Upon the growing popularity and economic success of Adolf Hitler in the early 1930’s, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and spy, believed that it was not only a Christian right but also a Christian duty to oppose all forms of tyranny. Bonhoeffer believed that any government not based on natural law and the law of God must be opposed. He believed the Church was a living force in the world and thus, must be prophetic to any government that stood against the laws of the kingdom of God. For Bonhoeffer there was no separation of church and state, but rather a natural opposition to the kingdom of God by the kingdom of man. In the introduction to The Cost of Discipleship we read,
Thus, all kinds of secular totalarianism which force man to cast aside his religious and moral obligations to God and subordinate the laws of justice and morality to the State are incompatible with life.
Bonhoeffer, in opposition to National Socialism (Nazi Party) formed the Confessional Church and fought Hitler’s regime on every front possible (for further study, see Eric Metaxas superb book, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy). It was all too little too late, for Germany was actually a churchless nation.
Today, May 7th, 2015, is the National Day of Prayer, and our nation is perilously close to the same apostasy that characterized Germany in the 1930’s.
Dr. James Dobson, who founded the highly influential groups Focus on the Family and Family Research Council and now runs Family Talk Radio, is warning that if the U.S. Supreme Court redefines marriage as analysts predict, the ruling will presage the “fall of Western civilization.” He writes,
I do not recall a time when the institutions of marriage and the family have faced such peril, or when the forces arrayed against them were more formidable or determined.”
He writes in a letter distributed to his hundreds of thousands of supporters:
Barring a miracle, the family that has existed since antiquity will likely crumble, presaging the fall of Western civilization itself. This is a time for concerted prayer, divine wisdom and greater courage than we have ever been called upon to exercise.
A churchless nation is a country that will be ruled by ruthless men through ruthless laws. A churchless nation is a country without a praying church. The Church of Jesus Christ can alter the direction of a nation. The Church of Jesus that prays can swing the deciding vote in the direction of the kingdom of God. God has the final vote and it is through prayer that we cast our hearts to heaven.
The conditional promise of God found in second Chronicles provides us with the basis of power in moving the heart and hand of God,
When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:13-14)
God brings calamity on prayerless churches. God brings calamity on churchless nations! This is God’s spiritual alarm clock. God allows the enemy to devour nations that are churchless. America is perilously close to being such a nation.
God uses economic struggle, wars, unjust laws, and poverty to awaken a nation to pray! The promise is clear, if we will pray, God will hear. If we will humble ourselves as the Church of Jesus Christ, we can redirect and transform the future outcome of our nation.
A praying church determines the destiny of a nation. A praying church, walking in humility and boldness, can move the heart of God to forgive, and the hand of God to heal our nation! Take time to pray, it is the most important vote you can make.
With a Heart set Free,
Steve
For more information on Pastor Steve Holt and The Road:
www.steveholtonline.org
www.theroadcs.org
www.facebook.com/theroadcs
