IT'S CORRECTION TIME, CHURCH

I want to wish a Happy belated Thanksgiving to our precious online church family. I'm sure you know everyday is and should be a day of thanksgiving. You know, when President Abraham Lincoln re-proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday he did not call it “Happy Turkey Day,” did he? Nor did he call it “Happy Food Day.” No my friends, the president of the United States knew exactly what he was doing. He knew it was in the best interest of our nation to give thanks to God for the many blessings we have.

Somehow over the last few decades we have gotten away from giving thanks, and look around you, ladies and gentlemen, see what is happening to our country. This is not a Democrat or Republican thing, my friends. Our congress, our president and yes even ourselves must get back to praying and the giving of thanks for our country. We must pray for our leaders and each other. Welcome to your 24/7 week long, online church service. I'm so thankful everyone is welcome in this place.

Psalms 100 tells us how to give thanks and praise to the Lord for his goodness to us. Let's read Psalms 100 together:

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: Come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

It is obvious that this Psalm is an instruction to believers. As a friend of mine once said “There is a wolf of information here.” We are talking about giving thanks and praying for our country, aren't we? The Psalmist starts out by saying “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands.” So this is not just a prayer for the United States, but for all lands. Well, I assume this would be for all Muslim nations too, wouldn't it? I call on all Muslims everywhere to come to Jesus Christ this week, and make a joyful noise of praise to the God of your salvation which in truth can only be Jesus Christ.

Believers, some of you believe the only way to deal with Muslim nations is to kill men, women and children with bombs. My suggestion as a man called of God to preach Spirit and truth, is to bomb all lands, including all Muslim nations, with prayers for the salvation of their peoples. Jesus Christ is the answer, my friends. The love and mercy of Jesus Christ is more powerful than the most destructive weapons known to man. This isn't political, church. This is the truth of God's Word. Verse 3 of Psalms 100 states that we are to know, not think, hope or doubt, that the Lord, He is God. Who is the Lord? Jesus Christ is the Lord and Jesus is God who came in human form to save us all from our sin. Who? All, that's who. All who would receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. No one is excluded except by choice. John 3:16-17 spells it out very clearly:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Now I ask you, do we have anything to be thankful for? You bet we do!! All peoples from all nations, all that are in what we may consider the vilest of sinful condition are exactly who Jesus came to save. Were we not in bondage to sin before we came to know Jesus? Of course we were. God is making a point here, church. Self righteousness and religious arrogance is not of God.

It often amazes me how believers who have been set free from alcohol and nicotine are the most judgmental of those who still drink and smoke. Believers who have been set free from sexual addiction and bondage now looking down their noses at those who are in the exact same condition they were in before Christ. What in the world is going on, church? When did compassion become a dirty word? Do you not understand? Jesus died for us all. No matter what nationality, what color, what financial status or what spiritual condition we were in. Believers, I'm talking to you!! If you believe I'm being harsh with you, feel free to go to God yourself. My suggestion is to go humbly and ask the Father – is Brother Bob teaching truth here? I am confidant that he will show you that I am.

Church, I am very aware that sin in any fashion is not to be condoned. Sin is dangerous and always leads in the direction of death. However, let's not fight sin and sinners with sinful attitudes or actions of our own. This message is not designed to beat up believers or the church. It is actually more about correction, isn't it? I am encouraging you to approach life and living more as Jesus would. Everything Jesus did or said was designed to bring God's creation (us) to himself. To shine light unto darkness so each person could see their own sin and need for a Savior.

Being separate from the world system does not mean you should be so heavenly minded you are no earthly good. The lost in this world need you. They do not need you to point out their sin as much as they need you to point them toward Jesus Christ.

Let's return to Psalms 100 for further instruction. Verse 4 tells us to praise God wherever we go. It also tell us to be thankful unto God and to bless his name. The way to bless the name of God is to be more like his name implies. To be loving, merciful and just. Verse 5 sums it up for us. God is good. His mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations. Now, that is something to be thankful for, isn't it?

As I close this message, I return to express my thankfulness for this nation. I love our country, but I know as you do there is trouble in the land. Once again this is where we as believers can make a difference. Please, turn with me to II Chronicles 7:14 and let's read it together:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Now that sounds like correction to me. How about you?

God Bless You,
Bro. Bob

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