A Blessed Nation

Alright. If you take your Bibles if you would, turn to Psalm 33. My message this morning has basically two points. Point number one, we are or at least were a Christian nation and thereby blessed of God. Number two, if we wanna continue to receive the blessings of God, we need to return to the Lord.

And we'll see both of those in that in this passage today. Taking a brief hiatus from my series on the life of Christ in the New Testament, it seemed fitting. I don't always make a real big deal about July 4, but it is the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of our country. So I I I think that is maybe worth just a brief detour this morning to be reminded of of who we are and what we should be, and to be reminded of who it is that should receive the glory for it all. So Psalm 33 verse 12, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

The Lord looketh from heaven. He beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation, he looketh upon all the habitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike. He considereth all their works.

There is no king saved by the multitude of an host. It'd be the same as an army. A mighty man is not delivered by much strength. And horse is vain, a vain thing for safety. Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy, to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord. He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, o Lord, be upon us according as he as we hope in thee.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord. This passage that you have recorded, preserved for us today. Thank you, Lord, for the many blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus and also as citizens of The United States Of America. We have been greatly blessed who have chosen to follow the true and living God in the Bible.

Lord, we thank you for all that you have done. We pray that you might be magnified in our service, in our homes, in our church, and once again in our nation. And we look to you for help, for mercy, and grace, and guidance that we need, that we might bring honor to the one who has made us, saved us, and given us this place. In Jesus' name, we do pray. Amen.

Again, mainly two things. Number one, United States Of America has been blessed because, yes, we are a Christian nation. Number two, if we wish to continue to see the blessings of almighty God, we must continue to be a God fearing people. Why did The United States Of America become the most affluent, the most free, the most advanced, the most secure, and the greatest evangelistic nation that has ever been? And no doubt all of those statements are true.

Why? Happenstance? We just happen to be at the right place at the right time. Is because of the collection of the smartest and shrewdest people that have ever lived. Or the collection of the hardest working people or the most religious people or maybe just something in the water or a government never before tried in human history.

Well, yes to the last one. If you tie it to the most important element of that government, people, and nation, a belief and reliance upon the God of the Bible and his word. Yes. A government never before tried in human history. A government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

But a government and a people and a nation who declared belief and reliance upon the God of the Bible and his word. It takes both. It takes both. And the second, reliance upon God is the most important of the two. Our nation excelled only because it included God in its founding and chose to allow its citizens to choose how to worship that God personally and freely.

Unlike most nations throughout history who demanded their citizens worship their God in their way, the founders and founding documents of our country declared their reliance on God while at the same time declaring the people and rulers of this land free to join whatever God fearing church or congregation they so desired or not at all. Why? Well, because all men and women are created what? Equal. Made in the image of who?

Made in the image of God. To be free, to choose who to worship, how to worship, and how to live their lives as he or she sees fit, answerable mainly to God above and not man below. I'm going to read that one more time. Why? Because all men are create women are created equal, made in the image of God to be free to choose who to worship, how to worship, how to live their lives as he or she sees fit, answerable mainly to God above and not to man below.

A new idea which should not have been new, but yet it was. Our laws and our bill of rights echo the ordained values of the supreme lawgiver such as the inestimable inestimable can't say that word. Inestimable value of each human life. That means it cannot be estimated. The right to personal property.

Are these found in the Bible? Well, the value of human life is found in the commandment that says, thou shalt not what? Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not murder. The right to personal property, thou shalt not what? Steal.

Steal. And I guess covet would kinda tie into that as well. The sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman, thou shalt not commit adultery. The right to self defense, the right to peaceful assembly to voice grievances, discuss differences, and to worship God, the right to a fair trial, still the envy of the world. Yes, it isn't maybe what we would like it to be, but it is still the envy of the world.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. And the right of self determination within the confines of these of these principles, including the right to a say in our governance. These which are expressed quite clearly in the bill of rights are not declared to be rights issued by the state, but natural God given rights which were never to be infringed upon by the state. That is the purpose of our Bill of Rights. The purpose of our constitution, to establish a government that is limited in its power that we might be free.

At the root of it all, we have been blessed because we honored the God of the Bible in the founding and governing of this place by not being ashamed to declare him and to value what he values. We took the principles of his word concerning both God and man and built a nation, wrote a constitution, established an economy and a judicial system based upon those truths. And it has worked For two hundred and fifty years, generation after generation, it has worked. It was on purpose. It was not an accident.

There's a reason it has worked because while it includes the freedom to choose whether you are going to follow God or not, it acknowledges God, which sadly many today do not, or force people to worship the wrong God. We were a Christian nation, not a Catholic nation, not a Protestant nation, not a Baptist or Presbyterian or an Anglican nation. We are a Christian, God fearing people. Consider these words from the declaration of independence. You say, pastor, are you going to get back to scripture?

Yes, I am. We're still working on blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. From the declaration, we're not gonna read the whole declaration here this morning, but I I did pick out a few passages. We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and they are endowed by their creator. Who is that?

God. With certain unalienable rights, it's the rights that are given by God and not to be taken away by men. That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We were, therefore, the representatives of The United States Of America in general congress assembled, appealing to the supreme judge of the world. Who is that?

God. For rectitude of our intentions, do in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states. And for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence. What's that a refer who's that a reference to? God.

We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. What does that document say? We are a God fearing people. We are a Christian nation. George Washington, it is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.

The Supreme Court of 1844, the Bible, and especially the New Testament should be read and taught as divine revelation in the schools otherwise. Where can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly and so perfectly as from the New Testament. That is the Supreme Court of 1844. Some things have changed and not for the better. We'll get to Romans here in just a minute.

Our currency still bears the declaration in God we trust. Our pledge still includes the phrase one nation under God. We are at least or we are or at least we're a Christian nation and God has indeed blessed us accordingly. I'll mention a few things. We have more access to the Bible and the gospel than nearly any other people For the first two hundred years of our country, nearly 90% of our people claimed a church home and a belief in the almighty God of the Bible.

Nearly 90% until the nineteen sixties. What place on earth even today has more religious freedom than we do? Search hard. We have prospered under the same government and rule of law for longer than any other country presently on this earth. No other country has been blessed to live under the same rule of law and government for two hundred and fifty years today than The United States Of America.

We have the mightiest military the world has ever seen. We have brought technology to the world, which has made the lives of people across the word world far better and longer than any time in human history. We have been the most generous and charitable people that have probably ever lived on the face of the earth. To this day well, let me I'll come back to that. When Venezuela was hit with a devastating earthquake a few weeks ago, who came to their rescue?

The United States Of America. When The Philippines was hit by a tsunami a few years ago and a tsunami of unbelievable proportions, who came to the rescue of The Philippines? The United States Of America. When oppressed peoples around the world cry out for help, Nigeria for instance, who at least tries to help them? The United States Of America.

When disease threatens the lives of millions, who sends medicine and doctors to aid them? The United States Of America. When Europe was under the thumb of Hitler, who came to rescue? Who came to the rescue giving their lives to free the world from the Nazis and the Japanese? The United States Of America.

Who gives more in charitable giving every year, far more than any other nation or people on this earth? The United States Of America. And I'm not talking government money. I'm speaking of people freely giving of their own money, not taxes. Nobody gives like The United States Of America.

Not be just because we are the richest nation, but because we are the people with the biggest heart. Where did we get that heart? From God above is where we got that heart, which still remains, though not beating maybe as strongly as it once was. Where did we get that technology in military? Ultimately, from God.

Who has delivered us time and time again? God above. Do you think we defeated the greatest military on the earth in 1776 alone? I don't think so. We had help from God.

Do you think we defeated both the Nazis and Japanese alone? No. We had help from above. To God be the glory for the great things he has done. It is he that has made us and not we ourselves.

We are and have been blessed by the Lord who gave his son to die for us, who saves the all who come to him in faith, and who honors those who honor him. Sadly, about sixty years ago, many among us decided to throw God out, and we are seeing the reprobation of our society as predicted in Romans one. Romans one twenty eight, and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. We are seeing that wear and tear upon our nation and our society today. As a result of a reprobate mind, we have killed millions of our own children via abortion.

We now support gay marriage and the mutilation of our children for transgender purposes. Promote all things vile, particularly in our entertainment. Teach our children that they are nothing more than a mere accident. They are nothing more than animals and that there is no God. What is that called?

That is called evolution. Turning more and more to violence against our fellow man, we see the result of a change in the heart of America. Our technology and fortune in military might will not suffice if we continue on the path we are on. We may have the greatest military and the the most advanced technology there ever was. But if we turn from the God who made us, sustains us, protects us, those machines will do us no good.

The house of cards will fall because in the end, God made us free because we as a nation built it, our nation, on the truth which sets men free. The Bible. We must not presume that the God who blessed and prospered us when we were a humble and God fearing people will not bring us low who have become largely an arrogant and rebellious people. Too big for our britches, much like Israel did, not heeding God's warning in Deuteronomy six. God told them to teach his laws and works unto their children diligently lest they forget the Lord who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage.

And, yes, for many in our world today, in our society, even in The United States Of America, we have forgotten who? We have forgotten God. Why do many of our young people, college age, do many of the things and riot like some do? Because they do not know God. They do not know God and how desperately they need God as does our nation as a whole.

Let's look closer at this passage this morning. We will see a few things we need to remember if we are to save our nation from the judgment which has come upon others, including even Israel, who is the direct object of this audience of this this Psalm. Looking at verse 12 again, I told you I was going to get back to the scripture. Okay? Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord and the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance.

Blessed is the nation who has chosen the Lord to be their God and God has chosen to be his people. Who is God talking about? Well, he's talking directly about the nation of of Israel. Honestly, the nation being referred to as Israel and we are not Israel. Not all the promises given to Israel apply to The United States Of America.

Though many of them do apply to the church and those who've chosen to put their faith in Christ, who are citizens of a heavenly kingdom and not just an earthly one. Praise God. And yet our founders and the Puritan settlers who came here to escape religious persecution and worship God as they pleased did seem also to, in some way, be chosen by God to make a difference not only in this land but all over this world. Today, there are many nations who at least attempt in some form to have government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Where did they get that idea?

From The United States Of America and from the word of God. We have made a difference. Today, there is freedom of navigation in this world, especially of the seas, primarily because of The United the Navy of the United States of America. There is far less famine than there would be in this world if not for The United States Of America. God has used us greatly, not only in the lives of the people that live here, but in the lives of others all around the world.

To God be the glory. He has made us a special people, not Israel, but yet a special place. God's hand could clearly be seen in the founding and growth of our nation, particularly when we were young and God fearing, particularly when the gospel was known by most and believed by many, particularly when the name of Jesus Christ was associated with a savior rather than a curse word. When most people were coming here to worship God without fear and missionaries were leaving our shores by the hundreds each year to reach the world with the gospel. God has blessed us and maybe in his mercy still is.

But unless we repent as a people and as individuals, the day will come when God will bring a curse and not a blessing. We so do need revival in our country, in our homes, in our communities, in our states, and in our nation. We need the Lord. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Number two from this passage, if you looked in verses 13 through 15, the Lord looketh from heaven.

He beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation, he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike, he considereth all their works. Yes, we are blessed nation. Number two, God is not or or a and b, I guess you might say.

God is not watching men, not only watching men, which he is, but is in involved in the affairs of men, even nations, and even the hearts of men and women alike. This psalm reminds us of that. God is watching. He is not watching us from a distance. He is everywhere present.

He is here. He is involved in our nation. He is involved in our own personal lives. David wrote in Psalm one thirty nine, he sees us when we stand up. He sees us when we sit down.

He knows what time we go to bed. He knows when we get up. He knows the words before they ever come out of our what? Our mouth and even the thoughts of our heart. There is no place you can go to escape the presence and the knowledge of God.

Darkness will not hide you. This God is everywhere and he knows all things and he is watching and he's involved. He is not disinterested in the man in men's affairs as some would suppose, as the psalmist makes clear. He deals with all men and not just the mighty and the rich, but also fashions the hearts of the poor and the unknown and cares about their souls just the same. In many parts of the world through much of the history of humanity, only certain people's souls mattered to other men.

But they have always all mattered to who? God. We have prospered in this nation because we acknowledged that fact. It says here in verse 15 again, he fashioneth their hearts alike. That means he works in the hearts of all men, When they are all important, they're all important to him.

He, as James reminds us God, as James reminds us, is not a respecter of persons. He is not partial nor prejudiced, but fair to all men and women as we should be and as we have inspired to be in The United States Of America and should. And one day, the judge will return to judge in righteousness and justice. Despite our efforts to judge righteously and fairly, sometimes we fall short. But Jesus will not.

Acts seventeen thirty one, we read we read because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, that is Jesus Christ, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men and that he hath raised him from the dead. God is watching. God is involved. God cares. And one day, he who considerth all their works will judge in righteousness.

And that is why we need to make sure you need to make sure that you know Jesus Christ as savior and that their sins have been, what, forgiven. In Revelation chapter 20, it says the books will be opened and the judge will be judged according to their, what? Works. But there is another book, the lamb's book of life. Whosoever was not found written in the, what?

The book of life was cast therefore into the, what? The lake of fire. How do you get your name written in the book of life? By being perfect? By being better than the person beside you or in front of you?

No. By coming to the only one who can give you his righteousness and justify you before God in heaven, Jesus Christ. Number three, or letter c under number two, this nation needs to be reminded that God is the reason for our prosperity and victory and security, not just technology and war machines. I don't know about you, but I enjoyed watching those planes. I wish I could have been at one of these places to watch those planes in person fly over.

It was pretty cool watching them fly over on the TV. And they are powerful and they are absolutely unbelievable. And yet, one electromagnetic pulse powerful enough and every last one of those machines will fall to the ground. We must not put our faith in the might of men, but in the might of who? Of almighty God.

So in the passage, we read in verse first, okay, here we are. In verse 16, there is no king saved by the multitude of a host, an army. There's no king saved by the multitude of an army. The mighty man is not delivered by much strength and horse is a vain thing for safety. What are our horses today?

Well, they're planes and they're tanks and they're guns. A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Look at Zechariah four six. Then he answered and spake unto them saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying, not by might nor by power but by my what? My spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Psalm 20 verse seven, some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God if we wish to prosper in this land. We must remember who? The Lord God. We must remember the name of our we must remember who it is that brought us this far, and we must repent and trust in him. David cried in first Samuel 17 in the face of Goliath and before the assembly gathered there that this assembly may know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear.

For the battle is the Lord's, and he will deliver you into our hands. We have seen God do that for Israel. We have seen God do that for us. We must not forget to remember the name of the Lord our God if we wish to see it again. And then in verse 16, we read verse sorry, verse 18.

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that what? That fear him. Upon them that hope have faith in his mercy. To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our nation needs to be reminded that God is the reason for our prosperity and the Lord sees and blesses those who fear him.

This is a phrase used in the Old Testament law. What does it mean? It means to trust in him. That's what it means to fear God is to choose to trust in God. The fear of the Lord drives us to believe and trust in him and not in others who will fail us.

We must call out for mercy rather than rebel against his grace for he keeps those and he accepts those who call out for his what? Mercy and humility and faith. And he delivers them from death and starvation. He guides and protects and provides for them as he has in my life personally, but as I look back at history for the people of this land. Why?

Because we were a God fearing people, which we must continue to be if we wish to reap the blessings of God Almighty. Our founders recognize this. John Quincy Adams wrote, righteousness alone can exalt America as a nation. Reader, whoever thou art, remember this. In thy sphere of practice in thy sphere, practice virtue thyself and encourage it in others.

The great pillars of all government and social life, I mean virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone that renders us invincible. The words of the sixth president, I think. Not John Adams, John Quincy Adams. It's his son.

Yeah. Consider the words of my favorite founder, a preacher from the state of Virginia by the name of Patrick Henry. I hope you've heard of him. He wrote, to the kindly influence of Christianity, we owe that degree of civil freedom and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoys. Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government and all blessings which flow from them must fall with them.

Honest words from an honest man who knew the God of the Bible and knew what the God of the Bible said. Something we must be thankful for, something we must be reminded of, and something that we must someone we must look to to continue to see the blessings of God upon this land. In conclusion, the psalmist finishes with a prayer. Verse 10. Hear, oh Lord, and have mercy upon me.

Lord, be thou my helper. Thou has turned for me my morning into dancing. Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness. The end to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent. O Lord God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.

All that that would be the prayer of every citizen of The United States and every person in the world today. Oh, Lord, you are our what? You are our helper. You. To you, we cry out in humility for what?

For mercy. You have turned our mourning into what? Dancing and caused us to put off our sackcloth, our our sadness and sorrow, and girded us with gladness. I am thankful for the founders of our country, but the founders of our country are nothing without God. They cannot insure us or bring us happiness or joy, mercy, and peace.

They can only be found in the God of heaven. The God we read about in our Bible. The God I pray you know. This needs to be our prayer today personally and nationally if we are continue to see the Lord's blessing in our lives and upon our nation. Oh, how we have strayed far from the ideals of our fathers and God of the Bible.

There's question here, more importantly for you personally. Have you personally repented and come to Christ? To plead in faith for his mercy and deliverance from the God above from sin and hell. It must start here. We can get angry at everybody else.

We can get frustrated. We can get all down in the mouth. But it needs to start here. We must choose Christ. And then as Christ's children, we must choose to be salt and light in the earth.

Are you a Christian? Do you know him? Living in a Christian nation does not make you a Christian. Growing up in a Christian home does not make you a Christian. Have you been born again?

Are you a citizen of heaven and not just of The United States? One day, what nation you came from or where you lived is not going to matter. Only what you have done with Jesus. Have you trusted in him who can save your soul and change your life and change the world. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word. Thank you Lord that we have it in our hands today. We can read it. Lord, thank you for Jesus Christ, our savior, that we learn from it, who came and died for the sins of the world and is risen again to save all those who call on him in faith. And Lord, if there be one here today that is yet to choose Jesus, if there's one here today who's yet to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, we pray first of all, above all, that they might come as we give this hymn of invitation and choose to trust in the Lord Jesus as their savior and accept his mercy and love and forgiveness this day.

In Jesus' name, we do pray. Amen.