Why do we celebrate Independence Day, the Fourth of July? The most important objective of celebrating this extraordinary day is to memorialize the independence of the United States from the United Kingdom of Great Britain. It denoted the emancipation of this country from the dictates of the British Empire through its King.
The Declaration of Independence served as one of the foundations of the United States. Moreover, it also facilitated in the institution of several independent colonies that would then merge and become the United States of America. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was irrevocably adopted. The line was drawn, there was no turning back.
I am a proud patriot of America and a veteran of her military forces in aggressive and defensive actions to hold our freedoms close to our hearts. I will celebrate in humble honor this coming Fourth of July.
But, as much as I celebrate this historic day of independence, my beloved nation by experiences of recent years, is on the verge of forfeiting much or all of her blood bought freedoms. Many reasons and persons might be sited as cause for our failures; however, the primary purpose of her failures is her vast moral declines.
America was established on Godly morals and Biblical standards, though never perfect in playing out that desire, the desire was still there. That desire was the foundation of God’s blessing her as a people. Through changing generations, we have lost the vision of being a nation under God. Through various indoctrinations and influences, many of our people now have a vision of a nation without God, and that is their goal. Yes, these are troubling times, but I have a hope beyond her people, her government, and even her rich historical documents. I have a great deal of hope in the mercy and grace of my God.
I know many things seem to point to a point of no return as we spiral out of control towards what appears to be the end times. I get that. I, too, see the signs. Some believers will simply say that this is what is supposed to happen, as end times are spoken of in the Bible. Yes, that is absolutely true in descriptions of human events and morals leading to an unknown time. But I know one major thing about my God that gives me a sense of hope and even excitement. My God is eternal. My God is not governed by time; the clock or calendar. My God is more concerned with timing. My God is not willing that anyone would perish, but that all would come to repentance.
What is my hope?
Since God is eternal He is not worried about running out of time. Therefore, if we, His people, will meet certain requirements, there is plenty of time left for one greater awakening to the reviving of His Church and the saving of untold millions of souls.
I am certain God wants to do this, but I am not certain God’s Church is willing to pay the price. You see, until the Church moves back to respecting the sacredness of biblical marriage in God’s House by repenting and removing the lust-filled sins of fornication, adultery, divorce, racism, pride, and the many greed-filled sins, revival will remain out of reach. At this point, the Church refuses to admit its own wrong-doings, while pointing fingers of judgment outside the church, and now it seems, even at each other.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
The Church, God’s children, the family of God, must individually and corporately take ownership of her own specific sins and repent. We must Declare our Dependence upon God, and His Kingdom purposes in repentance, to be finally independent from the worldly sways that have us bound in disobedience.
We believers today should be as resolved as the original signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 when they stated in unison:
“And for the support of this Declaration…we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”
There is a window of hope. Church, let’s get this right. The LORD is waiting. The world is waiting. Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Pray for God’s mercy. Pray for a fresh wave of evangelism. Pray that the Spirit’s power will flood America and give free reign to yet another Great Awakening. This is our final hope.
Come on, Church, Pray On!
