First of all PRAY

1 Timothy 2:1-4

(bold emphasis, mine)

¹ I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. ² Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. ³ This is good and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

This was Don's text for his sermon this morning.

We need God back in this country.  We must re-claim America for God.

2 Chronicles 7:14 -  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

James 5:16 -  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Proverbs 14:34 - Righteousness exalts a nation,
   but sin condemns any people.

Isaiah 33:22 - For the LORD is our judge,
   the LORD is our lawgiver,
the LORD is our king;
   it is he who will save us.

Did you know that the first article of government written, The Mayflower Compact, began with these words?:

"In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith,  Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620."

Does that sound like church and state was meant to be separate?  Do you think, maybe, the term ‘separation of church and state’ has been hugely misinterpreted???  The founders of this country did so because the government was running the church, in their home land, and they believed very strongly that it should be just the opposite…. that God should be the Head of the government!  How did we allow this to be forgotten and reversed, yet again?  Not only that, but the Christians were being persecuted because they just wanted to worship God and live according to the Bible and not be forced to comply with the Church of England, which was aligned with the government of England.  http://www.allabouthistory.org/separation-of-church-and-state.htm

Mayflower Compact – Who signed it and why?
One of the first lists of the Mayflower Compact’s signers was provided by William Bradford’s nephew, Nathaniel Morton. The names are published in his 1669 New England’s Memorial. They are also posted by the Avalon Project of Yale University. Some of the more familiar names includes are those such as: John Carver, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, William Brewster, Isaac Allerton, Myles Standish, and John Alden.
When creating the Mayflower Compact, the signers believed that covenants were not only to be honored between God and man, but also between each other. They had always honored covenants as part of their righteous integrity and agreed to be bound by this same principle with the Compact. John Adams and many historians have referred to the Mayflower Compact as the foundation of the U.S. Constitution written more than 150 later.

America was indeed begun by men who honored God and set their founding principles by the words of the Bible. They lived their lives with honesty, reliability, and fairness toward establishing this country “for the sake of its survival.” A great many of America’s Founding Fathers have been quoted in regard to living by Biblical values.

Edmund Burke (1729-1794), outstanding orator, author, and leader in Great Britain, defended the colonies in Parliament. "There is but one law for all, namely, that law which governs all law, the law of our Creator."

Patrick Henry (1736-1799), five-time Governor of Virginia, whose "Give me liberty or give me death" speech has made him immortal, said: "It cannot be emphasized too strongly, nor too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. . . ."

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), third U.S. President, chosen to write the Declaration of Independence, said: "I have little doubt that the whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator, and, I hope, to the pure doctrines of Jesus also." He proclaimed that it was the God of the Bible who founded America in his 1805 inaugural address: "I shall need, too, the favor of that Being in whose hands we are, who led our forefathers, as Israel of old, from their native land and planted them in this country."

Another early document was the 1643 New England Articles of Confederation.

Article 1 begins with “Whereas we all came into these parts of America with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel in purity with peace; and whereas in our settling (by a wise providence of God) we are further dispersed upon the sea coasts and rivers than was at first intended, so that we can not according to our desire with convenience communicate in one government and jurisdiction; and whereas we live encompassed with people of several nations and strange languages which hereafter may prove injurious to us or our posterity.”

Again, the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ is emphasized.  A Christian nation.

Article 2 states: “The said United Colonies for themselves and their posterities do jointly and severally hereby enter into a firm and perpetual league of friendship and amity for offence and defense, mutual advice and succor upon all just occasions both for preserving and propagating the truth and liberties of the Gospel and for their own mutual safety and welfare.”

Declaration of Independence – A Revolutionary Document
At its core, the Declaration of Independence was declaring a revolutionary system of governance in the name of God.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Humbled men were now declaring that true life, liberty, and meaningful pursuit can only exist in a nation where the baseline is our Creator. Real independence is only possible when we’re fully dependant on God

"We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come." (Samuel Adams, during his signing of the Declaration of Independence)
"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." (John Quincy Adams)

Don concluded his sermon with:

Listen to Psalm 33:12 – “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord:”

When our nation, including those who call themselves Christians, cease to look to God … we cease to be blessed by God.

Our forefathers CLAIMED this nation for God.

We need to RE-CLAIM it for God … AMEN?

How can we do this? 1 Timothy 2:1-4 explains it clearly:

1.- Pray for America and our leaders.
2.- As a Christian, live righteous lives, standing on the principles and values of God’s Word.
3.- Shine forth the light of Christ, Who lives within you … let Jesus show through. Let others see that Jesus is the only hope for America … the only hope for an eternity in Heaven.

Let us pray without ceasing.

Sermon audio: First of all Pray