“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.” (Acts 3:19–20 NLT)

 

The strong faith of two men named George played a key role in shaping the United States of America. The first was George Whitefield, our spiritual founding father. He was a British evangelist who came to our shores to preach the gospel. As a result of his ministry, thousands of colonists came to Christ. It was the first great spiritual awakening in what would become known as the United States of America.

Between 1740 and 1742, before the United States was even a nation, the Great Awakening had a remarkable impact in New England. Historians estimate that 25,000 to 50,000 people were added to New England church membership as a result of the revival. With New England’s population only around 300,000 at the time, that means as many as one out of every six people in the region may have been reached in some way by the revival, in which George Whitefield played a leading role. The evangelistic wildfire left in its wake fertile spiritual ground on which the nation could be built. The Christian truths and principles that guided the lives of the new converts found their way into the nation’s DNA. They formed the cornerstone of the United States government.

John Adams, founding father and second president of the United States, wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Our nation was forged in the flames of revival started by George Whitefield.

The second George is, of course, George Washington—commander of the Continental Army, first president of the United States, and the father of our country. Washington was always quick to give the glory to God for his victories. He never tired of invoking the role of Providence in the formation of the United States of America. In fact, Washington directed that a special flag be flown by the ships of the U.S. Navy. The flag depicted a tree with branches stretching upward. The message of the flag was an appeal to Heaven, a reminder that the United States needed to call on God for its success and sustenance.

Unfortunately, that message got lost along the way. Our nation has drifted away from God and His guidance. The good news is that it’s not too late to go back to Him.

The apostle Peter preached to the people of Israel, “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah” (Acts 3:19–20 NLT).

That same message is needed in our country today. Our nation, which was forged in a spiritual revival, needs to go through those flames again.

 

Reflection question: How can you incorporate a concern for our nation’s spiritual well-being into your prayers and Bible study? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

Join Greg Laurie for the Annual Jesus Revolution Baptism at Pirate's Cove on July 18.

—

The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

 

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

&ldquo;Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.&nbsp;Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.&rdquo; (Acts 3:19&ndash;20 NLT)
&nbsp;
The strong faith of two men named George played a key role in shaping the United States of America. The first was George Whitefield, our spiritual founding father. He was a British evangelist who came to our shores to preach the gospel. As a result of his ministry, thousands of colonists came to Christ. It was the first great spiritual awakening in what would become known as the United States of America.
Between 1740 and 1742, before the United States was even a nation, the Great Awakening had a remarkable impact in New England. Historians estimate that 25,000 to 50,000 people were added to New England church membership as a result of the revival. With New England&rsquo;s population only around 300,000 at the time, that means as many as one out of every six people in the region may have been reached in some way by the revival, in which George Whitefield played a leading role. The evangelistic wildfire left in its wake fertile spiritual ground on which the nation could be built. The Christian truths and principles that guided the lives of the new converts found their way into the nation&rsquo;s DNA. They formed the cornerstone of the United States government.
John Adams, founding father and second president of the United States, wrote, &ldquo;Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.&rdquo;
Our nation was forged in the flames of revival started by George Whitefield.
The second George is, of course, George Washington&mdash;commander of the Continental Army, first president of the United States, and the father of our country. Washington was always quick to give the glory to God for his victories. He never tired of invoking the role of Providence in the formation of the United States of America. In fact, Washington directed that a special flag be flown by the ships of the U.S. Navy. The flag depicted a tree with branches stretching upward. The message of the flag was an appeal to Heaven, a reminder that the United States needed to call on God for its success and sustenance.
Unfortunately, that message got lost along the way. Our nation has drifted away from God and His guidance. The good news is that it&rsquo;s not too late to go back to Him.
The apostle Peter preached to the people of Israel, &ldquo;Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.&nbsp;Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah&rdquo; (Acts 3:19&ndash;20 NLT).
That same message is needed in our country today. Our nation, which was forged in a spiritual revival, needs to go through those flames again.
&nbsp;
Reflection question: How can you incorporate a concern for our nation&rsquo;s spiritual well-being into your prayers and Bible study?&nbsp;<a href="https://disciple.harvest.org/spaces/17592429/feed?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestDiscipleship">Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!</a>
Join Greg Laurie for the <a href="https://harvest.org/resources/gregs-blog/post/greg-laurie-jesus-revolution-baptism-information/">Annual Jesus Revolution Baptism at Pirate's Cove</a> on July 18.
&mdash;
The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."
&nbsp;
All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
<a href="https://go.pddr.app/glpodcast">Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast</a>
<a href="https://harvest.org/harvest-partner/?utm_source=DD&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=HarvestPartners">Become a Harvest Partner</a>

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God’s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from Pastor Greg Laurie, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you. 

*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

If you want to be successful in the Christian life, you must have a mind full of God&rsquo;s Word. Refresh your mind with it daily, right here. Each day, you'll receive a verse and commentary from&nbsp;<a href="https://harvest.org/about-greg-laurie/">Pastor Greg Laurie</a>, who offers biblical insight through humor, personal stories, and cultural commentary. Start listening and hear what God has to say to you.&nbsp;
*The audio production of this podcast utilizes Generative AI technology.&nbsp;This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Greg Laurie provides commentary on the day's Bible verse.

Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

Our nation, which was forged in the flames of revival, needs to experience a new revival.