Tomorrow, we will celebrate our nation’s Memorial Day. That is the day we set apart to honor those who have died in the defense of our great nation. Those who gave their all so that we could have it all. Those who made the ultimate sacrifice, so that we might not have to.
As we look back into our past, we see that America has been in conflict since her beginning. We often talk about Christians having many storms in their lives, but we see that our nation has had many storms in her great life, too.
And, as we look at the many conflicts she has endured, we also see the many blessings God has given this nation. But, we must remember that we have received those blessings because we have chosen, as a nation, to walk with God and to honor His glorious name.
But what are we doing now? As a nation, we have chosen to oust God from every corner of our lives, haven’t we? And, in the past, if we have received past blessings because we honored Him, what is in store for us now, as we go about the business of dishonoring Him?
Let me change tempo for a moment and relay a story to you about cooking frogs. First of all, let me tell you right up front that this is one person who sees no benefits at all from eating a frog.
As a young boy, I went frog gigging, but only because it was neat for us kids to go out at night by ourselves and have an adventure. A Tom Sawyer kind of thing.
But, any time I gigged a frog, I would give it to my cousin Larry, who took them home and then his family ate frog for the next few days. Not for me. That is why God made peanut butter, so that I don’t have to eat frog.
But I have heard that there are two ways to cook a frog. One way is to put that frog in a pan of cold water and very slowly heat it until the frog is cooked. By heating it ever so slowly, the frog is unaware of the temperature change until … well, until his goose is cooked, so to speak.
The second way to cook a frog is to quickly drop the frog into a pan of boiling water. If you do that, he will do the same thing you would do if somebody dropped you in boiling water. The frog will jump sky high and start hopping all around the kitchen, wondering what happened.
Now, if you choose this method to cook your frog, you have to keep repeating this process over and over again until either you or the frog gets too tired to fight it anymore, in which case you will either have a frog for dinner or a frog as a pet.
Let’s go back to the first way of cooking a frog. That is where you heated the water up so slowly that the frog didn’t know he was in trouble until it was just too late. That analogy can be applied to the sin in our lives as well. In fact, I think it describes it quite clearly.
We have already discussed how sin is presented to us by the enemy in very pretty wrapping paper. It is made to look absolutely irresistible so that we will accept it. So, we too often take the sin and run with it. And, to be truthful, we don’t seem to have too much problem doing so, either.
But, if we are not careful, we can be spiritually and even physically, in very big trouble before we realize that we are about to get burned.
Let me give you a personal example of what I am saying. You all have noticed my beard. I have worn this beard for many years. And, the reason I wear it is because it is very hard for me to shave daily on different parts of my chin. I don’t have the outward scars to prove it, but I got my face burned quite badly when I was in the tenth grade and I am still paying the price for it.
A friend of mine smoked and he had a Zippo lighter. The trick back then was to take the lighter’s inside out of the case and light the lighter. Then, you would put the bottom of the casing on your mouth and blow it like a trumpet. The fire would shoot out about a foot or so, and the rest of your friends would think you were really cool.
Well, we were talking about that and I decided I would try it. After all, every boy in the tenth grade wants to be seen as ’cool’ to his peers, right? When I blew on it, the flames shot out pretty far, and then they did something I had never seen them do before. Just as quickly as they shot out, they came back, and they landed on my face.
Now, that would have been okay, except that my face started to burn. To make a long story short, I smothered the flames with a towel, somebody called my dad and he took me to the hospital and they gave me Tetanus shots and bandaged me up pretty good for about 3-4 months.
When I took that lighter from my friend and started to show off, I was just like that frog. I was getting into some pretty hot water, but did not realize it. I thought everything was just fine. I didn’t realize until it was too late that I was about to get burned.
And, I think that is what our nation has been going through for years, too; taking small steps one after the other, deeper and deeper into sin and godlessness. One small step does not seem so great, but a few small steps will end up being a mile, won’t it?
How can we apply that same analogy to the way Americans deal with threats to our nation? When we are faced with clear and defined threats, such as Pearl Harbor or 9-1-1, we react very swiftly to deal with that threat.
But, how to we handle it when we don’t see the danger as clearly? Too often, we tend to just sit and let the heat build up without noticing how hot the water is getting. In effect, we just sit there until our goose is being cooked.
An example of the things that are too subtle for Americans to notice is the rising tide of violence in this country, especially among our young kids. Every week, we see evidence of road rage or a murder during a robbery.
Compare today’s rate of violence to that of just 30 years ago. All of a sudden, we can see a very clear difference, can’t we? For the last 30 years, we have taken one small step into sin after another. It didn’t seem like much at the time, did it? We didn’t see it coming, but now we can compare the beginning with the ending and the difference is quite vivid.
Now, take that difference and try to project how it will be in another 30 years. How long will it be before we re even afraid to let our kids to out of the house to go anywhere? There are many, especially in larger cities, who are dealing with that very fear today.
Another example is politics. If there were ever a threat to true democracy, it is politics. Why? Because it costs tremendous amounts of money to run for any office, and in our free market society, that kind of money ends up calling most of the shots. Money is the power. Those with the money, start focusing on what they want, not on what the country needs.
Why has America gone from an “I Love Lucy” society to a “Reality TV” society? I think the answer is simple. Our nation has been blessed more than any nation in the history of the world. And, we have become spoiled. Very spoiled.
We have forgotten what it took to get us here. We have forgotten what our forefathers did to lay claim to the many privileges and freedoms we enjoy today. And, we have forgotten because we have let our focus rest only on what we want at any particular time and not on what we need all the time, which would be God.
We are just like the frog in the cold water that is slowly heating up. We have forgotten that God is the author of everything. We have forgotten that God let our forefathers create this nation - all to Honor Him.
EXODUS 6:6-8 tells us what God has done for America.
‘6- Therefore, say to the Israelites: “I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgments.
7- I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
8- And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession.”’
In verse 6, we see that God led the Israelites out of bondage. He also led our forefathers out of bondage in Europe. Why? Because they were believers in God. They believed so much in God that they let Him be a part of their everyday lives. They went to God before they made their daily decisions. They went to Him before they sowed their crops. In short, they were totally dependent upon Him.
Do we, as Christians, ever think about God before we make our daily decisions? Are we dependent upon God to go with us each day, or do we relegate God to Sundays?
In verse 7, God promised to take the Israelites as His own people. Judging by all He has done for this country, it is obvious that He has taken us as His own people, too. Our founding fathers knew that God had led them. They knew it and they let Him lead. They humbled themselves to God.
In today’s America, we refuse to become humble. In fact, we are even starting to tell ourselves that God has no place in our government. We have already kicked him out of our school system, and our of our court rooms and now we are trying to get Him out of our monetary system, too.
Our hearts are not humble. Our hearts have turned cold and we are hardened against God. We do not pray to Him. We do not rely on Him. And the water around us is getting hotter and hotter with every passing day.
In verse 8, God promised to take the Israelite to the land He had promised. He said He will give it to them as their possession. Now, if that is true, why doesn’t Israel still own and occupy all of that land today?
They lost the possession of their land, because they lost their obedience to God. They became filled with self-pride and they eventually lost everything. America has become filled with self-pride too, and we are now on the very edge of losing everything we have.
The many generations before us that gave so valiantly so we could have a better life than they had would be appalled at the condition of America’s heart today.
If God let the enemies of Israel come in, take over, and carry their people off as slaves because they turned their backs on Him – what in the world do you think He is going to do to America if we do not have a huge change of heart?
Our God has blessed us abundantly. We have more than anybody else ever had. Even the riches men on earth a short 80 years ago didn’t have the conveniences that most of our lower income have today. What do you call that other than a blessing from God? If it is too cold outside, we come in and turn the heat up. If it is too hot outside, we go in and turn the air conditioning on.
When I see pictures of the Vietnam wall, my heart literally cracks in two. Tears come to my eyes and all I can see are the many boys who gave up their young and healthy lives so that I could feel free to do whatever I want to and live the way I do.
I am scared. I am scared because I see that my country has stopped following my God, and I know what judgment lies ahead. In God’s kingdom, there awaits a judgment for every rogue kingdom, even the one called America.
Just like the ancient Israelites, we Americans give no thought to he miracles of the abundance God has given us. This nation could use an Elijah right about now. This nation could use somebody coming forth and telling us like it is. Of course, in today’s society, they would arrest the person for anarchy and throw away the key.
In the mid 1800’s, a French political philosopher came to America to find out what made us so great. He searched in our libraries, factories, and schools, and he searched in towns all across this land. He said the only place he found the answer to why America was so great was in our churches.
He said the churches thundered against sin, and preaching on righteousness was common. In today’s church, we no longer thunder against sin and we have all but given up speaking about righteousness. We have taken our eyes off the one true God, and have replaced Him with sermons on how to have an easy life with God.
In other words, today’s churches try to adjust God’s law to fit into our lifestyles, rather than to have our lifestyle fit into His law.
This truth offends many, but it remains a truth. We do not see the need to change ourselves for God anymore, and we try to get Him to change for us. There is going to be a severe reckoning one day for that, and I personally believe that day is not too far off in the future.
As a nation, we must change. So far, we have refused to do so. We have taken the ten commandments away from our people. We find out what will be in store for us in LEVITICUS 26:17-19.
’17- I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.
18- If after all this, you will not listen to Me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.
19- I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.’
God is trying to warn us. He is trying to get our attention. He is telling us to repent; to change our hearts. But, I think that it is because of that hot water we are in, we are starting to see a resurgence of God’s word being spread throughout this land.
I am not talking about the many denominations preaching their doctrines, but sermons that are preaching the true word of the Lord as found in our Holy Bibles. More and more preachers are preaching the doctrine of God, all in hopes of saving our great country and her great peoples.
President Lincoln was the first to use the expression “One Nation Under God.” He did so in his second inaugural address. That speech started out like a summation of the war efforts, and as he continued, he got stronger and stronger.
His words started to soar and Lincoln began to preach, showing his Christian beliefs. That speech turned out to be one of the best speeches in the history of politics. In that speech, Lincoln accurately portrayed the God of the Bible. You see - God is over America. Just as He was over the nation of Israel. And, He is over each one of us too.
In 1952, our last warrior president included the phrase, ‘under God’ into our Pledge of Allegiance. He officially put America where it belongs; under God. By the way, his name was also David. Dwight David Eisenhower.
Lincoln wrote, ‘The Almighty has His own purposes.’ It would seem that Mr. Lincoln had been blessed with Godly wisdom. He had a better handle on what God means than many of our learned theologians have today.
In the midst of a war, most leaders and kings would claim that God is supporting their cause. Lincoln knew better. He said that God had His own purposes. Powerful and wise words coming form a leader in he middle of a war.
Today, our leaders and our people need to start being aware that God has His own purposes, and they are not our purposes. We need to stop using God when it is convenient to us and then throwing Him away when He isn’t convenient. We need to just stop. Stop everything we are doing and start seeking His face. We need to repent. We need to stop living for us and start living for Him.
We have our freedoms today, not because of anything we have done, but because of what someone else before us has done. We need to start noticing the temperature of the water around us, and we need to see the forthcoming tragedy that awaits us f we do not change.
We have our freedoms because God chose to bless us. And, God promises that He will take those way from us if we do not keep His laws and commandments.
On this Memorial Weekend, let us remember our fallen soldiers with respect and dignity. Let us remember their sacrificed lives. Let us remember our forefathers and what they gave, too. They gave their obedience to God. And it was that obedience that allowed the many blessings we enjoy today. And, let us also remember how very much God loves this country and her people.
Many Christians sit in pews today, feeling called to go forward and rededicate their lives to Christ Jesus, but they don’t because they fear what others might think of them. If you feel the need to come forward, know that Jesus is the One who put that feeling in your heart and you should only listen to Him. He may have a special purpose for you and you have to do as He wants before you can know what His purpose is.
Come forward. I personally think that every Christian would do well to rededicate themselves at regular intervals during their lives. It is a way of keeping fresh in your soul – and I think the church is the best place in which to do it.
There are also those who want desperately to have the knowledge they are saved. All it takes is a sincere heart. If this describes you, please come forward and let me pray with you, too.
Likewise, if any has not received Jesus as Savior, or has not been baptized, I ask that you come forward today, too. Let us help bring you into the safety of Jesus Christ.
INVITATION
