Jer 7:4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
We are living on borrowed time. I know, every time you hear that statement, it is one of those worn out phrases that we ignore for the most part. But this time, it is true.
My great concern is for the souls of my fellow men, and particularly starting with those in my immediate family, then moving to the church and then beyond.
Are there those within my family ranks who are in need of salvation? To be sure.What about those who have identified themselves as believers, and joined a local assembly? Absolutely.
And then, those who are outside the church altogether, should we be concerned for their souls? Most assuredly.
Many individuals might believe that if they "treat their neighbors kindly, don't physically kill anyone, and don't steal, I might just make it into heaven. Surely haters, murderers and thieves won't make it!"
So if that were true, what would be the purpose of the multitudes of verses declaring that salvation is of the Lord, not of man.
Folks pass over the fact that in His love, God sent his only Son as the one way of salvation for the world: John 3 and John 14.
By ignoring the Scriptures, men will reach false conclusions about the exclusivity of Jesus.
In the text above, there were false prophets who were telling folks that since the Temple of the Lord was in Jerusalem, and since they were Jews, God would not judge them or allow nations to trample them underfoot. Very similar to our false notion that all we need to do is say, "God bless America" and all will be well.
The nations that forget God are the nations that are in trouble, regardless of what our national anthem, Pledge and coins say.
Yes, the Lord chose Jacob to be a holy nation in Exodus 19, but the covenant was clear: Failure to keep His covenant would bring exile! Deut. 28.
Having the Temple in their midst guaranteed them nothing if they were in rebellion, no more than a rabbits foot brings good luck. (Think about the luck of the rabbit for a minute, walking around on crutches!)
Do I pray that God would bless America? Certainly. But only as America conforms to the teachings of God's word and repents and believes the Gospel, can we have any hope.
May we take a 2 Chronicles 7:14 approach to our prayers for America and truly, then, and only then can we say, God bless America, not as a magic talisman, but as an honest statement of truth!
2Ch 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.
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"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever." ~ Thomas Jefferson
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