Nation in the Balance

July 3, 2016        NOTES NOT EDITED

Nation in the Balance

Jeremiah 6:8-15

SIS—God is always weighing a nation in the balance of His righteousness to determine whether He sends them revival, or ruin.

A Nation In the Balance
Headlines Tell Us Where We Are Headed

""Turkey and the Islamic State appear to be headed toward outright war""

This is the headline on many news channels today. For those who are saying, "Well, I'm glad I'm not a Turkish citizen," hear is another headline:

""CIA Director John Brennan believes ISIS will attack U.S.""

I'm thinking you see a pattern here. The world is on fire and the flames are licking at the feet of Americans. No nation has been, or can be static. History is not cyclical, as common views in the Eastern world assert. History does have cycles, but those cycles are part of a linear progression.

Certain patterns of leadership do reappear from time to time. The ancient world had despots like Nero. The modern world experienced Hitler and others. Yet, these patterns are not "cycles" but spokes in the wheel that is moving toward some end.

Bible followers know where history ends for the story on this cosmic space ball called Earth. History is "His" Story. God has a plan and purpose and that plan and purpose involves every era and every event in history--the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Bible believers know that every is, at any given moment, on the road to revival or on the road to ruin. God is constantly weighing nations in the balance of His justice. 

When the scales are tipped toward righteousness by the devotion and sacrifice of His people, revival happens. When the whole of a nation becomes cold toward God and His ways, the scales tip toward ruin. The dust bin of history is filled with nation after nation that pursued a path other than righteousness.

I think it helpful for us to consider which way the scales of God are tipping in regard to America. I also think, as the headlines above suggest (and I could offer many more such headlines), we see the scales tipping toward "ruin."

I have hope but that hope requires change. Sound familiar? My hope is not in the political process, though as a citizen of these great United States I will participate. My hope is not in Trump and Hillary winning will not plunge me into despair.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. Somebody ought to put music to that. It would make a great hymn. 

The Book of Jeremiah reminds us, Our nation,

like the nation of Israel has come to a crossroads and our choices as a nation will determine whether America sees a revival, or ruin.

Our text suggests there are two roads

an individual, church, or country can take: the road to ruin, or the road to revival.  It seems our country is leaning toward the former.  I do not want to dwell on the sins of today, but on our hope for tomorrow–if we turn back to God.  I only want to briefly describe the “road to ruin.”

A.  The Road to Ruin Has Five Stops

Have you ever watched water go down the drain?

If you have you will notice that it spirals down the drain in a clockwise direction (if you live in the Northern Hemisphere).  The water does not go down the drain all-at-once.   It takes time.  There is a process.  The same is true for an individual, church, or country that takes the road to ruin.  Sin causes an individual, church, or country to follow a downward spriral into destruction.  The Book of Jeremiah gives us a glimpse into the process of destruction that sin causes.  The First Stop on the road to ruin is a

1.   Disregard for the Word of God (v. 10)

To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me?

their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.

That last phrase is very revealing:

“They find no pleasure in the Word of God!”

We can’t live abundantly in the world until

if we do not stay consistently in God’s Word.

Another stop on the road to ruin is the

2.   Disintegration of the Family (vv. 11,12)

But I am full of the wrath of the LORD, and I cannot hold it in. "Pour it out on the children in the street and on the young men gathered together; both husband and wife will be caught in it, and the old, those weighed down with years. {12} Their houses will be turned over to others, together with their fields and their wives, when I stretch out my hand against those who live in the land," declares the LORD.

Sin does the most damage when it hits home.

God is pouring out his wrath on our nation because we have desecrated his most sacred institution: the home.   Children roam the streets in gangs; husbands and wives are embroiled in bitter divorce; most families are drowning in a sea of debt; the elderly bear the heavy burden of a culture that prizes beauty and strength and despises age and wisdom.  The traditional American family is fast becoming only a faint memory

3.   The third stop on the road to ruin is Deceitfulness and greed (13)

(Jer 6:13)   "From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.

We live in a nation driven by greedy,

deceitful materialism.  From the “least to the greatest.”   As evidenced by the number of poor who spend hard earned money on the lottery, our entire culture is greed driven.   This materialism has even infested the church: “prophets and priests alike” seek after ungodly gain.  From the poor to the rich, from the politician to the priest–our country is driven by deceitfulness and greed.  The 4 th stop on the road to ruin is a

4.  a dangerously thick fog of   Delusional Optimism (14)

(Jer 6:14)   They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace.

Presently, our economy is good, and the overwhelming majority of Americans have declared, “Character DOES NOT matter.”

History proves, however, that materialistic well-being

is a flimsy footing for hope.  Without a strong moral foundation, no country can sustain a strong economy. It has been said, “America is great

because America is Good.  When America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great!”

The fact is: our nation is on the brink of disaster!

Just a few weeks ago, a Muslim jihadist killed 49 people in Orlando.  Just two days ago, the Democratic front-runner for President had an "interview" with the FBI in their probe of her email scandal and scandals related to rackoteering in regard to the "Clinton Foundation."  The stock market recently has seen more ups and downs than a ride at Disney Land.  China is building more territory-literally--in the South China Sea.  Russian warplanes regular fly dangerously close to our warships in an intimidating manner.  Iran captured a Navy boat and our Administration responded with an apology.  As I mentioned above, our NATO ally, Turkey, is on the brink of full scale war with Turkey.  And, to top it all off, we may end up with a President whose biggest claim to fame is that he starred on a reality T.V. show.  Folks.  It's Bad.

Any hope apart from a relationship with Christ is only a delusion.

A disregard for God’s Word, the disintegration

of the family, a culture driven by deceitfulness and greed , and hope resting on a delusional optimism will soon lead to the 5 th and final stop on an individual, a church’s, or a nation’s road to ruin:

5.  a complete Destruction of Our National Moral Fabric. (15)

Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush . So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them," says the LORD.

America is utterly without a moral conscience.

Our culture–including the church--

is devoid of any sense of shame.  What we once called “sin,”

we now call entertainment, or alternative living.

We now condone what we once condemned.

  Homosexuality is epidemic.  Divorce is almost as common as marriage.  Gambling is accepted both in and out of church.  Lesbians are having babies using artificial means.  Schools pass out condoms, but restrict Christian literature.  The overwhelming majority of Americans say, “Character does not matter.”   The moral tapestry of our nation continues to unravel as America plummets headlong toward the complete destruction of our national moral fabric.   The end of that road is RUIN.

Considering America’s mad dash down

the road to ruin is depressing.   As my Mom used to say, “they are a bitter pill to swallow!”  Jeremiah’s words are harsh, but they are not without hope. We are at the crossroads.  But we still have time to heed God’s warning and turn down . . .

B.  THE ROAD TO REVIVAL.  We must being by

1.  OPENING OUR EYES TO THE WORLD ( 16)

This is what the LORD says:  "Stand at the crossroads and look;

Don’t live your life with your head buried in the sand.

Closing your eyes to difficulty or danger will not make it go away.  I noticed something when Jonathan was little.  I would make him go to bed, and he would put up a tremendous fuss.  It was a battle.  I would finally win–because I’m bigger, and at least theoretically, I was smarter.  I noticed something as I turned out the light.  Jonathan would throw the covers over his head.  I took this as one last act of defiance.  Then, one day Shari enlightened me as only a mother can do.  It wasn’t an act of defiance at all, Shari told me.  Jonathan was scared of the dark.  It was a genetic trait passed on from father to son.   Jonathan covered his head because he could not bear to face what he might see in his room.

We must OPEN OUR EYES to The Condition of Our World

The Book of Jeremiah says, “ Stand at the crossroads and look. ”  Revival begins with self-examination, which can be very unnerving, or down-right scary.  But, we must face the future with our eyes open!

2.  Second, we must OPEN OUR EARS TO THE WORD.

(Jer 6:16)   ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.

When you lose your way, it is smart to stop and ask for directions.

Why is it so hard for men to “ask for directions?”

During our last vacation, Shari was driving with her Mom and the girls, and I was driving my Father-in-law’s car with the boys on the way to the famous, Santa Cruz Boardwalk.   I was prepared with plan B: walkie-talkies.  In the great tradition of California highways, we got stuck in a traffic jam.  Shari was a few cars behind, staying dutifully within the 1/4 mile range of our walkie-talkies.  We were almost there.  Then she decides to hit the fast lane, moving about a mile faster than the slow lane.  She smiled as she passed me.  But, she could not cut in, in front of me.  Soon, she was almost out of range.  She takes an off-ramp to wait for me but I miss the off-ramp and we are soon out of walkie-talkie range.  In disgust in my final transmission, I blurted, “See ya’ at the beach.  Do the best you can to find the Boardwalk.”  Well, as it were, the next off-ramp past the one Shari took was the highway that led to the Beaches.  We were home free—at least I thought we were.  To make a long and painful story short and even more painful: I got lost.  Shari got lost .  I drove around aimlessly.  Shari stopped to ask for directions.  Shari reached the board-walk; parked, and was waiting for me.  I did finally arrive–with egg on my face.

My point is this: “open your ears to God’s Word.”  

God’s Word contains the “ancient paths and the good way that leads to rest for your souls.”   Stop and ask for directions!  Hear God’s Word!

3.  Third, the road to revival requires that we

Open our Hearts to God in Worship.

A recent survey of church-goers revealed that:

“Only 2 out of 10 adults” experience God regularly at church services.”

7 out of 10 said they, “Never, seldom, or rarely” experienceGod in worship.  The rest said they “don’t know!”  It is clear, “what we do on Sunday morning in churches across America, is religious activity, but it apparently is NOT worship.”   We have been in worship when the Spirit of God so takes over our lives that we experience His presence as surely as we experience the air that we breathe.  We know we have been in worship when we leave the services “utterly transformed by God’s presence and totally committed to God’s purpose for our lives.”

No one, except Jesus Christ, has been closer to God

than Moses when he entered into God’s presence on Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments.  The mountain roared and the valley shook as Moses met with God.  Here’s how worship changed Moses:

(Ex 34:29-30)   When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. {30} When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant.

When you experience God in worship—it changes your life!

We must open our HEARTS to God in WORSHIP.

4.  We must also open our MOUTHS to WITNESS

(Jer 6:17)   I appointed watchmen over you and said, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But you said, 'We will not listen.'

God appointed His people are watchmen on the wall blowing the trumpet of righteousness.   Indeed, some will not listen.  Yet, all the blame can not be layed at the feet of the world.  We, the church, have not consistently and courageously challenged the forces of evil in our generation.

Where was the sound of the trumpet when   M. M. O’hare .

petitioned the government to remove Bible reading from schools?  Where was the sound of the trumpet  when the 5 Supreme Court judges legitimized the murder of babies in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision?  Where is the sound of the trumpet when homosexual activists militantly flaunt their deviant lifestyle in cities around our nation?  Where is the sound of the trumpet when our own community faces the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the country?  Where is the sound of the trumpet of God?

Friends, we must join God’s band and blow God’s tune:

The Bible says: “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any peoples.”  CHARACTER DOES MATTER !

America is hanging in the balance.

When an individual, church, or country comes to a crossroads, the choices made determine whether the future holds revival, or ruin.

To start down that road of revival we all must make

a choice today: turn back to God. There can NOT be a national revival until we each have a personal revival.   Revival must begin with you and I.

1.  Choose to open your ears to God through Bible Study.

. . . attend Sunday School and other Bible study opportunities.

2.  Choose to open your heart to God through regular worship.

. . . come enthusiastically expecting a surprise blessing from God.

3.  Choose to open your mouth and tell others the truth about Jesus.

. . . commit yourself to praying for and speaking to lost people.

The quality of your tomorrows will be determined

by your decisions today!

To everyone there openeth  //  A Way and, Ways, and a Way.

The High Soul climbs the High Way
The Low Soul gropes the Low // and in between on misty flats,

The rest drift to and fro.

But to everyone there openeth  // A High Way, and a Low,

And everyone decideth //  The Way his soul shall go.

Today, your future, our future, your family’s future, and
our nation’s future . . . hangs in the balance of God’s justice.