JULY 4th

Not since the days of Abraham Lincoln has America been tested by such bitter divisions.

Yet through our year of testing God has set three milestones to overcome our testing and lead us into the Year of The Lord’s Favor

During his time of testing, in 1863, Lincoln called for Solemn Assembly, asking the people to unite in their churches and homes to humble themselves, fast and pray, to repent of their pride, and to seek God’s forgiveness and restoration of unity and peace. On July 4 of that year God began answering Lincoln’s prayers when the tide of war turned as the Confederates began their retreat after losing the battle of Gettysburg and the Union captured the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River. In the end Lincoln overcame the test and kept the promise of equality made in the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Now we come to another July 4, one being celebrated as the milestone 250th anniversary of American Independence. As in Lincoln’s day we face war, uncertainty, social turmoil, and division which are testing our nation. This is an urgent hour, and the Church must shake off its slumber to humble itself, pray, and repent to bring healing to our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

For July 4 let us come against the spiritual darkness over our land in the opposite spirit, not pride but humility, and not division but unity. As in Lincoln’s day, we should come together in Sacred Assemblies in our churches and homes on Friday night, July 3 to repent of our pride and pray for unity around the Christian American values of equality, life, and liberty proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence. We also remember that the American Colonies in 1776 had diverse cultures and religious traditions but were able to unify in diversity to form our nation. Today we believe that God is calling us to answer Jesus’s prayer for Christian unity in our diversity so that the world will know God sent Him (John 17:23). Be sure to take a free download of The American Wake Up Call Prayer Guide for suggestions about prayer over July 4.