Christians from evangelical, charismatic and Pentecostal movements have united across the country to fast and pray for a spiritual awakening in the United States this month.
The first event this year is “21 Days for A New Awakening,” a 21-day national fasting that began Jan. 1. Thousands of people have already signed up to join the nationwide fast, organized by Awakening America Alliance (AAA), in which participants can choose a variety of ways to participate.
Options include partial fasts, water fasts, Daniel fasts (only fruits and vegetables) and complete fasts. Some participants have committed to fasting for three days, ten days and even the entire 21 days.
“This is significant when you see participation at this level in such a solemn action that is being done in recognition of the present condition of the American church,” said Billy Wilson, AAA executive cabinet chairman.
“These groups uniting for this common cause is a unique moment in the body of Christ,” he added. “We are joining together in broad participation and taking positive action.”
The fasting period will be followed by several other national events this year, including the Awakening America Leadership Summit, which takes place in Northampton, Mass., in early April.
During the summit, Alliance members will focus on the condition of the American church and discuss possible steps that can be taken to bring about spiritual renewal for this generation. The summit location in Northampton is the same area where Jonathan Edwards pastored during America’s first Great Awakening more than 250 years ago.
Additionally, a nationwide prayer meeting called Cry Out America is slated for all 3,141 counties in the United States on Sept. 11 – the day the country will remember the greatest wake-up call in today’s generation.
County courthouses will be used as the gathering point for the event where people will unite in prayer for a new awakening in their particular area.
“The year 2008 promises to be a spiritually critical year for our nation," said Wilson. "The current condition of America demands united, decisive action. We need more than one positive election, more than one court decision, more than one good series of sermons-we must experience a new national awakening in our generation."
Wilson pointed out that only 17 percent of Americans attend church on any given Sunday and that the country has become the third largest mission field in the world. There is also high level of moral failure in Christian leaders, he said.
"The current state of the church, the moral confusion of American citizens and the lost condition of a new generation of Americans demands action, action that will provoke dramatic change and which will have a dynamic impact for Christ," Wilson declared.
The Awakening America Alliance, a non-partisan, cooperative effort of the body of Christ, has grown from 13 to more than 90 national leaders in two months.
Major Christian organizations, ministries, and denominations have joined the Awakening America Alliance such as Christian Broadcasting Network, Moody Broadcasting, Assemblies of God, Youth With a Mission, and Every Home for Christ and a growing number is being added each day.
"The Alliance is committed to collaborating together in prayer, fasting and national events throughout the year seeking spiritual renewal and transformation in individual lives and the American church," Wilson said.
On the Web: www.awakeningamerica.us
RSS
John Piper wrote that we have "domesticated godliness into an inoffensive middle-class morality and law-keeping". The Gospel is not preached, so many have done away with the Cross and the Blood of Christ, without which we can have no relationship with God. We follow the Lamb of God, His Son, that we might learn to love as He loves, patiently forebearing the sufferings of life in the world without repining while trusting our Father in heaven. The worldly man cannot see Christ through the defended deception prevalent in the church in this nation. So many now follow dark worldly stars, false teachers who deceive others as well as they are deceived into practicing an empty religion based on man's faulty wisdom and fueled by materialism not devout love and reverance for Almighty God and a living relationship with the risen Lord Jesus Christ and a love for truth that knows no fear of man. The worldly man sees these deceived Christians longing for the same fame, fortune, and glory in this corrupt and fallen world that he himself seeks; thus he sees their religion as a grossly ignorant crutch for the unstable and superstitious. The believer must repent of worldly cares that lead to the selfish sins of despair, doubt, and despotism, and expose and turn away from all false teachers who deny the Truth and are greedy for material gain, and show forth the eternal worth and glory of Christ Jesus for His life of sacrificial love is our Way.
Gen1_28:: "citsonga-
I just reread my last posts and must appologize. It seems I may have come across strong against you as though you thought deomcracy was our form of government. This was not my intention....."
yeah I think we all sometimes get carried away on these posts. No harm done, I understand. Thanks
Only when men learn their God ordained position to lead, provide, and protect their families as outlined through scripture will we have change in thee moral downfall in America. Prayer is good, but it is wrong for us to ask God to change America but do nothing ourselves to change it.
God is right to punish us. 85% of Christian Americans send their Children to public schools and totaly ignore the Biblicale principles of education. Most men fail to realize their leadership role (hence 85% of christians living in sin on the topic of education. Have we so easily forgotten the scripture which says "Husband you ARE the head of the wife- just as Christ IS the head of the Church..." Scripture tells how a man is to follow Christ's example as Christ feeds the church, cares for the church, and leads the Church. And yet we allow our children to be taught unbiblical heresy. We allow our daughters to dress immodestly, showing their figures to all who have eyes. We allow topics (pick any one) to be taught to our children without reference to God and his soverign design of the thing.
Pastors, get off your duft and start teaching men their proper roles of leadership. And men, get off yours and start pursuing God.
Ask yourself this, how are you leading your family today? What plans do you have for your childrens moral upbringing? What plans do you have for your families spiritual future? Where are your children (include yourself and your wife) lacking spiritually and morally and how do you plan on fixing this? Finally, are you spending at least 80% of your free time around people who can help you grow closer to God or reading those kinds of materials?
Agent orange-
We should not force anyone to do anything if they are not Americans. What right do we have to go into the ME to force them to do anything? That's like saying it's okay to go into another mans house and command his wife and children. That is what you thought process leads to.
Our own economic interestes give us no LEGITIMENT right to steal from any other country. I don't care how wonderful the oppertunity might be to steal another mans' beautiful big screen TV... it's still stealing.
Word Semantics aside- America is a REPUBLIC, whatever version you might want to call it. But it is still a Republic, not a democrazy. To claim it is a Democracy is just poor english. To teach children it is a democracy is teaching incorrect use of the english language. For an elected official to not understand our proper form of government and how to refer to it (not to mention how to work according to it) is an atrocity to the english language and shows the down fall of our society.\
Finally, I believe in prayer. But prayer without action is pietistic nonsense. God commands us to take dominion, to bring all tings under Him, to make all things within our authority obedient to Christ. Praying for the world to change is good- but what action will come from this? It's nice for God's people to join in prayer, but it is a total failure in the leadership to not have a continued direction of action. Might as well sit in a corner saying "glory to God" while the whole world goes to hell as pray without action to follow. THAT is why this is pietistic nonsense.
citsonga-
I just reread my last posts and must appologize. It seems I may have come across strong against you as though you thought deomcracy was our form of government. This was not my intention- I just get uppity when people think of American as good. They obviously have no idea how much our founders vehemently hated the idea.
Gen1_28,
"Yes indeed, I agree with your point completely of the US being a Republic, not a Democracy."
We're a Democratic-Republic, just like Germany is. We have representatives that speak on behalf of us according to our democratic votes. I don't think anyone that knows what a true democracy entails would say either we or Iraq or any country could operate in such a manner, and so when Democracy is used, it's used under the the premise under a Democratic-Republic. It's pure word semantics.
I like RP as well. however given the nature of things we have become a victim of our own circumstances in meddling with other countries. At this stage however, we should consider our own interests, economically, nationally and so on this is the legit reason to secure any oil fields (I am not saying I support such action though)
what we need to do is invest in alternative fuel sources and force the ME to change their ways in order to have $$ get directed into their countries. this president has been a failure in this dept, and since he took office the national debt has gone from 4.25 trillion to 9 trillion in less than 8 years. all that debt reduces the value of our domestic and global value of our dolar and some of the affects you see now.
Gen1_28
Yes indeed, I agree with your point completely of the US being a Republic, not a Democracy.
Actually Iran had a parlimentary system in the 1950's whose prime minister, Mohammed Mosaddeq, was democratically elected and was then overthrown in a coup sponsered by US and British intelligence because he opposed foreign intervention in Iran and wanted to nationalize the Iranian oil industry. The US, has undermined for decades the efforts of many ME countries to democratize by supporting various autocratic govenrments. Saudi Arabia is a good example of that today. The US doesn't mind dicatators as long as they do the bidding of the USA. Saddam was a US friend until he started to behave in a way opposed to US interests. the Shah in Iran, the dictator put in place thru the aforementioned coup, untill his overthrow by the Iranian people. There are many examples of this around the world spanning decades. The average Ameircna has no clue on this.
Ron Paul is a bit too libertarian for me (too anti-government), but I would vote for him at this time because both political parties are corrupt and interested only in self-preservation and promotion-little regard for whats good for the USA. We need a change. Another reason I would vote for RP is he is the only presidential candidate that tells it like it is with respect to 9-11 and extremism from the ME... His approx quote "They came over here[9-11], because we have been over there" refering of course to our meddling in the ME for decades, primarily to protect US OIL interests. He would put a stop to american imperialism.
citsonga-
Yes- the US had no viable reason to go into Iraq. God never promotes his people to go to war on the side of the agressor. And this war had nothing to do with protecting ourselves- they didn't throw the first punch, we did. And for that I am sorry.
As for Iran being a Democracy- God help us all. Anyone who has studied American history should be able to remember the 16th word of the Pledge of alegience.. "to the REPUBLIC". America is not a Democracy. It is a Republic. (Specifically, s constitutional representative republic... but who's splitting hairs.) The founders made ABUNDANTLY clear that a Democracy was the very worst type of government- and they said this often. This was from a political and religious standpoint. I am amazed that so many people still call America a Democracy.
American Citizens are lied to every day that we live in a Democracy. I hope Ron Paul get elected, because he seems to be the only one who understand our form and limitations of government.
Citizen:
Your message smacks of socialism and anti-biblical heresy. When Something is old, that doesn't take away from it's authority of authenticity. Just because something is "old" doesn't make it wrong as you suggest- If you really think that way, it would mean you can look forward to being euthanized by the upcoming generation because they think you might have outlived your usefullness. Congratulations.
How does it being the 21st century change God's words and commands? God said "I do not change". Jesus said "I have not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it." Christians (or any one else) who live other than according to Biblical principles are in rebellion to God. By your comments, it honestly sounds like you know nothing about what the Bible actually says. If you would like to discuss what scripture says, I would be glad to converse with you about that.
The Bible describes women VERY differently than you say it does. Women are to be treated with all respect and love. A husband is to lead, provide and protect his wife, sacrificially for her own good. As opossed to Islam, a Christian is not allowed to beat his wife, but to cherish her, relizing that God designed her to be his perfect companion and helper as He presses on towards God's command of bringing all things under obedience to Christ. So the picture is much different than what you have described. Gender equality is laughable. Men and women are very different, and to treat them the same is just stupid. Men and women are physically, mentally, and emotionally different, made for different things. Next time you want "gender equality", try to get men to start breastfeeding babies.
You make a claim that the Bible is part of the problem. What problem are you talking about? Obviously you must not be a Christian. All Christians should know that the Bible is the very word of God. To claim it is the "problem" is to claim adversity to God himself.
Patriarchy was, is, and always will be God's plan. To deny this is to deny every scripture written. God himself said he would forever be known as the God af Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (the 3 patriarchs). If you think the Bible was a mistake of the past, than you must think that a 50% divorce ratio, child pregnancy, and readily available pronography must be good things? What do you consider a success in the past, The French revolution?
Praying is a good thing- but I reiterate, that praying, without action, without a plan for future movements, without works-- is dead. Thos people who do so are like white washed tombs.
Al Qada and islamic extremism began in the Middle East and are the direct result of the meddling and interference in the affairs of the peoples of the ME by the West (US and Europe) going back about 90 years ago or so after WW1. Why would the West interfere and impose its will on the peoples of the ME?- its about OIL. As an example, if not for the overthrow of the Iranian prime minister in the 1950's by Britian and the US to install their puppet dictator the Shah (for OIL), Iran might be a democracy today. The US has done enough damage in the ME and Iraq, its time to leave them alone. Unfortunetly though, the US is not going to leave the ME, America covets their oil and the US is business partners with the corrupt and autocratic Saudi royal family- the US sells the Saudi's weapon systems, we protect the royal family with the US war machine, they sell the US OIL.
The thing that really angers me about the Iraq invasion is the fact that the US had no post invasion strategy. bush and his band of fools completely ignored the warnings ME experts offered in regard to having a post invasion strategy to provide security. They did not have a strategy to protect the people nor the countries infrastructure. Amazingly, and quite telling, the only real security provided after the fall of Baghdad, was military protection of the oil ministry. In the mean time, hospitals, schools, clinics, museums, government buildings, universities, libraries, power plants, water and sewage plants- all looted.
bush, cheney and other high ranking neocons are responsible for the destruction of Iraq and its people.
Think about this. Invading Iraq... Think about the thousands of people suffering under Al Qada and the terrible regime. Think how many mothers were throwing themselves out windows due to their terrible lives. Think about how many lives Al Qada would wipe out. And you object to it? Would Jesus want us to stand by and do NOTHING? While people SUFFERED?! People like Annie and others may not get this: PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING OVER THERE! I HAVE BEEN THERE! I WITNESSED SOMEONE COMMITTING SUICIDE!
harris "The United States of America needs to be afraid - very afraid - of God's terrible judgment."
Is this in reference to Americas invasion of countries such as Vietnam and Iraq which resulted in the death of its people and destruction of their countries?
Gen1_28: The bible was written in a patriarchal, middle eastern desert culture of over 2000 years ago. This is America in the 21st century, where we are working for gender equality to make up for disrespecting and degrading women through forcing them to be second class citizens for centuries. The bible was part of the problem, not the solution. Do you really want to return to the mistakes of the past?
rwharris, "Until people worship God as HE wants (singing HIS praises (Psalms), rightly administering the sacraments, and preaching the whole counsel of the Word), then everything else will be futile."
sounds like weird stuff there harris. Why would God need lowly humans to worship it. Seems like a very, very strange notion.
anniefourjesus, Perhaps one thing America can do as a country with respect to repentence is to stop invading countries such as Iraq and killing innocent people.