God Bless America

On Tuesday of this week, those of you who live in the United States and are citizens will vote for our next President. That is if you have not already cast your vote. This has been one of the longest election campaign seasons in history, and I don't need to say anything about the vast importance of this election, and the consequences that will follow based on who wins the Presidency.

However, neither of the candidates who is running has, in my opinion, a grasp of what America needs most. What America needs most is to return to God. We need to experience a nation-wide revival. And no matter which candidate wins the election this week, that will not change - We will still be a nation in need of returning to God.

Our currency states "In God We Trust", our pledge includes the words; "Under God". And while many would argue that these are just statements, and do not refer to any "certain" God - I would beg to differ. The statements of our founding fathers and others in our nation's history mention over and over the Bible and the firm belief and trust in the God of the Bible.

President William McKinley once said; "Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance upon Him who has never forgotten this favored land are still competent to adjust in the best way all our present difficulties."

Patrick Henry is quoted as saying; "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."

Francis Scott Key, the writer of our national anthem said; "The patriot who feels himself in the service of God, who acknowledges Him in all his ways, has the promise of Almighty direction, and will find His Word in his greatest darkness, 'a lantern to his feet and a lamp unto his paths.' He will therefore seek to establish for his country in the eyes of the world, such a character as shall make her not unworthy of the name of a Christian nation..."

And this prayer from President George Washington's prayer journal obviously shows his faith and trust in Almighty God;

"Almighty God, and most merciful father, who didst command the children of Israel to offer a daily sacrifice to thee, that thereby they might glorify and praise thee for thy protection both night and day, receive, O Lord, my morning sacrifice which I now offer up to thee; I yield thee humble and hearty thanks that thou has preserved me from the danger of the night past, and brought me to the light of the day, and the comforts thereof, a day which is consecrated to thine own service and for thine own honor. Let my heart, therefore, Gracious God, be so affected with the glory and majesty of it, that I may not do mine own works, but wait on thee, and discharge those weighty duties thou requirest of me, and since thou art a God of pure eyes, and wilt be sanctified in all who draw near unto thee, who doest not regard the sacrifice of fools, nor hear sinners who tread in thy courts, pardon, I beseech thee, my sins, remove them from thy presence, as far as the east is from the west, and accept of me for the merits of thy son Jesus Christ, that when I come into thy temple, and compass thine altar, my prayers may come before thee as incense; and as thou wouldst hear me calling upon thee in my prayers, so give me grace to hear thee calling on me in thy word, that it may be wisdom, righteousness, reconciliation and peace to the saving of the soul in the day of the Lord Jesus. Grant that I may hear it with reverence, receive it with meekness, mingle it with faith, and that it may accomplish in me, Gracious God, the good work for which thou has sent it. Bless my family, kindred, friends and country, be our God & guide this day and for ever for his sake, who lay down in the Grave and arose again for us, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen."

So, while the outcome of this week's election may make life a bit difficult or uncomfortable for us, or may have consequences we do not agree with or appreciate, it cannot and will not affect this nation the way a national revival and turning back to God can and would.

Our nation will never be any greater than our dependence upon Almighty God and our love and devotion to Him.