Saturday, January 26, 2008 "An Election Sermon"

Saturday, January 26, 2008

"An Election Sermon"

From Julie's Keyboard:

In Those Final Moments.....
If we knew in some peculiar way that we had only 20 minutes of time left in our life this side of eternity, what would be our final words and actions?

Suppose we could make no phone call. All we had availabe would be pencil and paper. What would that last note reveal?

It's been done before. It could happen again. Most of us likely prefer to leave here with all the rest of our Bros. and Sisters in the end, or at least hope to go on peacefully in our sleep. Could we really stuff into a 20 minute note what we should have been doing for a lifetime? Imagine that!

Then again thousands by the day leave here in a surprising instant without time for thought of anything. Are we ready?

I just read a touching account that a friend sent to me via email. This person was an attendee at a funeral of a 2 year old child that had drowned. He watched as the parents of the child witnessed the burial of the infant. Then there was a memorial reception held where to the amazement of this inidividual the father of the child got up and preached with all his heart a salvation message to all. So obvious it was that the very strength of God Himself was permeating this man.

The couples' hearts were broken, yet there was such an amazing love present to make such an impact for the kingdom of God. This individual found his way to the couple at the end of the service thinking that he would express condolences. To his astonishment, he found them reaching out to him with a hugging embrace and praying for the salvation of his own family.
Maybe this is twofold thinking today.

We must walk day by day ready for those final moments of living on this earth. Maybe you're one of faith to believe to live out your promised days as the Bible teaches. I hope we all plan to stay and do His work until He is finished with us. The important thing would be to submit our will to His. It seems certain that the couple in the account mentioned here were totally submitted to God.

They seemed to have a clear understanding that there is a real enemy in this life that desires to steal, kill and destroy anything to do with the people of God. When we know who our enemy is and submit to the Victor over that enemy, we will be more than conquerers in this life. (Overcomers) This precious couple would certainly be overcomers.

The death and resurrection of our Lord counted for our victory. May our lives always be lived in honor unto Him. Are we ready?

John 10:10 "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."

Romans 8:37 "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerers through Him that loved us."

Psalm 90:10 "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."

Be Blessed!
Julie

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"An Election Sermon"

I wonder who is going to preach this years election sermon? I suppose it will be broadcast live across the nation because of it’s importance!

Yes, I’m being fictitious.

But there was a time when the Word of God was so revered that it’s wisdom was sought even at the highest levels of Government.

The man of God brought not a political favor to the platform, but a spiritual fever of the mind of God. He strengthened our moral fiber and set aright our compass to which would be used to guide our destiny.

On May 25, 1814, Rev. Jesse Appleton was called upon the speak to the leader of this great nation. His words are eternal because they are founded upon the eternal principles of righteousness and justice which are rooted in God’s immortal Word.

Below are some excerpts from that sermon, may they speak to us again!

Annual Election, May 25, 1814. Before His Excellency Caleb Strong, Esq. Governor, His Honor William Phillips, Esq. Lieutenant Governor, The Honorable Council, And the Legislature of Massachusetts. By Jesse Appleton, D.D. President of Bowdoin College.

Isaiah, XXXIII: 6.

Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is his treasure.

“. . .a nation, distinguished by a union of wisdom, knowledge, and the fear of God, is morally certain of having its government well administered, . . . because the tone of morals, existing in such a nation, will operate as a powerful restraint, if, by any casualty or deep dissimulation, persons of yielding virtue should be placed in office.

Public opinion constitutes a tribunal, which few men, and, least of all, those, who are in pursuit of popular favor, will dare to set at defiance. It is scarcely possible, that a people, truly wise and virtuous, should have a government badly administered. Whenever the majority of a community complain of their rulers, they implicitly utter reproaches against themselves, for having placed their destiny in the hands of men, with whom it is insecure.

If their reproaches are long continued, it is good proof that their own morals exhibit no very striking contrast with the morals of those, whose profligacy they condemn. In popular governments, the virtues and vices of rulers must flourish or wither with those of the people.
Again. A union of wisdom, knowledge, and the fear of God, will contribute to the prosperity of a nation by increasing its power. . .

Wisdom and virtue tend directly to the stability of a government, as they will prevent both the necessity and the general desire of a revolution. The necessity of such an event, in any nation, implies a high degree of corruption in its rulers. The desire without the necessity indicates, with no less certainty, a depraved, restless, and turbulent people.

It is evident, that a moral and enlightened people will not be factious: nor will an administration of this character be oppressive. It is a melancholy and mortifying truth, that all human things tend to degeneracy. To check this tendency, in any political establishment, knowledge, generally diffused and actively employed, in connection with a religious regard to the public welfare, may be effectual. Moderate evils, not easily remedied, will be patiently endured.

Tranquility and prosperity may thus be the growth of ages and centuries. But, where there is not enough either of knowledge or moral principle to discover or correct abuses, as they occur, the mass, by constant accretions, will become enormous, and produce eventually the atrocities and sufferings of a revolution. . .

To illustrate and exemplify these remarks, we need only refer to the early history of our own country. Those illustrious men, who, under God, directed the earlier destinies of New England, were distinguished for the character, of which we have been speaking.

They were equally remarkable for their love of liberty, and their hatred of anarchy and misrule. They could, without complaint, forego the indulgences and elegancies of life; they could look unappalled on a vast, stormy, unfrequented ocean; they could plant themselves and families, in a wilderness rendered hideous by every danger; they could submit, with invincible fortitude, to toils and privations; ì but their noble minds could not endure the spirit of civil and religious bondage. . .

The fear of God tends to the stability of a nation, by ensuring the divine protection. If no human being either enters the world or leaves it; if no plant of the field either vegetates or decays; if no sparrow falls to the ground without our heavenly Father, can all the parts of that vast and complicated machine, denominated a nation, continue their relative positions, and discharge their various functions without the same counsel and agency?

All nations are before him as nothing; they are accounted as less than nothing and vanity. At what time I shall speak, saith Jehovah, concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to pull down and destroy it, if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil, which I thought to do unto them. And at what time I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it do evil in my sight, I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. . .”

May God bless each of you,
David