Sermon Central
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God Is Becoming A Stranger In America
Contributed by Dr. Ronnie Grizzle on Dec 29, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: God is fast becoming a Stranger in America. The church must step up and pray for Revival of the church and repentance for the nation.
DECEMBER 29, 2002
Parkersburg Baptist Church
THE LAND OF JUDAH IS IN A GREAT FAMINE. WE HAVE READ HERE A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE DURING THIS TERRIBLE TIME.
THE PROPHET JEREMIAH DESCRIBES THE CITY AND ITS INHABITANTS AS THOUGH THEY WERE IN MOURNING. THEY HAVE BEEN PUT TO SHAME AND HUMILIATED. THE COUNTRY IS LANGUISHING IN SORROW.
THINGS ARE SO BAD THAT EVEN THE ANIMALS ARE SUFFERING.
IN VERSES 7-8 WE ARE GIVEN THE REASON FOR THE SUFFERING. (READ)?THE SIN OF THE PEOPLE. THEIR SIN AS A COUNTRY IS SO GREAT THAT GOD HAS BECOME A STRANGER IN THE LAND. IT IS AS IF HE HAS TURNED HIS BACK ON THEM.
I AM HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT GOD IS FAST BECOMING A STRANGER IN THE LAND OF AMERICA. WE HAVE YET TO EXPERIENCE A FAMINE ON THE SCALE THAT JUDAH WAS GOING THROUGH, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IF THINGS DO NOT CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY IT IS COMING.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A SPIRITUAL FAMINE TODAY?AND I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE WELL ON THE WAY TO A PHYSICAL FAMINE IF THINGS DO NOT CHANGE AND CHANGE SOON.
IT IS A MATTER OF TIME FOR US?AS OUR COUNTRY HAS FALLEN TO LOATHSOME DEPTHS OF IMMORALITY. WE CANNOT CONTINUE DOWN THIS ROAD OF PERDITION AND NOT FACE A PHYSICAL FAMINE THAT WILL BE OFF THE CHARTS.
DESTRUCTION AND DEATH HAVE BECOME THE NORM FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIVES. VERY FEW IN THIS COUNTRY TODAY ARE SPIRITUAL IN NATURE. AND WHEN I SAY SPIRITUAL I MEAN THE THINGS OF GOD.
THERE ARE COUNTLESS NUMBERS IN AMERICA TODAY WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES SPIRITUAL. BUT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE OCCULT, THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT, OR SCIENTOLOGY JUST TO NAME A FEW.
MANY THINK THEY ARE SPIRITUAL JUST BECAUSE THEIR NAME IS ON THE CHURCH ROLE. YET THEY NEVER SEEM TO BE IN THE CHURCH PEW.
MANY SAY THEY ARE SPIRITUAL BUT THEY ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE SPIRITUALITY OF CHRIST.
I AM AWFUL AFRAID THAT GOD?S PATIENCE WITH AMERICA WILL SOON RUN OUT, AND WHEN IT RUNS OUT WITH AMERICA, IT WILL INCLUDE THE CHURCHES IN AMERICA TOO.
YOU SEE, WHEN GOD BECOMES A STRANGER IN THE LAND, FOUR THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN. FIRST, CHURCHES GROW COLD. SECOND, PREACHERS ARE SILENT, THIRDLY, HOMES ARE DIVIDED, AND FOURTHLY THE FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN.
LET?S TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS AND
SEE IF THEY ARE HAPPENING IN AMERICA TODAY?
FIRST, THE CHURCHES GROW COLD. LET ME GIVE YOU SOME RECENT FIGURES TO SEE IF THIS IS HAPPENING.
DO ANY OF THESE THINGS RING TRUE. THE CHURCH IN AMERICA IS GROWING COLD. AND IT IS ONLY GETTING WORSE DUE TO THE SCANDALS THAT PLAGUE THE CHURCHES OF TODAY.
SECONDLY, PREACHERS ARE SILENT. YOU SAY, NOW WAIT A MINUTE. THERE ARE PREACHERS ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT ARE RUNNING THEIR MOUTHS. THEY MAY BE RUNNING THEIR MOUTHS BUT THAT IS ALL THAT IS HAPPENING.
VERY FEW WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT PROCLAIMING GOD?S WORD, TELL IT LIKE IT IS. I MEAN IF THEY DID, MOST CONGREGATIONS IN AMERICA WOULD RUN THEM OFF. IF THEY DID SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS WOULD FILE LAWSUITS TO SILENCE THEM.
HOW MANY TV EVANGELISTS, ETC. PREACH HELL FIRE AND BRIMSTONE TODAY? VERY FEW.
ALL TO MANY ARE PREACHING A PROSPERITY GOSPEL, THAT ALL GOD?S CHILDREN SHOULD BE PROSPEROUS, AND NEVER IN NEED OF ANY KIND. THEY PREACH A FEEL GOOD GOSPEL OF WHAT THE PEOPLE IN THE PEW WANTS TO HEAR.
I DON?T KNOW OF ANY ONE WHO GOT SAVED AFTER LISTENING TO WHAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR. YOU GET SAVED, BY HEARING THE COMPLETE AND UNALTERED WORD OF GOD. YOU GET SAVED BY REALIZING THAT YOU ARE LOST AND ON YOUR WAY TO HELL.
YOU DON?T GET SAVED BY LISTENING TO SOMEONE TELL YOU THAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS PEACHY KING, AND EVERYTHING IS GOING TO FALL INTO PLACE, AND YOU WILL NEVER WANT FOR ANYTHING AGAIN.
THAT KIND OF GOSPEL MESSAGE IS CAFFEINE FREE. THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE DOES SPEAK OF GOD?S LOVE, BUT IT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME SPEAKS OF HIS CONDEMNATION AND JUDGEMENT FOR THOSE WHO DON?T KNOW JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR.
YOU CAN?T LEAVE THAT PART OUT. IF YOU DO, THEN YOU ARE GUILTY OF TAKING AWAY FROM GOD?S WORD.
LET ME TELL YOU THIS MORNING, A CAFFEINE FREE GOSPEL WON?T WAKE YOU UP, IT WON?T SHAKE YOU UP, AND IT DEFINITELY WON?T TAKE YOU UP EITHER.
THIRDLY, WHEN GOD IS A STRANGER IN THE LAND, ITS HOMES ARE DIVIDED. FIFTY PERCENT OF ALL MARRIAGES IN THE USA CHRISTIAN AND NON-CHRISTIAN END IN DIVORCE.
TOO MANY CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN SINGLE PARENT HOMES. IT IS ALL A RESULT OF SIN AND SATAN?S ATTACK ON GOD?S INSTITUTION OF THE FAMILY AND MARRIAGE SOME 6,000 YEARS AGO IN THE Garden of Eden.
