Time to Choose

Time to Choose!

July 5, 2015 AM RBC

With all the flag flapping and monument movers; the marriage issues and the offending of political correctness going on in the nation, it has made me do so thinking..

Yes, I have thought about moving to some island and letting the liberals have it all to themselves.  I have also thought about hunkering down, barricading myself and my family in our palace and daring anyone to “Tread on Me.”  Yet, with those and many other thoughts, I have come to a conclusion.

Read the following scripture:

“Then Jeshurun became fat and rebelled— you became fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation. They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with detestable practices. They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods they had not known, new gods that had just arrived, which your fathers did not fear. You ignored the Rock who gave you birth; you forgot the God who gave birth to you. When the LORD saw ⌊this⌋, He despised ⌊them⌋, provoked ⌊to anger⌋ by His sons and daughters. He said: “I will hide My face from them; I will see what will become of them, for they are a perverse generation— unfaithful children. (Deuteronomy 32:15-20 HCSB)

The leader Moses, stands before his people, preparing them to enter into the Promised Land.  He has recounted for them the wonderful blessings God has bestowed on them, how He has cared for them, carrying them through the wilderness, providing for them both physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  Moses has now some to a place and time, when they are getting ready to actually cross into Canaan.  The law has been given, the commands have been sounded and Moses says, “Alright, boys, it is time to choose.”

He begins this section of his sermon with the name “Jeshurun.”  It is an illustration of great importance, for the name means, “righteous,” which literally means, “the upright one.”  Talking to the people who are chosen by God as His own special people, Moses refers to the “righteous” in an effort to warn them that they must choose the right path and walk in it.  To turn from the path would be sure disaster.

In stronger terms, God uses this term to remind Israel of His calling and to severely rebuke any possibility of apostasy.  If they fail to follow His path there will be consequences, sure punishment and sorrow laden with sorrow.  We see them as they become blessed beyond measure, affluent with bountiful provisions.  But they become rebellious against God, unthankful and disobedient.

While America may not be “chosen” as the special child of God it is a nation that has enjoyed a bountiful blessing of God’s provision.  The laws of our land are laws based on the Ten Commandments, given by God, yet tossed to the side as if garbage.  Resources have flowed like “milk and honey” in the land, but have any been thankful?  Churches have flourished yet government and liberals have established barriers and roadblocks have every turn.  Education and social assistance began in the church, the church gave it away and the government has made it all a laughing stock.  History is full of God’s goodness and care, but are we mindful of it?  Rebellion has become common place among the nation, will we ever learn that God is in control and not man? 

The scripture speaks of making a choice, choosing God’s ways.  Now is the time to choose.

In Deuteronomy 32:15-20 we see:

God gives the power to choose (15).  He did not create robots, but individuals with a mind and will.  The freedom of choice is ours and we can choose to love and obey God, which results in blessings (16) or we can choose to reject God which results in death (17-18).

The death spoken of is not necessarily physical death.  Many have incurred “living death” as they have chosen their way over God’s way and live in a rotten existence.  Some nations have chosen their way, vices, and plans only to experience the death of nation; Rome crumbled from within.  And the list goes on and one.

When God is made Lord, in control and bowed to then life comes.  Therefore we are to choose life (19-20).

Other verse come to mind as we celebrate our freedom as a Nation:

“Happy is the nation whose God is Yahweh— the people He has chosen to be His own possession!” (Psalm 33:12HCSB)

“My soul, praise the LORD, and do not forget all His benefits.” (Psalm 103:2 HCSB)

“My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands…” (Proverbs 3:1 HCSB)

A post on Facebook got me to thinking clearly regarding all of the things transpiring in our world today:

“I want to start this statement by saying I am a Christian...I believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ as Savior and the Holy Spirit as my guide. I believe in the inerrant Word of God and know that it is the ultimate instruction book on how to live our lives. I do not hate anyone...but I do hate sin. I try to live my life according to God's Word, but also know that I am not perfect...neither are the ones reading this or anyone else. But we are getting so caught up in the fact that someone has taken down a flag and sin is being legalized that we forget that true FREEDOM comes through CHRIST. Sure they say PRAYER is illegal in certain places and atheist and some liberals have tried to limit where and when it can be said, but God is everywhere and listening all the time. The battle we as Christians face is not of the WORLD, but in the spiritual realm. Wanna fight the good fight? Then pray....not for the flying of a flag or necessarily for legislation, but for the ones who are allowed to make these decisions to get right with God! Not their form of right, but God's. Not our will as we make it, but God's perfect will. Have the compassion of Christ for people you dislike or don't agree with. Forgive them and yourselves. Pray for them and yourselves. You cannot out do God. He is sovereign, still on the throne and will not be mocked. As Christians, we need to refocus our attention away from the news and be about the Father's business sharing the Good News in a lost and dying world. Put away our differences and stop fighting among ourselves. In the past 4 weeks, here in this small Rockford Baptist Church, God has shown us HIS power despite what is going on in the world. 12 DECISIONS FOR CHRIST HAVE BEEN MADE...I'm not caught up in the number, but in the Glory it brings God. See despite all that is going on....people are still searching for peace and finding it in Christ. We as a unified Church of the one living God should be together in prayer to save the world through the power of the cross...not the power of Washington.” (Tina Self Fuller) 

Franklin Graham wrote:

“The President had the White House lit up in rainbow colors to celebrate the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage. This is outrageous—a real slap in the face to the millions of Americans who do not support same-sex marriage and whose voice is being ignored. God is the one who gave the rainbow, and it was associated with His judgment. God sent a flood to wipe out the entire world because mankind had become so wicked and violent. One man, Noah, was found righteous and escaped God’s judgment with his family. The rainbow was a sign to Noah that God would not use the flood again to judge the world. But one day God is going to judge sin—all sin. Only those who are found righteous will be able to escape His judgment. That righteousness comes through faith, believing on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ who took our sins and shed His blood on the cross for each and every one. So, when we see the gay pride rainbow splashed on business advertisements and many people’s Facebook pages, may it remind all of us of God’s judgment to come.  Are you ready? Are your sins forgiven?

Oh, my how we need to be reminded:

“We need to become One Nation Under God again.”

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” Attributed to Abraham Lincoln

“If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” Ronald Reagan

Choosing life means that we will:

Study- Take the Word of God and watch the times play out before our very eyes.  We are to treasure God’s Word in our heart and study it so that we may be a prepared workman.  God’s Word is clearly as timely time as the Wall Street Journal.  Take it in hand, read it, and meditate on it; it will secure you in the time we live in.

“How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.” (Psalm 1:1-6HCSB)

By the way, God’s Word is God’s Word.  It has stood the times and will to the very end.  When this world is in ashes and exist no more, God’s Word will still stand.  Those in leadership can belittle it, take from it, attempt to change it, and pay no attention it, but that in no way will diminish that it is the Word of God.  So, take it and hide it; cherish it and treasure it and be ready.

Pray- We are reminded in the Word of God to pray without ceasing, at all times, and to allow our prayers to be confessions and transformational (2 Chronicles 7:14).

The elements to pray are to be reminded we are called, to be humble, pray and seek His face.  In return He will hear our prayer, forgive our sin and heal our land.  That is a promise from the God hand person-God the Father!

Oh, we need to pray America!  We need to turn our hearts to Him, pray for those in leadership, pray for our churches and our homes!  Pray! 

Live- So that others see Jesus.  Remember, our lives reflect what we believe.  Therefore it is imperative, more than at any other time, to live in public what we do in private.  Live for Jesus!

Share- The Gospel.  The Good News.  Cannot debate.  That is something no one can debate.  It is clear and a non-debatable issue.

Debates lead to quarrels and in the end anger, bitterness, and labeling.  Debating is what is giving so many a black eye today.  They are so busy trying to be heard, they are forsaking the main thing of life.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel…” (Romans 1:16)

The gospel is the answer!  It covers all of the problems of life today!  It is simply that Jesus was born and lived; died and rose again; and He ascended and will descend.  That is the Good News; it is the Gospel!  It saves sinners and sanctifies saints.    

Make a choice- Take a stand and stay there.  If you find that it is good to stand with the world, then so be it; if you choose to take a stand with God and right, then so be it.  But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord!

While we choose life by trusting Christ as Savior (Romans 10:9-10) then may we let others hear the truth.  Elected officials and high courts as we showing the firm ground on which we stand and that firm ground is the Rock, and that Rock is Jesus!

Amen!