For All The Wrong Reasons

We’re going to take a detour this morning from the Sermon on the Mount; a much needed detour. It’s actually more of a returning to the main road than taking a detour.

You see beloved, it is I who has put us on the wrong road; me among many others.

I have been calling for revival to come in the lives of people if we want to save America. Calling for revival to come to America to save America is doing so for all the wrong reasons. Part of that blame is because I have wrongly ascribed 2 Chronicles 7:14 to America’s problem. Now do not get me wrong; I love that verse and it was a conditional promise God made to King Solomon and the nation Israel. Is that promise still in effect today? For Israel, yes; for America; I think the principle still applies.

But that is not what America needs. America is a land of WE the People. We rightly get the government we deserve and so we have the right government for the type of people we are today. In fact, it is exactly the right government.

We began revival services yesterday and Bro Brad Lowery is a mighty man of God and through him last night God revealed to me how I have led myself and so many others astray when it comes to America. Instead of looking to 2 Chronicles 7:14, God showed me Psalm 143:11:

    “Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.”

Think of all the reasons we have called upon God for revival; was it ever for His righteousness’ sake? Of course it wasn’t. It was to save America as if America must exist for God to reign on this earth. Bro Brad said something about this verse that so struck at the core of my being that I now see it all so clearly. He said, “God’s testimony is on the line!”

Did you get that? God’s testimony, the truth of His Word, is at stake. People do not come to church because of the hypocrites and they are you and me. When we do not do what God’s Word describes then we make out His Word to be a lie to those who do not know any better. We are the only example they have! They read the Bible and look at us and see a complete and total disconnect. So then the Bible must not be true.

It’s my fault and it’s your fault.

It’s not God’s fault. It’s not Obama’s fault. It’s not the Democrats’ fault. It’s not the Republicans’ fault.

It’s my fault and it’s your fault.

We have failed Jesus. And we have failed Him because we don’t love Him. Harsh? Read on…

    “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.’” (John 14:23-24)

I haven’t kept Jesus’ word, have you? Can you look the Savior in the face in light of this passage and say, “Yes Messiah, I have done that!”? Can you really? I can’t.

Do you know that lost people read the Bible and what they see in there is not what they see in us. They read:

    “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Have you done that? I haven’t! Oh yes Bro Dave! I absolutely love my church and my brothers and sisters in Christ! That’s not what I asked; I love my church and all its members. But go back and read it again. Jesus said, no He commanded us, to love one another; how? AS I HAVE LOVED YOU!

Have you loved one another with the sacrificial love of Jesus? I haven’t! Heck, I’m so busy saving America that I don’t allow myself enough time to buy some groceries for people in my church who I KNOW are out of work! Lord have mercy on my wicked and selfish soul!!!

Beloved, God’s testimony is on the line!

Well I come to its rescue? Will you come to its rescue.

In 1956 our nation legally adopted as its national motto, “One Nation Under God.” And as one nation we have been mocking God ever since. I’m not talking about the government or the citizenry in general. I understand that we are the most generous nation in the world, but when you look at our total wealth and the amount we actually give to those in need it is a mere pittance of what we receive.

No my beloved, the mockery has forever been coming from the pulpits and the pews across America. We who call ourselves Christians are expected, required, and commanded to be the people that the Bible describes. But are we?

    “If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.” (1 John 2:29)

Do you do what is right? I don’t, at least not all the time. Oh but Bro Dave, nobody is perfect. I know, but we are supposed to be. We are supposed to have no unconfessed sin in our lives; do you have any? I did until yesterday. Do you always do what the Holy Spirit instructs you to do? How about 75% of the time? 50%? 25%?

What are you facing right at this moment that is challenging your faith to its max? Are you trusting God to solve it? Do you ever share the truth of His gospel? Did you tell others about Jesus? Or have your circumstances sealed your lips from sharing the glorious truth? The Apostle Paul once said:

    “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17)

Are you living by faith? Do you look at this country’s predicament and say I’ll trust God or are you trusting only in your actions?

Beloved please understand that I am not saying that America doesn’t need revival. I believe it more this morning than I ever have. But America needs revival because God’s testimony is at stake.

I leave you with this morning’s verse and I pray that these eighteen powerful words become a constant prayer on your lips and the longing in your soul. I pray it becomes mine…

    “Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.” (Psalm 143:11)

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2011 David Jeffers

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