Slippery Slope

The Slippery Slope

(On the Eve of the Coming Elections) (2 Chron. 36:11-21) Is our greatest threat as individuals, as families, as a church, as a nation (Prov. 14:34), internal or external? Which is the greater threat, Saddam Hussien or tolerance of abortion, North Korea or the calling of homosexual ministers, Islam or entertainment media that glorify sex and violence? When we go astray, God sends His word “again and again” out of His love and mercy, to try and lead us to repentance (2 Chron. 36:15, 2 Kings 17:13, Jer. 35:15) If there is sincere repentance, He will forgive (2 Chron. 7:14) The influence of leaders Babylonian appointed leader, Zedekiah, became rebellious, arrogant and unfaithful (2 Chron. 36:1113) Despite oath, despite 2 prior sieges. God detests arrogance (Prov. 8:13, Isa. 2:11) Is there arrogance in our leadership today (governmental, church)? Leaders of priests and the people became “more and more” (implies a gradual process) unfaithful (2 Chron. 36:14, Isa. 9:16, Matt. 15:14) and polluted God’s House. Do “priests” and people pollute God’s house today? If so, how? When we choose to ignore God we become increasingly indifferent to Him and increasingly comfortable with sin. God is in control God used an arrogant, godless leader, Nebuchadnezzar, to chastise his people (2 Chron. 36:17) God has the power to raise up or remove leaders, according to his own purposes (Dan. 12:21, 14:17, Prov. 21:1, Rom. 9:17, 13:1) Ultimately, our trust must be in God, not politicians or governments (Ps. 118:8-9, 146:3-5) Still, we should pray for those in authority, whether we voted for them or not (1 Tim. 2:1-2)