Self-manipulated Lifestyles that Require No God

Romans 10:3

For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.

Most of the Jews at the time of Christ were more interested in an outward show of their piety than to submit to the new freedom and righteousness offered by Jesus.  Jesus offered two commandments.  Love God above all things and love thy neighbor as thyself.  Yet the Jews clung to their traditions.  The Pharisees followed 248 commandments and 365 prohibitions.  There was no room in their lives for the message of the Gospel for it was crowded out by their obstinance in sticking to their own man made laws.  Their lifestyles were dictated by their independence from God.

Move forward some 2000 years.  Our nation was born under a call for fierce independence from a government that wanted to control how individuals related to their Creator.  The early founders, while becoming fiercely independent of England, became fiercely dependent on Almighty God.  But over time, Satan has done his evil work in our nation.  Many individuals in America have become arrogantly and selfishly independent of God.  They have built their lives around self-manipulated lifestyles that require no God and they have fashioned laws to fit their choices.

May we, as a nation, return to the teachings of the psalmist in Psalm 119:33-40 

Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes;

and I will keep it to the end.

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law

and observe it with my whole heart.

Lead me in the path of your commandments,

for I delight in it.

Incline my heart to your testimonies,

and not to selfish gain!

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;

and give me life in your ways.

Confirm to your servant your promise,

that you may be feared.

Turn away the reproach that I dread,

for your rules are good.

Behold, I long for your precepts;

in your righteousness give me life!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for placing Your laws on our hearts.  We praise the name of Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life.  We bless the name of the Holy Spirit who stands with us to incline our hearts toward the ways of Our Savior and not our own.  We pray, Father, that as You touch our hearts with Your laws that You will also touch the hearts of the leaders of this nation.  May we once again return to be a nation that has its trust in You.  May we once again be a nation whose laws are the same as Your laws.  We ask all these things in the name of the Mediator of the new covenant, Jesus Christ.