| (Copyright 01-21-2025) by Dwight Fleming (Oroville, California) |
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| The Prayer offered by Franklin Graham at President Trump’s Inauguration on January 20, 2025 was powerful and profoundly relevant for our nation’s solemn and highly significant ceremony. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” (Psalm 33:12). The only way to ensure America truly becomes great again is for us to become godly again as a nation by worshipping the true God. The Inauguration Prayer was a good start but if not backed by appropriate action, then all will be for nought. Pray that President Trump is able to get necessary legislation passed by the Congress without any major delays. As always, there will be stiff opposition. The enemy may have had a setback, but they are not yet defeated until Christ returns. If you haven’t yet heard this Inauguration Prayer, then by all means, do so. There is a link below. Beyond the Prayer, we must endeavor to serve the God of the Bible and the God of Israel–NOT ANY FALSE OR FOREIGN GODS. That goes for the Muslim god, the Hindu god, etc. There are more and more Sikh Temples appearing here in northern California. The U.S. Constitution allows for freedom of religion which protects the rights of any religion. But why are Christian churches in some areas waning rather than flourishing? Why? No church group can sustain itself for long if it fails to touch the hearts of its youth. And no nation can remain faithful to the God of the Bible if the youth are lured away by false messages of other religions or philosophies. Beyond the Inauguration Prayer, it is vital that every Christian church provide for the needs of its youth with wisdom and grace. This is something that COG churches need to take to heart. I was only 17 when God called me to understand His word via the radio and literature from Ambassador College. I was on fire for the message of the kingdom of God and the Work of preparing for the eminent return of Christ to establish His righteous government in order to save mankind from itself. The youth today are also hungering for powerful and stirring messages that will ignite their spirits and win their hearts for a cause that gives them great purpose and meaning. The joy of the LORD is our strength! Is church a joy or just an empty ritual which helps old people feel that they are pleasing God by their faithful church attendance? Church attendance is good if you are being fed and inspired to grow and bear fruit. Every church pastor needs to consider if his sermon messages are an encouragement to any youth who may be present. This requires structuring messages around real world circumstances that youth must face every day. Just reciting Bible passages without putting them into context with our complex modern world may fall short of “turning the hearts of the children.” If you have children, then be sure to discover what motivates them. Just cramming the Bible, or the church, or the Sabbath down their throats could be more harmful than helpful. Why have drugs become so prevalent among many youths? It is a spiritual tragedy. Stopping the drugs at the border isn’t the answer. Ending the demand for them is the answer. And that requires getting at the spiritual emptiness plaguing our youth. Parents have a tough battle with all the things in the world vying for their kids’ attention. Churches need to provide parents with spiritual tools and resources for combatting the influence of the world. Not an easy task. Yet not impossible with God’s help and blessing. What caused young David to be on fire for the LORD? Why did David have a heart after God’s own heart? Was it the time that David spent with sheep? Was it seeing God’s handiwork as he gazed at the stars at night? Was it seeing God rescue him from the bear and the lion? What? Are you helping your children to see God working in their lives? God has provided us many ways to learn of Him with the study of His marvelous creation. Yet, how many young people are completely absorbed by man’s technology rather than God’s creation? Why do you pastors think that they have to follow the same service routine every Sabbath? Many times, someone has remarked to me that last week’s sermon was great. I would say, “Really? What was it about?” The usual reply, “Well, uh, I don’t remember exactly. But it was a good one.” Okay, I don’t doubt that it was a good sermon. But there are times that a sermon needs to be more than a monologue. A sermon will stick better if the speaker is able to engage his audience through some means of participation. Or if the speaker adds props to his message. For example, a Roman shield or other artifact. The Word of God is symbolized by a sword. Bring in a Roman sword. Replicas are available. Jesus is known as the Lamb of God. Want to impress young people? If possible, bring in a live lamb. The first time that I felt the fleece of a baby lamb, it blew me away how soft it felt. You MUST make God real to young people! The Sabbath is to be a memorial of God as Creator. His creation glorifies Him! Use the Sabbath to help young people to glorify God rather than as a hindrance to their enthusiasm for life. Did God let circumcision [as important as it was] be a hindrance for gentiles to come into the church and participate in the grace of Christ? Quite often, the gentiles had a greater zeal for God than the Jews, who were steeped in their exercises of self-righteousness, thinking that God was pleased with their outward show. For America to be great again, we have to reach our youth with a message of vision for the future which excites them more than any fairy tale that they have ever heard. They must know that God is real and is working in their lives as He has worked in the lives of their fathers recorded in history for the example and inspiration of later generations. May God work a great work as we submit to His will for the blessing of our children! “O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to the next generation, Your mighty works to all who are to come” – King David (Psalm 71:17-18). Video link: Inauguration Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KczMzLZ61po Forever Young: https://youtu.be/HIkN9HWUYiw?si=Ch7fQ_4ESgiwXlsk ———————————————————————————————————- See Dwight Fleming’s other articles at: Fleming, Dwight – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) ———————————————————————————————————- |
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