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The Focus
by Dennis Wheeler
Have you heard the latest news? According to Agape Press...atheist activist Michael Newdow has filed suit to remove the national motto "In God We Trust" from U. S. currency. Newdow states that every time he sees the motto on money, documents and government locales, it makes him feel like a 'political outsider.' And when he travels to foreign countries and exchanges American currency, he is being forced to 'evangelize' for a religious view he explicity denies. Pacific Justice Institute, along with U. S. Department of Justice deputies, will be defending the use of the motto on money in federal court.
Can you believe this?!
Thirty years ago this issue wouldn't have even been allowed in the court room. And yet in our nation we are questioning and debating . . .
[list]whether the Ten Commandments should be allowed on public property
whether marriage should be defined as a union explicitly between a man and a woman
does life begin in the womb
should 'One Nation Under God' be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance[/list]
What is happening??
What's happening is that we are becoming a nation that is forgetting who God is and therefore, our walls of morality are crumbling and deteriorating.
If you're a Christian...this may ring a bell with you! Remember Nehemiah? You may recall the story from the Old Testament...it has been over 400 years since Solomon built the great temple in Jerusalem; and now - - it has come to Nehemiah's attention that the walls and the gates of Jerusalem are in absolute disrepair. More importantly, though, he realizes that in those 400 years, the nation of Israel has 'crumbled' time and time again because of it's disobedience to God.
So, Nehemiah intercedes in prayer on behalf of both the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. He asks God to forgive the people's sins, and in effect, give them another chance at being recognized as a nation - - a nation that worships God.
God honored Nehemiah's prayer of intercession. He did so because Nehemiah was a man of action. God knew that Nehemiah would give more than just lip-service in uniting a nation...he would fight for it.
It's incredible to learn that Nehemiah rallied the nation and the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt in just 52 days!! However, his faithful action also led to a spiritual rebuilding of the nation of Israel as well.
Perhaps, just perhaps, if each of us will pray on behalf of our nation, God will listen and help us turn back to Him.
Will YOU be a Nehemiah?
"O Lord, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for Your people. I confess
that we have sinned against You. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned." - Nehemiah 1:6 (NLT)
"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from
their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)
He serves as the Senior Pastor with southwest Virginia church... a loving church family in Abingdon.
He and his wife Sharon have been married for over 27 years and are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters, one son-in-law, and two precious grandchildren, the second arrived arrived on the scene in September 2004!!
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