Why are Christians losing their zeal for the Lord? It can be argued that the church, specifically the body of Christ in America, has lost its way. We need to remind ourselves of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for all of us. Unfortunately, today, we’re having a hard time making our way to Calvary, let alone picturing Christ being on the cross. As a church, and as a nation, we need to find our way back to Calvary.
Whether we care to admit it or not, we’re in trouble as a nation. Its people are also in trouble. We’re in trouble because of the lack of church leadership in bringing forth persons to serve in leadership positions in government for our country. We have relied on today’s government to provide this leadership, but this is only part of the problem.
As a nation, we’re spoiled. On our worst day, we are doing better than three-fourths of the rest of the world. We consume a lot of food, and we also waste food. We spend a lot of money, but we also create a lot of debt. We need to realize, however, that our lifestyle has plunged us into debt as a nation. The US raised its debt ceiling to $14.3 trillion in 2010. Our nation owes money to China, Japan, India and Russia.
Over the course of history. nations have failed and civilizations met their demise for three basic reasons: a lack of military strength, a lack of morality and poor standards of behavior, and a lack of financial viability and/or capability. The United States is presently suffering through visible symptoms of all three of these issues. All of these problems will ultimately have the greatest impact in our youth, as they will be the ones most affected in the future. Note that prices are still increasing (inflation) while wages are decreasing, and we are in debt, as a nation, by $13 trillion, with no relief in sight.
What reference to Scripture is there about our nation going into debt?
Deuteronomy 15:6
When the Lord your God blesses you as He has promised you, you will lend to many nations but not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.
The United States began to borrow money from other countries in 1963. In addition to this, a change took place culturally in this nation with our lifestyle. Note the conditional verse just before Deuteronomy 15:6:
Deuteronomy 15:5
–if only you obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow every one of these commands I am giving you today.
If we are honest about where we are as a country, it is clear that we have lost sight of God and His commands.
Proverbs 22:7
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender.
Once you are in debt, someone has control over you. You lose out on the freedom of your life because of the debt you incurred. This is the state of our country today. Essentially, we are servants to other nations because of the debt we owe to them.
When you forget who you are as a nation and as a people who God is and how He has blessed us, we bring ruin unto ourselves. Christians that become “satisfied” with their life tend to forget where their blessings have come from. There should not be debates over issues amongst believers that are clearly defined within Scripture; yet, this is a symptom of our growing satisfaction and pride that tends to draw us towards the things of this world rather than pursuing what God would have you to pursue. Who gave you the ability and wisdom to work each day and to make a living? Who brought you out of your previous circumstances to where you are today? How many different ways has God blessed you and enabled you?
Deuteronomy 8:10-20
When you eat and are full, you will praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. “Be careful that you don’t forget the Lord your God by failing to keep His command —the ordinances and statutes —I am giving you today. When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in, and your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold multiply, and everything else you have increases, be careful that your heart doesn’t become proud and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. He led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty land where there was no water. He brought water out of the flint-like rock for you. He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper. You may say to yourself, ‘My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,’ but remember that the Lord your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant He swore to your fathers, as it is today. If you ever forget the Lord your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will perish. Like the nations the Lord is about to destroy before you, you will perish if you do not obey the Lord your God.
Have we forgotten how God has blessed us? As an example, while you may not have participated in the civil rights movement of the 60s, many of the blessings that you receive today came through God’s leadership through the actions of those civil rights leaders. We are able to achieve what we have today because of God’s blessings working through those who came before us and through the sacrifices and prayers of the participants, their families, and their supporters. God gives us the ability and perseverance to handle everything that we encounter as we trust in Him. When it comes to our finances, we need to pray for direction on how to spend the money we earn. If we fail to follow God and forget about Him, we are removing from ourselves His covering and protection.
Deuteronomy 32:15
Then Jeshurun became fat and rebelled — you became fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation.
We are at the point where we have become so content with everything that we have, we have rejected the One who has provided all of the very things that we enjoy. We are likely forgetting that Jesus is coming back as He said He will do, and that we are paying attention to other people or circumstances that take our focus away from God (2 Peter 3:4, 8-9).
We need to remember the standards that we should use as a people, as a church, and as a nation.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul? Keep the Lord’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good.
We need to live in such a way that Jesus is coming very soon, and to never forget it (Matthew 24:37-44).
There needs to be a fear, reverence and respect for God. As a nation, we have lost this, and it is even scarce amongst believers in Jesus Christ. In having a reverence for God, we are to walk with Him, love Him and serve Him. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). We need to love Jesus, and listen to Him through His Word and through our fellowship with Him in prayer. We show our love for Jesus by serving Him as He served us (Matthew 20:26-28). There are many ways to serve Him by just loving others and conducting yourself publicly as His faithful servant, for your work is not for men, but for God Himself (John 15:9-12).
Akron Alliance Fellowship 