"God Bless America" the Wayfarer 7/3/16

"God Bless America"

“I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

(Romans 11:1)

"God Bless America"
By Irving Berlin

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
let us swear allegiance to a land that's free.
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, as we
raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God Bless America, land that I love.
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam.
God Bless America, my home sweet home.
God Bless America, my home sweet home.

© Copyright 1938, 1939 by Irving Berlin

Today’s title comes from the song above, written in the late 1930’s by a prolific  as well as patriotic songwriter so well known throughout the world of music in general.

Despite the troubles and trials that beset Christianity throughout the world, that I so often take note of, God has not cast away nor deserted His people, whether they be of the twelve original tribes of Israel, or whether grafted into the promise by virtue of faith in Christ Jesus.

Neither has He deserted the nation spoken of in the song.

God has not deserted, nor cast away HIS people anywhere around the globe, and His blessing still remains present and available to those who call on Him in Spirit and in Truth, accepting HIS terms for that blessing.

It is important to remind all that the salvation promised and fulfilled by the sacrifice on that cross so long ago is still available, still possible, still victorious, over any and all powers and principalities that would deny its very existence.

God’s mercy continues to endure, just as is promised throughout both testaments, time after time. His grace is still sufficient as it has been from the onset of time itself.

The assurance of that grace and that mercy are not and cannot be preached loudly enough, or often enough.

In Paul’s epistle to the Romans, he reminds them that whosever means exactly that!

He also reminds them of the prerequisites that must be met in order to have that assurance!

“God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more of grace; otherwise work is no more work.

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded.

According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

(Romans 11:2-7)

It is easy to become embroiled in despair and once more assume the mantle of the poor pitiful me’s, allowing the mind to wander to thoughts of defeat when the victory is already assured…FOR HIS PEOPLE!

Elijah felt abandoned, having the same predilection to those same thoughts and wonderings as whether anything he did or said made any difference in a world that stood blind and deaf to all he tried to preach as was required by God.

No prophet was ever accepted by all of his own people, for the same reason that those preaching the gospel of Christ even now are summarily rejected and denied by that same world that is still in denial of what was and is the requirement of repentance for redemption.

Just as it was easier, politically, and physically expedient to bow down to Baal, take the teachings of the heathen, accept the atrocity and abomination that was given because of the lusts of the flesh at the time of Elijah, so too is it easier for a majority to go along to get along, denying what they profess to believe in the process today, instead of holding fast to the things given them in the scriptures, holding fast to blessings already received, holding fast to the ALL of what Christ taught instead of rejecting the requirements for the blessings given.

“And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and recompense unto them;

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

I say the, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

Now if the fall of them be the riches of the Gentiles: how much more their fullness?

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

(Romans 11:9-14)

Today, the same gospel preached by Paul, is preached throughout the world. Those hearing it are unreceptive to that gospel often, no longer the ones who proclaim themselves the children of that same God, the beloved of that same Savior but, like the Jews before them, choose the laws of men over that of God himself, the equality and justice as deemed by men over the fact of total equality when viewed by that God, and the true justice that can be only decided by, and meted out by, that same God.

The riches of a world seen through the eyes of man are still chosen to replace the intended blessings of God because of that same blindness and deafness of a people who choose to be blind and deaf.

Salvation is still available to those blinded and deafened, if and only if, those who actually adhere to the word of God and the Salvation given  still  provoke the jealousy of those around them, either to see and hear, and attain the blessing of eternal life, or to continue in denial and in rejection that creates the persecution of those having so chosen.

“For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead.”

(Romans 11:15)

Reconciliation with the world, and its teachings results only in being cast away from the promise given, but those receptive despite the teachings of that world are still given that precious promise of life eternal.

“For if the firstfruit be holy, then the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakes of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

Boast not against the branches. But if thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off, that I may be graffed in.

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded but fear:

For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.”

(Romans 11:16-21)

We are indeed grafted into the body of Christ Jesus, but only through faith. That faith must be total. That faith may not become judgmental, but must recognize that all men are indeed equal in God’s sight, all men are equally sinful in God’s sight, and that it is only through continuation in that faith we remain a part of that body, and that that very faith requires a rejection of sin in their own lives, and refusal to allow the acceptance of others to become their own acceptance.

Boasting, and self-righteousness, results in that same blindness that is seen in all those around us, who fail to see any difference in the lives and beliefs of those “Christians” who willingly go along to get along and their own lives.

It is necessary to be what you profess to be. Show that profession not through mere words, but through action in your life.

Take the salvation given you to heart, take with it the teachings of that Savior to heart, and particularly take to heart the commandment given to love one another as He loved us, enough to call for repentance so that redemption may be given in return.

Feed freely from that root that nourishes the true believer, Christ himself. Remember that without the nourishment of that feeding from that root, that grafting is a failure.

“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.”

(Romans 11:22 &23)

I close in prayer that all be reminded that it is by grace we are saved through faith in Christ Jesus, not of any works done prior to that salvation, not because of any particular worth of our own, but simply because of His love, for all, that remains available to ALL willing to open eyes and ears to His TRUTH, His Way and the LIFE offered.

I remain the same simple sinner saved by grace through that faith, and the same soldier refusing to bow to Baal or any other substitution for the ONE TRUE GOD who provided that Way, Truth and the Life for me, as well as to any heeding the requirement to simply open  those eyes and ears.

I also close in prayer, not for nation or world, but for God’s people to be God’s people despite the denial of both that nation and world, knowing that it is not the temporary that holds importance, but the eternal, that the blessings asked must be asked by a people who accept the terms of those blessings before they may be given, and that the greatest blessings of all come only by acceptance into a kingdom that supersedes all others created by man.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen.

the Wayfarer