America! Wake up or.. We May Suffer The Consequences!
Consequences...
We don't like to deal with consequences... we much would rather laugh... watch a ball game, take a trip... do something BESIDES talk about consequences... Yet, consequences are real.
I feel like we are ignoring that in America today. Sometimes it seems like we are taking everything good.. everything that is right... everything that is moral... and disregarding it totally. We can do that. God gave us a free will. But, there are consequences. I personally believe we are dealing with some of those consequences now.
In I Chronicles 9:1 the Bible says "And Judah was carried away into exile to Babylon for their unfaithfulness." For years and years and years Prophet after Prophet had warned Judah... if you don't repent.. change your ways.. get rid of the pagan idols and return to the God who gave you this land, you are going to be punished. But, Judah continued to ignore the prophets.
And, just like the prophets said, God judged Israel by carrying them away into exile. They spent 70 years in Babylonian exile.
If we don't change some things, I fear that America is headed down the same path... This weekend we will celebrate Independence Day... some refer to it as "the 4th." Lakes will be filled with people. Swimming pools will be full. Lots and lots and lots of alcohol (unfortunately) will be sold. People will grill hamburgers, etc... Some will go to fireworks displays. All of this is good.
BUT, in the midst of all our celebrating we had better wake up and smell the coffee or we are going to face consequences too. I believe in grace, grace and more grace. Last time I checked, Jesus was about grace. But, sin is sin... you can't call anything it isn't and certain things bring consequences. We can't avoid it.
America badly, badly needs to return to God. On weekends, ball fields are full, golf courses are crowded and ball stadiums are filled while churches are empty. That's sad... The God who made us is totally ignored by people who have been blessed and blessed and blessed.
But it's not just church attendance. This past week, the New York legislature adopted legislation approving same sex marriage. God loves all people but, scripturally, same-sex marriage is wrong. But, there in lies another problem; many today don't believe in absolute truth which means that the Bible is truth regardless of the circumstances. I believe in absolute truth.
I have for years had a slogan that I try to live by; it is "meet people where they are." I try to do that. At times, I have overlooked life-style issues and habits because I'm not perfect myself.
But, there are times when, if you love someone and they are doing something that is going to hurt them down the road, you have to warn them. I love America.. I love Paulding county, I love Dallas, Ga. and I see a culture that seems determined to take everything that is right, and turn it on it's head and it troubles me.
Years ago, Mickey Mantle was a great baseball player. "The Mick" roamed centerfield for the New York Yankees. He was a superstar. But "The Mick" liked to party and drank heavily. Ultimately, Mantle died due to his hard living. The good part of the story is his friend and long-time teammate, Bobby Richardson, led him to Christ. As Mickey Mantle lay on his deathbed he said "tell the kids of America 'the Mick' is not a role model." Thankfully, he realized he had made some wrong choices.
None of us are perfect.. in fact, I've made some mistakes in life and I've dealt with and deal with those consequences. God gives man a free will. He allows us to make choices. God forgives us of our sin but we may deal with the consequences of our sin for some time.
Someone has said "Our lives are a sum total of the decisions we've made." What kind of decisions are you making? What kind of choices are you making?
Another favorite quote says "Sooner of later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences."
Judah made choices... they forgot God and bowed down to the altars of pagan Gods and they were punished.. They suffered the consequences. If America doesn't wake up... if WE don't wake up, I fear we are going to experience the same. Use this 4th of July weekend to evaluate your life... your choices... and choose to serve God and worship God.
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