Illustration, The Government already has! By Scott Chambers
The Lord spoke to Noah and said, “Noah in six months I am going to make it rain until the whole world is covered with water and all the evil things are destroyed. But, I want to save a few good people and two of every living thing on the planet. So I want you to build an ark.”
Well, six months passed, the sky began to cloud up, and the rain began to fall in torrents. The Lord looked down and saw Noah sitting in his yard, weeping, and there was no ark.
"Noah!” shouted the Lord, “Where is My ark?” “Lord please forgive me!” begged Noah. “I did my best but there were some problems --- big problems. First, I had to get a building permit for the ark’s construction, but Your plans did not meet their building code. So, I had to hire an engineer to redo the plans, only to get into a long argument with him about whether to include a fire-sprinkler system.”
Then "My neighbors started complaining and objected, claiming that I was violating zoning ordinances by building the ark in my front yard, because it was killing the dandelions and going to block their view --- so I had to get a variance from the city planning board.
Then I had a big problem getting enough wood for the ark, because there was a ban on cutting trees to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince the environmentalists and the Fish and Game Commission that I needed the wood to save the owls, but they wouldn’t let me catch them, so NO OWLS.”
“Next I started gathering up the animals but got sued by an animal rights group that objected to my taking along only two of each kind; they wanted me to save them all. Then the Corps of Engineers wanted a map of the proposed flood plain. So I sent them a globe! The IRS has seized all my assets claiming that I am trying to leave the country, and I just got notice from the state that I owe some kind of usage tax. Really, I don’t think I can finish the ark in less than five years.”
With that, the sky cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up and smiled. “You mean You are not going to destroy the world?” he asked hopefully. “No,” said the Lord, “I am too late, the government already has.”
In God We Trust...
This weekend marks the 242nd time, Americans have celebrated our independence. Today we honor our birth and founding as a nation, withs God's amazing help, we declared that we were going to exert our independence from anarchy and rule.
After Hundreds of years of oppression, all those who had given their lives for the cause, were finally justified.
Just like the children of Israel were promised a land beyond prosperous, all the diligence and faith of our founding fathers, led us all to the freedom and reward, we still enjoy to this day!
We are still receiving an associated blessing, from long ago. And as long as we continue to worship and lift up God, generations to come, will continue to receive and prosper, just as we have!
You won't hear this on the news, or read what I'm telling you this morning in the news paper, or in our childrens classrooms or their textbooks any more, because the accuser has all but eradicated Americas historical Christian heritage! Because he more than anyone knows, about the uncontainable associated blessings that happen, when God is at the center of everything you do!
This nation was founded on the freedom of religion, in other words, the passion of a relationship and the pursuit thereof. And because of that relationship, God truly has blessed and continues to Bless America
Hebrews 11:1,2,3,6 The Voice
Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen. 2 It was by faith that our forebears were approved. 3 Through faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God; everything we now see was fashioned from that which is invisible 6 Without faith no one can please God because the one coming to God must believe He exists, and He rewards those who come seeking.
I can assure you won't hear this in our classrooms, but to arrive at the day America declared our independence....it took monumental faith, it took mountain moving faith, and God rewarded that faith, with our freedom as the most prosperous nation ever!
There is not a better example of how much power our words have that we speak, then the words in God We Trust and God Bless America,
No other Country says God Bless, followed by the name of their country,
And by that proclamation, God truly has Blessed America, to be what it is today!
We still live in the land of the free, the home of the brave, and why?
All because of our relationship with the Great Creator, God Himself!!
Were not in the minority, though sometimes the accusers media and the world makes you feel that way, don't believe the lie for one minute...it's all a rouge!
This is still a Christian Nation, founded on the principle our pledge says; One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!
We the Christians in America, no matter what you may hear, are still in the majority, TBS where two or three are gathered in my name, I Am there in the midst of them! And that my friends constitutes a majority!
God is still blessing America, God is faithful and true and He keeps His promises always!
The freedom we all enjoy and the freedom that everyone enjoys in this great country of ours, even the liberal minded ones, came from one thing.
A Great Love for The Great God Almighty! And the pursuit thereof a relationship with Him!
A love that was strong enough for people from all over the world, to leave everything and come to America, for a chance to Love and worship the Lord the way they wanted to, those are the forgotten ones we should also be honoring today!
We are blessed as a nation, because of the ones who came before us, friends and family that loved and served the Lord and this great country.
America, has been and is still on the receiving end of these associated blessings, from someone that came along before them, Who loved and lived for the Lord!
The winds of God's blessing, continually blow from all directions, for all who love and live for the Lord!
We are also blessed as a nation, because of our association and support of Israel, gods chosen people. We are instructed to always pray for the Peace of Jerusalem!
A great example of an associated blessing, is found in the story of Joseph,
Gen. 39:1-6 NKJ
1. Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.
2. The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.
4. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
5. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptians house for Josephs sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.
6. Thus he left all that he had in Josephs hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate.
It doesnt say whether Potiphar was a religious man or not, but he was smart enough to know a good thing when he saw one.
Everything Joseph touched, prospered in his hand. TBS. His love for the Lord, gave him favor, opened doors for him and gave him many opportunities.
This should give us all amazing hope, because The word declares as we love God and pursue our own relationship, He will do the same for us!
Potiphar put Joseph in charge of everything he had, and the abundance of the LORD's blessing spilled over, onto the Egyptians house in the process and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field.
He was blessed by his association with Joseph, so much so, he wasnt even concerned about what he even had.
Which means he had more than enough, everything he had multiplied and grew,
if your going to put all you have into someones hands, you would definitely want it to be someone like Joseph. Certainly gives new meaning to the term, "guilt by association" doesn't it?
No matter what he did, God was with Him and prospered him and all those around Him.
The blessing on Joseph's life was unstoppable, He eventually ended up being the ruler over all of Egypt, the only one with more power than him, was the Pharaoh himself.
Gen 41:38-40 NKJ
38. And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?
39. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.
40. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.
What a fantastic story about Joseph, he eventually went on to save his whole entire race, the whole nation of Israel.
Everyone that knew Joseph was blessed, by their association, With him. What God did for Joseph, do you know He will do for you? TBS. he is not a respecter of persons.
We know what God's blessing did for Joseph, we know what God's blessing has accomplished for America, the question is, want will God accomplish for you?
What He has done for others, He will do for you, when you put your faith and trust in Him. TBS "you have not, because yes ask not" so what are you asking for? Are you asking for potatoes, or are you asking for the hill country, where the potatoes are grown in?
Well I don't want to be seen as greedy, some might say...stop letting the devil cheat you out of your God given inheritance and start asking God to bless you, so you can be empowered to claim, what's rightfully already yours!
If you have been a Christian very long, you may not realize it, but through the years, there have been others in your lives, who have been blessed because of their association with you.
You see, it cant help but happen, it's a supernatural phenomenon. TBS. when you take care of Gods business, pay your tithe and walk with Him, he will pour out a blessing you can't contain. So therefore, the event happens even if you're not aware of it happening!
Mal. 3:10-11 NKJ
10. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,
Says the LORD of hosts,
See If I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,
Says the LORD of hosts;
Oh no, here we go on the subject of tithing...if you love the Lord your God with all your heart, the thought of tithing should be every bit as sweet as every other part of your relationship you have with Him!
If you want your vine to never fail to produce fruit...God's Word Declares tithing is a must! It's all part of your pursuit, of your relationship!
And as you pursue and grow in your relationship, the more the blessing of God becomes part of your testimony, your walk and relationship with Him.
And just like Joseph, when it happens, everyone who is around you is blessed because of it! And when that happens and believe me, it will happen, its a great time to witness for the Lord,
A great time to tell them about the greatest source, there ever has been to ever be associated with when it comes to the blessings and miracles of God!
We who are Christians, are blessed by our knowing and walking with Jesus,For it's by what He is capable of pouring out in our lives and not by our own doing!
Everything thats good in our lives, stems from our relationship with God, through His Son Jesus!
We owe Him a debt, we can never repay.
His wonderful, grace giving, life changing message that He died for, to bring to us,
That my friends, was the greatest sacrifice ever made for the cause of freedom, our spiritual freedom, that broke the chains of the law of sin and death off our lives and replaced condemnation with Grace!
And Jesus Grace is available this morning, for whoever is willing to receive it, praise god!
John 3:16 NKJ
16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
If God would have never sent His Son and Jesus never made that selfless act of love towards all mankind,
If it would not have been, but for the cross of Calvary. America, would not be what it is today! It is only because of the pursuit of a relationship with Jesus, we ever achieved any freedom, or freedoms that we enjoy today.
Our history books are full of examples of how this great country was founded by Godly men and Godly principles,
IN GOD WE TRUST”.
Did you ever wonder where it came from – how did these words come to be a reflection of who we are as a nation?
One of the first times the motto was expressed is found in an unheralded verse from Francis Scott Key’s poem that became our national anthem. “...And this be our motto: In God is our trust. And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
In 1864, when the Civil War brought a return of Christian sentiment to the nation, the words were first added to new coins. At that time there was much concern for our nation and many appeals came in to the government to recognize God’s role in the history of our nation. Those appeals spoke to the heart of the then Secretary of the Treasury who then passed this request on to the director of the US mint in Philadelphia. His letter reads like this.
Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins. You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition. It was found that the Act of Congress dated January 18, 1837, prescribed the mottoes and devices that should be placed upon the coins of the United States.”
Many phrases were considered, but the phrase that most precisely stated God’s role in our country was the simple phrase, In God We Trust. On July 11, 1955, during the height of the cold war, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the law making it mandatory that all of our currency be ascribed with the one phrase that separated us from other nations.
This is Truth, that you have to look hard to find, about our birth as a nation and the kind of history that should be taught in our schools,
These are the very reasons America has been blessed throughout the years. Is it any wonder why God has truly blessed America,
I can tell you one thing, its not because we were politically correct, when this nation was founded.
And we are still blessed today because of it, because there are still men and women, boys and girls, who are Christians and not afraid to proclaim, that God is responsible for our success.
Its because of this, that God is still blessing America today, because of our pursuit of Him and His Son Jesus,
Today we have so many freedoms in this Great Country of ours, freedoms that are envied all over the world
We are the most powerful nation on earth and it all started, not the day the declaration of independence was signed,
But on an old rugged cross, on a hill called mount Calvary, and the pursuit of what happened three days later, when Jesus conquered sin and death once and for all! Praise God!
Thats why God truly has blessed America. Because our founding fathers willingly gave there lives, for an opportunity to pursue a relationship with the Lord.
The pursuit of that relationship with the Lord, forever changed the world and is still changing the world and transforming lives.
Lets pray!
