Retiring teacher, coach urges Colony grads to ‘find their 68’
By Jeremiah Bartz Frontiersman.com A football coach using a hockey reference as the centerpiece for his keynote address may
Paul was talking to the Christians when he said ‘’I would not you be ignorant, brethren.” It seems today the world doesn’t understand right from wrong; it is so obvious which way is correct by the word of God and sometimes just good commonsense. But time after time the powers that be — be they political or governmental — rationalize a completely different direction.
To be ignorant of something usually results because we do not have all the facts. As a Christian that is why we need to keep the word of God before us. Continue to study and allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you. The Bible says we can pray for wisdom some people would say that’s spiritual wisdom, and not natural wisdom. Well, I can tell you if you have spiritual wisdom it’ll help you in the every day affairs of life.
I find it interesting that nonbelievers cannot see God’s hand in U.S. today, where as Christians see God’s hand everywhere. Our great nation, a nation founded on godly principles, is being tested and tried daily by ungodly directions. Christians must understand that we can no longer stand on the sidelines and allow this country to turn its back on God, by implementing laws and regulations that prevent the gospel of Jesus Christ from moving forward; yet at the same time allowing third-world religions more and more liberty and freedom.
I heard a minister on TV the other day say that Christians make up a large percentage of the United States yet only 6 percent are disciples of Christ, meaning only 6 percent are followers of Jesus Christ and the Bible. If this man is correct that means there are around 19 million praying Christians. Christians that won’t compromise the word of God, when they pray, they know that God hears their prayers. Our prayers should be productive, so pray in line with the word of God. The word of God shows us that we are to first of all pray for the rulers of our country. We need to be praying for our leaders that God gives them divine wisdom that they will have godly counsel around them and anything that will come against the gospel of Jesus will stop, in the name of Jesus.
Abraham prayed to God and asked if would spare Sodom and Gomorrah if there were 20 godly people in those towns, and God said he would. Then Abraham prayed, what if there were only 10, would you spare the cities, and God said he would. That’s how we need to be praying.
Father, we are praying that you would have mercy upon our country give us wisdom so that we can stand against the adversary, Satan and all of his tactics that he is trying to implement in this great nation, in the name of Jesus we bind his ability to move forward. Father, loose a spirit of love and understanding so that we may live a long and fruitful life proclaiming Jesus as Lord. Amen
The world needs the U.S. as a Christian nation, one that stands alongside Israel, one that is a godly nation, a nation that can have its young people taught godly principles, one that recognizes evil and shuns it.
As Christians we are responsible for the spiritual condition of our nation. I heard a minister one time say that God showed him that we the Christians when we stand before the maker would be held accountable for the condition of our nation. Why would he say such a thing? Well, as Christians we do have authority over Satan in the name of Jesus. We need to exercise that authority, we need to stand up and be counted. Are you one of those 6 percent or are you one of those who say they are Christians, which is as high as 60 percent of the U.S., yet do nothing as a disciple of Christ?
I have to admit I was here back in the ’60s when prayer was taken out of the schools. I did nothing. As a lukewarm Christian I had my own agenda. Looking back I see that it was a ploy of the enemy not so much a person, ‘’for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age...’’ (Ephesians 6:12)
Christians, we need to take our stand, we need to take the word of God and apply it by praying in unison for God’s will to be done in this great nation so the ungodly advances will be stopped. Now when Jesus comes to rapture the church, we, the body of Christ, will no longer be here, that is when the adversary will run rampant, not now.
Lavon Barve works with Cup of Life Ministry in Wasilla.
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