The Silence Must Be Broken...
This weekend...we honor our birth and founding as a nation,
when we declared that we were going to exert our independence
from anarchy and rule...and take a different path to freedom!
A path that not only altered the lives of those who founded this great country...
But also affected the entire human existence in the course of...to
Seek, chart and follow that path to freedom!
Though you wont hear it on the news, or read it in the news paper, or in our childrens classrooms any more,
It doesnt change the fact this nation was founded on the freedom of religion and the pursuit thereof a relationship with our creator...
people from all over the world, came to this country to worship the almighty God, the way they wanted to...
to pursue a relationship with Him, through His Beloved Son Jesus..
and because of it, God truly has blessed America
There is not a better example of how much power our words have that we speak, then the words God Bless America,
No other Country says God Bless, followed by the name of their country..
And by that proclamation, God truly has Blessed America, to be what it is today!
We still live in the land of the free, the home of the brave, and why?
All because of our relationship with the Great Creator, God Himself!!
Were not in the minority, though sometimes the media and the world makes you feel that way,
This is still a Christian Nation, founded on the principle our pledge says; One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!
We the Christians in America, no matter what you may hear, are still in the majority,
And if we were to stand up and be counted...I'm confident this morning
the numbers would be Staggering by anyone's standards..
some or should I say most of the media would have you believe a different story…
because today's modern Christian is browbeat and belittled with everything under the sun....on a daily basis!
It's almost to the point as to identifying yourself as a Christian...
Is the politically incorrect thing to do...
and I don't need to tell you...
that's anything but freedom!
This nation was built on Christian principles and became the greatest
nation on earth
and that is something to be proud of and not ashamed of...
Amen??
No matter how things may look to the naked eye...The attitude of I won't say anything because it doesn't pertain to me...
That attitude Is, has and always will be the spiritually incorrect thing to do...we need to forget about worrying about being political and start worrying about what the Kingdom of God thinks
If we keep going with nothing but silence… One day it will lead
to the end result no one wants
History often has a way of repeating itself...oh we like to think
that with all our modern technology that it would never happen again...
But the accuser is very cunning, very slick, very clever and he continually
keeps chipping away at morality on a nonstop basis
The Bible tells one such story in the Old Testament… The story of a man
who thought he was in the minority, but came to find out differently
The story of a man with great faith… Who called upon the Lord
In his time of need and God rewarded his Faith with
one of the greatest miracles found in the bible.
1kings 18:1-2 MSG
18 1-2 A long time passed. Then God’s word came to Elijah. The drought was now in its third year. The message: “Go and present yourself to Ahab; I’m about to make it rain on the country.” Elijah set out to present himself to Ahab. The drought in Samaria at the time was most severe.
Illus.
Billy Graham used to tell a story of a professing Christian who got a job in a lumber camp that had the reputation of being very ungodly. When a friend heard that he had been hired, he said to him, “If those lumberjacks ever find out you’re a Christian, your going to be in for a very hard time!” The man responded, “I know it, but I really need the job.” After he had been working at the camp for a year, he met the friend who had predicted the ridicule and persecution he would receive from the other lumberjacks. “Well, how did it go?” he asked the friend. “Did they give you a hard time?” “Oh no, not at all,” the man replied. “They didn’t give me a bit of trouble---they never found out that I was a Christian!”
That's what's wrong with America, or should I say the church nowadays!
No one wants to evangelize…
No one wants to share their faith
No one wants to share the answer the whole world is looking for!
No one wants to proclaim the life-changing message of grace!
1 Kings 18:17-24 MSG
17-19 The moment Ahab saw Elijah he said, “So it’s you, old troublemaker!”
“It’s not I who has caused trouble in Israel,” said Elijah, “but government
“It’s not I who has caused trouble in Israel,” said Elijah, “but you and your government- you’ve dumped God’s ways and commands and run off after the local gods, the Baals. Here’s what I want you to do: Assemble everyone in Israel at Mount Carmel. And make sure that the special pets of Jezebel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of the local gods, the Baals, and the four hundred prophets of the whore goddess Asherah, are there.”
20 So Ahab summoned everyone in Israel, particularly the prophets, to Mount Carmel.
(Now keep in mind... Everyone in Israel received a summons… And no doubt there were God fearing people that did what the King commanded!)
21 Elijah challenged the people: “How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it’s Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!”
Nobody said a word; nobody made a move.
(Sometimes it seems as though..that's where we're at in America right now...
We need some wave makers...we need some people like Elijah...
to stand up and be counted for the cause of Christ)
22-24 Then Elijah said, “I’m the only prophet of God left in Israel; and there are 450 prophets of Baal. Let the Baal prophets bring up two oxen; let them pick one, butcher it, and lay it out on an altar on firewood—but don’t ignite it. I’ll take the other ox, cut it up, and lay it on the wood. But neither will I light the fire. Then you pray to your gods and I’ll pray to God. The god who answers with fire will prove to be, in fact, God.”
All the people agreed: “A good plan—do it!”
You see a lot of people hear a good word… And they know the word should be carried out… But they sit on their hands and never get involved in carrying out the word..
That's a real good plan..however YOU do it!
They say as long as it doesn't affect me what does it matter..
They say as long as it doesn't change my world what does it matter..
They say as long as it doesn't take away my rights what does it matter..
Guess what church It matters!
Every day it matters even more than it did the day before!!!
In case you your too busy to notice..
What they are saying..is affecting you and your spiritual God given rights!
If you ever want to see the rain again..IT MATTERS!
If you ever want to see America be great again… It matters!!
Every voice..every prayer matters!
Illus. Mark Perryman
Northridge Church
A woman in West Palm Beach, Florida, died alone at the age of 71.
The coroner’s report was tragic. “Cause of death: Malnutrition.”
The dear old lady wasted away to 50 pounds. Investigators who found her said the place where she lived was a veritable pigpen, the biggest mess you could imagine. One seasoned inspector declared he’d never seen a residence in greater disarray.
The woman had begged food at her neighbors’ back doors and gotten what clothes she had from the Salvation Army. From all outward appearances she was a penniless recluse, a pitiful and forgotten widow.
But such was not the case.
Amid the jumble of her unclean, disheveled belongings, two keys were found which led the officials to safe-deposit boxes at two different local banks. What they found was absolutely unbelievable.
The first contained over 700 AT&T stock certificates, plus hundreds of other valuable certificates, bonds, and solid financial securities, not to mention a stack of cash amounting to nearly $200,000. The second box had no certificates, only more currency—lots of it—$600,000 to be exact. Adding the net worth of both boxes, they found that the woman had in her possession well over a million dollars.
While $1 million seems like a exorbitant amount of money to have and still
be living in poverty....it's nothing compared to the value of the relationship
we have with the Great God Almighty Himself!!
And the further away America slips from that relationship...
The more spiritually bankrupt we become as a nation...
In Ephesians 6:13, Paul says, “to Stand your ground, and after you have done everything you can, stand!”
We don't see a lot of standing nowadays..
what we see is a lot of falling and a lot of failing in the world..Amen?
That's what had happened in Elijah's time..to the point
That he thought he was the only one left to stand..
So what did he do? He stood!
And that's what we need to do as well...it's time
to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough..
I serve a risen Saviour; He's in the world today.
I know that He is living, whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him He's always near.
He lives… He lives… Christ Jesus lives today Amen?
1Kings 18:25-29 MSG
25 Elijah told the Baal prophets, “Choose your ox and prepare it. You go first, you’re the majority. Then pray to your god, but don’t light the fire.”
26 So they took the ox he had given them, prepared it for the altar, then prayed to Baal. They prayed all morning long, “O Baal, answer us!” But nothing happened—not so much as a whisper of breeze. Desperate, they jumped and stomped on the altar they had made.
27-28 By noon, Elijah had started making fun of them, taunting, “Call a little louder—he is a god, after all. Maybe he’s off meditating somewhere or other, or maybe he’s gotten involved in a project, or maybe he’s on vacation. You don’t suppose he’s overslept, do you, and needs to be waked up?” They prayed louder and louder, cutting themselves with swords and knives—a ritual common to them—until they were covered with blood.
29 This went on until well past noon. They used every religious trick and strategy they knew to make something happen on the altar, but nothing happened—not so much as a whisper, not a flicker of response.
That's the way the accuser and the world is..
Oh they can talk a big game…
And they can make promises…
And they will tell you this and that would happen if you only…
But when it comes time to deliver....there is no delivery
And that's the way it was in Elijah's day…
The prophets of bahl, they tried everything under the sun to get
Their Gods to make it happen for them..
But it was to No Avail...
1 Kings 18:30-35 MSG
30-35 Then Elijah told the people, “Enough of that—it’s my turn. Gather around.” And they gathered. He then put the altar back together for by now it was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob, the same Jacob to whom God had said, “From now on your name is Israel.” He built the stones into the altar in honor of God. Then Elijah dug a fairly wide trench around the altar. He laid firewood on the altar, cut up the ox, put it on the wood, and said, “Fill four buckets with water and drench both the ox and the firewood.” Then he said, “Do it again,” and they did it. Then he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. The altar was drenched and the trench was filled with water.
I believe the Elijah did this because..
he knew God was a God of more than enough
not just a God of barely get by...but a God of more than enough
And that nothing is impossible when you put your faith and trust in God!
How else could America as a nation...done so much in so little time..compared to any already existing established nation??
1 Kings 18:36-41 MSG
36-37 When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed,
When it came time to trust God, he prayed..
It's baffling to think that Some people think..that prayer is the least that you could do it any situation...
Well I guess Ive done everything else that I know to do without success...
I might as well pray...nothing else worked...
I guess I have nothing to lose
Listen up Child of God...praying to the God of all possibilities..is the most that you can do in every situation when it comes time to asking Him...to do what seems to be impossible! Amen?
TBS to pray without ceasing!!
That's what America ought to be doing on independence weekend
and every weekend for that matter...
Praying and thanking God for our spiritual independence…
For the luxury of having freedom of religion in this great country!
2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJ
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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Genesis 12:2-3 MSG
2-3 I’ll make you a great nation
and bless you.
I’ll make you famous;
you’ll be a blessing.
I’ll bless those who bless you;
those who curse you I’ll curse.
All the families of the Earth
will be blessed through you.”
If our Nation...is ever to be great again...
this is what we need to do…
We need to pray!!
And put Him first place again..
He is the only one who can turn the situation around for us!
1 Kings 18:36-41 MSG
36-37 When it was time for the sacrifice to be offered, Elijah the prophet came up and prayed,
“O God, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make it known right now that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I’m doing what I’m doing under your orders. Answer me, God; O answer me and reveal to this people that you are God, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance.”
38 Immediately the fire of God fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.
39 All the people saw it happen and fell on their faces in awed worship, exclaiming, “God is the true God! God is the true God!”
40 Elijah told them, “Grab the Baal prophets! Don’t let one get away!”
They grabbed them. Elijah had them taken down to the Brook Kishon and they massacred the lot.
41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Up on your feet! Eat and drink—celebrate! Rain is on the way; I hear it coming.”
What he was doing right there was making a proclamation… And when he did
God delivered on what he told the prophet… He had made it rain...it was amazing
It was nothing short of spectacular..
And the best part of it is...God will do the same for your situation...
God is always a God of more than enough… Over-the-top…
Everything and more that you need...and able to deliver what he says
each and every time! Amen?
God strengthened Elijah mightily..
How many believe that God can give you what you need just when you need it as well?
If you can believe...HE Will..
TBS. 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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Illus...
Once a man asked an evangelist “how can we have revival?” The evangelist answered by asking “Do you have a place where you can pray?” Yes the man replied. Tell you what to do, go to that place and take a piece of chalk along. Kneel down there, and with the chalk draw a complete circle around you and pray for God to send revival on everything inside that circle. Stay there until He answers, and you will have your revival....author Richard White
So many people pray for Revival...and this Country and the world needs Revival
But before it will happen in our country and our world...it will first have to happen with us!
And one by one others will experience the outpouring...Once they see it in others..Amen??
Let's pray and thank God for our heritage...
But more importantly thank Him for our future!
