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TO REVIVE AMERICA - LET US RETURN UNTO THE LORD!
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18 March, 1999, A.D.
I. IN COVENANT BEFORE THE LORD:
JOHN WINTHROP, FIRST GOVERNOR OF THE PURITAN
MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY, 1680:
We are a Company, professing ourselves fellow members of Christ, and thus we ought to account ourselves knit together by this bond of love...Thus stands the cause between God and us: we are
entered into Covenant with Him for this work. We have
taken out a Commission; the Lord hath given us leave
to draw our own articles...
If the Lord shall please to hear us, and bring us
in peace to the place we desire, then hath He ratified
this Covenant and sealed our Commission, and will
expect a strict performance of the
Articles...(otherwise) the Lord will surely break out
in wrath against us.
Now the only way to avoid this shipwreck and to
provide for our posterity, is to follow the counsel of
Micah, to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly
with our God. For this end, we must be knit together
in this work as one man...
We must hold a familiar commerce together in each
other in all meekness, gentleness, patience, and
liberality. We must delight in each other, make one
another's condition our own, rejoice together, mourn
together, labor and suffer together, always having
before our eyes our Commission and Community in this
work, as members of the same body. So shall we keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace...
We shall find that the God of Israel is among us,
when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of
our enemies, when He shall make us a praise and glory,
that men of succeeding plantations shall say, "The
Lord make it like that of New England."
For we must Consider that we shall be as a City
upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; so
that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this
work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw
His present help from us, we shall be made a story and
a bye-word through the world." (3,14)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: EXODUS 34:5-10:
"And The LORD descended in the cloud, and stood
with him (Moses) there, and proclaimed the Name of The
LORD.
And The LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed,
The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious,
longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth,
Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity
and transgression and sin, and that will by no means
clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children, and upon the children's children,
unto the third and to the fourth generation.
And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward
the earth, and worshipped.
And he said, If now I have found grace in thy
sight, O LORD, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us;
for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our
iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine
inheritance.
And He said, Behold, I make a Covenant: before
all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not
been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all
the people among which thou art shall see the work of
The LORD..." (1)
NOTE: LUKE 22:19-22:
"And He (Jesus) took bread, and gave thanks, and
brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is My body
which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me.
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This
cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is shed for
you.
But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth Me is
with Me on the table.
And truly The Son of Man goeth, as it was
determined: but woe unto that man by whom He is
betrayed!" (1)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
II. IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE THE LORD:
PATRICK HENRY, TO THE VIRGINIA HOUSE OF BURGESSES,
1775:
"For my own part I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery...It isonly in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country...
Sir, we have done everything that could be done to
avert the storm which is now coming on. We have
petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated;
we have prostrated ourselves before the throne (of
England), and have implored its interposition to
arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and
parliment. Our petitions have been slighted; our
remonstrances have produced additional violence and
insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and
we have been spurned with contempt...An appeal to arms
and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!
...Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use
of the means which the God of nature hath placed in
our power. Three millions of people, armed in the
Holy cause of Liberty, and in such a country as that
which we possess, are invincible by any force which
our enemy can send against us.
Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battle alone.
There is a just God who presides over the destinies
of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our
battle for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong
alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave...
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be
purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid
it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may
take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" (2,3,7)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: ISAIAH 50:4-10:
"The LORD GOD hath given me the tongue of the
learned, that I should know how to speak a word in
season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by
morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
The LORD GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not
rebellious, neither turned away back.
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to
them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face
from shame and spitting.
For The LORD GOD will help me; therefore shall I
not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like
a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
He is near that justifieth me; who will contend
with me? Let us stand together: who is mine
adversary? Let him come near to me.
Behold, The LORD GOD will help me; who is he that
shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a
garment; the moth shall eat them up.
Who is among you that feareth The LORD, that
obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in
darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in The
Name of The LORD, and stay upon his God." (1)
NOTE: ROMANS 8:28-34:
"And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to His purpose.
For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also
called: and whom He called, them He also justified:
and whom He justified, them He also glorified.
What shall we then say to these things? If God be
for us, who can be against us?
He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him
up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely
give us all things?
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's
Elect? It is God that justifieth.
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that
died, yea rather, that is risen again, Who is even at
the right hand of God, Who also maketh intercession
for us." (1)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
III. IN HUMILITY BEFORE THE LORD:
ROBERT E. LEE, COMMANDING THE CONFEDERATE ARMY OF
NORTHERN VIRGINIA, 1864:
"Knowing that intercessory prayer is our mightiest weapon and the supreme call for allChristians today, I pleadingly urge our people everywhere to pray. Believing that prayer is the greatest contribution that our people can make in this critical hour, I humbly urge that we take time to pray - to really pray.
Let there be prayer at sunup, at noonday, at
sundown, at midnight - all through the day. Let us
pray for our children, our youth, our aged, our
pastors, our homes. Let us pray for our churches.
Let us pray for ourselves, that we may not loose
the word "concern" out of our Christian vocabulary.
Let us pray for our nation. Let us pray for those
who have never known Jesus Christ and Redeeming Love,
for moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders.
Let prayer be our passion. Let prayer be our
practice." (3)
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NOTE: PSALM 56:1-13:
"Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would
swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.
Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they
be many that fight against me, O Thou Most High.
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
In God I will praise His Word, In God I have put
my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
Every day they wrest my words; all their thoughts
are against me for evil.
They gather themselves together, they hide
themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my
soul.
Shall they escape by iniquity? In Thine anger
cast down the people, O God.
Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears
into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy Book?
When I cry unto Thee, then shall mine enemies turn
back: this I know; for God is for me.
In God will I praise His Word: in The LORD will I
praise His Word.
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid
what man can do unto me.
Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render
praises unto Thee.
For Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt
not Thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk
before God in the light of the living?" (1)
NOTE: EPHESIANS 6:10-18:
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in The LORD, and
in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be
able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with
truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith
ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the
wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of
the Spirit, which is the Word of God:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in
the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;" (1)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
IV. IN HOLINESS BEFORE THE LORD:
THE REVEREND CHARLES PRICE JONES, A SOUTHERN BLACK
BAPTIST HOLINESS AND REVIVAL PREACHER, 1890'S to EARLY
1900'S:
"May God clothe us with the whole armor and fill our hearts with valor to win souls. It will give us new zeal, a new faith, a new unity of love, a new vision of glory...We have the Divine Message; let us not fail with
It. Let us not take defeat. Let us not faint. Let
us be unwilling to fail with It. Let us not loiter
by the way." (11)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: ISAIAH 60:1-5:
"Arise, shine; for Thy light is come, and the
glory of The LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
and gross darkness the people: but The LORD shall
arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.
And the gentiles shall come to thy light, and
kings to the brightness of thy rising.
Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they
gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy
sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be
nursed at thy side.
Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine
heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the
abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the
forces of the gentiles shall come unto thee." (1)
NOTE: MATTHEW 5:13-16:
"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt
have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?
It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast
out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set
on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a
bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto
all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works, and glorify your Father which is
in Heaven." (1)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
V. THE CONCLUSION:
To revive America, let us return unto The LORD! Let come again in covenant before THE LORD, as Governor John Winthrop writes. Let us come again in righteousness before THE LORD, as Patrick Henry writes. Let come again in humility before THE LORD, as Robert E. Lee writes. Let us come again in holiness before THE LORD, as Reverend Charles Price Jones writes. It is only then that the words, "In GOD We Trust" shall again truely be our nation's motto! Such is my prayer to GOD ALMIGHTY, in The Name of
JESUS CHRIST Our Saviour, Amen!
With All Due Respect,
Robert Baral
©Robert Baral 1997-2007 All Rights Reserved.
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REFERENCES
1. "The Holy Bible-Authorized King James Version-Scofield Study Bible." Oxford University Press, New York. 1945.
2. "The Rewriting Of American History." Catherine Millard. Horizon House Publishers, 3825 Hartzdale Drive, Camp Hill, Penn. 1991.
3. "America's God And Country Encyclopedia Of Quotations." William J. Federer. Fame Publishing, Inc. 820 South MacArthur Blvd., Coppell, Texas 75019-4214. 1994.
7. "Patrick Henry's Speech." DOCUMENT. Wallbuilders. PO Box 397, Aledo, Texas 76009. www.wallbuilders.com
11. "Free Indeed: Heroes Of Black Christian History." Mark Sidwell. Bob Jones University Press. Greenville, South Carolina 29614. 1995.
14. "The Light And The Glory: Did God Have A Plan For America?" Peter Marshall and David Mannel. Baker Book House Co. PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49516-6287. 1977. www.restoringamerica.com
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