America's Spiritual Crisis: Facing Four More Years of Systematic Secularization

A message from Pastor Erwin Lutzer, Pastor Chicago's Moody Memorial Church

           Despite its foundational Christian heritage, America is rapidly degenerating into a Godless society. The church in America, although highly visible and active, appears powerless to redirect the rushing secular currents.Mired in a moral and spiritual crisis, America's only hope is a national revival, like God has graciously bestowed in the past.
          From the beginning, Christian values ingrained America's political and social fabric. Its democratic form of government was founded on faith in God. To this day, United States currency bears the inscription,  "In God We Trust. "America flourished while Christianity permeated all aspects of life, including the laws, education, and culture.
         The powers in America today, however, have chosen a path of rejecting God and His ways. Federal courts have interpreted our constitution as requiring that the Bible, prayer, and religious discussion be removed from classrooms,community buildings, and places of public gatherings. Government officials and educators across the country are systematically eliminating any vestiges of God from society. Militant secularists will not be satisfied until God is expunged from every facet of American life.
         American laws are being reinterpreted and rewritten to sanction what is abominable to a holy God. In 1973 the Supreme Court legalized abortion for any reason, and Congress subsequently passed a law providing government funds for such barbarous acts. Old laws making homosexuals practices criminal are being repealed, and new legislation is being enacted requiring society to support such lifestyles.While religious discussion is gagged, pornography is permitted to saturate our culture.
         Our society is fast becoming openly hostile to Christian values.The media trivializes and ridicules Christianity in the name of of humanistic and pluralistic concerns. American culture is dominated by teleivision and movies, whose profanity and lewdness tramp God's honor into the mud, inculcating non-Christian values from infancy. Public schools teach our children how to practice various forms of immorality.America is reaping the dire consequences of rejecting God. Our society is morally bankrupt, and the problems seem resistant to government cures....And America appears helpless before its great problems....
         There is Hope. Revival is possible as long as God is God. Jonathan Edwards, a leader during the First Great Awakening in America, argued that God grants light when the darkness is the greatest, and it was in just such times that the glorious periods of revival occurred in America's history.When there was disinterest in religion, gross immorality and rampant unbelief, God poured out His undeserved gracious blessing.
We must believe God for something more than our generation has seen. May our sights be raised and our faith increased, to fervently seek God for a national revival. What God has done in the past, He can do it again!

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. ( Isa 57:15 )  

Pray for Preachers of the Gospel in Portland, Maine - APril 9, 2011

This post is for an April 9, 2011 Evangelistic Conference in Portland, Maine, that appears on SermonIndex.net 

SERIOUS NEED FOR PRAYER - MANY ATTACKS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN


Good evening,

I am sending out this prayer request because I have become increasingly aware of our need for prayer, especially for this week. As we are preparing for the evangelistic conference that is scheduled for April 9th, 2011, Satan is throwing everything he can to stop this work from being accomplished.

For the past five weeks, we have been going out every Saturday on the streets of Portland, Maine, telling people about the upcoming conference, distributing Gospel tracts and invitations, and sharing the Gospel with random people. It seems that the closer we get to the conference, the more fruitful conversations we are able to get, for which we praise God!



At the same time, we have seen a flow of French-speaking refugees coming to our church, three of whom are Muslims who are interested to know about Jesus. They seem drawn by a force beyond human understanding to learn more about Him. It is really interesting to witness what seems like an internal struggle between well-ingrained Islam and the truths they have recently heard concerning Jesus Christ. One of them has said that he was now convinced that Jesus had died for his sins on the cross, and resurrected from the dead to conquer death! The second one said that there is no one like Jesus, that not even Muhammad comes close to Jesus. The third one still claims that he is Muslim, but he is reading through the Gospel according to John, a dangerous endeavor.

The other refugees mostly come from a nominal pseudo-Christian background. One of them has most definitely been saved a few months ago, while we were still in the preparation stage for the conference. Others have been convicted of their sins and even felt compelled to confess them. It is really good to see their hunger to learn the Scriptures (both at church and during their personal devotions) and their desire to make Jesus known to their friends and acquaintances. They draw others into the church and witness for Jesus whenever they have the opportunity. There seems to be a genuine transformation occurring, wrought by God.

However, we have also seen numerous attacks, as the battle is becoming increasingly intense. Some people are suffering a lot, and we pray that God would draw us closer to Him and deliver us from all troubles. Two key people have already been disabled, who were supposed to give their testimonies at the conference. They are now unable to do so. The attacks are frequent and widespread across our church. I have myself been attacked from all sides, though God has thus far delivered me from each attack, including two physical attacks that were swiftly dealt with through prayer.

Although we have suffered a lot, it seems that God has used this to strengthen our faith and draw us closer to one another. Our prayers are more meaningful than ever, because we are praying with a purpose for God’s Kingdom, while undergoing trials and tribulation.

All in all, we are excited about what God is accomplishing, but we realize how much prayer we need. If you are so led, please pray for the following things:

1) Please pray that God might grant us an open door to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the citizens of Portland. Obviously, people can find so many excuses why not to attend the conference, including disinterest, busyness, or simply forgetting. We pray that somehow, God would draw people to hear the Gospel.

2) Please pray that God would help us through the numerous attacks that are coming our way, that we would persevere in prayer and boldness to proclaim the message of the cross, finding our refuge in Christ.

3) Please pray that God would convict people of their sins, righteousness, and judgment, bringing people to salvation. This can only be accomplished if the Gospel is clearly and faithfully proclaimed, under the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you so much for your prayers.

In Christ Jesus,

Renoncer