stand firm as many turn from God
 

“I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendents of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you” says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi 3: 6 -7

God uses Malachi to write His thoughts about the nation of Israel, and how they had turned away from Him. God inspired Malachi to tell Israel how He reacts towards their rebellion.

Can we draw similarities to what God is saying to us as the nation of the United States of America?

Granted, America is not God’s chosen people or nation, but we have been blessed by God.

The freedoms and privileges we enjoy all come from God’s hand. One can speculate that this nation’s Christian foundation was significant in blessings we now have.

But just as Israel, America as a nation has turned away, and is currently turning away from God more and more each day.

We see it everywhere, where one or a few atheists are so uncomfortable with God,

Jesus or anything Christian, that they attack it. And we as nation then justify our apathy by camouflaging it as being tolerant.

Why are we, as a nation, so indifferent about God and his Word? The thought of the Pledge of Allegiance being derogatory because of the term ‘one nation under God’, would not have been head-line news 15 years ago.

Viewing the Ten Commandments as being offensive would have been unheard of just a few years ago.

Nationally, we are pushing God further and further away from our lives, our society, our daily thinking, out of our thoughts, and our hearts. Those who have desires to walk with God and have Him as our God and obey His standards are in the minority in this country.

Yes, there are few of Americans who are fervently obedient and worship our Lord wholeheartedly and I’m grateful for that. But we as a nation are leading to chaos if we chose to live without God. He will turn away His favor. He did it to Israel, His chosen people. Why would He not do so with America?

Israel, God’s chosen nation was overwhelmed in their sin. God’s word in Malachi, says, “… return to Me…” This presupposes that they left Him in the first place. They did, and this is spoken of in Malachi. Where did Israel go? They went away in their sinful rebellion from God, and as a result Israel was no longer as powerful as it once was. Can we see some parallels and glean some insight on what happened to Israel? How can this apply to this country? Again, the United States is not God’s holy nation. But we cannot dismiss the fact that we were once a country firm in a Christian value system and solid Biblical beliefs, and most likely blessed because of this foundation.

The United States today is saturated with sin, tendencies to forget our Christian heritage, and an overwhelming desire to move away from God and any representations of Him. So what does this mean for the regular person? I am reminded of the saying. “A large gale wind on this side of the world could have been started by the twitter of butterfly wings on the other side of the world”. One person makes a difference. With God, anything is possible.

Where do I start? If you are a Christian, stay a Christian; be obedient to our Lord and His two commandments…..Love your God will all your heart, mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22: 37-40)

Start here!!

This first commandment of Jesus takes us right back to God, where we have gone astray. Obedience to this commandment returns us to Him I realize that this is not a national return. But again, it can start or be greatly enhanced and influenced by you as an individual, by what you do, by what you say, and by your obedience.

If you are not Christian and reading this, I encourage you to take God seriously. Examine Christ, read His Word and be open to it, and don’t refuse it.

“See to it that you don’t refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they had refused Him who warned them on earth. (Speaking of the Hebrews who were with Moses at Mt. Sinai). How much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven? As this time his voice shook the earth. But now as He promised, “once more I will shake not only earth; but also the heavens”. The words, ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken – that is created things – so that what cannot be shaken may remain”. As Christians, however we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be thankful and so worship God acceptable with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12: 25-29

If we don’t return to God, don’t be surprised if we wake up someday to find out this country is no longer the powerful USA, where freedom, liberties and blessings are no longer enjoyed. Bigger than that, Malachi has a warning to us all.

How many people would be affected if you or I turned away from God? Few of us realize the extent of our influence, but our obedience to God is vital because of our role in the church (1 Cor. 12:12-17) and the world (1 Pet. 2:9-12).

God charged His Old Testament people to be faithful to His covenant "so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the Lord our God, . . . and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood" (Dt. 29:18). A New Testament writer recalled this when he said we should be careful "lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled" (Heb. 12:15).

Are you out of position today? Turn back to God. Stay in contact with Him. You never know how many lives will be influenced by your decision