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The Squandering of Our Godly Heritage

The Squandering of Our Godly Heritage

A Prayer at the Solemn Assembly,
By Pastor Daniel Thompson
July 15, 2001

Lord, we come to You this evening from a place where swine feed. Our country is a prodigal. We left Your house many years ago.

Unlike our forefathers, we took the gift of our godly heritage that "fell on us," "gathered it all together," and took our "journey into a far country" -- a strange country, a place a great distance from You and your house.

Our forefathers who remained in your house, were moved by your Spirit and framed the foundation of our country
Our forefathers who remained in your house, were moved by your Spirit to build upon the foundations that others had laid
Our forefathers who remained in your house, were moved by your Spirit to live and die for this foundation and this great building...

Forty years ago, moved by our own spirit of rebellion, thinking You to be our debtor, demanded of You the "portion of our goods that fell to us."

We "gathered all together," our heritage, it's foundation, and it's building, and we left You and your house and took our Journey. And while we journeyed, we joined ourselves to every harlot philosophy that came along side us, and we squandered our heritage on selfish and ''riotous living."

And we spent it all ! It is virtually all gone!

Now there has arisen "a mighty famine in our land."

There is a desperate shortage of the truth of who we were, and who we are, and who you intended us to be.
There is an abundance of "tolerance" but a mighty famine of "truth."
There is an abundance of "sensuality" but a mighty famine of "spirituality."
There is an abundance of "information" but a great famine of "discernment."
There is an abundance of "regard for temporal things" but a great famine of "regard for the eternal."
There is an abundance of "compromise and mixture" but a mighty famine of "faithfulness, courage, loyalty, and honor."
There is an abundance of "talk and different opinions" but a great famine of "prayer and intercession."
There is an abundance of "feasting" but a mighty famine of "those who mourn."
There is an abundance of "preaching" but a mighty famine of "doing."
There is an abundance of "giving" but a mighty famine of "sacrifice."
There is an abundance of "lightness" but a great famine of those that are serious, sober and "watchful."
There is an abundance of those professing to live for you but a mighty famine of those willing to suffer for you.
There is an abundance of "value placed upon one's own life" but a mighty famine "on the value of others."

And because of this great famine there is nothing left for our country to eat! Only "husks" for food that are meant for swine.

We have ended up where all prodigals end up... being nourished on a diet of swine's food. There is nothing left for our people and the generations to come except the "husks" that swine eat.

We taste the "husks" throughout our culture.
We taste the "husks" in our humanistic philosophies.
We taste the "husks" in our government, judicial system and in the public education of our children.
We taste the "husks" in the recording of our history, in our sciences, literature and medicine.
We taste the "husks" in our media, arts and entertainment...
We taste the "husks" in our most sacred institutions --- home, marriage and even in the church.·
We taste the "husks" of our countries values, it's ideals, it's priorities, it's worship.·
We taste the "husks" of our entire society, where Oprah Winfred is our prophet, religion our high priest, and money our king!

The leaven has spread throughout the entire lump, and our bellies are full of swine's food.

And, we have filled the bellies of generations with this food, food that will never satisfy their longings, their desires, their ambitions, their hunger or meet their deepest needs.

The greatest evidence of our distance from You is found in a law that permits the murder of children. The greatest evidence of our country's diet of swine's food is that many are not even sure it is wrong!

"Truly the crown has fallen from our head. Our honor is brought to the dust."

It was once said by a very evil and powerful man, "If a people lose their heritage they can be persuaded of almost anything."

We have been persuaded by almost everything, except Truth! THAT WE REMAIN UNPERSUADED!

"Truth has fallen in the streets" because it slipped through our own hands.

We your church would like to be excused from this matter. We would like your gaze to be upon others, but we know deep in our hearts we are much to blame. Your gaze is upon us. The cock is crowing. May we return to our homes and "weep bitterly."

King Hezekiah felt little concern that he was leaving his children an empty treasury of all that his forefathers had stored up. His greatest concern was peace and prosperity in his days. Surely our sin has found us out!

It is known what your attitude is towards the man who hides his one talent. It is yet to be known what your attitude will be towards those that have hidden five.

Years of self interest, self seeking, self promoting, self indulgence; all the eating, drinking and making merry; building bigger and bigger barns has come at a great price --- the lives of millions of innocent children.

We your people are "coming to our senses." We are beginning to think again of You and your house. We want to begin our journey home.

"Father we have sinned against heaven and before you. We are no more worthy to he called your son." We beg Your forgiveness.

Please look upon us, even though we are "a great way off." Help us to make our way hack to You, to your house, and our godly heritage.

In the Name of Your Son.