America’s Fork In The Road: Keeping or Cutting Covenant Series
(Based up Perry Stone & Bill Cloud’s book, America’s Controversy with God’s Covenant)
“Change Has Come To America . . . God, Help Us!”
March 22, 2015 Chester’s FBC, Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
A www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBmbUkkIGc (28 second video of President Obama’s victory speech, “It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.”)
1 2,500 years ago, the chosen people of God, Israel, embraced/pursued change as a nation.
a For some reason they lost touch with their history, heritage, culture, covenant, . . . God.
aa Their past was forgotten/ignored, and eventually redefined.
bb What happens to the favored nation/people who failed to honor the God who bestowed the favor?
cc Deuteronomy 28:37 (NKJV) 37 And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by word among all nations where the LORD will drive you.
dd They would be mocked, ridiculed by nations, taunted, jibed, no respect would be found.
b Ironically, the thing Israel wanted (to be like everyone else, liked by everyone else) would lead to them being despised by the nations.
aa They assumed they could do what was right in their own eyes and all would be well, evolving into something better.
bb The result was death, rejection, destruction, captivity, ruin.
2 Advocates/proponents of Change compel a nation to look forward, not backward; hope & light of the future, not the dismal recesses of the past.
a Change sounds noble, inspiration, good, better than what the past held.
aa Change is us supposedly evolving into something superior/improved than what we were.
bb From a biblical perspective, the popular message of “national change” is missing something.
b It ignores the established record of the past, rewrites history.
c If the facts/reality get in the way . . . redefine them; if established laws block the path of change then ignore, erase or replace the law with something that accommodates change.
3 For those nations in covenant with God, change is a problem.
a Malachi 3:6 6 For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.
aa Hebrew 13:8 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
bb We serve a God who does not CHANGE.
cc IL. Ridge’s classmate used a swear word and he went to preaching to them about language, Jesus wouldn’t want him using those words. The boy replied “The world is different now. It has changed.”
b Isaiah 44:21-22, 21 Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me. 22 I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.
Jeremiah 3:12, "Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD; 'I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious,' declares the LORD; 'I will not be angry forever.”
aa God doesn’t call His people to change, He always calls them to return . . . go back, rediscover the ancient paths that to God and His Word.
bb When His people come to realize their error and need for God they don’t say, “Let’s change.” They say, “Come let us return unto the LORD and He will heal us” (Hos. 6.1).
B I agree with the President, “Change has come to America.”
1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=78JBGID5LhQ
a It appears the “fundamentals” are the foundational principles upon which this nation was built & sustained.
aa “Change” suggests that things of past need to be replaced with something else/new.
bb “Change” & “fundamentally transform America” suggests that the America of the past needs to be replaced with something unintended by the founders of the nation/framers of the Constitution.
b Regardless of what politicians/pundits would have us believe, America is in crisis (major & multiple).
aa Moral, international, financial, agricultural, spiritual in nature.
bb Corrupt/inept leadership (both parties), natural disasters, terror alerts are no longer shocking.
cc We are now changing our focus, going after other “gods” and in the process making the same fatal error made by Israel so long ago.
c When all religions are considered equal; all relationships (biblical or not) are considered equal; when certain species of fish are protected by law, but unborn babies are not . . . it is a tell-tale sign that a nation has changed . . . abandoned the covenant made between us & God.
2 America’s transformation has not been intentional for no one would intentionally set out to embrace death.
a Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”
aa The Devil is operating in his bang zone when he deceives us into thinking evil is good. He plays to our weakness.
bb Jeremiah. 4:22, "For My people are foolish, They know Me not; They are stupid children And have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know."
cc We run to bright shiny things thinking they are always good/bring life . . . only we find that it’s the devil masquerading as an angel of light bring death & destruction. . . we have been deceived by the Deceiver.
b America wants change that permits us to do whatever we want, please.
aa Even if that means redefining marriage, refusing to honor life in the womb.
bb Israel had change like that too . . . (Once His chosen vineyard, turned into a people that rewarded evil, hated good)
Isaiah 5:20-21, 23-24 (NKJV) 20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! . . . 23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man! 24 Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff, So their root will be as rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
3 There isn’t a 12-step plan to replace God in America (It’s been subtle, sneaky) . . .
Genesis 3:1, 1 The serpent was the most subtle of all the beasts of the field.
(A little at a time.)
a We’ve been forced to be tolerant (anything less is seen as being insensitive, judgmental, bullying, hate-mongoring) . . . we all gotta go along to get along, co-exist.
aa The tares weren’t sown into the wheat to co-exist in harmony/tolerance. (The goal of the tares is overtake the wheat so it can fulfill it’s purpose . . . “to steal, kill and destroy.”)
bb IL. Boiling a frog
b It started in 1963 by taking prayer, bible out of schools; now it’s pastors being threatened with legal suits because of what they preach in the pulpit.
aa Do not think for a minute that all the concessions made by churches/Christians/Christ-centric government will satisfy the Atheists, homosexual agenda, pro-abortion people.
bb These group will NEVER be satisfied until they have silenced God’s people, the moral boundaries set in place by our founders/inspired by God’s Word are entirely removed.
c Those who call for “change” or “Forward” (btw, motto of the Democratic party in 2012), are not being honest about what kind of change they are in favor of making.
aa God-fearing, Bible believing, gun carrying, conservative, patriotic Americans have made to feel embarrassed/out of touch when we look up/speak honorably of our founding fathers.
bb Today, our founding fathers are called a bunch of old, rich, dead white men who were bigots/sexists. (Subtly seduced to forget about patriotism, God, Bible, grace.)
cc We’ve been made to feel like we’ve got to apologize to the world for being Americans.
dd I’m sorry, I’m still proud! The flag still stands for freedom and freedom is still worth fighting for, we’re still one nation under God, My America is still a Christian nation, marriage is still one man, one woman, for one lifetime, life starts at conception, I’ll pray in the name of Jesus because He saved me. . . if that doesn’t fit into your “change” you can keep your change.
C It’s obvious America has abandoned God, what is more important is has He abandoned America?
1 Jesus said, “Matthew 5:14 (NKJV) 14 You are the light of the world.
A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
a If America is that “city upon a hill” and the eyes of the world are upon us . . . what are they supposed to see?
aa From God’s perspective the world should see a nation that is serving Him and the world sees a nation that experiences the blessings/favor bestowed on them by Him.
bb This is what Moses alluded to in the wilderness when he told Israel:
Deuteronomy 4:5-9 (NKJV) 5 Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. 6 Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' 7 For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? 8 And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? 9 "Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,
b Moses is seemingly saying to remember what you learned in the past are the very things that will sustain you in the future.
aa Be true to them, reap the benefits of life, liberty, pursuit of happiness.
bb Other nations will see your blessing and want to know your God.
c What happens to the nation that does forget their past? Rejects God? Forsakes His commandments?
aa Deuteronomy 28:37 (NKJV) 37 And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the LORD will drive you.
bb If Israel turned from God, they would be mocked/ridiculed by the nations, shown no-respect, despised by everyone else.
cc No other nation forced Israel to forget their past, reject God/commandments. (Other nations didn’t have that kind of authority!)
2 In the Garden, the serpent didn’t make Eve or Adam eat the forbidden fruit. . . . he deceived them into thinking it was what was best for them (Gen. 3.6, “ . . . saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate . . .”)
a God’s covenant people can’t be cursed by others because others don’t have that kind of authority over God’s people. (It’s not China’s, Iran’s, Russia’s fault we are where we are.)
aa America has caused our chosen state of affairs by choice.
bb In 1837, Lincoln warned, “At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live together through all time, or die by suicide.”
b We have chosen death over life, darkness over light, change over returning. . . not forced.
D This change has encouraged us to tell the Prince of Peace to leave our schools, courthouses, and public squares.
1 We’ve welcomed all religions and said they’re all the same: They are not!
a We cannot ever be a one nation until we are under One God.
b IL. In our marriage, if I started to flirt with other relationships, my marriage is going to go bust. (She demands I have no other lovers/marriage requires exclusivity: COVENANT)
aa We are in a covenant with YHWH and He will not allow us to have other “lovers.”
bb By doing so we’ve by default enter into a war with God.
cc The tares & wheat don’t co-exist in tolerance: the tare has an agenda that doesn’t end until they have taken over the field.
2 “Change” has come . . . God help us.
a IL. September 2011, a Fort Worth high schooler was sent to the office/one-day suspension for telling another classmate that he believed homosexuality was wrong. (Called a bigot, guilty of hate speech).
aa A few years ago an Orange County couple were fined $300 for having a bible study in THEIR OWN HOME (violated zoning laws).
bb We’ve kicked Him out schools, squires and no in private homes!
b IL. At Washington’s National Cathedral, an interfaith prayer vigil was held on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. (The speakers consisted of the Bishop of Washington, a rabbi, an incarnate lama, a Buddhist nun, a Hindu priest, the president of the Islamic Society of North America, a Muslim musician and an Imam . . . not one evangelical Christians was invited.)
aa A spokesperson for the Cathedral admitted that the evangelicals were purposely omitted from the program stating that “diversity was first and foremost” in the planning of the service.
bb In my opinion “diversity” means tolerate everyone’s opinion, theologies and philosophies. (Mixing the holy with the profane) CHANGE HAS COME.
c America has strayed from our moral principles that helped guide the Founders/made this nation the country we once knew/loved is collapsing into chaos/madness/division/unrest.
Conclusion:
A We are following the ancient path of Israel into slavery of the state.
1 Numbers 11/Exodus 16, after they received their freedom/liberty they wanted to go back to Egypt. (Willing to surrender their liberty to totalitarian government who would feed them, give them healthcare, housing than live free under God, who would give them what they needed.
a This quote is attributed to George Washington’s inaugural speech (he didn’t read this portion, but taken from his notes),
“America would endure until the people of America shall have lost all virtue; until they shall have become totally insensible to the difference between freedom & slavery; until they shall have been reduced to such poverty of spirit as to be willing to see that pre-eminent blessing, the birthright of a freeman, for a mess of pottage. In short, until they have been found incapable of governing themselves and ripe for a master.”
b William Penn, “Those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.”
2 The time Washington & Penn warned us of has come.
a Our disregard for His Word, principles have brought us to the brink of collapse. Change has come!
b America is flirting with disaster if we do not repent.
B IL.
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
