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Ungratefulness. Unthankfulness.

Know why you complain and are discontent?
Ungratefulness.
Know why you’re fearful?
Ungratefulness.
Know why you’re anxious?
Ungratefulness.

Know why God told the Israelites over and over again to remember what He had done?
For them to be thankful.
Thankfulness to God removes discontent, fear, and anxiousness.
Why? 
Our focus is no longer on ourselves, but God.
And He is so worthy.

Pastors preach messages about “this is the last age” —and it certainly seems like it.
They promise judgment coming soon on America and the world.
And it will.
But…
I never hear them talk about praying for repentance.
Yes, they mention the individual must repent for salvation.
But where are the prayers, fasting and concern for America to repent?
Absent.
Totally absent.

When David sinned, he fasted and prayed for God to withhold judgment.
When his baby died, David’s servants hesitated to tell David—he mourned so much while the baby was just sick, what would he do when the baby’s dead? 
But when David knew, he washed and ate. 
They asked, “Why?”
He said, “Perhaps before the baby died, God would extend mercy. But now, I accept what God has decided.”

America hasn’t died yet.
There’s still hope. 
There’s still a remnant who know God.
But we aren’t praying.
Nor seeking repentance.

Daniel spent much of his prayers repenting for his nation. 
He didn’t point fingers at “them.” He said, “We” have sinned.
He was part of the “us.”
So are we.

Before the Flood, when God grieved over making man, Noah’s message was “repent.”
The people refused.
Judgment came.

When judgment fell on Sodom, Lot was saved—only by Abraham's prayer.

Nahum was sent to the wicked, cruel city of Ninevah. 
What was his message? 
Repent. 
They ignored his message.
Jonah was sent again. 
They repented.
God showed mercy. He withheld judgment for 70 years.

God still seeks to show mercy.
He’s not finished with America.
The prophet’s message was “repent.”
The message for America hasn’t changed.
But “we” as Christian Americans must pray, (not just that we get the “right” leaders).

Often we mock at the sin of our nation.
I recently heard a message explaining different genders that “now exist.”
As the list was expounded, chuckles in the audience indicated how absurd the logic of these people are.
I wanted to weep. 
When we mock a sinner, we no longer can reach them in love.
Let me explain
My husband would tell his staff, “If you belittle or gossip about a patient, you can no longer serve him properly as a patient.”
Same is true with a sinner.  
By mocking them, we’ve belittled them with a "I'm better than they" attitude.
It's only God's mercy that keeps us from being just like them.
And we ourselves aren't always thankful.

These people, searching for “who they are,” are people who have rejected God.
Without God, they are utterly lost. How scary is that?  
Many started down this gender changing path because they've been hurt—deeply. 
Look how messed up families are!
Most boys turning to homosexuality had an overbearing mom and an absent or silent dad.
Most girls had a harsh or abusive dad.
Culture reflects the strength (or weakness) of its families.
What’s the solution?
Repent.

Job sacrificed for his grown children, lest they sinned and had not repented.
He knew the importance of repentance and pleasing God.
Without repentance, we become self-absorbed. 
Look what we’ve done.
We hold onto how we've been hurt.
We retaliate in anger, hate, and entitlement.
Repentance reminds us of our position before God.
We're totally dependent on Him.
Repentance—requires humility.
It’s about what God must do for us. 
It brings gratitude.

Ever hear a testimony that expounds on all their sin before they were saved?
That's not a testimony to what God has done.
That's a replay of the glory of their sin.
Same with messages that expound on the sins of our nation.
Prophets didn't expound on the country's sin, they told of the greatness of our God
and what mercy He showed to forgive those sins or the judgment coming because they didn't repent.
Their emphasis was on God and His greatness and His worth, not the country's sin.
Because when we see God, we must repent.
We see ourselves in light of His glory.
We see His mercy in sparing us.

What’s the first step away from God? 
We forget to be thankful.
Repentance brings gratitude.

I have to remind myself to be thankful. 
I’m quick to complain. To retell the wrongs. To rehearse my woes.
To seek repentance.
Not just for myself, but for my “people”—America.
I'm focusing on myself. Not God.

Repent.
And be grateful.


Displaying 1 comment

Again, you have hit the nail on the head. We spend so much more time on rehearsing the sins of our nation than we do praying for repentance, of thinking how much better we are than "they" are. Thank you for this very much needed reminder. God bless.

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Or here:
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Author of Biblical fiction, married to my best friend, and challenged by eight sons’ growing pains as I write about what matters.

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