AMERICA AT THE CROSS ROADS!

Psalm 85:1-13

INTRODUCTION: Psalm 85 was a hymn of the nation of Israel and was sung on some of their national holidays. We will use this Psalm today to speak of our nation at the crossroads just as Israel was at the crossroads when this Psalm was written. This Psalm was made up of three stanzas. The first stanza was sung by one choir and it was a call to celebrate. The second stanza was sung by another choir and was a call to investigate and the third stanza was sung by a soloist and was a call to anticipate what God was going to do in the future. With this in mind, we will talk about our nation at the crossroads.

I. GOD’S CALL TO CELEBRATE!

Psalm 85:1-3: these first three verses were sung by the first choir to celebrate the marvelous blessings of God upon His people. Notice the word “you” talking about God’s treatment of His nation Israel is used four times in these three verses. The Psalmist is celebrating God’s goodness to His chosen nation. We as a nation also have much to give thanks to our God for. We are living in a land of freedom. We are a democratic republic. We have the right to choose our leaders in America. We have freedom of religion and assembly. God has blessed our nation materially. We, like Israel of old have peace in our nation. Many nations, like Israel of today have never known peace. We like Israel of old are blessed spiritually: Psalm 85:2-3. We, like the nation of Israel of old have our sins forgiven by the same God. No one is truly free until they are free in their faith in Jesus Christ: John 8:34-36.

II. GOD’S CALL TO INVESTIGATE!

As the second choir begins to sing the tone of the song changes to note the anger of God toward this nation that He loved so much: Psalm 85:4-5. Now we need to know ‘Why was God so angry with the nation of Israel?” The wrath of God is always awakened when people walk in sin. Our God is a God of love and sin hurts the people of God and that makes God very angry. Our founding fathers wrote up some documents that are very important to our nations beginnings and we need to share them with our children. There are truths that our nation was founded upon. Genesis 1:1; 26-27. Our forefathers believed that here are absolute moral truths. We are at a crossroads in our nation. We have as a people thrown out the Word of God as our standard of truth and have embraced relativism. We are basing our morality on the majority view, no longer upon the Word of the living God. Jeremiah 6:16.

III. GOD’S CALL T ANTICIPATE!

We, much like the nation of Israel of old may very well be heading for ruin. We like the nation of Israel are at the crossroads. If God does not judge America if we continue to march toward doing our own thing then God owes an apology to Sodom and Gomorrah. Until our Lord does come for His church here is what we need just as Israel of long ago needed: Psalm 85:6-7. We must pray for our Lord to revive His church. Our God always places the responsibility for the condition of a nation upon the people of God in that nation. We need to humble ourselves as God’s children and get on fire once again for our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Chronicles 7:14. This is a call to anticipate. It is a call for decision in the heart of the people of God. It is time for a decision on the part of the people of God to walk with the Lord as the Lord of our lives and to be the salt and light He has called us to be!