REBUILDING THE WALLS OF OUR FAITH!
Ezekiel 22:23-31
INTRODUCTION: I believe the United States of America needs her faith in God renewed. Here is the promise God has given to those nations who will make God their Lord: Psalm 144:15. Yet our nation sadly has turned its back on God. One of our Presidents actually said “This is no longer a Christian nation.” Sadly even though our nation has been richly blessed by our Lord we have forgotten Who made America great: Psalm 106:13-15. The Church is the true hope for America: Romans 1:16-17. What America needs is a revival of the Church or God so the Lord can send a great awakening to our land. 2 Chronicles 7:14. Just as Israel as a nation needed to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem so we in America have some broken down walls we need to rebuild. Proverbs 25:28; Psalm 12:8; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 138:1-2; Nehemiah 10:35-39. Sadly so many in America today have also forsaken the house of our God. 1 Timothy 3:14-15. Why has the church of God been forsaken in our land? It is because we have forsaken the power of the church. We have forsaken the provision of the church. And we have forsaken the priority of the church.
I. RESTORING THE POWER OF THE CHURCH!
If we are to restore our faith we must first restore the power of the church: Nehemiah 9:1-3. They worshiped the Lord, they confessed and fasted. They had an all-day service. They had rebuilt the wall around the city but something was still missing. It was the power of God. We just like the nation of Israel must have God’s power restored to us: Isaiah 29:13. The people decided to consecrate themselves to God. “They separated themselves from all strangers.” 1 Corinthians 6:19. You don’t hear much preaching today on separation. They had contrition as they fasted and put on sack clothes and ashes thrown upon them and they prayed. Satan and his demons are at work in our land and in our churches. The nation of Israel had a time of national confession: “and stood and confessed their sins.” The nation of Israel made a commitment to their God! True worship is surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
II. RESTORE THE PROVISION OF THE CHURCH!
We must restore the provision of the church. Do you know that in America we spend more for chewing gum than we do for the work of the church of Jesus Christ? We are no longer under the law but that does not mean we should not be giving the first fruits back to our God that has given us all our fruit. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8. Our giving is an investment in the future of our nation: Matthew 6:19-21. Our giving to our Lord brings us joy here and now and reward later on: Acts 20:35.
III. RESTORE THE PRIORITY OF THE CHURCH!
If we are to restore faith to America we must restore the priority of the church in America. The Israelites said “we will not forsake the house of God.” The house of God, the local church has been neglected by far too many for far too long in our land: Hebrews 10:24-25; Nehemiah 8:9-10. The nation of Israel also forgot to do spiritual warfare for their God and we as a nation are doing the same thing: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. We just as the nation of Israel have neglected the work of our God. The work of God is winning souls into the kingdom of God and truly making them disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ: Matthew 28:18-20.