6 Minute Read

Be Still

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a couple of minutes to breathe deeply, to quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, prayerfully ask the Lord to speak to you in this time and let Him know that you will be listening and will make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Today’s Bible Reading:

Nehemiah 7:61-9:21
1 Corinthians 9:1-18
Psalm 33:12-22
Proverbs 21:11-12

Listen to the Lord

Slowly and reflectively read the following verses and listen to what God will say to you through them. Then, consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Psalm 33:12 (NLT): “What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.”

Reflections from Scripture:

As I read my Bible this morning and select the verse for today, I am aware of the news headlines. 

The Taliban is expanding their reign of terror after the U.S. troop withdrawal. Our United States economy has a real threat of inflation hanging over our heads. The Delta variant continues to spread like wildfire. Cops and innocent citizens are being gunned down or beat down in broad daylight on our city streets. School board meetings erupt in emotion as parents and school leaders disagree over what kids should be taught. The gridlock in congress continues to guarantee that no one can lead our country.

There are so many other issues that our country is facing right now. Racism, injustice, hatred, addiction, fear, and so much more are running rampant.

In fact, Psalm 33:12 would appear to be a haunting truth if it was posted at the bottom of the screen of any of the major news stories right now.

Psalm 33:12 (NLT): “What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.”

Why?

Because it does not appear at all that God is our Lord. While there are thousands upon thousands of Christians in America, we are losing the war on morality. As Adrian Rogers used to say, “What used to hide in the back alleys is now paraded down Main Street.”

Pray for America. Ask God to do what He must to bring us back to Himself. We have seen some wonderful movements of God in this country. There have been times when the power and presence of God were experienced by thousands. Just do some online research on the following topics: The First Great Awakening, The Second Great Awakening, The New York City Revival, the Brownwood Revival. Honestly, there are so many more!

Pray that God would do it again.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT): “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”

Spend Time in Prayer

Lord Jesus, our nation needs healing. We need a revival movement like we have experienced so often in our past. The lost desperately need to be saved, and the saved desperately need to get much more serious about pursuing holiness. Please do what You must to draw us to Yourself. Let our experience bring You glory, and may it be for our ultimate good. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.

Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com). His latest book is God’s Grace in the Real World. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

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