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In Proverbs 14, 34 we read, Righteousness exalteth

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a nation, but sin is a reproach to

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any people.

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We see this to be the case in

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the days of King Hezekiah, when the king

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of Assyria lay siege to the city of

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Jerusalem, and began to mock God, and speak

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blasphemy against him, and dare him to do

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anything about it.

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And King Hezekiah got Isaiah the prophet, and

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they both got down on their knees before

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God, and with a humble heart and with

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holy boldness, they besieged Almighty God to be

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their deliverer.

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They could do this because earlier they had

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made God their rightful ruler, through temple reforms

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and national repentance, as good King Hezekiah led

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the people back to the God of their

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fathers.

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We see the principle of Proverbs 14, 34

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play out in the life of the people,

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where righteousness exalts a nation.

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For in 2 Chronicles 32, and in verses

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20 to 22, we read, And for this

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cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah

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the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to

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heaven, and the Lord sent an angel, which

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cut off all the mighty men of valor,

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and the leaders and captains in the camp

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of the king of Assyria.

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So he returned with shame of face to

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his own land, and when he was come

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into the house of his God, they that

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came forth of his own bowels slew him

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there with the sword.

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Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants

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of Jerusalem.

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I believe that same God still reigns today,

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friends.

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I believe Almighty God still hears the cries

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of His people, and I believe His arm

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is not too short to save.

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I believe His word is true, that righteousness

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exalts a nation, and that sin brings it

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low.

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Christian America was founded on Christian religion, Christian

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education, and the Christian home.

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Take Christ out of either of these three

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cornerstones, and the Republic falls.

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The three things pagan America stands on today

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are sports, entertainment, and sex.

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Our churches used to be lifeboats that saved

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the perishing.

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Now they are showboats that entertain the careless.

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Let me share a story with you, friends.

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A traveling preacher was passing through a certain

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city, and he wanted to go by and

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visit a historic church that had a long

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reputation for doing good for the Lord.

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And when he got in the town, he

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stopped at a local restaurant to grab some

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lunch and ask directions to that famous church.

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The owner of the restaurant was well familiar

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with that church, and when the visitor went

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on and on about all the great things

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that church had done, the owner of the

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restaurant looked at him strangely and commented, Yes,

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it used to be that way some time

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ago.

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If you want directions to that church, go

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up the road a piece, and turn right

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at the next stop sign, then go up

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a hill, and at the top of the

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hill there will be a sign telling you

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the way to that church.

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Oh, what does the sign say?

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asked the visitor.

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The man paused, and with a sad look

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in his eyes said, The sign says, CAUTION!

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CHILDREN AT PLAY!

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I'm sorry to say, friends, I've known churches

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like that, too many, that once did great

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things for God, and now there's a sign

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out front that says, CAUTION!

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CHILDREN AT PLAY!

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I might not be the sharpest knife in

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the drawer, but when I look at our

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nation, I see on one end of our

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country it's on fire, and the other end

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is in a flood, and in between all

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that is a plague that won't go away,

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and the news reads like a page out

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of the Old Testament, while our nation sinks

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deeper in sin.

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It looks to me like God is trying

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to get our attention through these remedial judgments

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that have so shaken our nation.

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In former times, America looked to God for

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guidance and to the church for direction, but

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if the church is out of touch with

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God and out on the playground, how can

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she lead a nation back to the God

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of the Bible?

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How can righteousness exalt that nation if the

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leaders are off out in the woods?

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Maybe it's time we picked up our marbles

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and dusted off our pants and got back

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inside our sanctuaries and got down on our

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knees to seek God's face and brokenness and

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humility and repentance through earnest, fervent, desperate prayer.

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Maybe, just maybe, if we quit playing around

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and got serious with God long enough, then

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he would get serious with us and send

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us the revival and deliverance we so desperately

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need.

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God says in Malachi, return to me and

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I will return to you.

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We better hurry up and turn back to

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God with our whole heart and serve him

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with an undivided heart before we burn, drown,

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and die.