The Glorious Church

On Saturday, September 26th, a bunch of us from the church ventured down 95 to Washington, DC to be part of a great gathering of Christians at the Mall to pray and to recognize together America’s need for God to move. It was a glorious display of unity with tens, maybe hundreds of thousands there, representing different factions of the universal body of Christ. It reminded me of Ephesians 5:27 where Jesus presents to Himself “the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle”. When the Bride of Christ comes together in a divine mission to petition His throne for His answers, it manifests the glory of His church. Twila Paris wrote a song about the Body of Christ: 

How beautiful the radient Bride who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes. 
How beautiful when humble hearts give the fruit of pure lives so that others may live. 
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ. 

 

We got to the Mall just in time to hear Jonathan Cahn (a Messianic Rabbi) address the nation. He shared how strategic was the selection of this particular day, the 400-year anniversary of the Mayflower leaving England for the “New World”. He also spoke about John Winthrop and the promise God gave him on his way to the Massachusetts Bay Colony that God would bless this land as a “City upon a Hill”, but warned that the blessings would be removed if “we deal falsely with our God in this work”.   

 

I have read a number of Rabbi Cahn’s books recently that prophetically address the moral and spiritual degeneration of our society. In his speech, he said that America was at a crossroads and needed to decide its future. He likened it to Elijah challenging the people to decide between 2 opinions (1Kings 18:21), to follow God or follow Baal. He challenged believers in America to “humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways” (2Chronicles 7:14) to bring about America’s change in direction. He also took a jar and smashed it as a reference to God’s command to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 19:10-11 as a message to Jerusalem. It brought to mind 1Peter 4:17, which says that judgement begins with the household of God. It is up to us, the church to bring about this change in our society by being more committed to God and His commands than ever before! 

 

Just as there were many thousands at the Mall that day, I know there were many more who could not be there gathering to pray in their own locations for God to move mightily on behalf of our nation. We represented millions who were also coming together to make a difference through prayer. This is what the Body of Christ looks like: people from all walks of life in all locations agreeing on a divine purpose to change His people and nation and fulfill His call. 

 

Franklin Graham and a group of spiritual leaders travelled across the Mall, stopping to pray at 7 different locations beginning at the Lincoln Memorial and concluding at the Capital. We were able to catch up with this group at the National Archives (the 6th stop) and I recognized Pastor Andrew Brunson praying with Franklin Graham. Pastor Brunson was imprisoned in Turkey for 2 years, accused of “aiding terrorism” by President Erdogan. I went up to him after their prayer to thank him for his faithfulness to God and that I would be praying for other Christians falsely imprisoned around the world. His presence represented persecuted believers who have suffered for the Divine Cause. I was reminded of hearing Richard Wurmbrand speak to us at the Teamsters Union building over 30 years ago. He had such a sense of Heaven’s Purpose as a result of his suffering.  

 

We stood with all Christians on behalf of this nation, founded on God’s authority while having strayed far from its spiritual roots. It is my deepest hope that what took place on that day does not end with our return to normal life, but sparks a spiritual revival that will transform the glorious church and our nation. Arise my soul, arise! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Image
  8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gift of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kind of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues .              1 Corinthians 12:8-10 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that, miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues .                  1 Corinthians 12:28 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his...
Read more

Introducing Christianity to the Jews

Image
  I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build My church [ ekklesia – called out ones], and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. "             Matthew 16:18-19 Jesus’s public ministry began at His baptism, followed immediately by His temptation in the wilderness. While still ministering in Galilee, He introduced the principle of kingdom life, proper behavior in the kingdom of heaven. It meant a radical change in the laws given at Sinai, those commandments that focused on the public activities of the believer. The Sermon on the Mount was intended to focus attention on the private, inward life. In the beginning, Jesus centered on the inward convictions that would result in blessings of the kingdom. In the above passage, J...
Read more

Quality of Life in the Land of the Living

Image
  I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living .              Psalm 27:13 I shall walk before the Lord in the land of the living .               Psalm 116:9 I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living .                                   Psalm 142:5 In each of the above verses, the psalmist refers to the quality of life available to the one who finds his life within a personal relationship, in communion with God. There is a clear sense of walking in His presence and the provision for life that this relationship brings to the believer. It speaks of a purity of heart that allows him to see the Lord (Matthew 5:8). Hezekiah’s Prayer A writing of Hezekiah, ...
Read more