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Exhortation
As we read the works of Paul the Apostle in the Holy Bible, we find him many times exhorting those to whom he is sending his epistles. He is so concerned for the Saints that they know the truth and walk in what they have learned and accepted, that his words urgently appeal to them. Paul is an "exhorter." one who urgently appeals to those he addresses. Listen to him as he writes to Timothy (and to us too)— "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth." (1Timothy 2:1-5).
Is there precedence for this sort of prayer somewhere in God’s Word, the Bible? Do you think Paul was influenced by someone praying like this? You can count on it! Paul knew the Scriptures and the history. In 2 Chronicles–14: 9-13 (New Living Translation) we read about an Ethiopian named Zerah who was about to attack Judah with an army of one million men and three hundred chariots. They advanced to the town of Mareshah, and prepared for battle. Asa, King of Judah, deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah. King Asa had an army of three hundred thousand warriors from the tribe of Judah, armed with large shields and spears. He also had an army of two hundred and eighty thousand warriors from the tribe of Benjamin, armed with small shields and bows. Although both of Asa’s armies were composed of well-trained fighting men, they were outnumbered two to one, and they had no chariots, they were all afoot. It did not look at all good for Asa.
Although it appeared hopeless, Asa stood his ground and cried out to the Lord his God, "O Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O Lord, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!"(2 Chronicles 14:8 -NLT). Asa was aware of the fact that this vast horde was about to come down on Judah, one nation under God, and therefore cried out and appealed to God, "let not mere men prevail against our God," And the Lord defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled. (2 Chronicles 14:12 -NLT)
Does all this sound familiar? It should. There is a vast armada creeping across the United States doing everything they can to remove every reference to God, and all godly principals on which this nation was founded. "This is One Nation Under God." Do you think that mere men (and women) are going to prevail against God? The internal enemy that wants the Christian religion eradicated, along with the terrorists and nations that hate us have really got a foot in the door, but this enemy can be stopped, and will be stopped. Just as the Lord defeated the Ethiopians He will send this modern day horde fleeing with their tail between their legs. But think about this, if we don’t care and continue to do nothing, God just might decide, if my people don’t care enough to seek my help, I just might let them alone to get what they deserve. He could be thinking, I had the same trouble with them when I brought them out of Egypt, they wanted to turn back and even started worshiping a golden calf. I am slow to anger and very patient, but they are trying my patience with their continuous acquiescence and do it yourself programs. There are some that are crying out for my help, but I am not hearing very much from the leaders, even they are too busy and too proud to get on their knees before me as did King Asa. I gave them Asa as an example and told them in my word what to do, but I am still waiting for them to get serious. "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. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place" (2 Chronicles 7:14-15 -KJV).
There is a remnant seeking the face of God in these matters, but God said, "if my people...," He did not say "if some of my people will seek my face ...". All of you Saints out there, it is time to get serious, it’s time to bite the bullet, it is time to realize the gravity of the situation. If we continue to turn our back on God, He will turn His back on us. God is true to His Word, "If we draw near to Him He will draw near to us" (James-4:8). We continue to talk about the power of prayer while we write letters, make phone calls, sign petitions, and complain to our leaders and elected officials, and to little or no avail, about their allowing the removal of every reference to God from this nation. All the letters, phone calls, petitions have their place and it is wonderful that in this country we are able to do that, and so far we are also still free to pray to the one and only true God as long as we don’t do it in public where we might offend some homosexual, atheist, or agnostic. It is time we bombarded Heaven, seeking His face and exhort our Heavenly Father to forgive our sin and heal this land. He said His eyes shall be open and His ears attendant unto this kind of prayer. Think of the awful consequences if we fail in this one.
Solomon’s Porch Thought for the Day
"Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord"
Exodus 14:13
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