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Psalm 80
(Psa 80:2) Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. (Psa 80:3) Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Surely turning to God in repentance and giving our life totally to Him, will bring us true salvation. Israel failed God many times but when they would repent and turn back to God, He saved them from their enemies. The enemies were then severely judged or destroyed by God. (Psa 80:4) O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?The reason God may take such a long time is perhaps we have sin in our lives that we have not repented of. Also it could be a trial of faith to see if we are going to trust in Him. This happened many times in the Old Testament. God would help Israel escape one crisis and they would go awhile basking in God's love. When another crisis would arise instead of trusting God, they would start complaining and murmuring and blaming God. If this doesn't sound like us in the United States, I don't know what does. We have good times and then just as soon as the economy takes a bad turn and there are layoffs, we don't necessarily blame God but the poor president gets all our complaints. It is scary that we look to the president for answers instead of God. I personally think that if people would be thankful for what they do have and trust God for what they don't have, He would take care of them. When the prophets of Israel prayed for help from their enemies, God sent an answer, but when that answer can they did not recognize Him. They had literally God in the flesh, that came to them to save them from their sins. What sin? That was what stumped Israel. They were not looking for a savior from sin, they were looking for a conquering king. That will happen of course at the second coming of Jesus Christ but the first time He came to save us from sin. Not only is this salvation for Israel but for any and all who would believe in Jesus Christ as the very Son of God, repent of sin and become a new creature in Jesus Christ. God is the only way. He sent Jesus to save us from sin. We have to repent of sin and accept Jesus to be saved. The reason Jesus came the first time was to save us from sin. Without Jesus and faith in the sacrifice He made on our behalf there is no way to get rid of sin and inherit eternal life. "Born again, Free from sin" that is life through faith in Jesus Christ. Human nature resists this concept. Human nature desires to justify self, preach self-esteem and avoid the message of repentance. Yet, repentance has to come first in order to be saved. Sin separates us from God, Jesus reconciles us back to God. (Psa 80:5) Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.(Psa 80:6) Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves. (Psa 80:7) Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. (Psa 80:8) Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. (Psa 80:9) Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. (Psa 80:10) The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. (Psa 80:11) She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. (Psa 80:12) Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? This is what happens when we allow sin to overcome us as individuals and as a nation. Our hedges of protection are broken down. God will not stay were He is not welcome. If we choose sin instead of God's presence, His presence will depart leaving us prey to all the devil has to destroy not only our nation but our souls. Remember 9/11. That could not have happened if the United States would have been living in the right relationship with God. In God's mercy, what the enemy planned for America that day was not fulfilled. I believe that plane that crashed in Pennsylvania was headed for somewhere where even more lives would have been lost. A group of brave people gave their lives to stop the intent of the enemy. I have heard also that more planes were supposed to be in the sky that day taken over by terrorists but they were somehow stopped. So although the enemy succeeded in part, God's mercy saved us from it being so much worse. However we see that it would not have happened at all if we were living for God. Look what we have done in this country to deny God.
The church is not preaching against sin like it once did. People want to hear funny sermons if any at all. People want a feel good religion that does not warn against sin. (Psa 80:13) The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.(Psa 80:14) Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; (Psa 80:15) And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. (Psa 80:16) It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. (Psa 80:17) Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. (Psa 80:18) So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. (Psa 80:19) Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. In order for God to turn again and save us, we must first turn to Him by repenting of sin and asking His Spirit to return to us again. His word must be our roadmap instead of this world's philosophy of political correct agenda with no absolutes. We must follow God instead of man. ©2008 Old Paths Lighthouse |
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