No We Can't

I’ve always been a very self sufficient, independent woman--The “pull myself up from the bootstraps” kind of girl.  My parents were from fairly humble beginnings and couldn’t offer me much in the way of financial assistance.  I bought my own first car at seventeen, waitressed my way through college and graduated pretty much debt free.  Somehow, despite working full time along with a packed college schedule, I managed to graduate with honors.  As an adult, I built up a successful career and owned my own business.  Well…you get the picture. 

 

While these experiences were very helpful in life, especially as I made my way through the “real world”, they were actually somewhat of a handicap in the spiritual world.  God’s spiritual world is upside down.  Everything that is valued in the world becomes a potential stumbling stone in God’s Kingdom and vice versa.  How so?...you may ask.   

Self-sufficiency is an opposing quality to the need for grace.  When you are overly self-sufficient, you don’t need grace from or give grace to anyone.  In fact, you sneer down on people that can’t seem to pull it together.  Extreme self-sufficiency can also result in haughty pride, a toxic combination for maintaining the correct spiritual condition before God.  This was the very first sin:  Lucifer claiming that he had what it took to be God.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."

~Isaiah 14:14

 This paints a scary shadow-picture depicting the worst sort of deluded self-sufficiency and pride.  The Bible indicates that when we are operating in this false reality, we are dangerously close to a Satanic mindset.       

In the world, we desire to be a “somebody”.  In God’s upside down world—we had better be aspiring to be a “nobody”.  Look at what God tells us in his Word through the Apostle Paul: 

 

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

~2 Corinthians 12:9
 

In God’s world, we are woefully inadequate.  The sooner we realize this, the better.  Our righteousness is as “filthy rags” says the scripture.  Let me give you a better mental image here so this stays EMBEDDED in your brain for the rest of your life:

The Hebrew word used in the Bible for “filthy rags” is beged and connotes something foul and repugnant like bloody menstrual rags.  The Bible uses amazingly descriptive terms to explain its message.  In other words, the scripture tells us: make no mistake…our attempts at self-righteousness are truly disgusting.  They are suitable for nothing except the garbage.  

 

and all our justices as the rag of a menstruous woman

~Isaiah 64:6 (Douay-Rheims version)

Statistics show that like no other time in history, American college students think they are “all that plus a stick of gum”.  This, while the actual quantifiable statistics, indicate that they are declining in almost every measurable category.  So clearly “self esteem” is soaring in America while true character traits and accomplishments are on the wane.  Very strange.  

The Obama administration’s 2008 mantra was “Yes, We Can”.  On the surface, it sounds so encouraging doesn’t it?  Unfortunately, “Yes, We Can” in America really is similar to petulant children stamping their feet when a parent says they can’t do something.   

I picture a couple of five year olds kicking and screaming on the floor:

 

YES WE CAN redefine marriage

 

YES WE CAN continue slaughtering babies with abortion

 

YES WE CAN spend more money than we have

 

YES WE CAN take stuff from others that have more than us

 

YES WE CAN throw God out of the public square

 

YES WE CAN do all of these things and expect us to sail along in prosperity and peace. 

Sadly, America has been blessed for so long, that her “self esteem” is doing just fine.  Unfortunately, her recent accomplishments are waning dramatically.  We are a nation in steep decline morally, financially and globally. 

 

For the LORD disciplines those He loves

~Proverbs 3:12

America has failed to discipline herself.  We have 17 trillion in debt and counting.  North Korea is threatening to drop a nuclear bomb on us with the slowly dawning realization that they actually may have the capability of doing so.  With a complete madman at the helm, this is not so very far out of the realm of possibility as it was once thought.

 

Along with the Boston bombings and the Ricin mailings, we are just beginning to get the first swats on the bottom to jolt us out of our tantrums.  God’s Word says it is going to ramp up exponentially as we continue undeterred along our spoiled path.  We desperately need to turn around.  We desperately need national repentance.

 

In metaphorical America, Junior and Honey are having a tantrum on the floor.  It’s time to scoop them up, and remove them from the candy store.  Punishment will be swift and sure.

 

Let’s pray they don’t get grounded for life.

 

 

I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 

~Matthew 18:3

 

If there must be trouble let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.  

~Thomas Paine

 

 

 

Please join our rapidly growing National Repentance movement:

 

www.dayofrepentance.org

 

Our next prayer/fasting day is April 30^th, 2013.  This is Providentially the 224^th anniversary of George Washington’s inaugural address and 150 years since Abraham Lincoln called for a prayer/fasting day during the Civil War.  We have joined “spiritual forces” with the National Day of Prayer Movement on May 2^nd, 2013.  Many of us will be observing a 72 hour time of penitence, prayer and fasting.  Please join us as the Lord leads you.  

 

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