"IF MY PEOPLE"
I. A NATION UNDER GOD
A. ISRAEL
Solomon had just finished the 7 year building project of the Temple of God. A project that had over 160,000 workers, 3,300 foremen and used hundreds of tons of pure gold.
And after the Temple was complete Solomon placed on the altar a burnt offering and spread his hands towards heaven and prayed (I Kings 8, II Chronicles 6).
"AND WHEN SOLOMON FINISHED PRAYING, FIRE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND CONSUMED THE BURNT OFFERING AND THE SACRIFICES, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE TEMPLE. THE PRIESTS COULD NOT ENTER THE TEMPLE BECAUSE THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED IT. WHEN ALL THE ISRAELITES SAW THE FIRE COMING DOWN AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD, ABOVE THE TEMPLE, THEY KNELT WITH THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND, AND THEY WORSHIP AND GAVE THANKS TO THE LORD, SAYING;"HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER."
And then Solomon and the people offered more sacrifices before the Lord; 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And the priests and Levities took their positions and with the Lord’s musical instruments that David had made that gave thanks and praised God singing, "HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER..." And they celebrated God for seven full days.
It was a great moment for the Israelite Nation and her King, It was a high point for a nation that has seen many ups and downs over the past 1,000 years. David their first King had said in Ps 33:12, "THAT BLESSED IS THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD..."
AND FOR THE MOMENT ISRAEL WAS A NATION UNDER GOD!
B. AMERICA
Tomorrow is the fourth of July and all across this vast and wide country, Americans will be celebrating the day the United States declared her independence from the British Empire.
Yes tomorrow night there will be much celebrating and fireworks bursting in the air. If you happen to go to see fireworks tonight, take a few minutes to look at the people, Most watching really have no idea as to what they are celebrating or what America is all about. Most are just looking for a reason to party and get crazy.
One Nation ...Under God!
What does that mean?
It means that we have this land, this flag, this government as a gift from Almighty God.
It means that this did not become, "the land of the free and the home of the brave" by blind fate or a happy set of coincidences, but that a wise and benevolent God was hovering over us from the very beginning of conception...
When Columbus discovered this land, he took a cross in his hands and planted it upon the new soil, fell upon his knees, kissing the earth, taking possession of this continent for God.
When our forefathers landed at Cape Henry in 1607 the first thing they erected was not a building, but a cross.
It was faith that hung the lanterns on the prow of the Mayflower as she charted the dangerous Atlantic. The very purpose of the Pilgrims coming to America in 1620 was to establish a government based on the Bible. And to ensure that future generations would know the reason why they came they wrote the Mayflower Compact which said, "HAVING UNDERTAKEN FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH... WE DO SOLEMNLY AND MUTUALLY IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND ONE ANOTHER, COVENANT AND COMBINE OURSELVES TOGETHER.."
The New England Charter signed by King James the I, confirmed this goal.."to advance the enlargement of Christian religion, to the glorY of God Almighty." Governor Bradford in writing of the Pilgrims landing, describes their first act: "being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven.."
When Rhode Island formulated her charter in 1683 she began it this way, "We submit our persons, lives and estates unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of King and Lord of Lords and to all those perfect and most absolute laws of His, given us in His Holy Word."
And in the summer of 1787, when representatives met in Philadelphia to write that Constitution of the United States. After they had struggled for several weeks and had made little or no progress, 81 year old Benjamin Franklin rose and addressed the troubled and disagreeing convention that was about to adjourn in confusion.
"IN THE BEGINNING OF THE CONTEST WITH BRITAIN, WHEN WE WERE SENSIBLE OF DANGER, WE HAD DAILY PRAYERS IN THIS ROOM FOR DIVINE PROTECTION. OUR PRAYERS, SIR, WERE HEARD AND THEY WERE GRACIOUSLY ANSWERED. ALL OF US WHO WERE ENGAGED IN THE STRUGGLE MUST HAVE OBSERVED FREQUENT INSTANCES OF A SUPERINTENDING PROVIDENCE IN OUR FAVOR.. HAVE WE NOW FORGOTTEN THIS POWERFUL FRIEND? OR DO WE IMAGINE WE NO LONGER NEED HIS ASSISTANCE?
"I HAVE LIVED, SIR, A LONG TIME, AND THE LONGER I LIVE, THE MORE CONVINCING PROFS I SEE OF THIS TRUTH: THAT GOD GOVERNS IN THE AFFAIRS OF MAN. AND IF A SPARROW CANNOT FALL TO THE GROUND WITHOUT HIS NOTICE, IS IT PROBABLE THAT AN EMPIRE CAN RISE WITHOUT HIS AID? WE HAVE BEEN ASSURED, SIR, IN THE SACRED WRITINGS THAT EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE, THEY LABOR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS... "I THEREFORE BEG LEAVE TO MOVE THAT HENCEFORTH, PRAYERS IMPLORING THE Assistance OF HEAVEN AND ITS BLESSINGS BE HELD IN THIS ASSEMBLY EVERY MORNING."
And even a Supreme Court Decision in 1892 tells the story; "OUR LAWS AND OUR INSTITUTIONS MUST NECESSARILY BE BASED UPON AND EMBODY THE TEACHINGS OF THE REDEEMER OF MANKIND. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT IT SHOULD BE OTHERWISE; AND IN THIS SENSE AND TO THIS EXTENT OUR CIVILIZATION AND OUR INSTITUTIONS ARE EMPHATICALLY CHRISTIAN... THIS IS A RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. THIS IS HISTORICALLY TRUE. FORM THE DISCOVERY OF THE CONTINENT TO THE PRESENT HOUR, THERE IS A SINGLE VOICE MAKING THIS AFFIRMATION... WE FIND EVERY WHERE A CLEAR RECOGNITION OF THE SAME TRUTH... THAT THIS IS A CHRISTIAN NATION.
The fourth of July is not about hotdogs, hamburgers, swim suits and fireworks. It is about a Nation, a Nation that came into being so people could freely worship Jesus Christ.
It was not the beauty of the land, IT WAS NOT THE BOUNTY OF IT’S FIELDS or the pursuit of riches that drove our founding fathers to this land. It was Jesus Christ and his Gospel of freedom. THEY CAME SO THAT THEY COULD FREELY PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL AND BECAUSE THEY FELT THE HAND OF GOD GUIDING THEM TO A NEW COUNTRY FOR EVANGELISM. THEY DIDN’T COME FOR GOLD, THEY DIDN’T COME TO BUILD AN EMPIRE... THEY CAME TO ADVANCE THE FAITH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST..."
No wonder God has blessed this nation above all other nations. No wonder America, in just over 200 years has risen to pinnacles of greatness unknown to any other people. "BLESSED BE THE NATION WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD..."
AMERICA WAS A NATION UNDER GOD.....
II. A NATION ADRIFT FROM GOD
A. ISRAEL
One night after Solomon and the Nation had celebrated the temple dedication, The Lord appeared to Solomon was he was in Gibeon declaring a warning;
I KINGS 9:3-9
God warned Solomon and the nation of the dangers that would come if they drifted from The Lord God and embraced false gods. God said disaster would strike their nation....
And if you know your OT history, then you know that The Nation did not heed God’s warnings.....
Solomon himself would introduce foreign gods, temples were build to false gods, their was sexually immorality in the nation, homosexuality in the nation and God’s people even sacrificed their own children as they laid them in the belly of the Image of the god Molech......
The Nation of Israel drifted far from their God, they HAD obviously convinced themselves that it didn’t matter what God had said, The Nation deceived themselves into believing that they could get away with their sin.....and that they didn’t feel that they needed or had to fear God anymore.
But the Word of God says, "DO NOT BE DECEIVED; GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED. A MAN REAPS WHAT HE SOWS..."
And Solomon himself wrote these words in Proverbs 22:8; HE WHO SOWS TROUBLE, REAPS TROUBLE..."
And the Nation of Israel by drifting from God, by ignoring His Law, by bowing down to false gods -- was sowing trouble, she was sowing destruction, and God was not mocked; The Nation reaped what they had sown and trouble and destruction came upon the Nation in full.
The Nation split, there was civil war, there were economic hardships, famine, pestilence, plagues, wars with other nations -- and in 722 BC the Assyrian Empire destroyed the Northern Kingdom and in 587 BC The Babylonia empire marched into Jerusalem and hundreds of thousands died and the city was literally burned to the ground, and the few remaining alive were taken into captivity.... The smoldering ruins of the once great city, the bodies, the blood and the smell of death was a living testimony to the dangers of forsaking The One True God....and failing to heed His warnings.
B. AMERICA IS ALSO ADRIFT FROM GOD
Is America Adrift from God? Are Americans leaders adrift from God? Is God no longer feared? Is His Word flagrantly ignored?
God has been outlawed from the political arena, God has been expelled from the schools, people have been arrested for having Bible studies in their own homes, and for putting crosses on their lawns, kindergartners are having pictures they have drawn of God and Church torn up by their teachers, The Equal Employment Opportunity Center recently tried to have Bibles, crosses and anything dealing with God outlawed from the work place, on the ground that this is religious harassment and just as serious as sexual harassment.
And if you have been paying attention to what is happening in the media lately you have observed that the attacks against Christians are really heating up....
And the reason things are heating up is that many Christians are beginning to wake up to what is happening and are they are trying to take America back for God... They realize that Americas only hope is God... Many Christians have become more active in the political process and they are literally scarring the ungodly pro choice liberals to death.
And though he was labeled an extremist and mocked by many, what Pat Buccahan said during the 1992 Republican Convention is true, he said, A RELIGIOUS WAR IS GOING ON IN AMERICA, A CULTURAL WAR AS CRITICAL TO THE KIND OF NATION WE WILL BE AS THE COLD WAR ITSELF... FOR THIS A WAR FOR THE SOUL OF AMERICA..."
(AND OLLIE NORTH WHO RECENTLY WON THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR US SENATOR IN VA., AND BEFORE THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN VA HE SAID-- "I’M PROUD TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND SAY I AM A CHRISTIAN -- AND THIS IS NOT ABOUT 1 SENATE RACE BUT ABOUT A MOVEMENT TO TAKE AMERICA BACK FOR GOD.
BUT did you that to seek to restore conservative Christian values to our country, is now considered by the dominant liberal media and the politically correct to be radical and out of touch with mainstream America... THE MEDIA AND POLITICIAN ARE ATTACKING PEOPLE OF FAITH...
Vix Phaseo U.S. Congressman in California and Chairman of the Democratic Campaign Committee.. Last week referred to Conservative Christians at the National Press Club in Washington -- as THE FIRE BREATHING CHRISTIAN RADICAL RIGHT AND HE SUGGESTED THAT BEING A CHRISTIAN SHOULD PRECLUDE AN INDIVIDUAL FROM BEING INVOLVED IN POLITICS....
ANN RICHARDS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS REFERS TO CHRISTIANS AS "HATEMONGER.."
A RECENT NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL REFERRED TO CHRISTIANS AS "SINISTER," "RETROGRADE" (WHICH MENAS THEY ARE TRYING TO TAKE THE COUNTRY BACK TO A WORSE STATE) AND IT ALSO CALLED THEM "EXCLUSIONISTS."
ON JUNE 23RD I WATCHED NIGHT LINE AND THE TOPIC WAS THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT... (AND LET ME DEFINE THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT -- THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT GOD’S WORD IS TRUE AND THAT IT IS TO BE THE STANDARD FOR PEOPLE AND SOCIETY -- THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES ARE WHAT IS BEST FOR AMERICA -- IT IS THESE WHO ARE CONSIDERED THE RADICAL RIGHT).
MANY ON THAT PROGRAM REFERRED TO THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT AS A MONSTER THAT IS TRYING TO TAKE OVER OUR COUNTRY.
AND THEY MENTIONED THAT THE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS ARE NOW ADVISING THEIR CANDIDATE THIS WAY, IN REGARDS TO THEIR OPPONENTS FROM THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT. "YOU NEED TO MOVE THESE PEOPLE OUT OF THE MAINSTREAM AND INTO THE FAR RT. WE NEED TO REFER TO THEM AS THE RELIGIOUS RT. OR THE RT. WING EXTREMISTS, BUT PREFERABLY THE RADICAL RIGHT..."
AND WE SEE JOCELYN ELDERS TAKING THAT APPROACH WHEN SPEAKING AT A NEW YORK GAY AND LESBIAN HEALTH CONFERENCE, WHERE SHE ATTACK WHAT SHE CALLED THE "UN CHRISTIAN RT." FOR OPPOSING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ON SUBJECTS LIKE AIDS AND SEX, "we’ve got to take on these people who are selling out our children in the name of religion..." NO YOUR WRONG SURGEON GENERAL, IT IS YOU AND YOUR LIBERAL PALS WHO ARE SELLING OUR CHILDREN OUT, BY NOT EDUCATING ABOUT THE TRUE DANGERS OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY... YOU ARE A LAIR, YOU ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH THE EDUCATION OR OUR CHILDREN, BUT RATHER YOU ARE CONCERNED WITH PROMOTING AA UNGODLY AGENDA AND ADVOCATING SEXUAL IMMORALITY.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS DOING THIS; LABELING AND DEMONIZING CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS, FOR ONE PURPOSE TO WIN ELECTIONS... BUT THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS... NO, IT IS ABOUT WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO BE A NATION UNDER GOD, OR NOT! IT IS ABOUT RIGHT AND WRONG... GOD’S RIGHT AND GOD’S WRONG....
IT IS NOT A CANDIDATES PARTY THAT MATTERS, BUT RATHER HIS RELIGIOUS AND MORAL BELIEFS....IS HE REALLY GOD FEARING AND PROMOTING BIBLICAL VALUES IN ACTION, AND NOT JUST WITH HIS LIPS!!
YOU MAY BE THINKING; "BUT WHAT DOES RELIGION HAVE TO DO WITH POLITICS? -- YOU MAY BE THINKING; "THAT WE ARE TO KEEP THE 2 SEPARATE?" "THAT RELIGION AND POLITICS ARE NOT TO MIX" LET ME ASK YOU WHO SAID THAT, DID GOD? DOES THE BIBLE SAY THIS? IT DOESN’T! CHRISTIANITY IS A WAY OF LIFE... CHRISTIANITY IS A WORLD VIEW THAT IS TO PERMEATE ALL AREAS OF LIFE... IT IS WHAT IS BEST FOR SOCIETY.
BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR CONSTITUTION? DOESN’T THIS DEMAND THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE? DID YOU KNOW THAT THE WORDS SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE APPEAR NO WHERE IN THE US CONSTITUTION... (DAVE BARTON, US CONGRESSMAN -- COULDN’T FIND IT -- NEVER READ IT)
THE FIRST AMENDMENT SIMPLY READS.... "CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAWS RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF..." THAT IS ALL IT SAYS, THERE IS NOTHING IN THEREAT ALL ABOUT CHURCH AND STATE. AND BY RELIGIONS THE FOUNDING FATHERS (AS CAN BE SHOWN BY THERE WRITINGS) MEANT A PARTICULAR CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION. IN OTHER WORDS THERE IS TO BE NO NATIONAL DENOMINATION IN AMERICA.
LET ME SHARE A FEW QUOTES OF MEN FROM OUR NATIONS BIRTH, MEN WHO WOULD BE LABELED BY THE MEDIA AND MANY POLITICIANS TODAY, AS DANGEROUS MEMBERS OF THE RADICAL RIGHT.
JOHN ADAMS OUR SECOND PRESIDENT; IN A SPEECH TO THE MILITARY ON OCT 1798...
"WE HAVE NO GOVERNMENT ARMED WITH POWER WHICH IS CAPABLE OF CONTENDING WITH HUMAN PASSIONS UNBRIDLED BY MORALITY AND RELIGION. OUR CONSTITUTION WAS MADE ONLY FOR A MORAL AND RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. IT IS WHOLLY INADEQUATE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ANY OTHER."
NOAH WEBSTER; EDUCATOR AND ONE OF THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION;
"ALL THE MISERY AND EVILS WE SUFFER FROM VICE AND CRIME, AMBITION, INJUSTICE, OPPRESSION, SLAVERY AND WAR, PROCEED FROM DESPISING OR NEGLECTING THE PRECEPTS CONTAINED IN THE BIBLE.."
BENJAMIN RUSH SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND CABINET MEMBER TO JEFFERSON, MADISON AND ADAMS; IN AN ARTICLE WHERE HE GAVE 12 REASONS WHY THE BIBLE SHOULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HE SAID THAT
"IF BIBLES WERE TAKEN OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE WOULD SUFFER AN EXPLOSION OF CRIME, AND HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SPEND MORE MONEY AND TIME ON THE PUNISHMENT OF CRIME THEN IT WOULD ON PREVENTING CRIME WITH BIBLICAL STANDARDS."
AND HERE IS AN EXERT FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON FAREWELL
SPEECH (IT USED TO BE IN HISTORY TEXT BOOKS BUT HAS NOW BEEN REMOVED BECAUSE OF IT’S REFERENCES TO GOD- ARE VIEWED AS THREATENING TO CURRENT AGENDAS).
"OF ALL THE DISPOSITIONS AND HABITS WHICH LED TO POLITICAL PROSPERITY, RELIGION AND MORALITY ARE INDISPENSABLE SUPPORTS. IN VAIN WOULD A MAN CLAIM THE TRIBUTE OF PATRIOTISM WHO SHOULD LABOR TO SUBVERT THESE GREAT PILLARS. WHATEVER MAY BE CONCEDED TO THE INFLUENCE OF EDUCATION ON MINDS... REASON AND EXPERIENCE BOTH FORBID US TO EXPECT THAT NATIONAL MORALITY CAN PREVAIL IN EXCLUSION OF RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES... LET IT BE SIMPLY ASKED WHERE IS SECURITY FOR PROPERTY? FOR REPUTATION? FOR LIFE? IF THE SENSE OF RELIGIOUS OBLIGATION DESERT?
Our country began under God and that truth is not even subject to debate.... UNLESS YOU ARE A VICTIM OF THE DELIBERATE UNGODLY CENSORSHIP OF OUR TRUE BEGINNINGS..
AND our country, has drifted far from God and this sadly is not subject to debate either... The God of the Bible is not very popular today in our country... God warned Solomon and the Nation of Israel that disaster would strike if they forsook God.
Well, have there been any wages for our nations sins of rejecting God and embracing the false gods of Humanism, pleasure and materialism? I think there are!
OUR NATION IS SUFFERING ECONOMICALLY WE CAN NOT BALANCE A BUDGET LET ALONE BEGIN TO TACKLE THE NATION DEBT.
THE PLAGUE OF AIDS HAS INFECTED OVER 1 MILLION IN OUR COUNTRY.
THERE ARE I MILLION CASES OF PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE EVERY YEAR.
1.3 MILLION NEW CASES OF GONORRHEA
SYPHILIS AT A 40 YEAR HIGH
500,000 NEW CASE OF HERPES.
THE US CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL REPORTS THAT 43 MILLION AMERICANS OR 1/5 OF OUR ENTIRE POPULATION HAS AN INCURABLE STD.
1 MILLION TEENS GET PREGNANT EACH YEAR, 30,000 UNDER THE
AGE OF 13.
1.5 MILL ABORTIONS
20% OF ALL BRIDES ARE PREGNANT AT THE ALTAR
AND BENJAMIN RUSH WAS RIGHT WITH THE BIBLE OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS WE HAVE HAD A CRIME EXPLOSION;
VIOLENT CRIME UP 560% CRIME 300%, JVC 300%
CHILD ABUSE 400%
AND 28% OF ALL BIRTHS ARE ILLEGITIMATE UP 500% LAST 30 YEARS.
DISEASE, NATURAL DISASTERS (FLOODS, HURRICANES, TORNADOS) ECONOMIC TROUBLE... I AM CONVINCED THAT GOD IS TRYING TO WAKE THIS COUNTRY UP -- AND WE BETTER WAKE UP QUICK
BECAUSE WE ARE RAPIDLY DRIFTING FROM A NATION UNDER GOD’S BLESSING TO A NATION UNDER GOD’S FULL WRATH....
III. A NATION UNDER GOD’S WRATH
What does a Nation do, when it is under God’s wrath? What does a Nation do, when they have rejected God and His hand of discipline is upon them?
The Night in Gibeon when God appeared to Solomon and declared to him a warning, A WARNING for the Nation and Solomon.... God also told Solomon something else. You see God, as we said weeks ago is "ALL KNOWING" and therefore God was able to look into the Nation of Israel’s future and see a time when they would turn away from God, and in response to this God said the following to Solomon;
"I HAVE HEARD YOUR PRAYERS AND HAVE CHOSEN THIS PLACE FOR MYSELF AS A TEMPLE OF SACRIFICE.WHEN I SHUT UP THE HEAVENS SO THAT THERE IS NO RAIN, OR COMMAND LOCUSTS TO DEVOUR THE LAND OR SEND A PLAGUE AMONG THE PEOPLE,
(WHAT IS GOD SAYING HERE? HE IS SAYING A TIME WILL COME when BECAUSE OF THEIR REJECTION OF HIM AND THEIR EMBRACING OF FALSE gOD’S, THAT HE WILL SEND PLAGUES, LOCUSTS AND CLOSE UP THE HEAVEN SO THAT THEIR IS NO RAIN -- The NATION will be STANDING UNDER GOD’S WRATH.... AND GOD CONTINUES AND SAYS THAT AT THAT TIME).
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 I WILL HEAR FORM HEAVEN AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND..."
THE NATION OF ISRAEL DID SIN, AND SHE DID SUFFER AND SHE DID REPENT, (AT LEAST FOR A TIME) AND SHE WAS LED BACK FROM CAPTIVATE AND REBUILT HER NATION. BUT THE NATION OF ISRAEL WOULD LATER COMMIT A SIN THAT RESULTED IN HER DESTRUCTION, THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE CITY AND THE TEMPLE WERE DESTROYED BY THE ROMAN IN 70 AD. A NATION CAN NOT CONTINUE TO REJECT GOD AND WIN, GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED A NATION WILL REAP WHAT THEY SOW."
WHAT ABOUT AMERICA WILL SHE WAKE UP? WILL CHRISTIAN GET INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT FOR THE SOUL OF OUR NATION? WILL THEY VOTE FOR GODLY MEN AND WOMEN REGARDLESS OF PARTY AFFILIATION, AND WILL THEY VOTE OUT THE UNGODLY WHOSE POLICIES LIKE ABORTION AND GAY RIGHTS ARE KILLING OUR NATIONS SOUL? WILL THEY VOTE FOR WHAT’S RIGHT IN GOD EYES AND NOT SIMPLY WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR OWN POCKETBOOK? WILL THEY WRITE AND CALL THOSE IN OFFICE? WILL THEY PRAY FOR OUR NATION/LEADERS? WILL THEY RALLY AT THE CITY HALLS ACROSS THIS LAND FOR THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER? WILL THEY MARCH FOR JESUS IN THE STREETS OF THE CITES AROUND THIS COUNTRY. LAST SATURDAY 6 FROM OUR CHURCH WENT TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA FOR THIS MARCH, THERE WERE ABOUT 2-3,000 PEOPLE...AND ONE NEWS CAMERA. THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK I OPENED THE YELLOW PAGES AND COUNTED THE NUMBER OF CHURCHES IN TAMP 937 AND IF WE VERY CONSERVATIVELY SAY EACH CHURCH HAS ONLY 100 MEMBERS (NATIVITY HAS OVER 10,000) THAT WOULD STILL MEAN 93,700 IN TAMPA AT LEAST BELIEVE IN GOD AND THINK JESUS IS IMPORTANT, BUT LESS THAN 3% CAME DOWN TOWN -- TO SING HIS PRAISES IN THE STREETS OF OUR CITY! CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE IF 40,000 CAME DOWN -- THE MEDIA CAN’T IGNORE NUMBERS LIKE THAT. WE ALL NEED TO BE INVOLVED IF WE WANT TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY.
AND IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING WHY EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED, LISTEN TO THESE WORDS OF PASTOR MARTIN NEIMOLLER; VICTIM OF NAZI GERMANY’S DEATH CAMPS.
IN GERMANY THEY FIRST CAME FOR THE COMMUNISTS, AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WASN’T A COMMUNIST. THEN THEY CAME FOR THE JEWS, AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WASN’T A JEW. THEN THEY CAME FOR THE TRADE UNIONISTS AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WASN’T A TRADE UNIONISTS. THEN THEY CAME FOR CATHOLICS, AND I DIDN’T SPEAK UP BECAUSE I WAS A PROTESTANT. THE THEY CAME FOR ME... AND BY THAT TIME THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT TO SPEAK UP.
AMERICA NEEDS TO WAKE UP! CHRISTIANS, NEED TO WAKE UP FROM THEIR SLUMBER AND ONCE AGAIN BE THE MORAL FIBER OF THIS NATION. WE NEED TO PUT IN OFFICE MEN WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY WHAT THE FOLLOWING MAN SAID;
WE HAVE BEEN THE RECIPIENTS OF THE CHOICEST BOUNTIES OF HAVANA. WE HAVE BEEN PRESERVED, THESE MANY YEARS, IN PEACE AND PROSPERITY. WE HAV GROWN IN NUMBERS, WEALTH AND POWER, AS NO NATION HAS EVER GROWN. BUT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN GOD. WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THE GRACIOUS HAND WHICH PRESERVED US IN PEACE, AND MULTIPLIED AND ENRICHED AND STRENGTHENED US; AND WE 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 WHO MADE US.
IT BEHOOVES US THEN, TO HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE THE OFFENDED POWER, TO CONFESS OUR NATION SINS, AND TO PRAY FOR CLEMENCY AND FORGIVENESS... ABRAHAM LINCOLN APRIL 30TH 1963 AS HE PROCLAIMED A NATIONAL DAY OF FASTING, HUMILIATION AND PRAYER.
WILL YOU JOIN THE BATTLE FOR AMERICA’S SOUL? IT MAY BE LONG AND COSTLY BUT GOD SAYS,
"IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WASYS, THEN I WILL HEAR FROM HEVANE AN DWILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND WILL HELA THEIR LAND." {REPEAT}
YOU KNOW, IT DOESN’T TAKE A SHERLOCK HOMES, TO SEE WHAT’S WRONG IN AMERIICA, TO SEE THTA THERE IS A PROBLEM, AND TO CONCLUDE THTA AMERICAN IS SUFFERING, BECASUE AMERICA HAS LEFT HER GOD....
BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT (THERE IS A SPIRTULA LESSON HERE FOR GOD’S PEPLE AS WELL, ONE THTA APPLIES TO INDIDVIIUALS). I SEE PEOPLE HERE TODAY WHO ARE SUFFERING, PEOPLE WHO HAVE FORSAKEN GOD AND HAVE ENRACED OTHER GODS... (PLEASURE, MATREILAISM, LUST, POWER, SUCCESS..ETC) AND GOD HAS SHUT UP THE HEAVNES SO THERE IS LITTTLE RIAN IN THEIR LIVES, NOT MUCH JOY, AND GOD HAS COMMNDED THE LOCUST TO COME AND DESTROY AND THEY HAVE...
AND PLAGUES HAVE COME AS WELL AND HAVE TAKEN AWAY THEIR HOPE. AND ENERGY FOR LIFE.
THEIR LIFE IS A WRECK, THEIR MARRIAGES ARE A WRECK, THEIR SPIRITUAL LIFE/THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS A WRECK...AND NEARLY NON EXISTENT...
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF TODAY IN A DRIED UP, LOCUST DEVOURED AND PLAGUE INVESTED LAND.... IF YOU HAVE LEFT GOD AND SOUGHT GOD’S OF YOU OWN... AND ARE EMPTY INSIDE....
YES, DESPITE YOUR PAINTED ON SMILES, BOTH YOU AND GOD KNOW THAT THERE NOT MUCH JOY, NOT MUCH HOPE, NOT MUCH PEACE.... AND LITTLE HAPPINESS -- IN YOUR LIFE.
IF THAT IN ANY WAY DESCRIBES YOU, GOD TODAY, RIGHT NOW HAS SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU.
IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY.... (WILL YOU DO THIS)
AND SEEK MY FACE (WILL YOU SEEK GOD’S FACE)
AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS (YOU CAN TURN FROM YOUR WICKED WAYS IF YOU WANT TO)
THEN I WILL HEAR FORM HEAVEN AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND... (ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE YOUR SIN AND HEAL YOUR LIFE).. AND HE WANTS TOO, THAT IS WHY JESUS CAME, TO BRING LIFE, ABUNDANT LIFE...
I KNOW THERE ARE SOME WHO LIKE THIS NATION, NEED GOD’S HEALING AND FORGIVENESS TODAY!!!
AND AS WE CLOSE TODAY, IT IS MY PRAY THAT YOU FROM THE VOICE OF A CHILD, WILL HEAR THE CALL OF GOD....
