Title: Bait!
Bible Book: Ephesians 6 : 11
Author: William F. Harrell
Subject: Temptation; America; Sin, Power of; Satan
Objective:
Introduction
Get the picture now, as Larry Munson would say. I can envision a time in which satan and a group of his demons would be going fishing. They would be looking for the biggest fish in the lake. Their goal would be to catch the souls of men. In catching men they would be able to catch their homes, their religious heart, their devotions and their minds. In the process they would also land some other very valuable trophies as well. Soon they would think, "we will have these souls mounted on our walls." "We will also have trophies of their homes, their lives and anything else which relates to them." "In the process we will catch a huge trophy fish called their country." In our case it would be the United States of America.
The reason they would go after such a big fish is that they have done it before and they have been successful. They fished for Rome and caught it. They fished for Greece and caught it. They angled for Europe and they almost have it on their trophy wall. Egypt and Babylon are some others which hang there.
The Bait used to snare the trophy varies and that is what I want to address today. We should be aware of what Satan is doing and wary of his tactics. Too often human beings are so self absorbed and self focused that they can't see the larger picture and be aware of what is really happening to them. So, today, I want to spend some time talking about the bait Satan is using to catch his prize trophy…America. He will stuff us and hang us on his trophy wall if we are not careful and aware of what is happening to us.
Before we discuss the bait Satan is using on us, it would be good if we spent just a few moments remembering the Rock - Listen to what a few of our great leaders said concerning this nation and its Christian roots.
George Washington said:…"It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His Will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection, aid, and favors."
Benjamin Franklin: "I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth…that God governs the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"
Thomas Jefferson: "And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever."
Patrick Henry: "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! For this very reason people of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."
James Madison: "We have staked the future upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to sustain ourselves, according to the Ten Commandments of God.
John Adams: "Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
John Quincy Adams: "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity."
It is very easy to see and there can be no denying that our country was founded upon the time tested and treasured Judeo-Christian ethic found in the Word of God.
No wonder satan wants to destroy the Bible as our guide.
Satan is smart enough to know that if one bait doesn't work then he will try another. The problem is that all of his baits seem to be effective against us because of our inability to see what is going on.
I. Bait No. 1 - Secularism
Rejection of God and His teachings.
Anything with God on it is not considered politically correct. Our forefathers made sure God was honored. They inscribed His name and His Word on our halls of justice our congress and in every noted place of power and authority. Even our money has "In God We Trust" on it….but for how long.
II. Bait No. 2 - Humanism
Man is the measure of all things.
This has become the official religion of our nation. We came here from nowhere and we are going nowhere…that is its teaching.
III. Bait No. 3 - Multiculturalism…
Stealing away our identity.
The Statue of Liberty welcomes all, but when they come here they should be Americans. This hyphenated Americanism is not what our fathers had in mind. The loyalty to this nation is diluted when people see themselves as other cultures which just happen to be living here.
God warned the Israelites about the dangers of multiculturalism. It will change the way we view issues and it will change us religiously.
CNS News reported on June 26, 2007 that the Senate will on July 12 be opened with a Hindu prayer. The Hindu chaplain from Nevada said that the prayer will quote the Hindu scriptures. He said that while it will quote the Hindu texts it will be "universal in approach…now that's comforting!
IV. Bait No. 4 - Hedonism
Godless living – “A way of life devoted to human pleasure." Not denying ourselves anything.
Pornography is now a 12 Billion dollar business in America. How effective has this bait been? This is what people think about it.
31.5%…It's a harmless diversion
24.02%..It reduces the risk of rape by providing an outlet for sexual aggression.
23.66%…It's destructive to healthy family relationships and society.
9.86%..The Founding Fathers did not intend for the First Amendment to protect it.
3.20%…It's more addictive than heroin or crack cocaine.
2.32%..Some people are prone to use it obsessively
1.98%It's protected by the First Amendment.
1.60%It has to be tolerated in an open society.
The bait has caught 58.1% of our society in that they agree with or tolerate pornography.
Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, loose living…all signs of Hedonism. It is a very effective bait which Satan is using.
Conclusion
There are many more things we could mention that Satan is using to destroy our country but I think I have made my point.
We must be a nation which will return to our first love. We must have a national revival or we are finished. We have not remained true to what made us great. We have rejected the fountain of living waters for a broken cistern. God is not pleased and our first priority must be to return to a position which pleases Him because He is the one making the judgment. I call on all of our people to make a new commitment today to the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him in all our ways.
