Verwandte Artikel zu Turning the Tide: Real Hope, Real Change

Turning the Tide: Real Hope, Real Change - Softcover

Stanley, Charles F.

 
9781451626407: Turning the Tide: Real Hope, Real Change
Softcover
ISBN 10: 1451626401 ISBN 13: 9781451626407
Verlag: Howard Books, 2012

Inhaltsangabe

Now in paperback—New York Times bestselling author Charles Stanley shares a thought-provoking, inspirational book calling our nation to get on its knees to pray, then stand up and become involved.

Get on Your Knees to Pray... Then Get Up and Take ACTION

There is a tidal wave threatening our nation, and its unrelenting surge is changing American life as we’ve known it . . . and as our Founding Fathers intended it to be. In the midst of the politically charged atmosphere in our country, Dr. Charles Stanley stands tall with a refreshingly calm yet bold call to action. Insisting we can make a difference, Dr. Stanley makes a passionate plea for Christians to get on their knees to pray, and then stand up and become involved. With wisdom and biblical teaching, he insists that if we will turn to God and obey Him, we can:

* Reverse the course of our financial troubles

* Stop the onslaught of increasingly burdensome taxation

* Halt the advancement of socialism in public policy

* Return respect for the sanctity of life to the national discourse

In this revolutionary book, bestselling author Dr. Charles Stanley also offers a step-by-step twenty-week prayer guide to help Christians pray for real change. It’s time, Dr. Stanley says, for us to take responsibility for the direction of our country and become involved both at the civic level and through fervent prayer.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Dr. Charles F. Stanley (1932–2023) was a New York Times bestselling author who wrote more than sixty books, with sales of more than ten million copies. He had been senior pastor of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia and his outreach ministry—In Touch—reached more than 2,800 radio and television outlets in more than fifty languages. Dr. Stanley was inducted into the National Religious Broadcaster’s (NRB) Hall of Fame in 1988. Dr. Stanley’s goal was best represented by In Touch Ministries’ mission statement: to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church. This is because, as he said, “It is the Word of God and the work of God that changes people’s lives.”

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CHAPTER 1
THE RISING TIDE


The Danger in Failing to Recognize the Storms

Over the years, I have been privileged to see and walk along some of the most magnificent beaches in the world. Not long ago, I was at a Hawaiian seashore known for its tremendous waves—ones worthy of surfing excursions—and I was acutely aware of the rise and fall of the tides.

On several occasions in the past, this particular coastline has had waves that rose more than twenty feet high. A man at the hotel called those times “an extreme surfer’s paradise.”

While the unfurling and crashing of breakers of that magnitude may excite avid surfers, the rest of us, however, are frightened by such an overpowering crush of water—fantastic to look at, perhaps, but only from a distance.

As I gazed out at the ocean, knowing the potential danger for great waves, my thoughts turned to the painful reality of the tsunami that crashed into Japan in 2011. The devastation in terms of lives and property loss was enormous.

I then began to think about the riptides that can periodically make a beach too dangerous for swimming. Although these tides can be identified by lifeguards and experts as they watch from elevated perches, they are not as easily recognized by beachgoers on the shore or those already in the water. Once an innocent swimmer has been caught in the clutches of such a powerful current, escape is extremely difficult. Rescue is often perilous for those who seek to help. Death is frequently the result.

I considered the rising floodwaters that have devastated many areas in our nation. We live in an age where it is not at all unusual to hear a newscaster report, “Nothing of this magnitude has ever been experienced here before.”

I asked myself, What makes tides go from beautiful to dangerous? What causes the sea to swell and produce a wave that washes away beaches and cities? What creates those waves?

The answer in many cases is storms.

Some of the squalls pound on the surface of the waters, while others occur far away, causing a ripple effect throughout the ocean.

Some tempests involve fierce winds; and others, a seemingly endless amount of heavy rain.

Regardless of how these whirlwinds and downpours occur or where they originate, they cause seismic shifts in the waters—and the tides rise with immensely destructive power.

These observations of nature started me thinking about the issues I will discuss in this book—tempests that occur in our nation and also in our personal lives. These storms don’t necessarily have anything to do with weather. They are situations in our lives that devastate us just like a category-five hurricane that ravages a coastal village. They may arise due to our finances, a broken relationship, a lost job, a crippling illness, or any number of distressing circumstances. The dark, threatening clouds roll in—large, turbulent, and overwhelming. They destroy our peace and security, and we cannot escape their fury. We don’t know what to do or where to go.

I am convinced that our country is facing just such a storm. We are experiencing a destructive, man-made tide that is deteriorating our country at a frightening pace. And as an American citizen, father, grandfather, and preacher of the Word, I feel the responsibility to speak up about the issues in our country and in our personal lives that require our attention and intercession as believers.

RISING TIDES ON MANY FRONTS


The storms of life cause tides to mount—even to the point of overwhelming us with tragedy, turmoil, and deeply rooted fears.

We experience catastrophic times, not just natural, everyday problems but also man-made disasters. Sadly, if we don’t come to grip with our crises and learn how to manage effectively through them, we will continue to find ourselves in increasingly desperate times.
Note
As An American citizen, father, grandfather, and preacher of the word, I feel the responsibility to speak up about the issues in our country and in our personal lives that require our attention and intercession as believers.

Just as our personal tempests can devastate our lives if we do not respond to them appropriately, cataclysmic storms can drastically affect our nation as well. So, after my experience on that Hawaiian beach, I sat down to make a list of the storms our country is currently undergoing. I came up with twenty concerns that I truly believe warrant prayer and godly action.

Not all of the items on my list are equal in weight, nor are they presented here in order of priority. However, I believe they are all important in terms of our nation’s health and spiritual welfare. If we fail to properly address these storms, they will eventually become an insurmountable tide that will erode our freedoms as citizens of the United States of America.

Below are the issues and conditions I believe are impacting our country negatively:

1. Mortgage problems: many people are unable to pay their mortgages and are losing their homes. This not only affects the families that become homeless but also impacts their neighborhoods, communities, and all of us as a nation.

2. Increasing unemployment: Millions of people have lost their jobs and even more families suffer because they cannot pay their bills or afford their necessities.

3. Banking issues: Our nation is facing an overwhelming financial crisis, which includes the insolvency of many banks, tremendous losses for depositors and investors, escalating costs, an excessive national debt, and the weakening of our currency on the international market.

4. Corrupt leaders: Our nation is plagued with cowardice, confusion, and corruption in its leadership—on both sides of the aisle. We are in desperate need of godly legislators who will acknowledge the Lord and obey Him.

5. Ongoing warfare: As warring continues, the death and wounding of our young men and women escalates. We often send brave soldiers into battle without adequate protective gear, which is absolutely unthinkable.

6. Terrorism: The ever-present threat of terrorism erodes our national confidence, endangers our citizens, and jeopardizes our economy.

7. Natural disasters: Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and other natural disasters are occurring in record-breaking numbers and strengths.

8. Abortion: The problem of abortion is ongoing. More than 55 million unborn babies have been killed—and that number is still rising.

9. Divorce: The percentage of marriages that end in divorce continues to escalate.

10. Single-parent families: Millions of single parents are struggling to raise their children, and the number of kids who are unable to experience a stable home life continues to rise.

11. Escalating crime: Our country is experiencing a greater incidence of criminal offenses and lack of justice for victims. Law enforcement officials are frequently unable to protect citizens because of bureaucracy and legal challenges.

12. America’s standing in the world: Around the world is a rising hatred of Americans that includes the threat of nuclear proliferation by our enemies against our nation and allies.

13. Diminishing support of Israel: A desire to appease political rivals has resulted in the deterioration of our national support of Israel.

14. Challenges to our Judeo-Christian values: Our freedoms of religion and expression are sometimes denied—especially when it comes to Christians who openly profess Jesus Christ as the only way...

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Verlag
Howard Books
Erscheinungsdatum
2012
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
1451626401
ISBN 13 
9781451626407
Einband
Taschenbuch
Anzahl der Seiten
288
Kontakt zum Hersteller
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Verantwortliche Person
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