Loving the Lord, Part 4
Loving your Nation
Introduction
Memorial Day is a time to remember – do you remember the soldiers of the Lord? Do you know what they have gone through to give us the testimony of the Jesus?
America, we need to remember their testimony and put into practice what they have taught us … immediately!
Go with me in your bibles to Joel, Chapter 2.
Over the past few weeks we have been engaged in the study of the Word regarding LOVE and the actions which are necessary by all Christians.
This morning, we continue on this same path with a message entitled, “Loving the Lord – Loving your Nation”.
Many will agree that this nation we live in certainly has some issues.
From am attitude of complacency to obey God … to a total perversion of His Word, we really have a complete lack of respect for God in the United States of America.
We are in a crisis today church – a crisis which should shake each believer to the core of their existence; but each day we see more and more of a decline to follow the Word, to follow the Lord, and return to Him with a sorrowful heart.
Many of God’s soldiers have given their lives for us – today we need to engage completely!
Joel 2:12-13 says, "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
Perhaps today, we can examine what the Word says about being faithful to Him – and if we are, He will be faithful to this land.
Pray
Point 1 – Taking an Inventory
Have you ever stopped to take an inventory of the world that we live in?
Consider for a moment these major issues, and how they affect everything around us.
Economy – Gas prices, food prices, struggles for home-owners to even survive today and there are no signs of it getting better.
Social Events – Human rights trampling, attack on marriages / families – it is an all out war on the family, and the church continues to take almost a silent role in the attack or the defense, except for a few (ex. Focus on the Family).
Political Climate – No accountability which is showing our young people and children that as long as you have power there it is ok. Consider the actions of even the highest office in the land during the 1990s (adultery, deceit, lies, and cover-ups) – a slap on the wrist was the outcome and “we” (as a nation) moved on.
Struggles of the Church – Society will tell us that there are many roads to Heaven – do it your own way ideology and everything will work out in the end. The “do it your way” attitude is a lie!
Our nation, even our very lives, are under a constant assault from how this world would want us to live, and look at what the Lord requires of us.
Joel 2:12-13 says, "Even now (ACTION NOW)," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
God is telling us to not rend our hearts (give example of rending garments)
When people rend their garments, they are showing the world that they are in a state of distress. They are demonstrating their understanding that a change is necessary.
The prophet Jonah understood this as he preached to Nineveh the importance of repenting and turning towards God for answers.
As he preached, he said in Jonah 3:5-8, “The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.
However, Joel is telling us to not rend our garments, but our hearts.
When people get serious about change, their will be an outward expression that others will be able to see.
So, taking a look at the world? What is the solution for the believer?
Point 2 – What is the solution?
Church … our nation has to change. However, we cannot affect change unless we are willing to do one thing – and that is pray. Don’t say it and not do it – do what you say you are going to do!
2 Chronicles 7:11-14, “When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, the LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will 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.”
When you are willing to get serious and communicate with God through your own prayer life, THEN He will hear you and heal our land.
Our hearts must be broken for this world.
Our hearts must hurt not only for ourselves, but for our children and for their children as well.
Consider for a moment just the environmental affects that pollution is causing, now fast forward 25 years and imagine the air your grandchildren will be forced to breathe.
This is only one example – but I think you can see where this can lead too if we do not return to the Lord with weeping and fasting and prayer.
God requires that we would return to Him. The prophet Joel realized it, Jesus required it, and we have an obligation to obey the Lord.
Our love needs to be expressed through our obedience. Consider our own lives today, are we prepared to stand for the Lord?
James 4:7-10 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
Resist – Turn away
Come near – Get in the Word!
We must become humble and prostrate before the Lord!
We can no longer live like everything is ok … ignorance is not the answer … living blindly is not the answer!
Conclusion
Church, we have to return to the Lord with a complete submission to who God is – and an understanding of who we are not.
This is how we can truly love our nation; by loving our God first.
As a believer, there are three things I want to leave you with today:
We are to have:
A devotion to serving God before serving ourselves
We are to uphold the standards of the Word of God
We are to have an intentional prayerful life before God
Invite singers
With every head bowed and every eye closed …
Perhaps you need to pray about our nation.
Perhaps you need to commit today to make a difference through the obedience of the Word?
I believe that we all a role to follow today – what is your response?
Pray
