Powering UP America!

Key Scripture: “This land, though it is now desolate and has no people and animals-will once more have pastures where shepherds can lead their flocks…The day will come when I will do all the good things I have promised them. The righteous branch will be raised up. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.”

Power Point:

     When the children of Israel were in captivity in Egypt, they prospered. Yes they were under the rule of the Pharaoh and had no freedom but the truth is that they had homes, and food. In fact, they liked it so much they wanted to go back! I’ve read that they were actually in the best part of the land. It was green and flourishing. They were in captivity nevertheless God did not abandon them or His plan for them. Don’t you just love that?

     In Jeremiah 33, Jeremiah is sitting in a prison one day when God shows up for a chat.  I guess you could compare it to Joseph who also spent a lot of time in prison but God kept him company. He prospered him so much that Joseph eventually ruled the whole land. God always has a plan for good.

At any rate, God gives Jeremiah this message, which I think is very timely for today. I hope you will read the chapter for yourself but here are the nuts and bolts of it.

God says:

I don’t break covenants. Just as the day follows the night, My covenant with you is everlasting.  

Have you noticed what people are saying? “The Lord chose them and abandoned them!”  They are sneering and saying that Israel (America) is not worthy to be counted as a nation.

Nevertheless this is what I say:  “I would no more abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David’s descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them.

     My favorite word from this passage is “nevertheless”.  When I looked it up, it means “in spite of, or BUT”.  In other words, He is saying, in spite of what you see, in spite of what you think, I do not break My covenants.” I think we can count on that don’t you?

     My friend, Jesus means something in the here and now. He’s not just a nice, gentle God who walked the earth healing and teaching and loving people. He was a Savior, a Redeemer and a Warrior who fought with all evil and won. We tend to forget that don’t we?

This nation was founded on a covenant with Almighty God. He hasn’t forgotten that and we shouldn’t either. We must stop thinking the way the world thinks! We must learn to think as God thinks; Higher thoughts, powerful thoughts, GOOD thoughts to give us a future and a hope. Thoughts that bring life and not death. Thoughts that overcome evil with good. Thoughts to give us all of heaven on earth.  In fact, In Isaiah 55 in the Message, He says, “ The way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.  The words that come out of my mouth do not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I set them to do. They’ll complete the assignment I gave them.

SO you will go out with joy you’ll be led into a whole and complete life.

…”These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name: they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.” (NLT)

God is our Father. He is so good that we can never reach the depths of His goodness. That’s just who He is. Do we have ‘issues”? Yes.  But God’s plans have not changed. He always wants to bless His people and reward their faith. Are you positioning yourself for the reward of your faith? Is it time to think Higher for different results?                                      

Things may look desperate, impossible, and evil may appear to overwhelm the good. Nevertheless.  If the Word of God is true, and it is, then God’s people still have the ability to rise up and become a mighty force for good in this nation. God’s children are the ones who keep the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth marching on.

God has a people and He has a plan. He will never abandon us or forsake us. In II Timothy 3, Paul says, “evil people and imposters will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But (nevertheless) you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. ….Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” (The Message). 

Look UP!  And Power UP! The best is yet to come.

Powering Prayer for America

Father, I’ve not been “thinking higher”.  In fact, I’ve been thinking really low.  I’ve been thinking that You don’t hear my prayers, that our sin is too great and the evil in our land will overtake us. I’m so sorry. Today I bind my thoughts and my plans to You. I refuse any thoughts that don’t take me to a higher place. I refuse any plans that don’t bring Your good into my life or the life of this nation. The awesome truth is that You love us in spite of  everything,  You have plans to rescue us and save us again, to restore the years the locusts have eaten and to flood this land with Your Holy Spirit. The things that look darkest are still subject to the power of God. I’m grateful to be reminded of that today.

Let Your truth keep marching on, in me!

In Jesus Name.  Amen!