Sermon Central
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Bring Back The Glory - America Descending
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 23, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: "As the home goes, so goes the church, and as the church goes, so goes the nation." We need a revival! Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.
Bring Back the Glory
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/BringBackTheGlory.html
6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
These final chapters begin and end with these bookends making it clear that God's people had moved away from moral absolutes. There was no absolute truth, no authority...they had lost their moral compass.
In America, we need a moral, spiritual revival or we are doomed. This is my fear, and it fits well into Bible prophecy.
Anytime a nation goes down and experiences the judgment of God is happens in this order: Moral decay in the home, then in the church, and finally in the government.
"As the home goes, so goes the church, and as the church goes, so goes the nation."
Here's 3 things it will take to bring back the glory to the USA before it is too late.
1. Families with a Foundation.
v. 1-6 This is not the prophet Micah. He is a spoiled brat. His mother saved money and he decided to steal it--1100 shekels of silver. She didn't know whom the thief was, so she pronounced a curse upon him. He got scared when he heard that and returned it, not out of conviction, but out of fear. Rather than scolding him, she blessed him. She was so glad to get the money back. She said she was dedicating it to the Lord and then she made an idol with it.
Of course, the Bible strictly forbids this sort of idolatry. This is how spiritually blind they had become in their apostasy. Far removed from the true worship of God--thinking this was doing God a favor by making an idol to Him.
v. 5 Micah had shelves full of idols...he was steeped in idolatry. Then he appointed his son to become a priest. He didn't qualify, and it wasn't God's way. It is absolute confusion spiritually, and they think they are actually serving God.
So, in this family we have coveting, stealing, cursing, dishonoring of parents, idolatry, and God knows what else. They are morally bankrupt. But if you would have gone to them and confronted them about all of this they would say, "That's your opinion, but this is the way we want to do it." Every man what was right in his own eyes!
This is where America is today. It's not that we don't have enough religion, we are up to our ears in religion. But we have left the absolute Bible authority and truth, standards, and morality. This lack of Bible conviction infiltrates even many families in good Bible churches.
Parents are losing their kids because we are not the examples we need to be. We want them to obey but they see us going our own way personally. Our inconsistencies will be magnified in our kids, just as Micah's mother's issues were magnified in his life. And what we allow in moderation our kids abuse in excess!
ill.--in a small Missouri town, 2 preacher's boys were playing with a little dog they found, it was black w/ a white tail, they wanted to keep him. They loved him. Then they heard about a new family who moved in and how they had lost their dog, which was black w/ a white tail. Their preacher dad didn't want to have to give up the dog so he painted the white tail black, and when the new neighbors asked about whether this could be their dog he lied and said, no, the tail is the wrong color. What could they say? Do you know the son's names? Frank and Jesse James, 2 of the most notorious criminals of all time.
As parents we don't get what we want, we get what we are.
And I share this because bringing back the glory to America has much more to do w/ my house and your house than the White House!
We need families w/ a foundation.
2. We need Preachers with Principles.
v. 7 This was a priest, and he is out of a job.
v. 8-13 He has lots of needs, and crosses paths w/ the ungodly Micah, who says, man, have I got a deal for you! He knew his son was not a real priest, so he tries to get this priest to move in. He feels good about being religious. But religion sends more to hell than sin does!
This priest proves himself to be a hireling, because he agrees and just for the money.
18:4 'hired'?
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
