It is 6:27 a.m., and I have just returned from dropping off our guest evangelist at the Richmond International Airport, for his journey back to Texas. He came to us from a place called Spanish Fort, which is located along the Red River, on the Texas/Oklahoma border. You may say, how did we find someone there to come and lead our revival services? The answer lies in a Southern Baptist seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has, for years, sent out students and faculty, across America, to preach revival, through a movement known as “Revive This Nation.” As a result, Pastor Scott Penick, husband to Katie, father of five, cowboy, school bus driver and sixth grade school teacher came and preached, and preached he did!
Some of you may believe that a political candidate will solve the social ills and challenges that we face in this country. Do not get me wrong, God ordained government. He never stated that government would be the answer to all of our problems and would be established to make us content. I have been around this world, seeing and hearing about the extremes of government, and I happen to believe that we are blessed to live in the United States of America. However, the answer to the many things that are dividing us in this country is, and will always be, the Lord Jesus Christ.
In a little over a week, Christians will celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You may say, what kind of people celebrate the death of anyone? What you must understand is the purpose, for which, Jesus came. God’s word states that Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost.” A lost person is one who has never sought forgiveness of their sin, turned from that sin and asked Jesus to be the Lord of their life. Many say that I believe in Jesus, but nothing changes in their lives. Let me remind you that the devil and his demons believe; they are unwilling to obediently follow. When we accept Christ, there must be a change of our mind and will to God’s desire for our life. Salvation is found in no one other than Jesus Christ and He promises eternal life to all who will believe and repent. Romans 10:9 states, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved.”
With Scott in our home since Saturday, Becky and I have spent the last 4-1/2 days with the television off, for the most part. You don’t realize how mind-altering that television can be, until you go without it for a time. Politics had begun to absorb a lot of my thinking. These last few days have given me an opportunity to refocus on the Lord and His plan for the church. We must pray for our present President, as well as the person that will take that office in January 2017. We must never think that the answer will be found in any man or woman.
Our nation is sick and in desperate need of healing. We have turned away from God, in so many ways. We legalized the killing of babies in 1973, and will have to answer for that one day; God help us! Biblical marriage and the family are under attack. Police officers are being gunned down on our streets, with the root cause being a tremendous lack of respect for authority, which I believe has to be taught in the home. We are divided as a people. We live in a world of “entitlement.” We, in essence, pay people to do nothing. Our welfare system is broken and social security should not be the means by which we fund it. Children are growing up, begging for relationship and love. When they don’t get it at home, they find it in gangs. 2 Chronicles 7:14 states, “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, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” When Peter stepped out of the boat, took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink, he said, “Lord save me.” I say, Lord save us! This place is not our home, for we seek a heavenly home. My prayer is that I will be an obedient servant while I am here, making His name famous in Chester and around the world.
If you are looking for an opportunity to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, I invite you to join us at the bluff at Henricus Park at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning, March 27. If it rains, then come to Bermuda Baptist at 11 a.m. I do not claim to have all of the answers, but I know the One who does.
