One Voice, United in Prayer

JOHN BORNSCHEIN - BIO PIC (BW) John Bornschein

In 1620, William Bradford and the brave men and women of faith aboard the Mayflower declared America to be “for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.” Later it was President George Washington who said that the twin pillars essential for supporting a successful society are morality and religion. John Adams, our second president specified that the “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were … the general principles of Christianity.”

So, where are we today? Are we still a Christian nation? For those of us who align with this faith, the easy answer is yes—but the reality is more difficult to process. According to recent surveys, including one from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, the fastest growing “religious” group in America is made up of people with no religion at all. This group has grown by 25 percent in the past five years, and for the first time Evangelicals and Protestants now make up only 48 percent of the population. There was a significant decline in the group who identified themselves as Christian—by as much as 14 percent since 2005.[1]

This alarming trend provides a pathway to power for individuals whose perspectives do not align with those of our Founding Fathers or the general precepts of morality we have strived to preserve for 393 years.[2] Proverbs 29:2 reminds us, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan” (nrsv). Noah Webster, a Founding Father and educator, offered a similar warning:

Let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers just men who will rule in the fear of God (Exodus 18:21). … If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will so be corrupted … If government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the laws.[3]

We have no one to blame but ourselves. Abraham Lincoln, quoting from Mark 3:24, boldly stated that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” We have failed to pass a legacy of faith to the next generation as God Himself directed us to do (Deut 6:1–9; Psa 78). In four generations, we have lost a firm foundation on moral truth. Now the heart of our nation is divided and we must be reminded, yet again, of what the prophets spoke to the people of Israel—a reminder that is still relevant to us today: If we repent and return to God, He will hear, forgive, and restore our land (2 Chr 7:14). Again He spoke to Jeremiah and said that if His wayward people would return to Him with all their hearts, then He would give them leaders who honor Him—“shepherds after [His] own heart” (Jer 3:6–18). You see, it begins with us assuming a humble, contrite spirit before our Almighty God, expecting nothing in return and we need to be reminded of the reverent, awesome power of his majesty and authority.

Our nation is divided, struggling and morally broken. So, what can we do about it? Take hope, for God gave us specific instructions. We are to gather together, fast and pray (Joel 1:14). Prayer is needed in America to restore the foundations of Christianity in our homes. Now is not the time to grow weary. Now is not the time to give up. God has identified for us the chinks in our armor and the hindering sins that prevail within, so we must gird up our loins and prepare in solemn assembly as never before. Just as the prophets Joel and Ezra called forth the people of Israel to unite on bended knees, in one voice of intercession and repentance to Jehovah, now is the time for America to do the same “so that with one mind and one voice” we may glorify our God and Father (Romans 15:6).

God says that He saw the end from the beginning (Isa 46:10), that He is omnipresent (Psa 139:1–18), and that there are no accidents, for all things are according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11). Do we believe it? Even when tragedy strikes or we experience a refining defeat, He already has the victory and assures us of such. King David recognized God’s sovereignty and sang Him praise: “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all” (1 Chr 29:11–12). Scripture declares that God directs the hearts of the rulers of the earth and selects them for His bidding (Prov 21:1; 8:15; Dan 4:25; Col 1:15–20). The battle is not lost—God is still hearing the cries of His people.

We must not allow our prayers to diminish. Rather, we must amplify them with persistence and perseverance. In the words of the Apostle Paul, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:56).

The National Day of Prayer will take place on Thursday, May 1, 2014 and the timing is God ordained for such a time as this. We dare not miss our appointment at the throne room of the King of Kings. Millions will gather together in prayer at more than 40,000 locations from coast to coast and early indicators show that it could be the largest day of prayer in our nation’s history. So, let our voices be unified and bold in resounding declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord!

- John Bornschein, Vice Chairman

[1] “‘Nones’ on the Rise,” The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, October 9, 2012, http://www.pewforum.org/Unaffiliated/nones-on-the-rise.aspx.

[2] That is, since the Mayflower Compact

[3] Noah Webster, Noah Webster’s Advice to the Young and Moral Catechism (Aledo, TX: WallBuilders, 1993), 36.

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