The secret of self government!
Dear friends:
Founding Father and second U.S. President, John Adams, made a most
astonishing statement that is so relevant today. He said, "Our
Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is
wholly inadequate for the government of any other."
What is the basis of such an extreme statement?
America has been a great experiment in self-government.
Self-government, of course, requires "government of self." Government
of one's self requires control over one's selfish, carnal drives that
can harm others. The early Americans knew this spiritual principle from
the Bible -- that self-control is a fruit and outer working of the Holy
Spirit in one's life, and that the indwelling and influence of the Holy
Spirit comes when one receives, trusts and obeys Christ.
In 1852, statesman, Congressman and Senator Robert C. Winthrop said it
this way: "All societies must be governed in some way or other. The
less they may have stringent state government, the more they must have
individual self-government ... Men, in a word, must necessarily be
controlled either by a power within them, or by a power without them...
"
This is how America was born: (1) commitment to God, (2) commitment to
one another, and (3) self-control. This is the fledgling nation birthed
by our Founding Fathers in 1776. This is what caused them to lay their
lives on the line, sacrificing everything, to declare our independence
and form our first national government. It is what birthed the greatest
missionary sending nation in history, enabling us in just the last few
years alone to communicate the gospel to literally billions of people
worldwide.
But back to President John Adam's statement about our Constitution made
only for a moral and religious people. As America has abandoned our
spiritual roots and has become increasingly morally degenerate, we can
already see the truth of that statement. The wicked are taking
advantage of our Constitution and with the help of the anti-Christian
lawyers are using it against us and in their favor. Even foreign
terrorists and drug dealers are trying to exploit our constitutional
rights, provided by the sacrifices of our Founding Fathers.
America desperately needs a spiritual awakening and revival. Let us
continue to fast and pray to that end.
Yours for fulfilling the Great Commission
each year until our Lord returns,
Bill Bright