Altar Call – Opelika-Auburn
News
Walter Albritton
June 25, 2017
Come Home America
Recently our choir director Diane Scott
introduced me to some powerful new music titled “America Come Home.” The song
says God Almighty is calling America to repent of our sins and come home to
God. And the song makes a strong plea for Christians to stand up and speak out
against the evils that are destroying our nation.
Sunday at Saint James United Methodist
Church our chancel choir will sing this stirring music and join me in urging
our people to resolve to live holy lives and not lose hope that Almighty God
can revive and save our nation.
The choir will sing also the “Battle
Hymn of the Republic,” “If My People Will Pray,” and “Let there be Peace on
Earth.” We are praying that this “God and Country” service will inspire our
people to stand more boldly for Christ in the decadent culture of our day.
American
citizens enjoy a freedom that is unprecedented in the history of nations. It is
right that our hearts should swell with pride when we sing together, “Sweet
Land of Liberty.” Our country is indeed a land of sweet liberty where, within
the boundaries of our laws, all of us enjoy many precious freedoms.
Despite
the decay and corruption that are weakening the moral fiber of our land, we are
blessed with a godly heritage. Though secularists continue their efforts to
rewrite the history of our nation, trying to eradicate all references to God,
we still have a godly heritage. The spiritual roots of America are
very deep.
Our
Founding Fathers sought to build a nation that recognized its dependence upon
almighty God. Our ancestors built upon these foundational stones: 1) Faith in
God; 2) The dignity and sacred worth of man; 3) Respect for the rights and
property of others; and 4) The need to worship God.
Quietly
reflect on some of the treasures for which we Americans can thank God:
1.
Our motto is still “In God We Trust.” It is printed on our money and engraved
on the walls of Congress. As we handle money daily we are reminded that we do
not trust in the power of the state, but in the power of God.
2.
Religious holidays are legally established in our nation. Two of these, Good
Friday and Christmas, are Christian holidays – or holy
days. Thanksgiving is a holiday that completely rejects the claim
that ours is a secular state. We owe this day of national Thanksgiving to
President Abraham Lincoln. Every president since him has called our nation to a
reverent recognition of the blessings of almighty God. Thanksgiving belongs to
everyone. By being on a Thursday, it is wonderfully
trans-denominational.
3.
Our Pledge of Allegiance still contains the phrase, “one nation under God.” The
salute to the flag rejects secularism. The words, “under God,” were used by
President Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address in November 1863. Where
did Lincoln get it? No doubt he got it from his Bible; it appears in
the address to King James in the version of the Bible Lincoln read as a boy.
So, when we salute the flag, we are declaring the sovereignty of God.
4.
Our Congress still opens its sessions with prayers asking for the divine
guidance of almighty God. This is a tradition that distinguishes our country
from countries that have completely secular governments.
5.
The Holy Bible is still used in the inaugurations of our Presidents. This
important tradition has not been changed by those who would “remove God” from
the realm of government.
6.
We still appoint Chaplains to serve in the Armed Forces and in Congress. Thus
do we as a nation acknowledge the need of all people for spiritual
guidance.
7.
Our nation continues to provide freedom from taxation to church bodies,
including seminaries. This relieves religious societies of an enormous tax
burden, giving churches greater freedom to propagate scriptural truth.
We will begin worship Sunday by singing “God
Bless America.” This popular song unites us as Americans. Whenever we sing
it, we should remember to thank God that he has indeed blessed our nation. Let
us give him thanks for all he has done and resolve to stand boldly for Christ
and by so doing help to preserve the precious freedoms we enjoy as American
citizens.
Come
worship with us Sunday and find your heart pounding as we conclude worship with
Linwood McClain singing “God Bless the USA”! + + +