July 4th Message

Amen, let's be seated everyone. I'd like to take your outline out of your notes as we always do and I'll be referring to this as we go through the message and I trust that you'll leave with something to sink the roots of your convictions into and not just our emotions which I think have all been stirred this evening. How many have you been following with interest the confirmation hearings of Elena Kagan this week as she's been interviewed for her position as potential Supreme Court candidate? Fair number of you, that's good, it's a good thing. The reason is the United States Supreme Court is arguably the most powerful small group on the planet. One of their own members was quoted as calling him a national theology board. The way they interpret our Constitution and the laws of this nation literally affect the direction of our entire democracy and our personal choices. Please hear me when I say that. For example, just a couple of things that I came across, personal things. It is unconstitutional for a graduating valedictorian to include personal comments about his or her own faith in their celebratory speech. Therefore students address may be reviewed or censored by school officials prior to being delivered. It is unconstitutional for a classroom library to contain books that deal with Christianity or for a teacher to be seen with this personal copy of a Bible. Roberts versus Madigan 1990. It is unconstitutional for public schools to display, forgive me, it is constitutional for public schools to display Jewish and Islamic religious holiday symbols but not Christian ones. Skouros versus City of New York 2006. And on and on and on I could go. The power of these nine people to form what we do in our lives. Loved ones, make no mistake, we best be praying. And let me alert you from the beginning that I set out in this message to really make this a patriotic celebration of America and and all the great things that we enjoy. That was my goal was to have us sing these great and wonderful hymns and choruses that just affirm the amazing liberty that I think we take less for granted because we now see in stories and hear in stories such as Steve's that it's a great personal cost that these things happen. And as was quoted by President Ronald Reagan, the cost not just to Americans if we lose our freedom, which would be incalculable, but to the rest of the world for which as he said we are a beacon of hope. And so as I was preparing, I thought this in my heart, but I need to be obedient to the Lord. And I came across a quote. We have, there's two books and this might be the very end of the PowerPoint lineup so they may not get these up until the end. But if there's two books I could commend you to read, one of them is called Original Intent by David Barton. If you're a reader at all, go to Amazon or go to a bookstore and buy this book, Original Intent, authored by David Barton. The courts, the Constitution, and religion. There it is. I think it's going to be okay. The first book, I'll mention that one. America is God and country. This is all just quotations from pre-Constitution United States all the way to present. This is by William Federer and then the second one, and I would recommend this one even more highly because it helps interpret some things. Original Intent by David Barton. It'd be the best ten bucks you would ever spend to understand what's happening in our country. Well, in reading this book, the first one, here's what I came across. Listen to this. The United States Supreme Court in 1789 was ordained and established by the Judiciary Act of Congress. Originally consisting of six justices, it has since been increased to nine. The Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C. designed by Cass Gilbert, a famous architect, was completed in 1935. Now engraved in stone above the head, and I catch this as a mental image, please. Engraved in stone above the head of the Chief Justice, now John Paul Roberts, are the Ten Commandments with the Great American Eagle protecting them. Moses is included among the great lawgivers in Herman A. McNeil's marble sculpture relief on the East Portico. Listen to this. At the beginning of each session of the court, as the justices stand before their desks, the justices walk out. They're standing in front of their desks, and just imagine it. The crier opens with the invocation, God save the United States and this honorable court. Go ahead, put it up. There it is. Imagine that. God save — think of the language here. Not God bless, not God be merciful, but God save the United States and this honorable court. And this honorable court has slowly and methodically, over the last 60 years, been shaking its fist in the face of this God that they cried to before each session. Loved ones, let me just ask you a question. As you read through your Bibles and you think back, is our God not a long-suffering God? Is He not patient and merciful and slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love? Isn't He? Is that not why oftentimes it would not be just a few weeks or days, but sometimes many years and decades before God finally said to the Israelites, enough of this, and then the judgment fell? And there was not a thing they could do about it. And I won't make the point forcibly enough, but my own conviction is since this court has turned its back on God, which specifically began in 1947 in the case of Everson versus the Board of Education, when they, the Supreme Court, made the declaration, and I'm going to read it for you exactly the way it's written so that I don't misquote it, said this, the First Amendment has erected a wall of separation between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. And do you know that for the last 60 plus years, that little quote, the wall of separation of church and state, that metaphorical term, not in the Constitution, not in the Bill of Rights, has been quoted more than the First Amendment, which says that the Congress — let me read that correctly so I don't misstate that as well. I'm out of order here, obviously, but just bear with me because it's just worth it. In fact, I do have it right here. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise. That's all that was said, but that little term, that metaphorical term, the wall of separation, in the last two decades has been quoted 4,000 times in cases before the Supreme Court, as opposed to 3,000 times that the First Amendment was quoted. Now let me ask you, when you listen to the news, which do you hear more often? The wall of separation. Isn't that what you hear? And as a consequence, we have very methodically pushed God out of the public square of our nation. We, as God's — the people, I should say, that look to God as their source of liberty and freedom, have methodically removed Him from everything that is public. A few of the quotes that I read are just the tip of the iceberg of the things that have been said and are going to be said as we go forward. Loved ones, look around us today. Is it possible today that we're beginning to see just the first little signs of God's hand of favor being lifted from the United States? Is there any connection? Am I going wild here? Just tell me that we are in the midst of the worst ecological disaster we've ever known, that we're in the worst economic time since the Great Depression, that our immigration laws are in total disarray, and our president just said four days ago that he cannot patrol and keep all the borders safe. What? Then if our borders aren't safe, then you're not safe. I think I've made — have I named four of about eight crises that I know of right now? And this is not political. That ecological disaster was not this administration's fault. What I'm saying to you is, I can't help but wonder. I'm not saying categorically this is that. I'm not prophesying that this is that. I'm just asking you to think about it and have the courage to look at what's going on and say, is it possible that the blessing we so — have enjoyed for so many years, for the first almost two centuries of our existence as a nation, we never said things like have been said in the last 50 years. And as a consequence, I just — I can't help but ask the question, is there a connection? Our founding fathers, and I won't go to a long sidebar on this, but our founding fathers, it's about 250 people who were the framers of the original Constitution, and then the signers, first 14 presidents. About 250 people all together, some selected governors who — and do you know that what their number one concern was? If you read carefully either of those books that I gave you, or any — a lot of other literature, I mean just any literature actually will tell you this. The big concern of the original people who started this country was not that we give the government control. It was that we not give the government too much control. In fact, many representatives refused to go to the Constitutional Convention because they said, wait a minute, it's way too powerful. In fact, the amendments to the Constitution were added to further take from the federal government the authority that they had implied by the Declaration of Independence. Did you know that? I didn't know that. And that the framers of the Constitution believed that the states were to have rights that the federal government could not impose upon. Here's just a few quotes from some of these framers that I talked about. James Madison, our fourth president, said this. He went to Princeton University, which, by the way, Princeton University, okay, one of the several schools that I looked at and was laughed at, said this, Cursed be all learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ. They have a problem probably following up with that one today, wouldn't they? James Madison, though, said this, Religion is the basis and foundation of government. If you go out in our lobby on your way out, if you happen to be in Wexford watching, or if you're participating, we've got these A-frame little displays out there, and John Adams refers to the fact that it is the Christian religion that we're talking about. Madison also said this, here's another quote, We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We've staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God. Let me skip down to the second quote of Thomas Jefferson. He was the writer of the original first paragraph, when, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary of the Declaration of Independence. Here's what he said, No power over the freedom of religion is delegated to the United States government by the Constitution. Can I read that again? Did you hear what I just read? No power over the freedom of religion is delegated to the United States government by the Constitution. No valedictorian shall be free to quote their faith in their speech in high school. I looked at this and I thought, what's happening? Where are we going with this? And see, like most things, this is not happening overnight. It's subtle and insidious. Forgive me for those of you who are battling this disease, but it's like a cancer that you don't even know that is in there for a while. And then suddenly, out of nowhere, you get a diagnosis that things are really bad. And then you've got to bring out the heavy artillery. And who knows what happens after that? I have a quote from Patrick Henry. Do we have that one? This is what Patrick Henry said, It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often. By the way, he was the same one who said, Give me liberty or give me death. It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians. Not on religions, but the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here. Boy, you're quiet. Is that anti-Muslim? Absolutely not. But let's just be honest, friends. How many attorneys are here? Don't put your hand up. That could cause trouble. Okay. But if you're an attorney, one of the things that you would confirm is that attorneys operate under the premise that you go back to what was the original intent of the law as it was written. And that if you can prove that the original intent was such and such, then you can apply it to the circumstances you're facing. These are the people who laid the foundation of the nation that we call America, and these are the things that they said. I just want to ask you just a simple straight-up question. How far from this have we veered? How crazy is it? And it's so nicely packaged and just so slick that it's getting through all the little checks. Let me just tell you. Can I tell you something right now? That little check that comes up inside of you every once in a while, you hear, what? Pay attention to that and call your congressperson or your senator or send them an email or communicate with somebody and say, wait a minute. That's not right. Last evening, our congressman Jason Altmeier from this district was here at our car cruise along with 9,000 people. It's my privilege to introduce him. I've actually had a chance to speak with him a few times. He agreed to share some moments with me in the future. I just want you to know something. Those people listen to you people, okay? It's we the people. So we need to get up off of our seats and away from our desks once in a while and say, wait a minute. That little thing in me that says that's not right needs to give a voice to that. We do have a power, and it's not just the voting box. Much can happen long before November or two years from now or ten years from now. It's in these decisions that are happening day-to-day. Well, let me go on and just kind of quickly say this. This First Amendment thing, I could just tell you. Here's what happened to me. This is what kind of saddened me and alarmed me a bit. You see, I went from, first of all, as I started contemplating all this confusion, to how did all this happen, to anger that it's happening the way it is, to frustration that I felt helpless to know what to do about it. And then that just sort of morphed into a sense of fear that maybe it's too late for me to do anything. Along the way by, I just have to say this, along the way, you know what this also did? It created a bit of, I don't know, I'm just confessing to you sort of here now, a bit of tension between people that I care about. That somehow, and this wasn't political as much as it was, that why don't they see it? Why aren't they paying attention to it? You know, and I found myself with friends and colleagues and family members even, just having some like dis-ease about this. Because I'll just be candid. I do not believe that the people have been leading this country for the last 20 years, okay? So let's take it away from the current administration, are more godly than the people who founded this country. And I believe we've been silent too long, loved ones. And so that's what brings me to this text for today, and it will be brief, but it's very important because this is where I found great comfort in the midst of all the kind of heavy stuff that I just sifted through rather hurriedly with you. And it came from Psalm 46. Let's read it. It's on your outline. This is going to be very quick. Would you read it out loud with me so it just comes out of your own lips? God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help and trouble. Therefore, will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall, and the heart of the sea. Though its waters roar and foam, and the mountains quake with their surging. Now, just for a second, as you look at that, we're not that bad yet, right? I mean, the earth's not quaking, the mountains aren't falling. So, because the Bible's saying even in that situation, God is our refuge and strength. And I began to see this, and this should be number one on your outline, okay? Taking blanks, it says part two. Here's the first line. God's caring presence dissolves our fears. Isn't that amazing? His presence in our lives addresses the kinds of issues that I shared somewhat passionately about. That's what I began to see. You see, as I pondered what kind of world am I leaving to my kids, when I held my little 15-day-old grandson, Trace, last night, Trace J. D'Ambrosio, and looked at his face, I said, what kind of world is he going to have in 25 or 30 years? My mind was taken back to the Scripture, that God is my refuge and strength. I don't know what's going to happen here, but if I can impart into his life, and my kids' life, and in your life, that God is the place we must first turn. That it's unto Him that we look to first, and then we do what He leads us to do. That's the place that we find the ability to see things change. Loved ones, we are so swamped, so constantly with a barrage of information, it's almost impossible to escape it. The internet, television, I mean, how many of you are on one social network? Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, huh? Okay, good. By the way, if you're on any of those, the first thing I would do is, I get on there when you leave today, to all your friends and say, you've got to go to church tomorrow. That's what you tell. Talk radio has, I mean, it's, some people are addicted to it. They listen to it 12 hours a day, whatever, you know, side of the aisle you're on, in terms of your politics. And, you know, we're just bombarded constantly with all this stuff that's just not really good for our brains. And I've made a conviction to limit the amount of that stuff I'm listening to, period. The only way I'm going to put my trust in God is if I listen to God. And how many of you got to turn off everything else for a while and just listen to God? There's so much more worthwhile in here. It's coming over all those news channels and stations and cable networks and radio broadcasts and internet blogs and all the rest. So invest some time and energy so that you can hear this voice and you can act on it. Because, you know, it's not enough just to know it. And, you know, I'm very aware and somewhat a little concerned about this, and I say that lovingly, that a lot of you already know this, what I'm about to say, that the trust in God is so important. But let me remind you about this in a little more powerful way. This is from an author that I respect greatly named Jerry Bridges. Here's what he writes. I think we had this quote. Jerry Bridges wrote this in his book called Trusting God. It's up on the screens. It's just as important to trust God as it is to obey Him. When we disobey God, we defy His authority and holiness. When we fail to trust God, we doubt His sovereignty and question His goodness. Both are equally condemning of His character. What? I thought it was worse. Like if I punch somebody, that's worse than saying, well, God, I don't know if You're going to take care of me. No. He's making the case that they're equally unacceptable. God views our distrust as seriously as He views our disobedience. How does that happen? What are some examples of distrust? Well, when, you know, you decide, I'll take some things into my own hands, God, in terms of relationships. And so instead of following God's exhortation to reconcile, you just sort of do things your own way because you're not trusting God. Or when it comes to finances, and you say, well, you know, I know what God says in His Word, but it's, these are tough times. So I just, Lord, this piece of the pie, I'm just going to have to take back and keep. Or when it comes to, you know, reaching out and caring for somebody, you say, you know, I'm just so busy. I don't have, and all these things mount up on us, friends. These are evidence of not trusting God. In the end, we do have a center. It's His Word. Number two on your outline, God's certain purposes transform our perspectives. Just keep this in mind as we read on here. Let's grab a couple more verses. There is a river whose streams make glad the sea of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her. She will not fall. God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar. Kingdoms fall. He lifts His voice. The earth melts. Do you get the picture that God might just be a little bit bigger than whatever issues we face? The Lord Almighty is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. And you see, this just gives me some comfort that God's in control. He is sovereign. Listen, He's sovereign over two things, okay? He's sovereign over what happens in your life. All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. So I just take great comfort in saying, Lord, then these things that maybe aren't right and don't feel right, you can knit that for my good if I just trust you and lean into you. That's my perspective. And second, as a nation, I believe God, if we appeal to Him and turn to Him and repent of whatever, however we have just allowed this to happen and ignored the realities in front of us, God can be merciful again to our nation and restore us as a God-fearing people once again. There's a verse there that's often quoted. I want to draw your attention to verse 10. Would you look at verse 10 with me? It says, Be still and know that I am God. How many of you have ever heard that verse before? Can I see your hand? Listen, how many of you often thought of that verse in terms of your own devotional life? Like, like I said earlier, turn off everything, get alone with God, and you'll know that He's God. I mean, I have. But in saying this time in context, which I should know since I've been preaching for 35 years, in context, He is saying this to kings. He's saying this to leaders of nations. He's saying, Be still. Stop all your foolish kind of saber rattling. Be still and know that I am God. Just read the rest of the verse. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. And so in the end, however this plays out, God will be exalted. And then note this last closing line. The Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob. Why Jacob? Why not the God of Abraham? Who were the first four fathers of the faith? Abraham. Who's the second one? Isaac and Jacob. Why the God of Jacob? Any idea? I'll submit this to you. I don't know if it's right, but here's what I think. Jacob was the most deceitful of those fathers of the faith. He's the one that kind of tricked his brother into giving him the blessing, all that stuff. I mean, in essence, he was like the most cowardly of the bunch. And yet God's saying, even if you've sinned, even if you've fallen short, even if you haven't made it, you can come to me and I'll still be your refuge and strength. All you Jacobs out there, all you Jacobs up here, all of us who've sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, we can turn to Him. He can be our refuge and strength once again. And remember, friends, when He comes to our nation, there's no—and this is on the back, and I don't have time to go through all this, but just on the back you can see the application—acknowledge His sovereignty. We've already talked about that. That's what we're saying right now. Second, acknowledge our indifference and pride. And that's the verse I want you to see. If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. There's a big if there, and the if is on us. I don't expect people out there to get it, but I do expect and pray that we get it. And finally, pray and act for a turning back to God. What will that look like? You know what? I don't know, but I think we'll begin to see it. Things will change. I love this nation. Some of you maybe didn't get to see part of this, but we had a wonderful testimony in this service. One of our veterans came up and gave his testimony, and he told me afterwards, he said, I just—I didn't think I'd get emotional. And I said back to him, it's impossible not to be emotional about these things. This is what we're about. This is life. We lose this, friends, we lost it all. And I love this nation. And I want to continue to declare the gospel in freedom so that everyone around the globe can know that Jesus is Lord of all. Let's pray. Father, I thank you. I thank you for what you've revealed to me and the need in my own heart to change some things. And I just pray that you take the sort of mishmash of my comments here today and cause them to just be of whatever blessing they can be to the people that you've brought, and people will watch and listen and hear. Thank you for your faithfulness. We love this nation. And we pray now, dear God, that though we know we don't deserve it, that you would once again bless this United States. Friends, just before we move on, I want to thank Pastor Rob Berkey. He had the vision for today. And I believe it was God through him calling us all to turn back to the Lord and say, Lord, if it's not too much to ask, bless us once again. Rob, come sing. To be living here today, cause the black still stands for freedom, and they can't take that away. And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died and gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today, cause there ain't no doubt I love this land. God bless the USA. From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee, and across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea, from Detroit down to Houston, from New York to L.A., there's pride in every American heart. It's time we stand and say, that I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right for me, so I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today, cause there ain't no doubt I love this land. God bless the USA. And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right for me, so I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today, cause there ain't no doubt I love this land. God bless the USA. Let's pray. Father God, there's really nothing more that we could say other than thank you. Thank you. Thank you, God, for allowing us to live here in this country. We thank you for for all of those that have sacrificed so diligently, for those right now that protect the freedoms that we enjoy even here tonight just to gather and to worship you, God. We pray that you would just bestow your blessing upon those servicemen and servicewomen that are serving us currently right now. We pray that you would bless their families as well. And we thank you for all those who have gone before us. You protected these freedoms that we enjoy.