Did I get your attention?
Good day to each of you reading this column on how God moves to both countries and their people.
Before we get started, let’s pray for America because as Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian and philosopher said Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did, I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.
Once a great country to which we took pride, we have begun to sink into the same demise as other civilizations and why? Because America ceased to be good.
Yes, there is a remnant in our country and “the silent majority” who are good but, the majority is silent or afraid because it may cause a commotion against the opposing opposition.
The remnant has been around for a long time—look no further than 2 Kings 19:31 (NIV) For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.
The remnant or spark is the spark of faith to be great and yes, that spark remains in the heart of fellow true believers. Our nation, America could be rebuilt but only thru God. This tiny spark remains in our remnant and God can take that spark and fan it into a roaring blaze, but, we as a people, must humble, pray and seek God’s face and turn from our wicked ways as said in 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Awaken America and become great again for the remnant still exists and the spark is ready to be fanned—may our hearts turn to God.
Now it’s time for some good funny stories from https://inspire21.com/churchhumor/
The Presbyterian church called a meeting to decide what to do about their squirrel infestation. After much prayer and consideration, they concluded that the squirrels were predestined to be there, and they shouldn’t interfere with God’s divine will.
At the Baptist church the squirrels had taken an interest in the baptistery. The deacons met and decided to put a water-slide on the baptistery and let the squirrels drown themselves. The squirrels liked the slide and unfortunately, knew instinctively how to swim, so twice as many squirrels showed up the following week.
The Lutheran church decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creatures. So, they humanely trapped their squirrels and set them free near the Baptist church. Two weeks later the squirrels were back when the Baptists took down the water-slide.
The Episcopalians tried a much more unique path by setting out pans of whiskey around their church in an effort to kill the squirrels with alcohol poisoning. They sadly learned how much damage a band of drunk squirrels can do.
But the Catholic church came up with a very creative strategy! They baptized all the squirrels and made them members of the church. Now they only see them at Christmas and Easter.
And not much was heard from the Jewish synagogue. They took the first squirrel and circumcised him.
Johnny’s Dust
After church, Johnny tells his parents he has to go and talk to the minister right away. They agree, and the pastor greets the family.
“Pastor,” Johnny says, “I heard you say today that our bodies came from the dust.”
“That’s right, Johnny, I did,” he says.
“And I heard you say that when we die, our bodies go back to dust.”
“Yes, I’m glad you were listening,” the pastor replies. “Why do you ask?”
“Well you better come over to our house right away and look under my bed, ’cause there’s someone either comin’ or goin’!”
Painting the church
A cheating painting contractor had been skimping by thinning his paint excessively. Nevertheless, he landed a big job painting a church. He was almost done when a major storm blew up. It washed all the paint off.
Amid the thunder and lightning, there came a loud voice… “REPAINT,” it boomed. “REPAINT, AND THIN NO MORE!”
And
NOT AFRAID
A few minutes before the church services started, the townspeople were sitting in their pews and talking. Suddenly, Satan appeared at the front of the church. Everyone started screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from evil incarnate. Soon everyone had exited the church except for one elderly gentleman who sat calmly in his pew without moving, seeming oblivious to the fact that God’s ultimate enemy was in his presence. So Satan walked up to the old man and said, “Don’t you know who I am?”
The man replied, “Yep, sure do.”
“Aren’t you afraid of me?” Satan asked.
“Nope, sure ain’t.” said the man.
“Don’t you realize I can kill you with a word?” asked Satan.
“Don’t doubt it for a minute,” returned the old man, in an even tone.
“Did you know that I could cause you profound, horrifying, physical AGONY for all eternity?” persisted Satan.
“Yep,” was the calm reply.
“And you’re still not afraid?” asked Satan.
“Nope.”
More than a little perturbed, Satan asked, “Well, why aren’t you afraid of me?”
The man calmly replied, “Been married to your sister for over 48 years.”
I do hope you enjoyed each of the church stories and got a laugh to brighten your day.
Our last lesson involved The Gentle Whisper and how God talks with us.
This lesson is just the opposite where God wants to get our attention and various ways he uses to get our attention.
God’s word is as relevant today as it was in the beginning for Matthew 24: 6-7 (NIV) says: 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
If you remember, Elijah was told by the Lord to go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.
Powerful winds, hurricanes, tornadoes, cyclones, forest fires, mudslides, multiple fires in residential areas, earthquakes, sinkholes, hail, destructive insects to name a few to get our attention as a nation.
Like the Israelite people, we have those who would not listen and persist in their sinful practices.
Let’s turn to 2 Kings 17:34-41 (NIV) 34 To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel. 35 When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. 36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. 37 You must always be careful to keep the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. 38 Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. 39 Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”
40 They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. 41 Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.
Please read the following verses and tell me if they don’t pertain to our country and the practices that are being done in America.
Verses 40 & 41 should resonate to each of you reading this column. Listen is the first word that should come to mind and yet, the American people are so stiff necked and set in their ways that they don’t want to listen.
Next, instead of worshipping the Lord with all their heart, mind and soul, the pressures of life lead them astray. Look no further than making Sunday a day as the same as of the previous six days. Instead of placing God first, God is placed on a shelf only to be used in catastrophic times.
Now turn to 2 Kings 21:5-6 where you see the Israelite people and their own king sacrificed his own son in the fire, practices sorcery and divination, and consulted with mediums and spirits.
Sacrificing your child for any reason—see what God says Leviticus 18:21—Is this not abortion? Child sacrifice as well as occult practices are strictly forbidden by God, yet they are being practiced here in the USA. Now turn to Deuteronomy 18:10-12 for man’s practices then and today when the practice and participant engages in divination, sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, cast spells or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults with the dead.
To the above, God says to anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. Did I get your attention?
Like the Israelites, God says in Deuteronomy 18:9 that when you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
This includes the USA where we have allowed the occult practices such as horoscopes, fortune-telling, palm reading, witchcraft and bizarre occults. Our interest to go to these practices is to desire to know and control the future. And the author of these distortions or lies is Satan.
God has given us the signals to get our attention and as I said in my previous lesson, He speaks to us Christians in a gentle whisper.
Unfortunately, we don’t listen, nor time to listen and go about our way, so, in turn he uses various natural disasters to get our attention.
Are we no different than a child who lacks discipline? Do we not persist in our former practices? Do we have those who people who worship the Lord while serving their idols? To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did. Did I get your attention?
God has my attention and I pray that He has yours for I know He will protect us and keep us safe. Heed the warnings and believe what Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
