Good morning!
This morning, we are still in the book of Ezra, specifically,
chapter 3 and then 2 Chronicles 7:14.
In Ezra 3, we learn that the temple King Cyrus of Babylon
commissioned has been largely finished. Although many Jewish exiles
returned with Nehemiah to build the wall of the city, and many returned to
construct the temple, about 50,000 (Ezra 2:64-65) returned to Jerusalem in this
last wave. (It is interesting that they left Jerusalem in separate
dispersions, and they returned similarly.)
In verse 3, we see that many priests and Levites returned, and
that the priests are setting up the altar in the new temple. Their
motivation for resuming the burnt offerings and sacrifices is clearly stated in
verse 3: they feared what would happen to them and their people if they did not
honor the one, true God.
Recall that barely a generation has passed since the whole
lot of them was taken away into captivity.
The reason this occurred is still fresh in their collective minds. For years and years, prophets such as
Jeremiah and Isaiah and others had been warning them that God’s judgment was
coming, to remove them from their Promised Land. Why?
Because of their spiritual adultery.
For years, they had worshipped the foreign, pagan, false gods of the surrounding
peoples. Here, we see that, at least
temporarily, they have learned their lesson.
Look at their response in verse 11 of chapter 3:
“They sang, praising and giving thanks to
the Lord, saying, “For He is good, for His
lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.” And all the people shouted with a great
shout when they praised the Lord because
the foundation of the house of the Lord was
laid. 12 Yet
many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had
seen the first[h]temple,
wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their
eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that
the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound
of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the
sound was heard far away.”
We see over and over in Scripture how prosperity corrupts. Along with the wonderful physical gifts
prosperity brings, it causes us to forget our God. It causes us to believe falsely that God will
not hold us accountable for our spiritual wanderings, our sins.
Is our God a jealous God?
Does He desire our whole-hearted devotion? Yes.
Is it “fair” to us that He desires our worship, our very beings?
Last Sunday, I got to hear a wonderful sermon. Our pastor was on vacation, and he is a
tremendously gifted preacher. Every
week, I learn and am encouraged, challenged, blessed. But, this visiting pastor really “brought
it”! Praise God! One of the things he emphasized to us is that
we are blessed that God does not deal with us “fairly”. He deals with us mercifully instead. We don’t get what we deserve. He gives us the grace we don’t deserve and is
merciful to us. So, thank God that He
does not subscribe to your imperfect idea of “fairness”!
People, we tend to, in America, like other people groups before
us, forget the loving, merciful Father, Jehovah God, who gave His most precious
loved one, His beloved, only Son, for US!
Right now, in America, we tend to think that we are safe and secure in
our spiritual adultery, in our collective national sins, because “we are
America, and we are untouchable”. I hear
this all the time. It is such a lie of
the Devil!
Listen to the Scriptures.
Over an over again they proclaim that God is long-suffering toward us,
but that He will not hold us harmless for the sins we have committed as
individuals or as a nation. Here is but
one example:
Galatians
6:7 “Don’t be misled: No one makes a
fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants
selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of
weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in
response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a
crop of real life, eternal life.” {Message version}
I hope that you have settled the matter of your sins, by embracing
Jesus Christ as your Savior and accepting his payment for them. I hope that you will go a step further and
fervently pray for a return of the American people to Jesus.
No, I am not praying for a return to “the Judeo-Christian
principles upon which this country was founded”. That is not enough. Judeo-Christian principles will not save
us. Yielding our hearts to the truth of
the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that will save us as a country.
Do you know who is challenged to pray for and start revival? It’s not the pagans! “Oh, if those non-Christians would just turn
to God…” No! Look at what God, the Almighty King of Heaven
and Earth says:
(2 Chronicles 7:14)
“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 will I
hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
So, whose responsibility is it to bring about revival that will
heal America?
It is the responsibility of those who claim the name of Christ.
Look at the steps we are to follow:
1. Get Humble
Are you surprised that this is the first command? We believers are usually SO haughty when it
comes to the sins of others, aren’t we?
So quick to condemn, so slow to compassion and understanding. So slow to love!
2. Pray and Seek God’s Face
This implies a diligent, urgent action, repeatedly, until revival
comes. Instead, we waste our time with
“trivial pursuits”. I won’t bother to
name them; you know what they are.
3. Turn
“Turn” is another word for repentance. Repenting means to basically stop walking in
one direction, and instead to turn around and start walking in the other. 180 degree turn - - - that’s repentance.
This means we are to repent of OUR sins, both individual and
national.
Aren’t we so quick to focus on the sins of others? “Oh Lord, our nation is in such trouble
because of the _______ (insert sinner category here).” No, brother or sister! Our country is in trouble because we are
prideful Christians, firmly holding onto our own sinful practices, which include
refusing to do what God has called us to do.
God promises that if we are obedient, He will turn America around.
And, if we refuse to obey?
Well, have you read about the Old Testament Israelites lately?
Dear Lord, I am so guilty of pride and a
lack of prayerlessness for my individual sins and for the sins of America. I am
so guilty of not using effectively the time you have given me. Please forgive me! I love my country and earnestly desire to see
it healed. I long for my fellow countrymen
to know the peace that only a relationship with You, through your Son, can
bring. Thank you for your forgiveness
and for withholding your large-scale judgment from us thus far. Draw us to Your throne of grace, Father. In Jesus’ name, amen!
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