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 INTRODUCTION
God gave me an enormous passion for America which is why we relocated our lives and ministry from Australia to New Jersey in April of 1999. We believe we are called to be involved in igniting a new spiritual re-awakening in the Northeast. From Boston to Washington D.C. there are approximately seventy million people. Whatever happens here, sooner or later happens everywhere, and even though we now live in a 'global village', the world still takes its lead largely from what happens in this part of America. Wall Street is the center of world economics (if they sneeze, the rest of the world still catches a cold!), most of world media power emanates from New York City, and Washington D.C. remains the 'Mecca' of world political power. There have been spiritual awakenings here in the past, but if this area could be re-awakened again, sooner or later it would spread to the rest of America and eventually even have the potential to touch the rest of the world.
BIRTHED OUT OF THE HEART OF GOD
America is a very paradoxical nation. English is spoken but it is not really European. It is "one nation under God", but each state could almost exist on its own as an 'independent nation'. Until recently, America traditionally had an isolationist role in relation to world affairs, however nearly sixty years ago Pearl Harbor changed all that and America was dragged reluctantly into the center of world affairs and it has occupied the position of 'leader of the free' world ever since.
There is something very unique about America's foundation. I believe it was the first nation in history to be brought into existence with the one primary and supernatural purpose of being birthed by God to take the gospel to the world! There has never been a nation like America that has sowed so much into the Gospel and world missions. But right now the nation stands at one of the most crucial points in the last one hundred and fifty years of its history. Choices that are made at this time will determine the future of America for perhaps the next fifty years. The result will be either righteousness or judgment. America stands on the brink and God is watching.
SIGNED IN BLOOD
The Declaration of Independence is one of the main foundations of this nation. Fifty six American leaders in Congress stepped forward to sign this document at enormous personal risk. Tragically many today just have no idea of the great sacrifices that were made to win the freedom that we so often take for granted.
What happened to some of those signers? Five were captured by the British and brutally tortured as traitors. Nine fought in the war for Independence and died from the wounds and the hardships that they suffered. Two lost their sons in the army. Another two had sons captured and at least a dozen of fifty six had their homes pillaged and burned. When we say; "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights and among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.." we are repeating words that they might as well have been written in blood.
THE MILLENNIAL PARADOX
Blood was shed to lay the foundation of a value system in America based on Christian-Judeo ethics and that system has endured for nearly 200 years, but this has been turned upside down in just the last forty years. What was once considered bad is now considered good and vice versa, and has confronted us with a paradox as we enter the new millennium.
"We have taller buildings but shorter tempers. Wider freeways but narrower view points. We spend more but have less. We buy more but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses but smaller families. More conveniences but less time. We have more degrees but less common sense. More knowledge but less judgment. More experts but more problems. We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. We have learned how to make a living but not a life. We've added years to life but not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back but we still have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer-space but not inner space. We've cleaned up the air, but we've polluted the soul. We've split the atom but not our prejudice. We've learned to rush but not to wait. We have higher incomes but lower morals. Taller men but shorter character. Steep profits but shallow relationships. More acquaintances but fewer friends. More effort but less success. These are the days of microwave ministries, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one stands and pills that do everything from excite to cheer, to quiet, to kill. These are the times of more leisure and less fun; of two incomes but more divorce; of fancier houses but broken homes; of world peace but domestic warfare. When a nation has conquered every enemy without, it's then time to beware the enemy within!" (Author unknown)
America has lost her direction, partly because its early heritage is being ignored or distorted. America has forgotten where it came from!
Woodrow Wilson said, he said this: "A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about".
THREE MIGHTY PILLARS
The first builders of America knew that the foundation must be exceptionally strong and the design called for three mighty pillars; Faith, Family and Freedom.
FAITH
Patrick Henry said; "… It cannot be emphasized to strongly or to often that this great nation was not founded by religionists but by Christians. Not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
James Madison said; "…We have staked the whole future of America's civilization not upon the power of government, far from it. We've staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments."
Benjamin Franklin said "…He who shall introduce into public affairs the principals of primitive or original Christianity will change the face of the world."
The issue of Faith in contemporary America has become embroiled in the political 'minefield' of 'separation of church and state'. But why is it that those who uphold these few words from Jefferson ignore almost everything else he wrote? Jefferson advocated a state that would occupy only a small portion of public and civil affairs. Nowadays, Relativism has produced a far different logic; church and state must be separate. The state must own or control everything. Therefore, the church must retreat to near nothingness. This is not the America Thomas Jefferson wanted. This is what he declared independence against!
There may be a certain amount of credibility to the notion of 'separation of church and state'. History has proved that whenever the church has been greatly involved in political affairs to the point where it is running a nation or empire, much trouble has ensued. The Church's mandate is not to take over the world, but to infuse it like salt and light. Salt preserves; light purifies and dispels darkness! If society is in a process of moral decay, then blaming the homosexual lobby or the politically correct crowd is pointing the finger in the wrong direction. If America is going down a moral tube, the fault rests in the Church first because it is called to preserve society. By all means separate church and state, but don't separate the state from Christ!
FREEDOM
If one word epitomizes this nation more then any other, it would be Freedom.
Thomas Jefferson said; "Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, which is a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God. That they are not to be violated but without incurring His wrath. Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just and that his justice cannot sleep forever."
Everybody wants freedom in America and most believe that it is a right guaranteed by The Declaration Of Independence, however, Jefferson obviously believed that freedom is "…a gift from God" not a right! Rights are earned but gifts come free!
The cry of "give me liberty, or give me death", took place in the context of a young nation endeavoring to establish a rightful separation from the tyranny of British kings and bishops. Unfortunately, time has eroded these noble sentiments which, for many, have now degenerated into a self-centered 'pseudo-right' to independently "do my own thing", the credo being; "Nobody has the right to tell me what to do because I'm free!". A commendable 'rugged individualism' that pushed men westward from America's original settlements and filled this nation from coast to coast and from North to South, today has descended into producing a dangerous type of independence in the Body Of Christ. Ironically a nations greatest strength in the natural realm can end up being its greatest weakness in the spiritual realm!
True freedom only comes out of servanthood. When we accept Christ we must acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord! And if He is Lord you just can't "do your own thing" because if you are truly His servant, then you understand that servants have no rights. True Liberty is birthed in servant-hood.
FAMILY
Family was the first institution and it came before human government, but today the idea of family has been systematically redefined and governments are becoming more and more intrusive into the role of families. The result has been a major move away from the idea of traditional family, with fatherhood being the main victim.
I recently had to go to New Zealand to bury my father who died unexpectedly. He was highly respected in the town where I grew up. He was known as a man of impeccable integrity. At the wake after the funeral, people who I had known all my life, knowing I am now a minister, were asking questions concerning life and death issues. One person asked; "How do you feel about your father's passing? I mean he was good man. He had struggles when he was younger, he lost his father when he was 12 years old and yet he struggled and he became a successful businessman, but then he got sick and died. Is that all there is to life? You're born - you struggle - you die! Is life just some kind of futile exercise?"
THE ANTIDOTE
The only antidote to the futility of life is to have a sense of a transcendent cause and a vision that integrates the end of life with the beginning and connects time and eternity. God had an eternal plan before we got here! While we are here, we are just fulfilling a section of it, and that plan will continue when we leave this world. We have received a baton - and we have to pass it on!
What is a transcendental cause? It is a cause that is truly heroic; a noble endeavor that calls for bravery and sacrifice. It is timeless and has significance beyond the moment. It is supremely meaningful, not futile. Obviously becoming a Christian and developing a personal relationship with Christ and living for him are basic irreplaceable elements to having a meaningful life.
There must be in America a revival of a sense of a transcendent cause. Life is ultimately unsatisfying and is completely unfulfilling if it's just lived for self. Jesus said that you've got to give up your life and if you do, you'll find it. So if you live for a cause greater than yourself, you'll be happy and fulfilled.
Courage is the missing virtue in this decidedly un-heroic age, because most Americans no longer have a sense of threat anymore. Contemporary Americans are content to honor stuntmen rather then real heroes. Boldness for almost any cause is welcome except for the cause of Christ and the cause of truth.
Ask God to give you a boldness that comes from the in-filling of the Holy Ghost, and a purpose that's His purpose. His Spirit, by Jesus Christ, living in you makes all the difference. God does not want to be in your life. God want's to be your life!
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