Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.”
Psalm 33 has much to say about the Gentile nations!
(Psalm 33:5) "The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love."
(Psalm 33:8) "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him."
(Psalm 33:10) "The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples."
(Psalm 33:12-19) "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth— he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine."
(Proverbs 14:34) "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people."
I. America was Established on the Foundation of Christian Principles
A. Murray Hornsby “97% of the Founding Fathers were practicing Christians and exercised their faith in public office, at work, at home, and had it taught to their children in their schools. 187 of the first 200 colleges in America were Christian, Bible teaching institutions (including Yale, Princeton, and Harvard). Entrance in Harvard required strong knowledge of the Bible “ SOURCE: Murray Hornsby “Our History and Faith in God, American Heritage Alliance.
B. Stephen McDowell, “10% of all political writings in the Founding Era were preserved in the form of sermons.” SOURCE: Mark Beliles and Stephen McDowell, America’s Providential History, (Charlottesville: Providence Foundation, 1989), 122.
C. THE WORDS of our FOUNDING FATHERS
1. George Washington. "It is impossible to rightly govern without God and the Bible"
2. John Adams. 2nd Pres of the US. "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."
3. Patrick Henry. "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was grounded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ! For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity and freedom of worship here."
4. Noah Webster. (Dictionary, school primers). "Let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for yourselves rulers, ‘just men who rule in the fear of God.' . . .If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the divine commands and elect bad men to make and administer the laws."
D. THE ACTIONS of our FOUNDING FATHERS
1. First Act of the Congress under the Constitution - elect a chaplain
2. Second act of the Congress was to approve the printing of 20,000 Bibles for the Indians.
3. THOMAS JEFFERSON - In a treaty with the Kaskaskia Indians, Congress provided for a church building and a Christian chaplain. President Jefferson signed the bill into law.
4. Founders authorized the printing of Bibles with tax dollars
5. Founders provided for chaplains for various branches of government AND the military.
6. General George Washington demanded that his officers and enlisted men attend church service whenever they were not in battle.
7. Presidents and congress routinely called for days of prayer, and fasting as well as days of national thanksgiving.
8. References to God and quotes from the Bible appear throughout their writing, speeches and laws.
9. Many states required Christian faith as a pre-requisite for holding elected office.
10. School children were taught to read from the Bible and public education taught Christian doctrine up until about 50 years ago.
SOURCE: Mark Beliles and Stephen McDowell, America’s Providential History, 183
E. SECULARISTS TODAY must either IGNORE these truths or DISTORT THEM
1. Revisionist History. Classrooms. Textbooks. Hollywood.
2. Read this article by David Barton. http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=112
F. AMERICA has been blessed because of our GODLY HERITAGE. George Washington feared that we would LOSE this moral foundation. Washington’s Farewell Address: Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Washington%27s_Farewell_Address
II. The Way Our Leaders Used to Be.
A. The Response to CRISIS was HUMBLE REPENTANCE.
1. Abraham Lincoln: Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day. March 30, 1863
2. Senator James Harlan of Iowa, whose daughter later married President Lincoln's son Robert, introduced this Resolution in the Senate on March 2, 1863. The Resolution asked President Lincoln to proclaim a national day of prayer and fasting. The Resolution was adopted on March 3, and signed by Lincoln on March 30, one month before the fast day was observed.
3. Abraham Lincoln: "We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us." http://www.lincolnbicentennial.gov/uploadedFiles/Lincolns_Life/Words_and_Speeches/Proclamation-Appointing-a-National-Fast-Day.pdf
B. Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
1. My Fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far. And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer: Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. SOURCE: www.historyplace.com/speeches/fdr-prayer.htm
C. They Understood the importance of PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS
III. The Way Our GOVERNMENT Used to Be.
Our country was built on a LIMITED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
BIBLICALLY the role of Civil Government:
A. The punishment of evil doers. Capital punishment of murderers, the protection of citizens from external enemies and internal sinners. Gen 8:20 - 9:6; Rom 13:2-3.
B. Orderly commerce and fair trade. Lev. 19:36; Prov 11:1
C. The well-being of society. 1 Peter 2:13-14; Acts 5:26-29. Government’s power is limited, it is confined to the areas which are designated in the Bible.
1. Goverernment is not responsible for Care of the poor.
a. 1 Tim 5:4; Lev. 19:9-10
b. Care of the poor rests first with the individual, then with the family. Finally, when the needs are beyond what can be provided for by the family., or when a person’s stand for Christ causes economic hardship, the church is to assist. See Acts 6:1-3; 1 Tim 5:1-6, 14-16.
2. Government is not responsible for Education.. De. 6:6-7
Illustration of different governments: Humorous anecdote, source unknown
Socialism: You have two cows, the government takes one cow and gives it to your neighbor.
Communism: you have two cows, the government takes both cows ans gives you part of the milk.
Fascism: You have two cows, the government takes both, and sells you the milk.
Nazism: You have two cows, the government takes both and shoots you.
Bureaucracy: You have two cows, the government takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain.
Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.
Before you say, “Well, I don’t believe in Socialism. . .” consider how you fit into the text of this government website...
GovBenefits.gov is a resource for all citizens and includes information on a variety of benefit and assistance programs for veterans, seniors, students, teachers, children, people with disabilities, dependents, disaster victims, farmers, caregivers, job seekers, prospective homeowners, and more. Citizens are encouraged to visit the website regularly, particularly when life events - applying for college, seeking food/nutrition services, property damaged following a storm, retirement, starting a business, etc. - occur that could change their eligibility status.
http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal;jsessionid=hShvLlZXndQRG2BGRtn42MCl1z2Rw7zzWhZtvpyqGBZy8yNt1h5y!101352378?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=gbcc_page_overview&_nfls=false
We have become DEPENDENT on our Government!
(2 Thessalonians 3:10) "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”"
(1 Timothy 5:8) "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
IV. The Way our FAMILES Used to Be
A. We make light of Ozzie and Harriet, but that was reality!
B. Families used to eat dinner together
C. Children used to know how to
1. Speak to adults
2. Work
3. Follow instructions
D. 12 year olds know how to play “Grand Theft Auto,” but they can’t rake a yard or paint a fence!
E. There is a lack of discipline even in our own children
F. Children running the home. Parents in fear that they will not live up to their children’s expectations.
V. The Way our CHURCHES Used to be.
A. THEN
1. Places of worship, teaching.
2. Pastors respected
B. NOW
1. Temples to indulge our needs
2. Emphasis on music, programs, relevance
3. We’re great at asking QUESTIONS, but afraid to give ANSWERS
4. Failure of leaders.
C. What is needed? (Daniel 9:4-5) "I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws."
