What Happens When Our Nation Goes The Wrong Direction?
In two days we face a very important election for our nation. There are many that will tell you our nation is great. There are some that would have us believe we are evil. Some want us to think that we are a Christian nation. We have heard much about the economy, change, etc. During this election time you have heard many different sides. What does God’s Word point us towards in this day and age? I want to look today at how a nation forgets God. I feel our nation is in the process of doing that very thing.
Let me day that I think God has blessed the United States of America. There is no doubt in my mind that we have been raised up by God to do a great work. We have held up the call of freedom and liberty. We have saved the world from tyranny and fascism. We have shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ to numerous peoples. We have helped the poor in their time of need. We have done so many things that are so great. Yet we have fallen short. We have turned and went the wrong direction.
Deuteronomy 8:11-20 KJV 11Beware
that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his
judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built
goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver
and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God,
which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein
were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no
water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew
not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good
at thy latter end;
17And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine
hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that
giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he
sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
19And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and
walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you
this day that ye shall surely perish.
20As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so
shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD
your God.
Little or no recognition of God in our lives
Our actions and deeds have become worldly
Our thoughts and teachings have strayed from God
Examples:
Exodus 5:2 KJV 2And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
Disbelief and unbelief rubs off (our fellow Americans)
We see no regard for God nor His ways in our courts, our legislatures
Exodus 6:9 KJV 9And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
Hardened hearts rule the day
Exodus 7:14 KJV And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is
hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.
Exodus 7:22-23 KJV 22And the magicians of Egypt did so with
their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken
unto them; as the LORD had said.
23And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his
heart to this also.
Poor judgment is shown - We fail to see the consequences
Jeremiah 4:22 KJV For my people is foolish, they have not known
me; they are sottish [silly] children, and they have none understanding:
they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
Jeremiah 8:7 KJV Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed
times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their
coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
James 4:17 KJV Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Genesis 6:5 KJV And God saw that the wickedness of man was
great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his
heart was only evil continually.
Psalms 53:3 KJV Every one of them is gone back: they
are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not
one.
Isaiah 53:6 KJV All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every
one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 64:6 KJV But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and
our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Ungodly actions – Sodom and Gomorrah-like
Self-importance – it is all about my needs
Self-inadequacies – I can handle it - NOT
Weakened to the core by sin
Romans
7:11 KJV For sin, taking occasion by
the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
2 Timothy 3:13 KJV But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived.
Hebrews 3:13 KJV But exhort one another daily, while it is called To
day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Psalms 52:3 KJV Thou
lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak
righteousness.Selah
2 Thessalonians 2:12 KJV That they all might be damned who believed not the
truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Drugs, sex, alcohol, etc.
Proverbs 11:3 KJV 3The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.
Isaiah 3:9 KJV The show of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
I know there are many areas we could look at today, but I want to look at one more…
Exodus 22:22 KJV Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
Deuteronomy 24:19 KJV When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.
God’s advice:
Seek God
Hosea 14:1-9 KJV 1O Israel,
return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
2Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all
iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves
[sacrifices]of our lips.
3Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither
will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in
thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
4I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine
anger is turned away from him.
5I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and
cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
6His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive
tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
7They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as
the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine
of Lebanon.
8Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I
have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree.
From me is thy fruit found.
9Who is wise, and he shall understand these things?
prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and
the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
Trust God
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
James 1:27 KJV Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 110208am