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One of the speakers at the Convention was Mike Huckabee. He was right when he said that the problem with America today isn’t a money problem. No matter how many trillions of dollars in debt we are… no matter how much the economy is in the tank… money is not our problem. He’s right. But he said that our real problem is a moral problem. Although I have great respect for Governor Huckabee, the more I have thought about it, I don’t think he’s right. He’s partly right, but in being partly right, he’s mostly wrong. Everybody in the world has a sense of morality. The welfare system was created to be a moral program. Concerns about global warming and animal rights and socialism are all very moral issues. The problem is, they are all godless, humanistic attempts at morality. Because people are created in God’s image… and because we live in a fallen and cursed world… everybody knows something is wrong. They know something is wrong and they create a moral code to try to deal with it. If you don’t believe that godless people have a moral code, look at all the outrage over Michael Vick killing dogs. No, the problem isn’t that people don’t have morals in America today. Our problem isn’t an economic problem. Our problem isn’t a government problem. Our problem isn’t a technology problem. Our problem isn’t an education problem. Our problem is a spiritual problem. And the only answer to a spiritual problem is a spiritual solution. Our passage this morning has that spiritual solution. When politicians run for office, they always run on a platform. And their platform is made up of certain issues that they say are solutions to all our problems. This morning we’re not real interested in any politician’s platform. Instead, we’re going to look at 5 planks in God’s political platform for America. The first plank is that America must praise God in His Glory. Look back at verses 1-3:
PSALM 33:1-3
We must praise God in His glory. We have already talked about a list of things that God has blessed America with. And we don’t have to think very long before we can come up with a whole list of more blessings. God does great things for us. But ultimately, God does great things for His glory. We thank God for what He does. But we praise Him for who He is. That is one of the signs that someone is truly a Christian. Anybody can thank God for the good things that happen to them. But only a true believer can praise God in the middle of a storm. Because, isn’t that what faith is? “Lord, I don’t understand this storm that I’m in. I don’t see you in it. But even though I don’t see you in it, I know that you are. And I know that however things turn out, you will work it together for good. You will, because you have promised to do so. You have promised to do so, and you are faithful to keep your promises.” That’s faith. That’s the kind of faith that only the righteous and upright of verse 1 can have. The kind of faith that can only be supplied by the righteousness and uprightness of Christ that He clothes every true believer in. And when Jesus clothes a believer in His righteousness, you just can’t help but praise God. Praise Him for who He is. Praise Him with words. Praise Him with music—emotional, heartfelt, theologically rich music. The kind that makes you feel like you’re pouring out your very soul to Him. Not out of habit. Not because it’s the next thing on the agenda. But because you want to pour out your praise and love to the only One who truly deserves it. To the one to whom all blessing and honor and glory and power belongs. If we want America to be truly blessed of God, then we must praise God in His glory. As His redeemed, as His righteous ones, as His upright ones. We’re the ones to do it. We’re the ones to praise Him. Calvin said, “that if the ungodly or hypocrites attempt this exercise, it will turn to the reproach and dishonor of God rather than to his praise; nay, more, that they only profane his holy name.” The redeemed of the Lord must say so. We must praise God in His glory. We must also mimic God in His character. The second plank in God’s political platform for America is that we must mimic God in His character. Look at verses 4-5:
PSALM 33:4-5
We must mimic God in His character. A couple of weeks ago, I asked the question, “Who is God?” That sounded easy enough until we thought about it for a minute. And we came to the conclusion that the only way we can describe who God is, is the way the Bible does. And that is by using His attributes. God’s attributes are like His nature or His character. That’s what these verses are talking about. They describe God’s character. His word is right. That word literally means straight or level or upright. It’s the meaning we have when we say that someone is always on the level with you. It means that God is faithful. He is steadfast. The Psalmist clarifies his meaning when he goes on to say that all God’s works are done in truth. It literally says, “all His work—faithfulness.” Everything that God does is according to His Word. His Word is true and will be accomplished just as He has said. Verse 5 says that He loves righteousness. He loves judgment. In other words, God is a holy God who loves holiness. He loves purity. He hates sin and judges sin because it is contrary to His nature. He is good. He is so good that He poured out His judgment for sin on His own Son in our place. He is so good that He did that in order that we might be able to stand righteous before Him. And as we stand before Him, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, He loves us just like He loves His own righteousness. That is the goodness of the Lord. The goodness that came into the world, even though the world received Him not. The goodness that loved the world enough to give His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but would have everlasting life. That is the goodness of God. Philippians 2 tells us that we are to have the mind of Christ—we are to be like Him—we are to mimic Him. Is America right and faithful? In her dealings with other countries? Do we make promises to stand with countries and then turn our back on them when the political heat gets too high? Are we being faithful to Israel, or are we turning our back on her? Are we righteous in our judgment? Or do politics and money and corruption enter our judicial system? Are all our works done in truth? Or do we hear one thing from political leaders while they do something else? If America wants to be blessed of God, we must hear the cry of the prophet Amos in Amos 5:14-15: “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” The remnant of Joseph failed to heed the Word of God. God judged them and punished them and sent them into exile. Do you think He will do less to us if we don’t listen? Faithfulness, truth, righteousness, justice, goodness. We must mimic God in His character. We must also recognize God in His works. The third plank in God’s political platform for America is that we must recognize God in His works. Look at verses 6-9:
PSALM 33:6-9
We must recognize God in His works. Verse 6 doesn’t exactly mince words, does it? And in case there was any doubt, the Psalmist clarified himself in verse 9. Now, when you read that, you have two choices. You can either believe it or not. If you don’t, then you have to figure out which parts of the Bible you choose to believe and which ones you want to throw out. Then you have become the arbiter who stands in judgment over Scripture, instead of Scripture standing in judgment over you. And that is exactly what has happened in America since at least 1859. This year marks the 150th anniversary of a book called On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin. Although he was not the first to come up with the theory of evolution, his book popularized it. And for 150 years, our nation has used that theory to eliminate the need for God as creator. And don’t try to tell me that you can harmonize evolution with the Bible. Scofield’s gap theory was wrong. Theistic Evolution is wrong. The day-age theory is wrong. If you try to say that God presided over evolution, you not only have to throw out Genesis 1-3, you have to throw out the Gospel. Because where does the Gospel start. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Then what does Romans 6:23 say? “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Let me ask you something. Evolution says that lower forms of life evolved into higher forms of life. That process happened for billions and billions of years. Finally, after billions and billions of years, animals evolved into prehistoric people. Then those prehistoric people eventually evolved into human beings. So, I want you to think about what had been going on over those billions and billions of years. In order for a lower species to evolve into a higher species, it has to die. Do you see what that means? It means that if evolution is true then death had been going on for billions of years before people were around to commit the first sin. And if death happened before sin, then Romans 6:23 is a lie. And if Romans 6:23 is a lie, then the Gospel is a lie and Jesus died for nothing. But that’s not what happened. God created the heavens and the earth, verse 6 says, by His word—by the breath of His mouth. Verse 9 says that He spoke and it was done. It didn’t continue. When God rested on the seventh day, His creative act was complete. He was finished—or as verse 9 says, it stood fast. We as a nation have failed to recognize God in His works of creation. We have instead designed false gods of our imagination called time and chance. And Romans 1:18-31 speaks of the consequences of that.
ROMANS 1:18-31
Why are we having all of the problems with violence and immorality and perversion in our country today? Because God has given us over to a depraved mind. Why? Because we have failed to recognize Him as our Creator and Sustainer and Redeemer and King. We have not feared the Lord as verse 8 says. We have not stood in awe of Him. America’s problems will not be solved until we recognize God in His works. We must also submit to God in His sovereignty. The fourth plank in God’s political platform for America is that we must submit to God in His sovereignty. Look at verses 10-17:
PSALM 33:10-17
We must submit to God in His sovereignty. There is no doubt that our founding fathers put together the finest governing documents in the history of man. The way that they understood human nature and guarded against tyranny was brilliant. There is also no doubt that, even with the current economic crisis, American capitalism has produced the strongest economy the world has ever known. There is also no doubt that, with our superior training and technological expertise, we have by far the most powerful military the world has ever known. We have the most advanced education system and the finest higher education the world has ever known. We have the greatest supply of food and the scientific ability to manipulate its nutritional value and disease resistance. We have the greatest health care and medical system the world has ever known. But I want you to take a look at verses 16-17 again. Those things can’t save us. Those things can’t deliver us. Those are vain things to trust in for our safety. The word “vain” there literally means “a puff of smoke”. All of those things can be gone just like a puff of smoke in the wind. We’re seeing that already, aren’t we? What is all of our medical technology worth in the face of MRSA or H1N1? What is all of our military power worth in the face of some crazy people with an airplane or a dirty bomb? They are vanity. What sustains us as a nation? Not our constitution. Not our government. Not our national pride or will. The only thing that sustains us as a nation is the Lord. It is His counsel that stands forever. Remember that at one time Babylon was barely even a spot on the map. And at the same time, Judah was a small but technologically advanced military powerhouse. And Assyria was a vast empire that ruled the western world. But God used Babylon to conquer both Assyria and Judah. And Judah was His chosen people. They took pride in that. They took comfort in that. But God showed that the only thing we can take comfort in is when we submit to His sovereignty. He is in control. The minute that we begin to think otherwise is the minute that we begin to trust in vain things for safety. We must submit to God in His sovereignty. Finally, we must trust God in His plan. The fifth plank in God’s political platform for America is that we must trust God in His plan. Look at verses 18-22:
PSALM 33:18-22
We must trust God in His plan. Seeing the way our nation is going, it doesn’t paint a very comforting picture, does it? But despite everything that we see around us, God is still in control. He is still sovereign. He still has a plan and His plan will be accomplished. Verse 18 says that His eye is upon those who fear Him and hope in Him. If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, that promise is for you. He will deliver you from death. He will sustain you in even the darkest of times. He is your help and shield. He is your defender. Do we have concerns for our nation? Does our heart break to see how things are going? Do we want our nation to turn to God? It’s not going to happen from political reform. It’s not going to happen through elections. It’s not going to happen through protests. It can only happen through a mighty movement of God. Does your soul wait for that? Do you long for that to happen? Or do you just want to see the economy pick up a little bit and see the roads get better and see your taxes lowered? That’s not what I want. I want God to truly bless America. I want Him to truly bless America with His presence. I want Him to truly bless America with a revival like he brought to ancient Nineveh. But He will only do that His way—not our way. And the way that He demands is laid out in 2 Chronicles 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.” Notice who the Lord is talking to. He’s not talking to THOSE people. He’s not talking to the president. He’s not talking to the bankers. He’s not talking to the Congress. He’s not even talking to lost people. He’s talking to HIS people. That means that we’d better spend less time railing against taxes and bailouts and the homosexual agenda. And we’d better spend more time humbling ourselves before the Lord. We’d better spend more time praying and seeking His face. We’d better spend more time turning from the sin in our lives. Then and only then will the Lord hear us and forgive us and heal our land. Scripture says that judgment begins at the house of God.
So where are you in your relationship with God? Do you praise Him in His glory? Do you mimic Him in His character? Do you recognize Him in His works? Do you submit to His sovereignty? Do you trust Him in His plan for your life? Have you trusted Him as your Lord and Savior? Verse 13 says that “The Lord looketh from heaven, He beholdeth all the sons of men.” What does He see when He’s looking at you? Does He see your sin? Or does He see His Son? You can answer that question today. Today is the day He can wash your sin away so that all He sees when He looks at you is His Son. Will you let Him do that for you today?
