Prepare To Meet Thy God

Amos 4:11-12  I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.  (12)  Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

INTRODUCTION:           On this anniversary of our infamous 9/11 what I really wanted to do is take a deeper look at our nation’s situation with God.  A portion of our verse says we need to be preparing to meet our God.

              I really believe the time is coming near to the point whereby Jesus is about to return and take us home.

              What Have We Learned About Ourselves Since 9/11?  America is still as wicked as ever. America has still not recognized God as God.  America will do anything to honor the dead rather than the living Saviour.  America still needs churches that will...

              Preach the Gospel

              Preach Repentance and Faith

              Preach that we need to reach the lost.

              Preach the saving grace of Jesus

              Preach Holy Living.

              Preach growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord and       Saviour Jesus Christ

We have not learned anything new. 

As God tells us in Amos:

Amos 4:6  And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

              This last portion “…yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.…” is repeated three more time in Amos Chapter 4.  Regardless of what God does for us, or what we promise God, we turn our backs and walk away from Him.

Deuteronomy 1:17   Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

I.            “YE SHALL NOT RESPECT PERSONS”

              A.           Ye Shall Hear

                             1.           The “small”

                                           i.            Our newscasters

                                                          a.           Spewing out generalities

                                                          b.           One conspiracy theory after

                                                                        another.

                             2.           The “great”

                                           i.            We need to be listening to something                                       

                                           ii.           We need to listen to God

                                           iii.          See what He has to say.

              B.           “Be Not Afraid”

1.               Is your heart right with God?

i.            If so you are then ready for your day.

                                           ii.           These catastrophes do strike terror in

                                                          our hearts. 

                                           iii.          I know for me stand up hear to quote                                                      “…be not afraid...”

2.               I have never witnessed a storm of terror we are currently going through

i.                Human bombs

ii.               Lack of concern for human life

iii.             Lack of concern concerning morals

iv.             Our willingness to follow the world

3.               I would be fearful for sure

              i.            Except I know my LORD and Saviour Jesus stands within.

              C.           The Judgment Is God's

                             1.           If it is to hard for you

                             2.           God tells us “Bring it unto me”

                                           i.            I will hear it

                             3.           Our problem is our hearts,

                                           i.            Strive to get us back to God

                             4.           The terrorists will never get to God.

(Amos 4:12) Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

II.           GOD'S PUNISHMENT DOESN'T WORK 

              A.           “I have overthrown some…”                                       (v 11)

                             1.           He overthrew the Northern Tribes of Israel. 

                             2.           He overthrew Judah and Benjamin also

                                           i.            They worshipped idols and other gods.

                             3.           He brought down Egypt, Greece, Rome and many other nations

                                           i.            Why would we think the USA is exempt

B.           “...yet have ye not returned to me…”

                             1.           A small faithful remnant.

C.           He said These Will I Do:

1.           I have Sent You Pestilence                          (v 10)

  i.            Of the type sent to Egypt

                                                  a.           Storms, volcanoes, tsunami’s,

                                                   b.           Terrorist

                                     ii.           God has sent us a sign.

2.           I Have Slain With The Sword

                                           i.            As a Church and as a nation

                                                          a.           We need to be paying

                                                                        attention

D.           “...yet have ye not returned to me…”

              1.           I will do these things

                             a.           “…prepare to meet thy God…”

(Ezekiel 18:25) Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

III.         IS THE WAY OF THE LORD NOT EQUAL?         [fair]

              A.           God's Way Has Always Been Fair

1.           We all say we just want to be fairly treated. 

2.           What is the cost of your salvation? 

3.           Is eternal life fair for a little devotion?

B.              Our Ways Are What Is Not Equal

1.               You and I are not equal

              i.            With one another

              ii.           With God

                             2.           We expect all from God

                                           i.            Little from us. 

                             3.           The balance scale cannot be balanced.

              C.           Our God Is A Just God

                            1.           Justice

                             2.           Judgment

(Ezekiel 18:21)  But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

IV.         IF WE (the wicked) WILL

              A.           Turn From Our Sin

B.              Keep His Statutes

1.           Follow Him

              C.           We Shall Surely Live

1.           All our transgressions shall not be mentioned.

D.           Does God Have Pleasure In The Wicked Dying?

(Ezekiel 33:11)  Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Conclusion:         What I am trying to say with all this that has gone before us, in remembrance of 9/11 we as Christians must realize where we stand.  Do the right thing in the eyes of God.  We must keep from looking to the World, the devils domain, as did Lot.  (Luke 17:32) “Remember Lot’s wife.”

              We have several Pastor’s leaders of Church’s threatened to burn Koran’s in opposition to the 9/11 Mosque that is proposed near the site of the Twin Towers. 

              What a media uproar, yet how many know of our military burning several hundred Holy Bibles in two Afghan languages to keep some from converting Afghan Muslims, thereby causing unrest.

              I am not for burning anything; I am not in favor of this Cordoba House Mosque.  As an American Patriot I am also against the threats of retaliation by this Muslim leader if they are not allowed to build their Cordoba House Mosque.

              Is this what God is doing to get our tolerance under back to the proper separation as He has always taught. 

              We must understand He will finally have His fill of our sinfulness, and our turning our backs on Him.  One day that will happen.

2 Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

              We as Christian’s and our Nation must do what it will take to get our Nation back to His standards.  We must get a hold of our morality, get the wickedness, the sin as much out of our lives as possible.

              We don’t seem to care that we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ one time.     

              That time may be short or long.  It could be joyful or it could be gut wrenching.              What do you want it to be?  

The Providence of Our Divine Providence

2 Chronicles 7:11-22  Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.  (12)  And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.  (13)  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;  (14)  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.  (15)  Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.  (16)  For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.  (17)  And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;  (18)  Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.  (19)  But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;  (20)  Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.  (21)  And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?  (22)  And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.

INTRODUCTION:           [1]  “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.”  George Washington, Thanksgiving Proclamation, October 03, 1789.

              When we read this proclamation written almost 221 years ago, there are some parallel similarities in what George Washington said and what God told Solomon.

              President Washington not only believed that God’s providence sustained him, he also knew that the same providence created and sustained the start of this nation.  “Providence” can be defined as:

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Our God in Heaven is our “Providence.”   He does supply all our needs.  There is always an however, there needs also to be a following by “…obeying His will...”

Mark 3:35  For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Only by doing His will can I expect to receive reward.   And all we do the Lord must be done with “…acknowledgement …humbly…implore[ing] His protection…”

              We each, some maybe with rose colored glasses, can see the dire straits our nation [Government] is in.  At the same our Churches, and our Families are in a similar dire strait.

              All of these creations of God, (The Family, The Church and The Government,) have had a reduction in Honour, and a reduction in character.  All based on a lack of the need of the “Providence of Almighty God.”

              For this message on the day prior to “Labor Day” I have been led to preach on this “providence of the Almighty God” that our very first President spoke about.  We not only in the Family, The Church and our Government, we are relying more and more on the Me, Myself and I, of our pride.  We are failing in all of these entities, we are failing God, we are failing ourselves. 

              God appeared to Solomon in a dream, a dream after a prayer from his heart.  I would suppose that Solomon could also say “I had a dream.”

I.            SOLOMON’S DREAM                                                     (v 12)

              A.           God Heard Solomon’s Prayer

                             1.           A prayer lacking in pride

                                           i.            An humble prayer

                             2.           Because of the prayer

                                           i.            God chose the Temple

                                                          a.           As a house of Sacrifice

B.              God Also Had A Warning                            (v 13)     

1.               If you turn your back on God

              i.            He will shut up the heavens

                             a.           No rain

                             b.           Send locusts to devour

                             c.            Send pestilence (Cancer, The                                     Plague, awfulness)

II.           GOD’S SOLUTION                                                         (vv 14-16)

              A.           If My People Called By My Name

                             1.           Shall

i.                Humble themselves

ii.               Pray

iii.             Seek His face

iv.             Turn from their wicked ways

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  (2)  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2.               He will hear from Heaven

3.               He will then forgive

              i.            Our sin

              ii.           Our land

John 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

4.               He will make our home with Him

              i.            He will reside with us

                             a.           Eternally

III.         GOD’S PROMISE                                                           (vv 17-18)

              A.           Our Walk Must Be Before Him

                             1.           Walk as David walked

                                           i.            Not as a Murderer and adulterer

                                           ii.           As a devoted believer

2.               Following His commandments

James 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

i.                Be a doer

ii.               Not a forgetful hearer

iii.             Be blessed indeed

Deuteronomy 6:6-7  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  (7)  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

B.              Put God’s Word

1.               In your heart

                                           i.            Teach His Word

                                           ii.           Talk about His Word

                                                          a.           Regardless of where you are

                                                          b.           Sitting or walking

C.              God Will Then Establish His Throne

1.               All according to His Covenant

1 Kings 6:13  And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

2.               He will not forsake Israel

              i.            Neither will He fail

IV.         THE WARNING OF GOD                                              (vv 19-22)

A.              To Those Who Are Now Apostate

1.               You have forsaken His statutes

              i.            You have abandoned God altogether

                             a.           Black sliding PLUS

Matthew 7:26-27  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  (27)  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

ii.               Becoming like a fool

a.               Fool = unbeliever

B.              The Judgment Of God

1 Samuel 12:14-15  If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:  (15)  But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.

                             1.           He will be against those in His land

                                           i.            He will remove them

                             2.           He will destroy His Temple

                                           i.            It will become a proverb

                                                          a.           It will be ridiculed by people

                             3.           It will be an astonishment

              C.           Because They Forsook Their LORD God

                             1.           The One who took them out of slavery

                                           i.            He brought sure evil upon them

CONCLUSION:               First know, I love my country, I am a Patriot, but I love my God first and foremost. 

              Lightly re-reading American History, (going back to early history, written by those who experienced the history) it doesn’t take an astute theologian to see that the United States of America is following the same path both Israel and Judah followed.  Our Bible tells us Judah whored worse than Israel.

              Both nations created by God, both grew under His “Divine Providence.”  Both Nations have become or are almost entirely apostate.  Both have left God.  We have Him locked in the basement of a courthouse somewhere in Georgia.  I do know there are remnants of believers who do follow and rely upon “God’s Providence.”

              We as a Nation are standing at the threshold that both Israel and Judah stood, just prior to Nebuchadnezzar knocking on their door.

              When we view our Government, (The Executive, The Congress, and The Judicial) it has become, for the most part, apostate. They, in their voting and their decisions, have all turned their backs on God.

              I cannot tell you who and the way you should vote.  However, I can urge you to investigate those who are running, and learn what they are about.  Know if they are for abortions (any kind), are they for the relaxing of drug laws, (any kind) or if they are a proponent of any law which is contrary to God’s law, consider what you are about to do.  Are you relying on a corrupt media system to tell you?  They will not tell you, you must dig it out.

2 Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

              In order for us to change our Government back to God, prayer isn’t the total answer.  First we must humble ourselves.  We must put our pride away, then we must pray and also seek Him.

              One of our biggest problems is our wicked ways.  While we maintain our ways we expect change.  We must repent of these wicked ways, so that God will forgive our sin and the, and only then will God heal our land.

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[1] “George Washington’s Sacred Fire” Peter A. Lillback, Providence Forum Press, 2006,   Chapter 11, Page 207