Is there a better picture of the truth of this passage than Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol? Poor Bob Cratchit with son Tiny Tim and his impoverished family are filled with joy and faith, contrasted with wealthy Ebenezer Scrooge's miserable existence. The novel isn't so much against money as it is failing to live a life that uses what we have for others. The U.S. is in a curious place regarding wealth. We have affluence that is virtually unimaginable. Our ethics regarding the ways we obtain wealth are often highly suspect. Yet, for all our failings in this area, we're a nation known for generosity. When tragedy strikes, the greatness of America's generosity kicks in. We have sent American dollars around the world to help those in need. We even provide tax credits for those who give charitably. Yet we can do better—not just in giving, but in our attitudes toward wealth.

All too often Americans are seen as arrogant or prideful. Years ago, there was a book entitled The Ugly American that told of how Americans in the foreign service often perpetuated that view. It's time for a new reputation for Americans that is in line with what God desires. But before you nod in passive agreement and move on, consider where pride has seeped into your own life. It's a deep-rooted sin for us.

A spiritual revolution in America will take place when we walk in humility before God and each other. We will find ourselves in a place of receiving blessing from God when we have a contrite spirit. And we can expect revival throughout the land when the church is filled with those who tremble at His Word!

The Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, has stirred a divisive, heated debate that continues to be fought in the courtrooms of our nation. For Christians, the moral dilemma is huge, as we could be legally forced to partake in a system that financially supports the killing of babies.

With astronomical health care prices, it's obvious this is not an easy fix. We need government leaders who will implement a just health care plan rather than simply trying to please everyone. We must also pray that a solution will arise that does not force Christians to fund abortion.

I remember the day, more than 30 years ago, when I had to stand before a judge to hear his judgment. At issue was an argument over whether I lived in the right district to run for a particular elective office. Even though I hadn't done anything wrong, I still felt anxious. No one likes to hear judgment passed on them. (By the way, I won that case.) We don't like to think about judgment. But Scripture is explicit that every person on the planet will stand before Christ to be judged. Though our salvation is dependent upon whether Christ is our Savior and Lord, our actions as individuals in life certainly factor into things eternally in a way that we don't fully comprehend.

How does knowing this fact change the way you pray for governmental leaders and those in authority when you recognize that they, too, must stand before the judgment seat of Christ? We are not called to be accusers but intercessors. The picture of the judgment seat of Christ should drive us to our knees in passionate prayer for our nation's leaders.

What makes a nation great? Its military forces or its growing economy? Great natural resources or an industrious people? All of those certainly contribute to the greatness that nations strive for. But the Bible shows us a different perspective. It's a fascinating national concept found buried in Deuteronomy 4:6-8, which proves the greatness of a nation is directly related to the righteousness of its laws and rules.

As our nation began, our laws were made in recognition of God. Even though a number of our founding fathers were not active Christians, they all had a respect for the laws of God and literally based the new nation's laws upon what they considered divine law. God blessed their decision, and greatness was achieved.

Over the years the making and understanding of law has drifted from that strong godly perspective. Increasingly, lawmakers are looking to other nations or cultural trends for guidelines in laws. It could be argued that our greatness as a nation is drifting with that trend. It's time to begin praying for a return to laws that have their basis in God's Word.

America needs the light of Christ once again. We need the fires of revival to burn brightly again. It's time to proclaim to those dwelling in darkness that the Light has come! To see true transformation in the nation will require massive church planting and church revitalization. Those dwelling (in America) in the land of the shadow of death must hear the good news that a light has dawned in our land once again.

Freedom has a high value in God's kingdom—not a freedom to do as you please, but rather a freedom to please God. Freedom is a gift of God and is to be treasured. As you pray for America, pray that the spirit of freedom would be rekindled. Paul encouraged the Galatians to "stand firm" against any attempt to take away their freedom. There are certainly many today who fear that our freedom to live lives pleasing to God is being eroded by growing governmental control over many aspects of our lives. Praying for freedom is praying a kingdom value into our nation.

There is not much more powerful than a well-told lie. Individuals can find their lives spinning out of control; because they believe something untrue about themselves or someone close to them. We're all aware of how that can happen to a nation when we look back at the propaganda ministry of Nazi Germany and the deception that filled a country. It doesn't surprise us that Jesus called Satan a liar.

The only thing that is more powerful than a lie, though, is the truth, clearly and forcefully stated. It is truth that sets us free and keeps us free. That is true spiritually, and is certainly true for a nation. When we receive the truth, both about our own sinfulness as well as God's great love for us, expressed through Jesus Christ, we are set free. We must continue to hold to this great truth all of our lives.

The authors of our Declaration of Independence appealed to certain self-evident truths. A love of truth is seen as essential to our rights and liberty. These days, it seems that truth often takes a backseat to partisan bickering and positioning. Those who pray for the nation must learn to love truth and pray for it to come forth in power.

Who of us would not like to see the Lord do amazing things in our midst? We certainly need that supernatural work of God in our nation today. Israel received that promise; yet it was a conditional promise. God would do miraculous things if His people consecrated themselves.

Our nation desperately needs a consecrated church, a people set aside for the Lord's purposes. We are the way God has chosen to communicate His will to nations. But if we are not a consecrated, holy people, the communication becomes garbled and mixed with our unholiness. As you pray today, would you consecrate yourself, so that we might see the Lord do amazing things in our midst?

The above Scripture speaks of fighting battles within our own land. And though it was written to Israel, we are certainly in a war in our own land. There is a war in the spirit realm for the soul of America.

Trumpet blasts typically called the Lord's people together for battle. But the blowing of trumpets (shofars) was also a call to prayer. Today, I believe the two are merged into one. The trumpet is being blown to fight this battle on our knees.

We often forget that it was the politics of His day that were the immediate cause of Jesus' death. The Roman occupation of Israel, coupled with the jockeying for power among several Jewish sects, created a tension that simply couldn't allow for a popular miracle-working preacher who offended all of the powers that were present. Much of Jesus' teaching dealt with how to live in such a politically tense situation.

As we look at Hebrews 12:2, we are reminded how hard it was for Jesus as He struggled with the political system of His day. It led to a cross. We can't assume that just because we pray for our nation everything will immediately get better and we'll all live happily ever after. The truth is, though our prayers can and do make a difference, we must still pay a price.

A wise nation takes into account the Word of God as it makes laws. Even a cursory reading of the history of the founding of the United States demonstrates that our Founding Fathers seriously endeavored to base our nation's laws on their strong Judeo-Christian beliefs. Secularists today often counter that many of those men were Deists and not strong Christians.

Their own beliefs aside, our Founders, almost to a man, insisted that laws were based on divine revelation and not on human wisdom. A strong secularist, Thomas Jefferson said powerfully, "And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that His justice cannot sleep for ever."