"Every saved person this side of heaven owes the Gospel to every lost person this side of hell."
from 'Radical' by David Platt
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is a song that is familiar to every American. It is sung at sporting events and on holidays, in small groups and in large crowds, in church and at work. It outlines the values that we stand for and sums up who we are as a nation. What many people do not realize is that are actually three more verses to that poem turned song after the one that we usually sing. In the final stanza there is a line that says, "Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven rescued land praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation." I've said before that I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason and this is no different. God has made and preserved our nation for a reason. More importantly, he has made and preserved the church for a reason. God, through the prophet Isaiah, promised that "I will also make you a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Jesus calls us "the light of the world" and then goes on to say that "a city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Do you see a theme developing here? For so many years it seems like we have done everything we can, either intentionally or unintentionally, to keep our light from shining. What if we were the USS Enterprise (the battleship or the 'Star Trek' starship, take your pick) instead of the Titanic? (I know it hit an iceberg and sank but, for the sake of the analogy, go with me on it) If only the people of the American church would realize who we are and what we are supposed to be. If only his sons and daughters would rise up, put on the armor of God and carry the light that he has placed inside of them. The church around the world is doing just that. I have seen it and experienced it in person. It has taken up the cause of the Gospel. Its members are fully engaged with the Enemy and they are making progress but they need our help. Since the end of World War 2 the United States has been a world superpower politically and militarily. What if the American church became a world superpower spiritually? This starts with a change of attitude in our hearts and in our churches. It starts when we engage the Enemy where we are. The Bible says that every tribe, tongue and nation will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The question is will we have a part in that.
"Freely you received, freely give." Matthew 10:8b, New American Standard Bible
