CRY OUT TO GOD(3)
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
As we look around our city and our country today its getting harder and harder to identify those who are Christians in the Community. It seems like every time something comes against the Church more and more of the Christian Community fade into the back ground. I wonder are people afraid of persecution, afraid of being found out, or just simply not wanting to be the center of focus of the next conversation somewhere. Either way its not what God would want us to do. God’s word over in Ephesians 5 says put on the Whole Armor of God. And have done all else to just Stand. Some time he just needs us to stand and allow him to do the rest.
1 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. 2 And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.” 3 But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.” 6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! 8 See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.” 9 And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.
21 And he said to him, “See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. 22 Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah in the same manner in which he describes that he will destroy the enemy Satan and the Anti-Christ in the final days. There must be something significant about this type of destruction. Is it the type or types of sin? is it the impurity of the nations, or is it just that there is no moral ethics at all in society. I might agree that it is all three.
Why does GOD bring Judgement?
Unfaithfulness
When we as believers become unfaithful to the covenant that we are in with God and we no longer are walking in that Covenant then God will look to bring Judgement against his people.
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
What is the state of People and the Church?
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
What we see here in these passages of scripture are the deteration of a Society. Much like the society of Sodom and Gomorrah. It had become so deteratied that not even the strongest of men could deter from evil things from happening with in the city.
2 Chronicles 7:13–14 (NIV)
13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
If you read this text from other versions it starts out a little different. The NASB and a few others start of with IF I shut up the Heavens. Now there is a big difference of IF and when. If is a possibility that GOD may close up the Heavens. However When is just a matter of time until this happens. When I look at these words I lean toward the interpertation of When. I see the down fall of our society and it will be a when because no one but a few real believers the remnent are hearing from GOD and believing that the time is coming to when he will have to get the attention of the Nations. GOD will and can get the attention of the Nations. I fear the Lord I do not want to see the Lord our GOD provoked to the point that he intern decides that he needs to get the attention of the Nations.
Persecution
Famine
War
Destruction of a People or Nation
What will it take to turn people back to the face of the Lord. I saw something the other week that was very true.
People learned about Covid and the virtually untested vaccine they lined up to get the shot taking a chance. People learn about Hell and its consequences they do not line up at the alter for the remedy Jesus Christ and Salvation.
The difference the government is supporting one and the government does not support the other.
The scripture is clear Jesus says “I am the way the Truth and the Light”