[Biblemat] S) CAN CHURCHES HEAL AMERICA?

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study from my
files.  Use to the glory of God.

CAN CHURCHES HEAL AMERICA?

     A few years ago the cover to a 1996 edition of U.S. News
caught my attention.  It asked, "Can Churches Cure America's
Social Ills?" Hmm.

     Now, as a Christian my chief allegiance is to God's holy
nation of which I am a citizen (1 Pet. 2:9; Phil. 3:20); but since
America is where I reside currently, I want to see it do well for
...if it has peace, I have peace (Jer. 29:7).  As I pondered the
question, I thought of things churches need to do if they hope to have an 
impact.

     Churches must call people back to the Book.  It's what 
America needs more than anything else.  Just this morning,
my "check engine" light came on and I didn't know what to do.  Obviously, I 
knew to check the engine, but where do I
start?  I immediately reached into the glove compartment for
the owner's manual and found what I needed to know.  Friend, your Bible is 
the Owner's manual given by the One
who made us and knows what's best for us.  No matter how
broken life becomes, the Bible can fix it.  In it, we have all we
need (2 Tim. 3:16,17).  Why would so many people ignore a
book that is so good for us?

     Too many people don't want to be accountable to God and
thus they reason Him away and deny the Bible as His Word.
Someone said, "The atheist cannot find God for the same
reason a thief cannot find a policeman."  he doesn't want to.
America is not the first nation to push God aside.  Jehoiakim,
king of Judah, took God's Word; cut it up with a knife and threw it into the 
fire (Jer. 36:23).  It didn't work.  Try as we 
may to push the Word of the living God out of our lives, it
still lives and abides forever (1 Pet. 1:22-25).  Like an anvil
that wears out the hammers, God's Word outlasts all its skep-
tics.  Oh, how we need this Book!  It is our nation's hope.

     Churches must remember their mission. People long before us saw the 
mission of the church very simply.  God's
Word was highlighted above all.  Some have even said that
when preachers spoke you could "feel the heat."  How do
people see churches now?  Have we grown so accustomed
to churches offering recreational centers, cafeterias, gymnas-
iums and the like, that we are impressed with the need for the
physical over the spiritual?

     Jesus faced that problem.  People came in hoards wanting
physical food.  When He made it clear that His mission was to
provide spiritual food, many walked away (Jno. 6:26,27, 66-68).  A few in the 
religious world have been willing to admit
that without the physical attractions their numbers woud be
drastically reduced.  Jesus didn't worry about that.  He sadly
let them walk away.  In fact, if you'll notice, every time crowds
began to build, Jesus' teaching became even more challeng-
ing (Lk. 14:25ff).  He wanted those who wanted Him.  That's
it.  The mission of the church is to preach the truth, period
(1 Tim. 3:15).  Many years ago, a French statesman, Alexis De
Tocqueville (1805-1859) came to America trying to find the
secret of its greatness.  What he found is interesting.

     I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her
     commodious harbors and her ample rivers -- and it was 
     not there...in her fertile fields and boundless forests --
     and it was not there...in herr democratic Congress and her
     matchless Constitution -- and it was not there.  Not until
     I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits
     flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of
     her genius and power.  America is great because she is 
     good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America 
     will cease to be great.

     Local churches must remember their mission.  Preaching
is growing weaker in too many places.  Preachers must call
sin, sin (Jno. 8:31) for, after all, faith comes by hearing God's
Word (Rom. 10:17).  Without it, America will be faithless.

     Churches must encourage attention to home and family.
Too many homes hardly have anyone home.  Dads provide
(1 Tim. 5:8) but they can be gone too much in their pursuit
of climbing the ladder of success.  Moms need to focus their
minds on being keepers at home (Ti. 2:4,5).  Even kids can
be away from home too much.  We must spend time together.

     I'll never forget Bro. Connie Adams telling of a yard sale
at his parent's home.  Reluctantly, they decided to sell the
family table around which he had sat all of his growing years.
There were so many good memories.  For most of the day, it 
had not sold.  Inwardly, Connie was glad.  Then...a buyer
came, loaded it up and drove away.  Connie said as he saw it
go away, he cried.  I understand.  How many families today
would have such sentimental thoughts about their table?  We
need to come home and build our homes on Christ (Matt. 7:
24-27).

     Churches must teach members to deny worldliness (Rom.
2:17-24; Matt. 5:13-16).  If we, one-by-one, will let the Lord
put our lives together, the world will fall into place.  If you
want to heal America, start with you.  May God bless our land.   ----- Jeff 
May in Biblical Insights, Vol. 6, No. 12, Dec.
2006.   </HTML>
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