Okay, so Obama was elected. All I have to say to the complainers is
that McCain isn't any better and certainly should not be granted "the lesser of two evils" title, as many have chosen to bestow him with!
Let's face it. The American church has been in a rut for a long period of time.
Many church's liturgies have been adapted and reduced to be a seeker-friendly worship service
that incorporates
cliché contemporary rock music with no incorporation of confession of sins
or communion ("but we have it once a year!")
Because of our sins, we have been and are under judgement by God. As usual, the Bible has something to say about this. Deuteronomy 28 tells us about obedience and sin, and what we reap from our actions.
Deuteronomy 28: 1-14"
1And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
6Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
7The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
8The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
9The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
10And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
12The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them
14And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them."
Deuteronomy 28: 25, 36, 43-44
" 25The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth."
"36The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone."
"43The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.
44He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail."
In verses 1-14, we see how richly and abundantly God blesses us when we love Him and keep His commandments. Contrasting that, the following selections makes it very clear how the only thing sin reaps is sorrow, death, and destruction. Instead of of winning battles, we flee before our enemies. We have served idols. In the high positions of government, there are many pagans, but the Christians are un-exalted and in lower positions. We are underneath our foes, and un-prosperous, while their head is on top of us.
Another example presents itself in Leviticus 26 (I will only show several verses this time).
Leviticus 26: 7-8
" 7And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
8And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword."
Leviticus 26:17
" 17And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you."
Unfortunate for you, the reader, and fortunately for me, I get to go to bed now. I'll try to get a few more posts in before Friday, as that signifies the arrival of Thanksgiving relatives, and the start of feasting and fellowship. I hope you enjoyed the start of this short series and look forward to the forthcoming ones.
God bless!
~Bradley
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