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Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Frustrations because of sin overtaking our land can easily lead us to strike out with anger at those who are fighting with all that is in them to turn our nation to ungodliness. Righteous anger is not sin (Be ye angry and sin not). I believe this is telling us to hate the sin. Hate the spirit of ungodliness that is spreading like a blanket over our land. Anger with malice is not righteous anger though. Never hate the sinner. These are souls that Jesus died for. We must take them the Gospel. This is the failure of Christianity in America. It will take Christians witnessing at every opportunity, at work, home, the mall, the streets, everywhere. These liberal left wing people will not want to hear it but telling them that Jesus died for them and wants to save them is true love. Christians in America have gotten used to a “religous life” where they want to be thought of as “good people”. A false teaching that has done more to shut up Christianity than any other teaching is the teaching to just let people see Jesus in you by your lifestyle. This must be the doctrine of the “silent Christian”. We are told in God’s word to live so that “They may see our good works and glorify God”. This in no way clears us from the responsibility to take the Gospel to others. The life we live is our testimony and strengthens what we say when we take the Gospel to others. Too many church pew Christians today are not willing to bear the reproach of Christ. They are not willing to be persecuted for Christ. The reason more Christians are not persecuted for the Gospels sake is because they are asleep. They say deep in the recesses of their heart “Let someone else do it”. On the surface they say they have a job to think about or a family or community responsibilities. It is always some excuse. I have heard people say that they do not think God called them to witness to others because they do not feel right about it. The devil does not want these Christians to wake up and leave their lukewarm state. You will not get persecuted while you are asleep. Why would Satan wake a sleeping giant. He is perfectly content to see you stay in the comfort zone of “do nothing” while he verociously destroys our homes, our children and our nation. God calls every Christian to tell others what Jesus did for them. The testimony of your salvation is your open door to lead the lost to Jesus. These church pew Christians do not want to step into the jaws of the dragon with the Gospel message. It will take Christians living the Gospel and preachers returning to preaching the pure undefiled word of God in pulpits that is filled with Godly fire. Preachers are just as guilty because they are afraid to preach. If they really preach, some people will leave and they may not have enough money coming in to keep their atrocious salary and their worldly lifestyle. They might have to really start looking toward heavenly rewards in the future instead of reaping now in this life. The congregation may fall off for a while. It will come back up though with strength and power they never thought possible. It will take inviting the lost to go to church with us so they can hear God’s word. There are two things we must remember before we get angry at what is happening in America.
1. It is the professing Christians in America that have voted these liberal Democrat politicians into office, and these politicians have worked overtime to bring the ungodliness we now experience on America. These Professing Christians are usually Democrats because the politicians who fight for these ungodly things are almost always Democrats. They would not be in the positions they are in if they were not voted into office.
2. Anger and frustration at the lost will not work to get rid of it. It will only work to the benefit of those who are fighting for it. It was departing from God in our churches, homes and government that got us to this point. It is the flawed concept that people can worship on Sunday and then vote for ungodly politicians on Tuesday without affecting their spiritual life that has gotten us into this situation. It is the mistaken and perverse thought that people can separate their Christian beliefs from government. It is only surrendering ourselves to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and realizing that if we are Christian, we are to be Christian all of the time that can get us out. You cannot turn your Christian beliefs on at church and off at work whether your work is in a factory or in Congress, the Senate or the White House. If you are ungodly while in the Senate chambers, you are ungodly at church. If you are ungodly in the things you vote for, you are ungodly in your stand, period. It is only when we get where Paul speaks of here that we can see things turn around in America. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, period.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith.
It is only the Gospel that can reveal the righteousness of God. How are people going to see God’s righteousness if Christians agree not to mention the Gospel? They won’t. It is only by living in the righteousness the Gospel brings into our life that we can experience the faith that will change the situation in America.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
If America thinks it can escape the judgment of God for its turn to ungodliness and abominations, it is dead wrong.
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
These people who are trying to turn America away from God are not ignorant of God. They are fully aware that they are fighting against God.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Even if they do not know the Gospel, they are fully aware that their lifestyle and the things they are trying to bring on America is ungodly and corrupt because nature itself teaches them this. They truly are without excuse.
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
America reached some point in its history when as a people; America quit giving the glory for our greatness to God. We ceased to be a thankful people. As a people, we became caught up in our vanities and departed from the living God.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.
This is a very powerful verse of scripture. These people changed the glory of God to four distinct images. It is amazing that these four images reflect so directly the four main holidays of America that were set aside to worship God and give him the glory for the great things he has done. Lets look at this for a moment like this. The Bible tells us that they changed the glory of God into an image representing four things.
1. An image made like to corruptible man.
2. An image made like to Birds.
3. An image made like to four-footed beast.
4. An image made like to creeping things.
Is it not strange that in America we have taken the glory of Christmas from God and given it to a fictitious man? Christians have given up celebrating the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ for a fat man in a funny suit. They even bring this devil into the house of God. I once had a lady tell me that if I preached against Santa Claus that she would get up and leave. She did. Parents and children look more at Christmas as a fun day of gifts than they do it being a day to give glory to God for the birth of his only begotten Son. Now the ungodly do not want displays of Christmas publicly. Was it worth changing the glory of God to that of a corruptible man?
Is it not strange that the day set aside to give glory and thanks to God for his being our benefactor and for his blessings has given way to being a “bird day”. I see turkeys everywhere on Thanksgiving. Most can’t be drawn away from the football games, parades, and beer long enough to give glory to God.
Is it not strange that the greatest day in Christendom, the day of atonement, the day Jesus died for our sins and arose from the dead, has given way to a celebration using four-footed beast. The glory of God has been taken from Easter and given to a heathen celebration of rabbits that lay eggs, a total impossibility. This has turned the most holy day in the Christian church to a day of mockery and lies.It is a slap in the face of God to call it a holy day.
Is it not strange that the day of the year when Christians used to get together to give thanks to God for a bountiful harvest has been changed to a day of celebrating creeping things and given the name of Halloween, a day of glorifying demons and the things of darkness.
It is amazing that the very things these nations did because they did not want to give glory to God are the same things America has done. Read on for more amazing parallels.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Do we not worship the creature man? We are so careful what we put into our bodies. We are careful to exercise. We look in the mirror and primp so we will look just right. We are overly concerned with what the scales say. We go to outlandish lengths to look good to the opposite sex. We will spend a fortune on just the right clothes. Yet we care nothing for the moral dilemma and state of our eternal soul. Because these people changed the glory of God to a lie, God let them be given up to the lust of their flesh. How much are we in America changing the glory of God to a lie?
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
Could this be the reason America is taking a headlong leap into sodomy and lesbianism? Are we seeing the judgment of God on America? Is America in such need of judgment? Will America turn from its sin before it is to late? No one can say that God is judging America but in all truth, the signs are sure evident. Just like we are to examine ourselves to see if we are in Christ and bearing the fruit of the Spirit as Christians, should we not examine the state of affairs in our nation. If we were to weigh America in the balance against these scriptures, what would those scales say?
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
A reprobate mind is a mind that cannot be changed. It is a mind that has been given over to its selected path. If God in mercy and grace does not intercede, this mindset will not be changed.
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
It seems like America has gone to the dark side of humanity. All of these warnings are quite evident in our society more than ever before. It also seems like liberal society and courts care more for the perpetrators of these things than they do for the victims.
I cannot say that America is definitely under God’s judgment and that America is being turned over to a reprobate mind. I can say there is enough of a parallel that as Christians, we need to fall on our faces before God and repent of the loose way we have handled the Gospel in America and seek Gods face for our nation before it is to late. Seeing our nation actually debate sodomy and lesbianism should be sounding warning bells in all of our hearts and souls. We should burn II Chronicles 7:14 into our every prayer and thought.
- 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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