Sept 11 Prayer at Courthouses: A group of well-known national ministries is coordinating prayer at courthouses on Sept 11 for a new national awakening. More details later on local expressions of that. This looks good and hopefully will include much repentance for the sins of America and for the sins of the American Church. Only massive repentance by the Church of America can turn the hand of God to bless America again, as 2 Chron. 7:13-14 illustrate. Politicians cannot fix America. Only the Church can. God is disciplining America for its sins. Our economy is His target. Only repentance will pull us out of this economic nosedive. See http://www.awakeningamerica.com for details about the Sept 11 event.
Virginia Retreat Centers: Click here to see the list. Beware, some are flaky, scary new age places but others look OK. The list at the bottom of the page is the best one I have seen so far but not fully complete. One place that should be added is Living Water Farm in Valentine, VA. This is my favorite place for personal and group retreats. The folks who run it are amazing Christians and it is a working cattle farm with chickens and friendly dogs running around.
Native Americans and America's Failing Economy: The centuries of deceit and violence against Native Americans began in Tidewater, Virginia, home of the first permanent English colony in North America. Greedy Christian settlers tricked and forced Native Americans off their lands, BROKE EVERY TREATY CHRISTIAN AMERICA MADE WITH THEM, forced them onto concentration camp-like reservations, massacred them and stripped them of their language and culture even into the 20th century. Click here to see an excerpt from my book, HEALING AMERICA'S DNA, a historical/theological analysis of the sins of the Jamestown colony and how they affect America today. There are sins our ancestors committed against Native Americans that few churches in America have admitted, confessed or tried to rectify. II Sam 21 tells us how God cursed Israel for similar sins in the reign of David because of sins committed by an earlier generation against a non-Christian people, the Gibeonites.
In order for America to fully prosper again, America must secure the blessing of Native Americans. It is not too late for Christian congregations to repent, for Christian businesspeople and Christian government leaders to make some restitution, so that God may have greater mercy on our land again.
Just think of what good could happen if each of the 1400 churches in Tidewater adopted one Tidewater Native American family to bless them each year in some way, if Christian businesses and government leaders helped Tidewater Native Americans get jobs and prosper. It would be a beginning to heal the wounds of generations of the Host People who owned this land for millennia before 1607. Such repentance and kindness could move God to release greater blessings and protection on America---and glorify His Name among those we should have loved when we settled their land.
Camp for Kids: August 10-15 at Friend's Bible Camp in Wakefield. It is an overnight camp for kids between 6 and 13 years old. The cost is $100 per child, with partial scholarships available. Faith Bible Church in VB has a web page with a link that has a flyer and application. The camp is mostly for inner-city kids with an emphasis on Christian Character Qualities. For verses memorized during the week, the campers receive school supplies! They will have a praise and worship band there all week with crafts, swimming, games and skits. Contact Beth Iman 420-7630, 235-4496. Email: nbs_iman@yahoo.com
