Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols.

Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror, declares the LORD.

My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water,

and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Jeremiah 2:11-13, NIV (1978)

 

Towards Israel's end, the period of time when they had simply gone too far to be redeemed without punishment, God began to send them prophets to warn them of what was to come. While it was true that they could postpone this punishment should they turn away from their evil conduct, admitting that they had been wrong and turning back to the LORD in full obedience, the likelihood of their doing so was somewhere between slim and none.

 

At the time of Jeremiah's warning, God has already been issuing His warning about their impending judgment for over 100 years. It is true that Israel (specifically, Judah) would have an occasional period of repentance, the turning back to God was almost always only part of what He commanded. This type of a lukewarm repentance resulted in a kind of "one step forward and two steps back" situation in which Judah would continue their march towards wickedness, even though it was true that they would slow their descent from time to time.

 

Eventually there came the point where no amount of repentance would do. The nation had taken part to such a large extent in their sins of sexual immorality and the shedding of innocent blood in the worshipping of their idols that God let them know that their punishment as a nation was sealed. But of course, it was not only the Israelites who were sinning - the surrounding nations were immersed in idol worship of their own, so God began to have the prophets warn of a purge that would essentially be worldwide. He would leave a remnant, heavily weighted with those who had repented, but the punishment would be massive.

 

One nation would wipe out another, and then God would rise up still another to punish those who had previously been the victors. It would be a terrible time on earth, but it was deemed necessary in God's eyes. Just as He had eventually brought destruction upon the world during the time of Noah, and just as He had wiped out the entire region of Sodom and Gomorrah, the punishment of the nations was about to begin for the people of this era. 

 

The wickedness reached its peak, at least for Judah, during the time of King Manasseh. Their adulterous worship of multiple, detestable idols had reduced the nation to a people saturated by their own filth. They were fornicators, adulterers, and even had the "qadash" (a group of men whose sin focused on sexual sin with other men. They engaged in infanticide, killing countless children by burning them alive in a perverse worship of their false gods).  

 

Then came along a king named Josiah, the grandson of Manasseh. He was horrified at what had happened and led the people of Judah in a repentance that has rarely been seen among any people. And though they did turn back to the LORD in ways that were remarkable, the time of their doom was still sealed. King Josiah did a wonderful thing for the people: he helped prepare a remnant that would be worthy of saving. They and their descendants would still have to live in captivity for seventy years after God's punishment on Judah began, but they would be spared. It would be their children and grandchildren whom God would eventually bring back to Jerusalem to start again, but the interim would be terrible. Close to 90% of their fellow Israelites would be wiped out in God's promised punishment.

 

Well, if you are still with me, you are likely wondering what all of this has to do with us today. I believe it is this: America is experiencing a type of reformation. We have elected a new set of leaders who are making great strides in trying to get our nation back on a proper path. It is a wonderful thing and long overdue in my opinion, but I don't think it will be enough. The reason is two-fold, at least in my observation. The first is that we have shed a terrible amount of innocent blood through the wicked practice of abortion. When Judah was wiped out and even the temple was razed to the ground, the prophets explained why: It was for the sins that Manasseh had caused the people to commit, including the shedding of innocent blood which the LORD was unwilling to forgive (II Kings 24:3-4).

 

The second reason that I believe we are destined for a punishment is this: We have only partially repented! Much of our change has been precipitated by a change of leadership, and has largely been centered around vengeance, and not repentance. Many of us are quite pleased with the reversal of policies that encouraged everything from illegal immigration and the covering up of real crimes, to a stepping back from certain types of sexual immorality. But the change, though nothing short of amazing, I fear will not be nearly enough.

 

Here is why: While God has always reserved the final punishment for individuals for the final Judgment, He has always dealt with nations here on earth. I believe it would be good for everyone to become familiar with the Old Testament, and especially the warnings of the prophets, in order that they might have a clear view of what awaits us if we do not fully repent in our time. You don't have to be a prophet (and that is good, for I certainly am not) to see that we are doing the same things that eventually brought countless nations to brutal ends throughout history. The particulars may vary, but the pattern is the same. People enjoy God's blessings when they live according to His commands, and they suffer penalties when they do not. Again, while the individual's punishment often waits until Judgment, nations are always taken care of here on earth.

 

And, it appears to me, that America's punishment is long overdue. 

 

So, what can we do? First and foremost, we can repent of our own shortcomings - this is always a wise thing to do. Second, we can prepare ourselves and those we love for a much different world. We need to have our primary focus upon Christ and His church, so this is our starting point - we must return! Third, we must be praying for our leaders, warning those who are going in a wrong direction that we will no longer tolerate their evil conduct, but also encouraging those who are going in the right direction. The bottom line is that we need to be active participants in turning away from our past sins and turning towards God and His ways.

 

What we are doing right now is a long overdue attempt at a good start, but we are far from finished. Don't stop now in your own turning back to God, and don't stop now in your insistence to our leaders that they do the same. What we are doing is not enough. Sexual sins and the killing of the unborn is still rampant in our nation (and sometimes even in the Lord's church). We accept illegal drug use as a matter of course. We accept pornography and vulgar language as a matter of fact. Many of our churches have embraced the sinner (something we all must do) but at the same time they have done so by accepting the idea that the sinner can continue to sin (something that God absolutely forbids). We need to clean up our own lives, we need to clean up the church, and then we can go on to the important task of restoring a lost nation before it is too late. 

 

Monumental tasks, all, but doable if we will turn our lives back over to God and pray for His help. Who knows, perhaps it is not too late for Him to relent in bringing a punishment upon the nations in our times. But whether He should choose to or not, our duty is the same: We must serve God and trust Him to take care of the rest. Whatever God decides, we must be determined to be part of the remnant of those who are determined to follow God with all of their heart!

The heart of man plans his way,

but the LORD establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9, ESV

 

My wife pointed this one out to me years ago.

 

It involved King David, and especially the way he proceeded near the end of his life. Once God had firmly established his kingdom, David did something that was remarkable. Instead of living out the rest of his life, enjoying the wealth and security that God had already blessed him with, David got to work planning for the future. His biggest plans involved the construction of the temple - the house of God that his son Solomon would be building. David made the plans, made a careful calculation of the materials that would be needed, and then he acquired all those materials in order that they would be ready for the moment God had Solomon begin the work.

 

In addition to that, King David made arrangements for the servants of the kingdom. In everything from the worship to the specific duties of the men and women who were needed to accomplish these things, David had detailed assignments for who would do what, how they would then conduct their duties, and made further arrangements to acquire everything they would need. Of course, David did not adjust the things that were already commanded such where the priests would come from and how they would do their tasks, but God allowed David to plan for everything that He did not already specify.

 

Furthermore, David prepared the hearts of his people to the service. Rather than just give them tasks that they were to mindlessly do, David told them why. God certainly inspired David in this preparation of the people's hearts, but David was quite thoughtfully involved in the entire process. David encouraged Solomon from a very early age to value and pursue wisdom, and this encouragement prepared Solomon when it came his turn. Finally, when his end was near, David gave final instructions for "tying up the loose ends" that were still needing to be taken care of.

 

In short, David made the plans for every important area that he was allowed to, and then God determined his steps. Some of the things that David and Israel went through would not have been the way that he would have preferred, but David faithfully abided by God's will, understanding that God's decisions were perfect. This complete trust in God did several things, but chief among them was that it allowed David to be guided in the precisely right way, and it then allowed him to go full speed ahead with his plans, knowing that God would make all adjustments necessary.

 

How about us? Do we have the foresight to be making needed plans for the future? Are we preparing ourselves to best serve God in everything from studying His word to making sure that our physical houses are in order? Are we seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness, or are we using the bulk of our thoughts and efforts for making ourselves comfortable in the future? Worse. are we making no plans at all, but instead are we just going through the necessary motions each day, putting out the hottest fires, and then mindlessly idling away the rest of our time?

 

We need a plan!

 

And this plan does not have to be limited to the spiritual side of our life (It can still include exciting and worthy projects) but our service to God must ever be before us as the priority of our existence. We can still make big plans for our careers and personal lives, and we can even include retirement plans and estate plans in the mix of the things that we want to accomplish, but our service to God and Christ must come first. 

 

In order to do all these things, we need a plan. We are told in Proverbs 16:3 that if we will commit to the Lord whatever we do that these plans will succeed - so be sure to do this very thing. This life, as Helen Keller wisely noted, is an exciting adventure or it will be nothing at all. God does want us to enjoy our lives - just look at the beauty of this world and you will see that fact. But He also expects us to live for Him, and this type of wholehearted service will require a plan. So, make one! As you do make these plans, make sure that you are doing so according to His revealed will already contained within Scripture, and be sure to pray for His guidance, as well as for His interventions when your plans are not what He wants.

 

If we will do all these things, we will have a meaningful life indeed. And someday, there will be Heaven! But this great reward for the faithful must be planned for, just like everything else we have accomplished in our life that has been worthwhile. Are you making plans? Are you including God in those plans? If so, get ready for an exciting and meaningful life that will remain exciting and meaningful until you draw that last physical breath. Heaven awaits! So, too, does an exciting existence until then. Both will become achievable with God's help and our careful planning.

Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

Psalms 119:11, NKJV

 

I love the 119th Psalm! There is not a set of passages like it in the entire Bible. It is not only the longest chapter in the Bible, but it brings an intense spotlight on the importance of getting our knowledge directly from the original source - God! It is written in such a way as to leave the reader no doubt that we are both privileged to have this word, and we are absolutely responsible for understanding it and then applying it to our lives. Those who do not like great responsibility will shy away from its message, but those who love God will not be able to get enough.

 

And there are glimpses of truth contained within its verses that are nothing short of magnificent! Just think of the verse above: I have hidden your word in my heart so that I might not sin. How brilliant is that thought! God's instruction was so vital to this inspired writer that He placed it deep down into his heart, in the same manner that one might bury a great treasure. Treasure must be kept safe, but it also must be readily accessible if it is going to do its owner any good. So, the writer suggests that we hide it in our heart!

 

When Jesus wanted His disciples to understand that He would eventually be delivered into the hands of men when His time came to be crucified, He said, "Let these words sink down into your ears". The idea was that this message was so important that they needed to really think about it so that they would understand it and be prepared for what was coming. Of course, they didn't, but the principle remains to this day for all who would follow Christ: We need to take to heart His words so that we can understand them. Even if we don't at the time (like the apostles), they are hidden in our hearts so that they will be remembered when the time comes, and they are needed the most.

 

It is the same theme that Solomon revealed when he said to raise up a child in the way he should go so that when they are older, they will not depart from them. When God inspired Solomon to pen these words, He clearly knew that people would tend to ignore His way from time to time. However, if they had that word planted deep within their hearts when they were young, the concepts and the understanding would always be there. That is why so many people's consciences are "pricked" when they do something wrong. It is because the truth of God's word has really never left them, even when they have left God.

 

And, of course, the greatest blessing that comes about from hiding God's word in your heart is for those who remember it is there and have it available for immediate use when they need it. They have memorized these great truths from God because they can see that they will be useful. These are the people who have not forsaken these truths because they love them and the One Who gave them in the first place. They realize that God's word is a protection from evil people and bad decisions, and they bury it deep in their hearts where it will always be present.

 

God's word is a great treasure, and the writer of this 119th Psalm clearly understood it. And one of the greatest truths is just that - if we will treasure God's word so much that we will place it deep within our hearts, then we will be able to benefit from its great wealth of wisdom every day of our lives. Isn't God good!

I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13, NKJV

 

Sometimes, all we need is a little faith in ourselves, and complete faith in God!

 

Did you know that you can do anything that God wants you to? So many people lead a subpar life because they either do not know this truth, or because they do not believe it. But just think about it for a moment: Do you really believe that anything could prevent you from accomplishing what God wants you to accomplish? To have this type of attitude is both a danger and a pity. A danger because it risks our very soul when we fail to give our best efforts in God's service. It is a pity, because by doubting ourselves and God, we doom ourselves to a quality of life that is far less than God desires for us.

 

So, if we are failing to accomplish great things in God's service, we need an attitude adjustment. This article is about that adjustment.

 

First, I am convinced that we need to stop looking at the Bible as a set of advice that may or may not work. When God tells us that we can do all things through Christ, we need to understand that we really can do all things. It is the "through Christ" part of the verse that will help us. It is obvious that God is not going to help us do anything that will be destructive to the souls of others or ourselves. Since this is the case, we need to focus our efforts on things that are appropriate. That means no sin!

 

I'm not saying that we will not sin, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but we do need to do our absolute best to avoid it. That means if our goal is to be with a lot of beautiful women or handsome men, then we rethink what God wants us to be doing. It means if we want to be fabulously wealthy so that we can indulge our every whim, that we should not be seeking God's help in this area. It also means that we cannot be seeking His help in gaining revenge so that we can get back at those who have wronged us. Vengeance is God's exclusive realm, and He will not help us to accomplish anything that encroaches upon that realm.  

 

But, having eliminated all of the sinful and destructive things from our list of desired accomplishments, we can then concentrate on things that God wants us to do. He wants us to lead a good life - we can do that with His help. He wants us to seek and save the lost, again, this is something entirely within our reach. It doesn't mean that He will force anyone to become a Christian just because both He and we want them to do so (free-will is still involved) but it does mean that He will assist us in having the best opportunity to win souls for Christ. 

 

We also need to know that He will give us every opportunity to have what we need for our physical well-being. We won't starve because God wants His servants to have enough strength to serve Him. He will also give us all of the tools that we need to take reasonable care of ourselves in order that we might be in the best physical condition possible to engage in His service. The One who clothes the flowers of the field and feeds the birds of the air will also give you ample opportunity to acquire these things for your own life, so we needn't worry about these physical necessities. Note that I am not saying that we won't have to work for them, or have the proper concern needed to motivate ourselves to do our part, I am just pointing out that He will do His.

 

And now we come to the part that everyone wants to know about: God really will help us to accomplish our dreams, if they are good for His service and for our lives. So. if He knows that your being a professional ball player is the very best thing for His Kingdom, then He really will help you accomplish it! It will take massively hard work on your part, but if that is what He desires for your life's service, you are guaranteed that He will do His part. It also means that if He wants you to marry that wonderful woman (if you are a man) or that wonderful guy (if you are a woman) then He will make sure that it happens. The thing we have to remember is that God does not always desire the things that we do, so that career in the NBA or that marriage you have been planning for your equivalent of Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt may not be in your future. God will not assist you in getting anything that will be a detriment to your life or your service to Him, so just let those little disappointments fuel you to seeking to find what His will is for you, rather than trying to force Him to help you get what is not.

 

Finally, understand that while living God's will does have some temporary disappointments, it comes complete with eternal joy. The One Who pulled David from the obscurity of tending sheep to the ruling of a nation as one history's most powerful kings can help you accomplish anything He wants for you. You really do have an exciting life waiting for you - one that is filled with opportunity, high achievement, and incredible joy, if you will be willing to give it everything you have, and if you will be willing to accept His will for you in this wonderful life He has blessed us with.

 

All you need is a little faith in yourself, and complete faith in God and Christ.   

 

For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there" and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.

Matthew 17:20, ESV