America’s root problems are spiritual, and the only real solution is spiritual. The only thing that will help America in her terrible plight is a true revival, and there could be revival at some level, particularly in the churches. Revival always begins at God’s house with God’s people. 2 Chronicles 7:14, “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 Ch. 7:14). This is a promise for Israel, but it has application to the church age. See Romans 15:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:11. Nothing like a revival and lasting change will happen through Moral Majority programs or Tea Parties or Chick Fill-A Days or Trump rallies. As these have been tried repeatedly and enthusiastically over the past few decades, the moral depravity has only increased and the power of the forces for right and liberty has only decreased, because these are carnal weapons that deal with symptoms and cannot affect the foundational spiritual issues. These are Band-Aids on cancer. They can win political skirmishes but not spiritual wars. The heart of the tree is being eaten away even as the watchers are pleased at keeping a few leaves alive. Some type of revival could happen if individual Christians and individual churches would repent of an adulterous love for this God-hating world, repent of setting the affections more on things below than things above, and earnestly beseech God’s help. Who knows how far the forces of evil could be driven back? God has never needed a majority. Gideon’s vigilant few are enough. But so many churches are like Sardis; they have a name that they live, but they are dead. They are comfortable in the world, not pilgrims but dwellers, mighty for pot luck but weak for spiritual warfare, zealous for video games and sports and consuming fleeting hours on social media vanity, but not zealous students of God’s Word, passionate for parties but not for prayer. Why pray according to 1 Timothy 2:1-2 that we might “lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness” when God knows that we will not live such lives? It’s past time for pastors to rise up and lead their churches in true revival. Better to have 30 people, if need be, with God’s blessing and power, than 200 without it. Are we afraid of losing members and finances if we take God’s Word seriously? If so, we are mere hirelings. “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1). With God’s blessing and power we can have real eternal fruit; without it, there is nothing but wood, hay, and stubble.
(Friday Church News Notes, November 13, 2020, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)