Isaiah 57:15 (KJV) For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
2 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV) For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. …
Purpose Of Sermon: To Make Us Aware That God Is Watching Us, And Blesses Those Who Live In Him Through Christ.
The 84th Congress of the United States passed a joint resolution declaring “In God We Trust” is the national motto of the United States. The resolution passed both House and Senate unanimously and without debate. Then President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Law on July 30th, 1956. That was about a year and a half before I was born.
“In God We Trust” became our national motto in 1956, and since then has been displayed on American currency and coins. Yet “In God We Trust” predated 1956 according to the Department Of The Treasury. Our Congress passed the Coinage Act of February 12, 1873. It said that the Secretary of the Treasury “may cause the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to be inscribed on such coins as shall admit of such motto”.
Florida state legislators met on February of this year (2018) to pass a measure related to schools. HB 839 would require every public school in Florida to prominently display the STATE motto of “In God We Trust”. House members passed the bill 97-10. Democrat Representative Kimberly Daniels said the bill is “so simple, just saying put a poster up to remind our children of the foundation of this country”. The bill must still be approved by the Florida Senate.
March 2018 a bill requiring Tennessee schools to prominently display the national motto “In God We Trust” has been sent to our Governor for his signature. The legislation – sponsored by Republican Representative Susan Lynn – passed the State House 81-99. Like-minded legislation is coming in Arkansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wyoming even as we speak. Why? Because we are reaching a critical junction in our nation.
In the wake of school shootings there are numerous marches that address gun control,
but gun control without heart control will do no good.
When I grew up in Garner North Carolina many young people carried knives and some even guns, but no one shot or cut anyone that I can remember. No one went into a school and held it hostage. Oh, we had fist fights at times, wrestling matches, and yes, bullying. But no one considered cutting or harming another. Do you know why?
We knew that God was watching us.
Most of us were drug to Church every Sunday.
And we had parents that not only LOVED us,
But PADDLED us when we were bad.
Ma Ma read us Bible stories as we went to bed.
We prayed to God, knowing He was watching us.
We need to get back to God. We need to get our children and youth back to God. It’s not too late, but we need to do it.
Verse 1: Who Is This God In Whom We Trust?
Putting “In God We Trust” in the schools – on the blackboards or the walls – is a start. But Who is this God? Why should we trust Him? The Bible tells us:
Isaiah 57:15 (KJV) For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place …
God is HIGH above us. His thoughts are perfect and pure. What He has said is right establishes what is right. The Scripture says:
Psalm 113:4 (KJV) The Lord is HIGH above all nations, and His glory is ABOVE the Heavens.
In the United States the HIGHEST Court that determines laws is the Supreme Court. Yet God is above that. God is the Maker of Heaven and earth, and the Ultimate Arbitrator of what is right and wrong. His Name is Holy. He is far above all evil, pure and righteous. God made all that we see. God made us in His image and after His likeness. But God did not make us to be gods.
Job 36:26 (KJV) Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
Some people make themselves to be gods, but they are not. We cannot be God. God is greater than you can imagine. The Apostle said that God is everywhere:
Acts 17:24-31 (KJV) God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; [25] Neither is worshiped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; [26] And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; [27] That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: [28] For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. [29] Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. [30] And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: [31] Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
God made us, and God loves us.
God is everywhere.
He is here in this place today.
He is in the Methodist Church down the street, the Catholic Church on Cayce Lane, the Lutheran Church, the Pentecostal Outreach and the Church of God of Prophecy and the Church Of God In Christ. He is in every Church of every denomination and business and temple and synagogue watching what is going on among humankind. He made every person – man, woman and child – regardless of color in His image. We were all made to walk with God, but because God is HOLY many do not.
So God sent His Son Jesus to bring us to Him.
1 Peter 3:18 (KJV) For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Jesus died for our sins to bring us to God. God wants to walk with us, to guide us, to be our God. But we must come to Him willing to be saved. Jesus died for the sins of all. He died for the sins of the world. But sadly, few will know Christ because they themselves want to be their own god. You cannot be god and walk with God. We read in Isaiah:
Isaiah 57:15 (KJV) For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, WITH HIM ALSO THAT IS OF A CONTRITE AND HUMBLE SPIRIT, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
God is HIGH and HOLY. But He only keeps company with the one who is “of a CONTRITE and HUMBLE spirit”. What does that mean? The word “CONTRITE” is the Greek DAKKA which means “CRUSHED” or “CAST DOWN”. To those who are broken – not arrogant or prideful but broken and needy – God says “I can help you”. God will help those who come to Him with empty but needy hands, to those who humble themselves before Him. The Psalmist said:
Psalms 34:18 (KJV) The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many of you wonder why a God Who is good would allow bad to come to His creation. The truth is that the bad is often good, for it draws us close to the Lord. The Lord has placed the image of Christ by the Pool of Siloam. It was near that Pool that Jesus met a man blind from birth. The disciples asked Jesus:
John 9:2 (KJV) Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
(Jesus told them) John 9:3-5 (KJV) … Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. [4] I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. [5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Jesus knelt down, spat on the ground, and from that made a little mud that He put on the man’s eyes. He told the man “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” – and the man did so. When he did as Jesus said God gave him his sight. Later on that day the man went home, and his family and friends all wondered why his eyesight was restored. The Pharisees began to ask the man what happened. They said “Jesus is but a sinner – we know He could not have done this!” But the man who had been blind said:
John 9:25 (KJV) … Whether {Jesus} be a sinner or no, I know not:
one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
Jesus Christ came to this earth at the direction of God the Father to give light to those who are bound in darkness. We are all sinners in need of the Savior. Jesus said:
Luke 19:10 (KJV) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
John 10:10 (KJV) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
God will bless those who humble themselves before Him. He is with those who trust Him as God, believing on His Son for eternal life.
Verse 2: God Is Looking For The Broken & Dependent
2 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV) For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. …
God is looking over the earth to see who loves Him. The “perfect” heart is the devoted heart, the heart focused on Him. There is no Bible verse that stands by itself. Every verse has a background and a context. What is the background of this verse?
These words were written to one of the good Kings of Israel. His name was Asa. Asa became King of Israel when his father King Abijah passed away. The Bible tells us that when Asa came to power:
2 Chronicles 14:2-3 (KJV)2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: 3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
Asa stood firm against all idolatry. He obeyed his Lord God. He was given the power to bring law into the land, and he did everything he could to turn people from following the false gods of the world around them. Asa ..
2 Chronicles 14:4-5 (KJV) … commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.
Asa did what he could to serve the Lord. God doesn’t ask his people to do what they can’t, but to do what they can. We are told in Galatians 6:10 …
“..as we have opportunity, let us do GOOD to all people ..”
We are to do God’s good His way. We are not to be people pleasers, but God pleasers. As Asa sought to obey the Lord the Heavenly Father saw what he did, and saw what Judah did.
There was a ten year peace in the land.
“Asa had NO war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest”
2 Chronicles 14:6
There was prosperity in the land.
“Asa said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls,
and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us;
because we have sought the LORD our God,
we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side.
So they built and prospered. ”
2 Chronicles 14:7
This reminds me of the words of Jesus, Who said:
Matthew 6:33 (KJV) …. seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Asa put God first, and lived as if he put God first. After ten years a war lord called Zerah the Ethiopian led a million armed troops against Asa and his kingdom. Asa was outnumbered two to one. He was up against impossible odds according to human standards. But Beloved, when God walks with you and you with God NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.
Asa prayed.
2 Chronicles 14:11 (KJV) … LORD … help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.
What happened? God empowered Judah to defeat the enemy. Not only that, but Judah conquered the cities of the enemy.
Our God is able.
Our God is able!
Our God is ABLE!
Following this great victory God sent word to Asa, saying:
2 Chronicles 15:2-7 (KJV … The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. 3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. 4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. … 7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
This reminds me of a text in …
Jeremiah 29:11-14 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD …
Oh how God loves us! Oh how He wants the best for us. God is watching. Each time there is a killing at school I believe God weeps. I believe each time a mother kills her child through abortion God grieves. I believe God was incensed when that father and mother colluded together to beat their 5 year old son to death and bury him in an unmarked grave. I believe God hurts when He sees us rise up – black against white, white against black – knowing He made us all in His image and after His likeness. I believe God despises the hurtful things we do to one another.
We need to find God. We need to know God is watching.
God encouraged Asa. He told Asa to keep on doing the good that he knew to do. God tells us who are His:
Galatians 6:7-9 (KJV) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
When Asa heard these words he responded to them. He took courage and continued to cast down idolatry. He dealt even with family sin.
2 Chronicles 15:16-17 (KJV) … concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. 17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
For 35 years Asa followed the Lord. But as he aged and as time passed his heart began to drift. He stopped being faithful to the Lord. He stopped reading His Word. He stopped doing the good he should do. He stopped praying. It is like those who have ceased attending the worship of the Church. There were some who were faithful members, then they skipped a Sunday. Then they skipped two. Now they languish at home on Sundays because it is too hard to “dress up” or to “comb their hair”. These are but excuses, though.
A preacher visited the home of a Christian who had ceased to assemble with his brothers on Sundays. The man made many excuses as to why he wasn’t active in the Church. Too many aches and pains. Not enough good clothes. So tired after working all week, he just needed that day off. As the member spoke the preacher quietly listened while the fire crackled in the fireplace. Finally the preacher stopped the excusing member and said “Watch this”. He took the fireplace poker and reached into the flame, and pulled a burning ember out onto the hearth. They quietly watched it as it glowed ever dimmer, then died. The preacher picked it up and held it in his hand. “While this was in the fire it was too hot for me to handle. I couldn’t put my hand on it. But it left the fire, and now is cold. So it is with the Christian. Together we draw close to our God, and He ignites a fire within us that Satan cannot touch. But when we walk away we grow cold.”
Asa drifted from God, then grew cold. He put his hope in humans, not in the Lord. That is why the Lord sent word to him:
2 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV) For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
When we walk away from God we will have wars. We will have uncertainty. We will have kids killing kids. We all need to get our lives back to God. The Bible says:
1 Peter 3:12-13 (KJV) For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
If we follow the Lord and do the good as His Family no one can harm us. On fire for Him we will prevail. Let us live our lives in Jesus, for Jesus, and through Jesus. For the glory of God forever. Amen!
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