly around a bit but remember that he cannot hurt you. The stinger is gone.”

Today you and I don’t have to fear death even though its presence may be near in our life. For Christians, death has no more power, because God has taken away our sin. Jesus said, “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.” John 14:19 (NKJV) The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the reason for our Hope. The hope in the promise of the resurrection is what sustains us in the trials of life.

Jesus has removed the sting of death through His resurrection. If we have faith in Christ then for the believer death is merely a transition from this earthly life to our heavenly life with Christ forever. Therefore, we agree with the Apostle Paul when he said, “Oh death where is your victory, oh death, where is your sting?”

How we live and how prepared we are to die are both extremely important. It’s important to understand, however, that only those who are ready to die are ready to live! And to be prepared to die we must know Jesus.

In response to the questions, I regularly receive from believers about loved ones suffering through the process of death I feel it necessary to express the biblical position on Euthanasia.

The mark of a mature Christian is to be a peacemaker and not a troublemaker. When we come to James chapter, four that is precisely the situation that James is dealing with in verse one, “where do wars and fights come from among you…” There was conflict within the church, and he is challenging God’s people to be peacemakers rather than troublemakers.

In reading about the birth of Jesus, we realize the Roman generals didn’t know anything about it. The Roman Caesar didn’t know anything about it. The Jewish high priest didn’t know anything about it. The Greek philosophers didn’t know anything about it. In fact, as we look more closely at the Christmas narrative, it seems as if it were only average people—not the notables or the religious leaders—who seemed to grasp the message of Christmas.

Anna may have been one of the “average” people in the Christmas story, but she was a spiritual giant. Why? Her attitude of the hope set her apart. Anna was widowed, and the Bible indicates she had remained single since her husband’s death. For many years, she remained alone and knew well the pain of grief, of loss, of being alone. Neither her loss nor her being alone diminished her bright hope.

(Luke 2:37 NKJV) “…this woman [Anna] was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple but served God with fasting and prayers night and day.”

Anna realized that she had two options: to be bitter about what had happened or to be better through what had happened. I believe that as Anna began to wait on the Lord, focus on God’s trustworthiness, and concentrate on being all that He intended her to be she started to look at life through the Father’s eyes. This strengthened her resolve as she refused to let her hopes be dashed.

The great hope at Christmas is the same as it was for that “little” lady in Jerusalem many centuries ago. Our hope, like Anna’s, is redemption through Jesus Christ. A personal relationship with Him brings hope in the midst of a hopeless world. It allows the redeemed to stand on the edge of eternity, knowing that life is a vapor and salvation through the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is eternal. May we be like Anna in proclaiming the good news to all who would hear. Redemption has come! The hope of the world brings joy to the world!

It seems like every day we encounter tragedies from all parts of the world. Everywhere we turn we hear about life's tragedies.

Because of technology we are not isolated from calamities.

When tragedies strike, who is responsible? Some people blame governments, some people blame guns, some people blame God, some people blame the victims for their sin. So who is to blame? Jesus addressed these questions that will help us sort out this issue.

• Pray

• For the Victim's

• For the Families affected

• For the Law enforcement

• For the Emergency personnel

• For Revival/Spiritual awakening

• For America

• Prepare

The three crucial issues of life are these: the issue of suffering; the issue of death; and the issue of eternity. Tragedy can strike any of us at any moment. Prepare your heart spiritually. Please today make sure you are ready to meet Jesus Christ. Who knows what a day may bring forth. Turn from your sin and receive Christ as Savior! We all deserve judgment for our sin, but Christ took that judgement on the cross for you. God will receive you with open arms if you repent and receive His forgiveness

The question is not why do innocent people suffer but why didn’t I suffer. Hell is life's greatest tragedy.

• Reach out

Matthew 10:7 KJV And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

People today are searching for hope amid personal despair, and tragedy. The world knows only of a dying hope. The Bible says, “Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish” Job 8:13 ESV.

Start conversations with others about suffering and tragedy and lead people to the hope we have in Christ. Emphasize that tragedy reminds us to have our spiritual house in order.

“The gospel is not that Jesus Christ comes to earth, tells us how to live, we live a good life, and then God owes us blessing. The gospel is that Jesus Christ came to earth, lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died.” – Tim Keller

• Remember what's important

God can use dark and stressful times for your good. He’ll use them to teach you to trust him: “We stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God.” (2 Corinthians :8-9)

How grateful we should be for those strong and special people who have made positive impressions upon us. What really matters most is our faith in Christ and our family.