Introduction for the book

The name of this book comes from the famous speech given by Ben Franklin during the Constitutional Convention. He was concerned by the lack of progress and the spirit of contention during the first weeks of the Convention. He felt the need to make a motion to begin each session in prayer. He asked the question, “Have we forgotten our powerful friend who we turned to often during our war with England. The answer to that question was a resounding yes. They had forgotten to ask for God’s guidance in their daily deliberations, and it had resulted in little being accomplished. Today, America is again experiencing great challenges. We are facing a war against terrorism, a national deficit of over ten trillion dollars, and a culture that seems to be sinking into violence and chaos. We seem to have lost our moral compass and our ability to cope with seemingly insurmountable problems. I believe the main explanation for these problems lies in the fact that we as a nation have forgotten our powerful Friend. Throughout our nation’s history, God has protected, given wisdom, and intervened in our affairs in many ways. The purpose of this book is to remind Americans how God has worked in our nation’s past. It is not intended to be a complete listing of every time God intervened on America’s behalf, but rather an introduction to a subject that will hopefully encourage the reader to further study. Psalm 111:2,4 says:”Great are the works of the Lord; they are studied by all who delight in them. He made His wonders to be remembered.” Then verse six summarizes the passage this way; :He has made known to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.” God has given America a rich heritage full of examples of His hand of merciful providences. We would be wise to remember our powerful Friend.

God wants to be our friend

Many people have difficulty with the third concept found in the title of this book, the fact that God can be a friend. Some consider God an impersonal force, while others think of Him as a harsh task master who is just waiting for them to step out of line so He can punish them. Both extremes demonstrate a lack of a Biblical concept of God. While it is true that God is powerful and just, He is also a God of mercy and loving kindness. When Christ was on earth, He was often said to be moved with compassion to act. God the Father also showed His compassion for mankind by sending Christ to earth to save a lost world from their sin. God befriends nations and individuals. He was America’s friend throughout all of her early history. He allowed us to establish a land based on freedom and Biblical principles. He blessed us with victory in battle and economic prosperity. As has been mentioned in other chapters of the book, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” God is the friend to any nation that will follow His word and His ways. God also wants to be the friend of each person on Earth. Luke 19:10 says; “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost. The way to become the friend of God is to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. In Acts 4:12 we read; “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and once we have invited Him into our hearts He will not only be our Lord and Savior, but also our best friend. The old hymn says “What a friend we have in Jesus”. When Jesus was talking to His disciples there seemed to be a problem with how they were treating each other. Jesus said in John 15:14 “You are my friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” Jesus wants us to get to know Him through talking to Him in prayer, and allowing Him to talk to us through His Word the Bible. Do you know Jesus Christ personally? Do you have in intimate relationship with God the Son?
Just as America has turned its back on its powerful friend, many people are turning their backs on the salvation that is freely offered through faith in Jesus Christ. God has led you to read this book, and He desires you to receive Him and become His friend today. The author of Hebrews 2:3 asks this question, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.”

One person no one can afford to forget

Another key word in the title of the book is the word forgotten. God can be forgotten by both nations and individuals. All of us can think back to a time when we were sent to the store to pick up a few items, only to return home and discover we forgot one of the three things we were sent out to get. To forget something at the grocery store can be an inconvenience, but to forget our God is a tragedy. The Bible has numerous warnings dealing with this very subject. Psalm 9:17 says “The wicked shall return to hell, even all the nations who forget God. America has embarked on a very dangerous path by turning its back on God. Psalm 78:7 states “That they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of the Lord. Another admonition comes from Psalm 103:2 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.” Obviously God knows we need to be reminded of His mercy and loving kindness. In America today we have forgotten our creator. Our children are being taught in school that they evolved from monkeys. Ecclesiastes 12:1 says this “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth”. How can our children remember their creator if they are taught that He does not even exist?
Not only have we forgotten God on a national level, many Christians have forgotten God in their daily routines. Many people have gotten so involved in the daily grind of everyday life, that God has become an afterthought. In Hosea 8 verse 14 we find the children of Israel in a similar situation. The verse says “For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities. The nation of Israel had gotten so busy doing good things for the Lord’s work, that they had forgotten to have a personal relationship with Him. Many of us today are involved in our work, our children’s lives, our Church activities, and we fail to cultivate our knowledge of God. Many other professing Christians are simply caught up in the allure of the world. The major cure for this sickness is to remember the wonders of our God. Psalm 111:2 tells us “Great are the works of the Lord; they are studied by all who delight in them. And verse adds “He has made His wonders to be remembered” We need to meditate on the wonderful works of our wonderful God. One of the greatest passages on the Wonders of God is found in Psalm 77:12-14. “I will meditate on all Thy work, and muse on Thy deeds. And verse 14 states “Thou art the God who workest wonders; Thou hast made known Thy strength amoung the peoples.” As a nation we need to return to the God of our fathers, as individuals we need to return to our Heavenly father.

God is big enough

The title of this book is America’s powerful forgotten friend, and I feel the need to look at the three main words. First of all, God is powerful. When people tell me that they do not believe that God controls events in history, I usually ask them this question; “How big is your God?” Our understanding of who God is, and His Attributes is at the heart of the concept of a Providentiel view of History. A study of what the Bible says about God helps us understand How God has to be in control of everything. In Theology class we learn that God has five natural attributes. God is Omnipotent (all powerful) God is Omnipresent (present everywhere) God is Omniscient (God knows everything) God is eternal and God is Immutable. One of the best passages of Scripture on the Attributes of God is Psalm 139. Verse 2 says “Thou dost understand my thought from afar” Verse 4 says Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, Thou dost know it all.” These verses show us that God knows everything. God knew Adam and Eve would sin before they were even created. God knew each person who would receive Him before any of us were born. God knows how all of History will end. The Great Image that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about, showed that God has determined the times of each major empire in history all the way to the Reign of Christ on earth. God knows how many hairs are on our heads, He knows the names of each star in the sky. God has all Power or authority. Psalm 46:1 says “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” God takes an active role in our daily lives. Psalm 77:14 says “Thou art the God who workest wonders; Thou hast made known Thy strength among the peoples.” Psalm 104 talks of God’s control over nature. Many people talk about mother nature, but the reality is that God controls climate, weather, and every aspect of nature. Psalm 104:24 tells us “O Lord, how many are Thy works. In wisdom Thou hast made them all; The earth is full of Thy possessions.” God created the Earth for His pleasure, and maintains it by His great power and wisdom. The point is that by definition, God has to be in complete control of His world. If there were events or people who were outside of his authority, then He would cease to be God. Psalm 111:2 states “Great are the works of the Lord: They are studied by all who delight in them.” God expects us to study His works in the history of nations, and will as seeing His hand in our own lives. One of the most well known verses concerning God’s control in our personal lives is Romans 8:28; “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” God is working in your life and mine, and we must be careful to see His hand and praise Him for His goodness to us.

The last straw

Most are familiar with the old phrases; “ The last straw” or “The straw that broke the camel’s back” The idea is that a long period of patiently waiting for change and not seeing any finally brings that patience to an end with one last action. Since the 1920s, America had practiced following after the gods of philosophy, pleasure, and government. Even though many Americans still followed God, the majority had turned away from the God of their fathers. Schools began to teach evolution and reject the Biblical account of Creation. Humanism replaced the teaching of Biblical morality. The family came under the attacks of television, movies, and other forms of hedonism. The people turned to government to solve more and more of their problems as government spending sky rocketed. Finally, in 1962, America made the ultimate slap in God’s face. The event was a Supreme Court case known as Engel V Vitale which officially removed prayer from public schools. The case declared that a simple prayer in school was a violation of the Separation of Church and state. Imagine the very school system that had declared that the purpose of education was to teach religion, morals and knowledge, was now being made to abandon two of those elements. A year later, the Supreme court decided to remove Bible reading from the public school system. America had officially declared their turning away from the God of Heaven. This was the last straw in our forgetting of our powerful friend as Ben Franklin had warned. Since that time, our schools have become violent, lowered their standards, and lost their prominence in the world. Our society has seen an increase in divorce, abortion, and a general decline in morals. I believe that since 1962, America has experienced what it is like when God turns His back on a rebellious people. We now face financial collapse, political corruption, endless wars, and Spiritual weakness. God has made it clear in his Word that sin is a reproach to any people. America’s only hope is to return to God. If we will not do it as a nation, we must at least individually return to Biblical living.

God can be seen even in the darkest of times

Whenever something tragic occurs on a personal or national level, the following question usually follows; “How could a loving God allow this to happen, and why didn’t He do something to help”? The truth is that while we live here on earth, we may never be able to understand many of the circumstances that God allows us to endure. For Job, it was to test and strengthen his faith, for Israel in the Old Testament it was punishment for sin, and for Christ it was to save mankind from their sin. However, even in difficult situations the hand of God can be seen. Perhaps the greatest example of human suffering in modern times was during the Holocaust. Hitler and his Nazi party systematically rounded up millions of Jews and put them to death. Jews were worked until they could do no more, and then they were put in gas chambers and then burned. This unimaginable hatred and wickedness caused many Jews and Gentiles to question the love or even the existence of God. While it is impossible to know the mind of God as to why He allowed this suffering, it is possible to see some good to come out of this horrible chapter in history. After the Holocaust was made known to the world at the end of World War II, many nations around the world recognized the need for a Jewish state. Israel had been out of their land since the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The Jews had been forced to live in exile all over the world since the first century. God used the massive outpouring of sympathy for the plight of the Jews after World War II to move countries to form the nation of Israel in 1948. Hitler’s plan was to destroy the Jews and set up a super race of Arians. God’s plan was to defeat the designs of wicked dictators, and allow the return of His people to the Promised Land. Hitler and those who followed him were responsible for the Holocaust, but God was able to take that tragedy and turn it into something that has been a blessing to the Jewish people for the last sixty years.

God's hand in a day which will live in infamy

December 7, 1941 was a day that will live in infamy. The attack on Pearl Harbor marked the beginning of the United States involvement in World War II. Japanese planes attacked our forces, destroyed many of our ships and airplanes, and killed over 2400 of our military personnel. In the midst of all of this destruction and suffering, we still can see the hand of God. One of the goals of the Japanese attack was to cripple our navy in order to gain control of the Pacific. However, all of our Aircraft carriers had left the night before to practice maneuvers to remain battle ready. The attack did not cripple our Navy at all, God allowed us to keep the most important part of our defense. Some suggest that because we had broken the Japanese code, we knew they were coming so that is why we moved our Aircraft Carriers out of harms way. The bottom line is that they were spared, and America was spared also.
Another example of God’s hand of in World War II was seen during the battle of Midway. The Battle of Midway was the turning point in the battle of the Pacific. If Japan won, than the United States would have been helpless to stop their conquest of the Pacific islands. The Japanese had the advantage in numbers of ships and planes. The only advantage held by the Americans was the element of surprise. The Japanese sent out planes to find out the location of the enemies’ aircraft carriers. One of the Japanese planes spotted the American Aircraft carriers, but when they went to radio the location, their radio went dead. The Americans were able to take the Japanese by complete surprise, and were able to change the course of the war. Was is just luck, or was the God of the airwaves working His will at a key moment of history. I believe that God wanted America to help the forces of freedom defeat dictatorship, in order for His Word to be able to continue being spread across the world.

The Miracles at Dunkirk and Britain

One of the consequences of the Great Depression, was the rise of Dictators in several key countries. Germany, Russia, Japan, and Italy, all willingly gave total power to a man who promised to bring them back to greatness. These dictators were not content to control one country, and soon began taking over country after country. Adolf Hitler especially was successful with his campaign to recover all of the territory that had been lost to Germany in World War I. Hitler seemed unstoppable as he took Austria, Czechoslovakia, and finally Poland. Hitler then turned his attention to France. The French were totally unprepared for Hitler’s Blitzkrieg, and found themselves trapped at Dunkirk. Hitler’s troops were only about ten miles away, and stood poised for the complete destruction of the French army. Here we find the beginning of a series of events often referred to as “The miracle of Dunkirk.” Hitler ordered his Panzers to stop, and allow the German Air force to destroy the enemy as they attempted to cross the English channel to safety . As the German Air force arrived, a dense fog appeared and protected many of the boats as they made the crossing. During the ten days that troops were evacuated, seven of those days had the thick fog. Most of the time the Luftwaffe (German air force) had to return to Germany with their bombs still with them. Also, during this time the English channel was unusually calm. Many remarked that they never remembered the Channel being so placid for such a long period. After the evacuation was complete, large breakers rolled up on to the beach, almost as if a hand that had been holding them back, had released control of the waters.
When Hitler realized that the fog had rendered his Luftwaffe useless, he ordered his tanks to advance. However, a large storm caused the tanks to be delayed for several days. By the time they were able to move, all but about forty thousand troops had been able to flee to England. When the evacuation at Dunkirk had begun, it was estimated that the best they could hope for would be to have 40-50 thousand men rescued. When the evacuation was finished, there were over three Hundred and fifty thousand men saved. Had Hitler been able to cut off their escape, it is doubtful if France of England would have been able to carry out much more of a resistance.
Hitler then decided to attack Britain in what is known as the battle of Britain. Here again he made two incredible mistakes. First he decided to attack by air instead of by sea, Britain could have easily been invaded and taken. Instead he bombed England day after day with the intent to bomb them into submission. Hitler’s second mistake was the decision to abandon the research on radar. He felt it was not as important as developing missiles. The English did develop radar, and it helped the British air force to defeat the Germans.
How can we explain all of these incredible mistakes by a leader who up to this time had done no wrong in his ability to take one country after another? I believe that Proverbs 21:1 gives us the answer. “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.” God caused Hitler to do those things that would change the outcome of the war to His will. God works through fog, calm water, storms, and even in the decisions of evil men. Germany would never again have an opportunity to end the war in one great battle.

America turns to government instead of God

Much has been written concerning the major causes of the Great Depression. Some blame tariffs, some point to over production of goods, and still others point to speculation in the stock market and easy credit. However, I believe that the ultimate cause of the Great Depression is found in America’s turning from God in the 1920s. The Bible clearly teaches that when and individual or a nation turns from God, then God removes His hand of Blessing. For hundreds of years America had enjoyed the mercy of God. We had great economic, educational, physical, and Spiritual blessings. God had delivered us from wars, recessions, and many natural disasters. In 1929, America experienced the total melt down of its economy. When this type of trouble had occurred in the past, many Americans turned to family, neighbors, and especially God and the Church. Instead of turning to these, we as a nation turned to Government for deliverance. Franklin Roosevelt promised that the government would provide a New Deal to bring our country back to prosperity. Roosevelt used deficit spending to put people back to work, and rebuild our economy. Ever since, whenever there has been any type of disaster, the majority of Americans have demanded that the government needs to do something to solve the problem. We have exchanged the God of Heaven for the God of Government.
Another example of God withdrawing His hand of blessing on America during the Great Depression, was the Dust Bowl. During the mid 1930s America experienced one of its greatest droughts. All told, during the 1930s, about 150,000 square miles of farmland in the heart of the country were stripped of their top soil, which was deposited hundreds of miles away. (Family Encyclopedia of American History) Psalm 104 tells of God’s control over nature. In verses 13 and 14, we read “He waters the hills from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works. He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth.” These verses show God’s Providential control of nature. When America turned to government for their deliverance, God turned his had of blessing away from America.
Today there is much discussion concerning the role of Government in our lives. Many feel that Government can solve every problem we have. The truth is that the only real solution to our nations' problems is to return to the God of our fathers, and perhaps He will return His hand of blessing.

America's turning point

Many times over the years, students have asked; “If America was a Christian nation, why is it like it is today?” That is a good question. Today we have abortion on demand, homo-sexual marriage, prayer and Bible reading have been removed from our schools, and Evolution is taught as a fact. How could a nation whose foundations were so strong Spiritually, have become so Humanistic? The turning point for America’s turning away from God seems to have begun in the 1920s. American history books refer to this period as the Roaring Twenties. It was a time of great advancement and prosperity. However, it was also a time when many anti-Christian forces began their assault on America’s Christian values. There were at least five different forces that worked to turn American away from God during this period. The first was materialism. In the 1920s there was a great emphasis on fashions and fads. Flappers showed off their contempt for the conventional roles of woman with short hair and shorter skirts. People began spending time listening to entertainment on the radio, and going to Nickelodeons to watch the latest movies. There was a new interest in Marathon dancing and setting foolish records. The Bible warns about the dangers of loving the world and the things that are in the world. God tells us that if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. Many Christians began spending time with sports as well. Instead of the heroes of the day being great political or Spiritual leaders, their heroes were Babe Ruth, Bobby Jones, and Jack Dempsey.
Another anti-Christian force in the Twenties, was the beginning of the Communist party in the United States. The Goal of Communism was to bring down Capitalism, but it was also anti-Christian. Marx said that religion was the enemy of the masses. Communism desired to remove Christianity from public life. Groups like the ACLU may not have been started by Communists, but they have certainly worked to accomplish their goals. Communists infiltrated our government, our colleges, our Churches, and just about every aspect of our nation. Even today there are many who embrace its philosophy of Government controlling the nations economy, and removing Christianity from every part of life.
Another Anti-Christian idea that took off in the twenties, was evolution. In 1925, there was a famous trial called the Scopes monkey trial. The major issue was the teaching of evolution in public schools. The law had made it illegal to teach evolution in public schools, and John Scopes had tested the law by teaching the forbidden subject. The trial found Scopes guilty, and he had to pay a 100 dollar fine. However, the real loser was fundamental Christianity. The press presented evolution as a Scientific fact, and Creation as just another myth. The result was that most public schools soon were teaching evolution and ignoring Creation. The Creation account today had been totally rejected by our academic society. The Bible tells us to “Remember now they Creator in the days of thy youth.” Our youth are no longer being taught about their Creator.
Psychoanalysis was also developed during this time. Sigmund Freud taught that the key to understanding people was to understand their past experience. He denied concepts like sin and the need to repent. This man centered way of thinking became the foundation of modern psychology. Before this time the major way people dealt with their problems was through the Church and the family. God’s Word was all they needed for mental, financial, marital, or Spiritual problems.
The last and probably the most serious, was the rise of Modernism. During the 1920s, many of the mainline Protestant Churches faces a crossroad. The Modernists were those who denied the Fundamentals of the Bible. They denied the Deity of Christ, the Trinity, the Virgin birth of Christ, the Bible being inerrant, and the literal bodily return of Christ. Those who believed these truths, were known as Fundamentalists. During the Twenties, almost every major denomination decided to go with the Modernist camp, and reject Fundamentalism. The Bible believers left the mainline Churches and started their own Churches and Colleges. Today most of America is under the Control of modernist theology. What a shame that the belief of most of our founding fathers has been rejected by most Americans in our society.
It is not hard to see that America began the slow retreat from being a Christian nation in the 1920s. Things changed gradually, but today the change is very evident. America is no longer a Christian nation. God still is working, and is still in control of history, but His hand is harder to see in later American history. America’s only hope is to have another turning point. We need Christians to turn their backs on the Humanism of today’s American culture, and return to the Truth of God’s Word.

A Marksman and a Pigeon

World War I was known as the Great war, and the war to end all wars. This horrible conflict cost Billions of dollars and millions of lives. America was spared for over two years, but eventually was pulled into the awful conflict. Perhaps the most important battle that the United States was involved in was the Meuse-Argonne offensive. During this key battle God showed His hand of intervention in two different parts of the battle. The first was the amazing exploits of Sergeant Alvin York. He was a man who loved God and hated war. He found himself almost alone during the Argonne campaign and facing a machine gun nest. He was able to get into position to pick off many of the enemy, to the point that the Germans surrendered. When the Germans came out and gave themselves up,he realized that he had captured “a tolerable few” In reality he had killed twenty-five Germans, captured 132, and silenced thirty-five machine guns. When he was asked how he was able to accomplish such a feat, he replied , ”We know there were miracles, don’t we? Well this was one. It’s the only way I can figure it”
Another event in the same campaign was the rescue of the Lost Battalion. A group of several hundred American soldiers found themselves surrounded by the enemy. To make matters worse, the American who were in another area were shelling the area right where they were. They were being killed by the big guns of their own side. The only hope for the battalion was to send carrier pigeons to give their position to the other Americans to stop the friendly fire. As the Americans sent each pigeon into the air, the Germens simply shot each one down. Finally the lost battalion was down to its last pigeon. The pigeon named Cher Ami was sent into the air, and quickly shot down. However, she got back up and flew to the other American troops, and the battalion was saved. Cher Ami had one eye gone, her breastbone smashed, and one leg shot off, but God had allowed her to make it to her destination. The Bible says that God knows even when a sparrow falls to the ground. In this case, He reached down and picked up a pigeon. God saved hundred of men using one of our nations most unusual heroes. Many times we use the excuse “God could never use me, I just don’t have any ability. If God can use an uneducated marksman, and a pigeon, he can certainly use us.

God delivers the Goforths

The Boxer Rebellion took place in China in 1900. Even though the event happened on the other side of the world, God showed His power in the lives of two American missionaries. The Boxers were native Chinese who resented foreigners in their country, and especially foreign missionaries. They began to attack the missionaries, and killed several hundred Christians. In the midst of this tragedy God showed his hand of deliverance to Jonathan and Rosalind Goforth. The Goforths were forced to flee from the city of Hankow, and travel 750 miles over twenty four days. During this trip, they were repeatedly attacked by the Boxers. When an attacker tried to cut off Jonathan Goforth’s head with his sword, the sword struck him in the neck, but with the flat edge. Another man on horseback tried to trample him. Though they were on smooth ground, the horse fell, and his body formed a barrier around Goforth until he could regain his footing. The Goforths escaped each attack and finally made it to safety . Why did God choose to save this missionary family and not all the others? God only knows the time he had set for each of us to depart this life. “It is appointed unto men once to die, and then the judgement” God not only works in the nations and on the large scale of world events, God also deals with the details of individual lives.

Two men who stood in the Gap

Ezekiel 22:30 records these tragic words, “I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” Throughout history, God has been looking for those who are willing to stand for truth and stay His hand of judgment. After the Civil war, God found such a leader in the person of Dwight L. Moody. D. L. Moody was brought to Christ by his Sunday school teacher Edward Kimbell in 1856. A short while later Moody was challenged by message that he heard where the speaker said that the world had never seen what God could do with a person who was totally sold out to the Lord. Moody resolved that with God’s help that he would be that man. Moody began his evangelistic ministry in 1865, and continued it until his death in 1899. He was one of the first Evangelists to recognize the importance of a great song director. He had Ira Sankey as his song leader, and together they influenced the lives of millions. At a time where our country was divided and decimated, Moody was used by God to bring Spiritual hope and healing to our land. Moody also started the Moody Bible institute which trained hundreds of missionaries that helped to make the 1800s the great century of missions.
Just as D.L. Moody’s ministry was coming to a close, God chose another man to “stand in the Gap”, and that man was Billy Sunday. Billy Sunday had been a very successful baseball player in the 1880s. One day while he was sitting outside of a bar, he was invited to the Pacific Garden Mission. He decided to go and receive Christ as his Lord and Savior. By 1895 he had dedicated his life the preaching of God’s word. Billy Sunday preached with a very powerful and athletic style of preaching. He teamed up with Homer Rodeheaver as his song leader and they were able to see at least one million people come to Christ. Billy Sunday also was known for speaking out against sin. One excerpt from one of his sermons that demonstrated this is the following; “I believe half of the professing Christians amount to nothing as a spiritual force. They go to Church, have a kindly regard for religion, but as for having a firm grip on God… and a willingness to strike hard, staggering blows against the devil, they are almost failures.” Billy Sunday definitely struck hard, staggering blows against satan throughout his ministry.
Between the preaching of Moody and Sunday, America experienced its last Great Awakening. We as a nation have not had nationwide revival since the 1920s. Today more than ever we need men to stand in the gap. Hopefully God will not have to say “I found none”.

When good men stand in God's way

During the Civil war, there were Godly Christians fighting on both sides. When the North and South would pray for God’s guidance and for victory, how could God answer the prayers of both? Was God for the North, or was God for the South? The problem with that question is that it assumes that God takes sides. God was not a Northerner or Southerner. God has had a plan for men and nations since the beginning of time. God raised up America in order to have a nation of wealth, education, freedom, and Spiritual desire, in order to fulfill the Great commission to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every person. In the 1800s, America was in the process of fulfilling that command. The 1800s have been called the Great Century of missions. When men act in accordance with God’s will, then they can expect His aid. Therefore, the question is never whose side is God on, but rather are we doing that which is consistent with His will.
Thomas Stonewall Jackson was a Godly Christian General for the Southern army. He had led thousands of men in revival during the first several years of the war. He was also General Lee’s right hand man, who had helped Lee defeat the Northern army in almost every battle. During the battle of Chancellorsville, Jackson was out scouting the enemy lines when he was shot by one of his own men. Jackson died several days later from this unfortunate accident. General Lee was devastated by the loss of this great friend and leader. The next major battle in the Civil war was the Battle of Gettysburg. The first two days of the battle were basically a draw. The third day of Gettysburg featured the infamous Pickett’s charge. Lee ordered his men to go across an open field in order to drive the Union off Cemetery Ridge. The effort was a disaster and basically ended the South’s chances to win the war. Would Lee have decided to try the charge had Stonewall Jackson still been alive? This demonstrates a principle from Scripture, that God will remove those who stand in His way. Jackson needed to be taken home in order for the North to fulfill God’s will to keep the Union together and to end the wicked practice of slavery. Sincerity and good intentions are never enough to be sure of God’s blessing. We must constantly seek to do the Will of God by following the Word of God. Remember the Apostle Paul thought he was doing God’s will by killing Christians. God in His Grace reached down and showed him his will. If we stand in God’s way, God will remove the obstacle one way or another.

The Saratoga of the Civil war

The Civil war is considered to be one of the most significant events in United States history. It is impossible to understand America today, without understanding the events that took place during the Civil war era. There were many battles that had a great bearing on the outcome of the war. However, many historians point to the Battle of Antietam as the turning point of the war. Some have even referred to this battle as the Saratoga of the Civil war. The Battle took on great importance when Europe and especially Great Britain offered to help the South if they won the battle. If the South had won and Europe had joined them, it is very probable that the war would have turned out differently. During the Revolutionary war, the French had told the colonists they would join them if they won the battle of Saratoga. That victory changed the face of the war and helped America defeat the British. Also, President Lincoln had promised himself and God that he would issue a proclamation to free the slaves if the North won the battle. With all of these things on the line, we would expect to see God’s hand of intervention. The whole key to General Lee’s plan was to surprise the Union by attacking the Northern States. By taking the war to the North he hoped to persuade the North to give up the effort to re-unite the states. On September 13, a Union private found three cigars wrapped in papers that turned out to be Lee’s orders to one of the generals. The orders revealed Lee’s plans as to where he intended to go for the attack. Once Lee learned that his plans had been discovered by the Union, he was forced to take a defensive position at Antietam Creek. The battle was basically a draw, with both sides experiencing 12,000 casualties. Lee was then forced to return to the South, unable to accomplish anything that he had set out to do. Was it luck of chance that allowed the North to find the South’s plans? I believe that God is constantly working to bring about His will. As a result of this battle, Lincoln gave his Emancipation Proclamation and changed the North’s motivation for the war. Now they were fighting for the freedom of the slaves. Also, without the help of England and the rest of Europe, the South lost its only chance to win the war outright. The Battle of Antietam was clearly one of the greatest examples of God’s hand in American history.

God's man for God's time

“Wisdom and power belong to Him. And it is He who changes the times and the epochs. He removes kings and establishes kings.”( Daniel 2:20-21) One of the ways in which God’s hand of Providence is seen, is in His removing and establishing of leaders. Roman 13:1 states that all authority is established by God. God has been placing people in office, and removing others for millenniums. Just prior to the Civil war, America had been plagued with poor Presidential leadership. Men like Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan, had done very little to keep our country from being ripped apart by the events of the 1850s. James Buchanan for instance, had decided to do nothing when he was informed that several of the southern states had left the Union. He said that he would just let the new President deal with the matter. During the crucial time of our country dividing into two parts, God raised up a man named Abraham Lincoln to bring the country back together. Lincoln was known for his honesty and strong character. He was a great student of the Bible, and often quoted God’s word in his speeches. Perhaps his most famous quote from the Bible was during the debates with Stephen Douglas; “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” (Mark 3:25) Abraham Lincoln often stated that he prayed for God’s guidance during the war, and felt that God answered his prayers. Not only did God use Lincoln to preserve the Union, but he also ended slavery. When the North won the Civil war, it marked the end of the wicked practice of one group of people owning another, just because of their color of skin. Abraham Lincoln was not perfect, and there are many who question many of his actions. However, no one can argue that he turned out to be God’s man for doing the will of God in God’s time. Today, we must keep in mind that even if we do not agree with the authority that God has given us, we still need to respect and submit to that authority as unto God.

The Third Great Awakening

By the late 1850s, it was clear that our nation was heading into a Civil War. One writer had this to say about the time period “Stripped of their self-dependence, and in despair, men again found time to think on their need of God.” It was during the year of 1857 that one man in particular was moved to take action. Jeremiah Lanphier, a missionary from New York City, began inviting families to join him in prayer for revival. He widely advertised the prayer meetings for noon at the Fulton Street North Dutch Church. At the scheduled time, he was the only one there. He began to pray and soon several other people joined him. They agreed to have a prayer meeting each week. By the third week they had over forty people at the prayer meeting. At that point they agreed to meet daily at noon for prayer. Within four months the Church was overflowing with those desiring to pray for their need of revival. By the Spring of 1858, over twenty other Churches were conducting prayer meetings all over the New York City area. The Prayer meetings spread to Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh, and many other cities throughout the Northeastern United States. The major feature of all of these prayer meetings was prayer, although usually one of the layman read a passage of Scripture. Some historians have estimated that as many as half a million people were saved as a result of the Prayer meeting revivals. The story does not end there. In several countries in Europe, most notably Wales, they had been praying for years for revival. When news of the Prayer meeting revival reached Europe, it encouraged the Spiritual leaders to pray even more earnestly. The Welsh revival was one of the most powerful displays of Holy Spirit revival in Church history. Think about it, all of this was brought on by one man with a burden to pray for God’s Holy Spirit to bring men and woman back to Himself.
The Southern states also experienced revival, but it came in a completely different way. Most of the Southern revival was led by two of their greatest military leaders, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. Under the leadership of these two men, many Confederate soldiers were brought to Christ As soldiers saw the reality of Christ in their leadership, it caused many of them to turn to Christ during the Civil war. Southern historians estimate that as many as 100,000 Confederate soldiers were converted during the course of the war. The Southern revival combined with the prayer meeting revivals in the North, are often referred to as the third Great Awakening. God knew that America needed to be Spiritually strong in order to survive the horrors of a Civil War. Praise God for Godly leaders that saw the need for prayer and Spiritual power during these dark days of our nation’s history.

Gold and the goodness of God

Throughout much of the history of the United States, God’s providential control has been seen through His timing of events. Two great examples of God’s timing can be seen in the acquisition of California and Alaska. California was added to America after the war with Mexico as part of the Mexican Cession. When we defeated Mexico in 1848, we gave them 15 million dollars in exchange for the territory that now makes up the Southwest United States. The War with Mexico had been debated greatly. There were many who felt the United States had provoked Mexico into war just to gain more territory. Even though the way we got the land may not have been God’s way, God allowed us to get the land just in time. The way things worked out remind me of the conversation Joseph had with his brothers in Egypt. Joseph told his brothers; “you meant it for evil but God meant it for good” Often God will take a selfish act of man and turn it into something good. We signed the treaty and took possession of California just weeks before Gold was discovered by Sutter’s mill. Soon thousands of prospectors were flocking to California in search of great wealth. Had the Mexican government known about the Gold in California, they probably never would have sold it to us for such a small amount, if at all. The second example of God’s timing was seen in the purchase of Alaska. Secretary William Seward had been approached by the Russian Authorities that they would be willing to sell the Alaskan territory. When Seward presented the possibility to Congress, he was laughed at and ridiculed. The proposed purchase was labeled “Seward’s Folly”,” Seward’s icebox”, and other such names. Seward was able to buy the land, and it turned out to be a pretty good deal. The land itself cost just a few cents and acre. Then in 1890, gold was discovered in Alaska. Once again, it is doubtful as to whether or not Russia would have sold us the land had they known about the gold just a few years earlier. Russia fell to Communism in 1917, can you imagine the danger we would have been in if Russia controlled Alaska at that time in history. Alaska turned out to be rich in furs, fish, and most of all oil. The purchase of Alaska was an example of God’s mercy and kindness to our country.

The great compromiser

The issue of slavery was always lurking in America’s history, ready to divide and destroy the Union of our nation. During the 1820 to 1850 period, one man helped put off the inevitable clash with his compromises. That man was Henry Clay, who was known as the great compromiser. In 1820 the issue of the expansion of slavery threatened to divide our country. Each side had an equal number of states that were free and slave. The next state to enter the Union threatened to offset the delicate balance. Clay introduced the Missouri compromise, and with it he was able to keep both sides happy for a while. The issue of tariffs also came into play in 1833 when Congress passed the tariff of abominations. This Tariff caused many in the South to consider secession. Clay came up with a compromise that eventually brought the tariff down to normal levels, and peace again was restored. Finally in 1850 California wanted to come into the Union as a free state. This would upset the balance of states that were slave and free. Clay was able to come up with the Compromise of 1850. Even though none of these compromises were able to end slavery or avoid war, they did put off the war for about forty years. God is His mercy was allowing America more time to remove the evil of slavery by vote. How wonderful would it have been if the United States had voted to end slavery like Great Britain did in the mid 1800s. In the early 1850s Henry Clay died, and America lost its champion of Compromise. Less than ten years later, the North and South entered into a Civil War that would change the country forever. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, and His will is for men to solve their problems peaceably. When sinful men refuse to do His will, then He allows war to solve the problem the hard way. We need more men like Henry Clay who are willing to try to make peace. Blessed are the peace makers, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Hopefully we will do things God’s way, and not have to go through the hard way again.

How could a Christian nation practice sin?

Those who say that America was founded as a Christian nation, and that God has taken an active role in the history of our nation, often have difficulty explaining the treatment of Native Americans and the institution of slavery. How could God be involved with a nation that mistreated the original inhabitants of America, and how could God bless a country that actively supported the slave trade? There are no easy answers to those two questions. Obviously God does not condone needless war, breaking treaties, or one group of people owning another. There are two ideas that I have come across over the years that helped me in this matter. The first principle was that we can never judge one generation by our own standards of conduct. Many things that were done hundreds of years ago seem unacceptable by our way of thinking, but were generally accepted by those who lived in that time period. Slavery was a practice that had been accepted for thousands of years. When nations conquered other nations, it was common practice to place the vanquished into the bonds of slavery. When our founding fathers brought the first slaves to America in 1619, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Christians at this time also drank beer, and began smoking tobacco. Today if a Christian practices any of these behaviors, their commitment to Christ would be questioned. This does not justify the practice of slavery, I believe God judged America with the Civil war for their treatment of slaves, but it does help us at least to understand how a man like Thomas Jefferson owned slaves, even though he wrote that all men are created equel. That brings us to the second principle, and that is that all Providence can be put into two categories, mercy of judgment. Many times we think that God only intervenes to help out nations or individuals. However, God often judges men for their sin and selfish behavior. When we say that America was founded as a Christian nation, it does not mean that everything that was done by our founding fathers was right. The treatment of Native Americans of breaking treaties and sending them off to other land was wrong. God judged America with many wars and destruction of property and life. The War of 1812 was partially caused by Indian resentment. The wars in the West from 1870- 1890 were direct results from our unjust treatment of Indians. As was mentioned the Civil War was mainly caused by our failure to end slavery by laws. The civil rights struggles that started in 1950 and still continue today, remind us of the evils of slavery that were tolerated in America for so long. God never condones sin, but He often uses its results to bring about His will. We need to learn from the mistakes of the past, and make sure we do not allow race to continue to be an issue of fear and hatred today. God is often merciful to us and provides victory and peace, but He also judges sin and allows suffering and war. May God have mercy on us and our nation.