America was no accident. I have said for years that America is God’s idea and you and I are a part of America and matter of fact we are America. We need to remember it was verses like this that God built this nation on Psalm 33:12 The Message 10-12 God takes the wind out of Babel pretense, He shoots down the world’s power-schemes. God’s plan for the world stands up.
All His designs are made to last. Blessed is the country with God for God; blessed are the people He’s put in his will. America is not built on pretense but on promises and truth. America reminds me of what is found in Psalms 147:20, The Amplified Bible “He has not dealt this way with any [other] nation; They have not known [understood, appreciated, heeded, or cherished] His ordinances. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)”
America was born with a purpose. Jeremiah the prophet spoke of purpose in Jeremiah 13:8-11 Does this sounds like what America, has been like to you? The Message translation reads like this: 8-11 God explained, “This is the way I am going to ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem—a wicked bunch of people who won’t obey me, who do only what they want to do, who chase after all kinds of no-gods and worship them. They’re going to turn out as rotten as these old shorts. Just as shorts clothe and protect, so I kept the whole family of Israel under my care”— God’s Decree—“so that everyone could see they were my people, a people I could show off to the world and be proud of. But they refused to do a thing I said.” The greatest apostasy is a forgotten destiny and purpose.
Think of it, churches on every corner, schools in every town, bread enough to spare until we were so blessed that we became overfed and undernourished. Are we not like the foolish farmer who said, “ I will tear down my barns and build bigger barns. I have seen people purchase 10 or more million-dollar homes only to tear them down in order to build bigger and more modern homes. The farmer in this story, said to his soul, Soul you have many goods put back for many years: Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
God had a different idea and said to him, “Thou Fool this night your soul shall be required of thee.” This statement my friends, is not a swan song. Thank God we have as a nation blessed Israel in this last year, “ I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse them that curse you. Genesis 12:2 Just close your eyes and think with me after you read this.
Here, spires reach upward toward the heaven’s, directing men’s hearts toward God. Here, the Lord’s name and the Lord’s Day are still sacred and hallowed. Here, the Bible is still read and obeyed. Here, we have the freedom to worship. Here, we still send missionaries all over the world to proclaim the Good News.
With all this in mine this verse mind comes to mind: “They feared the Lord, and served their own gods.” 2 Kings 17:33. This is not what I think we would want the Lord to say about us. There are other verses that wake me up to the great needs of our great nation. One of these passages is found in 1 Timothy 5:6 “She that lives in pleasure is dead while she lives”. Having said this, I am American. I love the diversity of our nation, the freedom choice, I love the privilege we have to be and do what God has called us to do and be. I am an American by birth and a Christian by choice. I am a world Christian who has followed his God-given passion for 61 years and thankful that I can say with David: I’m Saved. PSALMS 116, I am passionately in love with God because he listens to me. He hears my prayers and answers them. 2, As long as I live I’ll keep praying to him, for he stoops down to listen to my heart’s cry. 3, Death once stared me in the face, and I was close to slipping into its dark shadows. I was terrified and overcome with sorrow. 4, I cried out to the Lord, “God, come and save me!” 5, He was so kind, so gracious to me. Because of his passion for me, he made everything right and he restored me. 6, So I’ve learned from my experience that God protects the childlike and humble ones. For I was broken and brought low, but he answered me and came to my rescue! 7, Now I can say to myself and to all, “Relax and rest, be confident and serene, for the Lord rewards fully those who simply trust in him.” 8, God has rescued my soul from death’s fear and dried my eyes of many tears. He’s kept my feet firmly on his path 9, and strengthened me so that I may please him [a] and live my life before him in his life-giving light. 10–11, Even when it seems I’m surrounded by many liars and my own fears, and though I’m hurting in my suffering and trauma, I still stay faithful to God and speak words of faith. 12, So now, what can I ever give back to God to repay him for the blessings he’s poured out on me? 13, I will lift up his cup of salvation and praise him extravagantly for all that he’s done for me. 14, I will fulfill the promise I made to God in the presence of his gathered people. 15, When one of God’s holy lovers dies, it is costly to the Lord, touching his heart. 16, Lord, because I am your loving servant, you have broken open my life and freed me from my chains. 17 Now I’ll worship you passionately and bring to you my sacrifice of praise, drenched with thanksgiving! 18, I’ll keep my promise to you, God, in the presence of your gathered people, just like I said I would. 19, I will worship you here in your living presence, in the temple in Jerusalem. I will worship and sing hallelujah, for I praise you, Lord! I am sure that God has not abdicated His throne.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE FOR GOD AND THE WAY THAT YOU LIKE THE WIDOW, WHO GAVE MORE THAN EVEN THE RICH BECAUSE SHE GAVE OUT OF HER NEED AS SHE GAVE ALL.
WE ARE WITH YOU IN PRAYER,
YOUR LOVING PASTORS CLEDDIE AND GAYNELL