Grieving!
Romans 9:1-3; 10:1(Paul’s grief over Israel’s rejection of Christ…)
My heart is grieving over America this morning. I have always guarded against over-reacting to events that take place in our country…events that indicate a steady and rapid move away from morality and God, but the events of the past few weeks have left my heart as if I am grieving the loss of someone I care deeply about. I can’t explain my feelings and thoughts… why it is these events… but something deep in the spiritual realm has been crossed and we are a nation divided…and the division is being driven by spiritual darkness. Only God’s grace and mercy can heal the divide, and that will only happen when God’s people “see” beyond the natural and mourn the darkness that covers our land.
Our enemy is not “flesh and blood”. It is not the color of a person’s skin…or his nationality…nor is it the uniform he wears to serve and protect. There is a spiritual demonic attack against our nation and only Holy Spirit-led spiritual warfare will prevail.
Paul warned us in Ephesians that our battle is not “against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
And I repeat that warning today…
1)fleshly fighting will not prevail against spiritual foes.
2)Only spiritual warfare will overcome spiritual darkness.
3)only love will overcome hate.
4)We must stay fully dressed for battle with the armor of God to stand in the days to come.
I hope I am wrong about what is coming in America…but the decline in church attendance…those who believe the Bible to be the Word of God…and the overall attitude that it doesn’t matter what God says, it’s what I want that matters…all point toward a continual moving away from God in our society…
In an Independence Day message entitled, "YOUnited: Called to Liberty", we spoke about the Bill of Rights and individual freedom. We made the statement that if you give people rights without responsibility, things go horribly wrong. “If everyone demands their individual rights without taking responsibility eventually everybody loses their liberty. Liberty can gobble up liberty.” (Pastor Andy Stanley)
There is hope, and that hope is in the church - you and me!
Some 2,000 years ago…the apostle Paul…writing to Gentiles…told us how we are to respond to our nation today…how as believers we should respond to our personal freedoms…
Galatians 5:13-15 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
The story can be changed, but change has to begin in the household of God. We must see with spiritual eyes, listen with open minds, and love with committed hearts; only then will change come to pass. Don’t expect change to happen overnight; America’s problem is a sin problem, and only changed hearts can change lives.
How can we make a difference in Plum Grove?
Answer: One life at a time
You can make a difference.
You can be the difference in someone’s life.
Look beyond the “labels” we place on people, see beyond the skin color, look beyond the sin to the heart, and defeat hate with love.
It is time to pray…pray for America…weep for our children…repent of our sins and attitudes…pray for the church…
Pastor Ernie Parker
Romans 9:1-3; 10:1(Paul’s grief over Israel’s rejection of Christ…)
My heart is grieving over America this morning. I have always guarded against over-reacting to events that take place in our country…events that indicate a steady and rapid move away from morality and God, but the events of the past few weeks have left my heart as if I am grieving the loss of someone I care deeply about. I can’t explain my feelings and thoughts… why it is these events… but something deep in the spiritual realm has been crossed and we are a nation divided…and the division is being driven by spiritual darkness. Only God’s grace and mercy can heal the divide, and that will only happen when God’s people “see” beyond the natural and mourn the darkness that covers our land.
Our enemy is not “flesh and blood”. It is not the color of a person’s skin…or his nationality…nor is it the uniform he wears to serve and protect. There is a spiritual demonic attack against our nation and only Holy Spirit-led spiritual warfare will prevail.
Paul warned us in Ephesians that our battle is not “against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
And I repeat that warning today…
1)fleshly fighting will not prevail against spiritual foes.
2)Only spiritual warfare will overcome spiritual darkness.
3)only love will overcome hate.
4)We must stay fully dressed for battle with the armor of God to stand in the days to come.
I hope I am wrong about what is coming in America…but the decline in church attendance…those who believe the Bible to be the Word of God…and the overall attitude that it doesn’t matter what God says, it’s what I want that matters…all point toward a continual moving away from God in our society…
In an Independence Day message entitled, "YOUnited: Called to Liberty", we spoke about the Bill of Rights and individual freedom. We made the statement that if you give people rights without responsibility, things go horribly wrong. “If everyone demands their individual rights without taking responsibility eventually everybody loses their liberty. Liberty can gobble up liberty.” (Pastor Andy Stanley)
There is hope, and that hope is in the church - you and me!
Some 2,000 years ago…the apostle Paul…writing to Gentiles…told us how we are to respond to our nation today…how as believers we should respond to our personal freedoms…
Galatians 5:13-15 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
The story can be changed, but change has to begin in the household of God. We must see with spiritual eyes, listen with open minds, and love with committed hearts; only then will change come to pass. Don’t expect change to happen overnight; America’s problem is a sin problem, and only changed hearts can change lives.
How can we make a difference in Plum Grove?
Answer: One life at a time
You can make a difference.
You can be the difference in someone’s life.
Look beyond the “labels” we place on people, see beyond the skin color, look beyond the sin to the heart, and defeat hate with love.
It is time to pray…pray for America…weep for our children…repent of our sins and attitudes…pray for the church…
Pastor Ernie Parker
