A Nation Forsakes God

We praise God for the millions as millions of followers of Jesus Christ in this great nation of the United States. There are millions of people who are authentic followers of Jesus Christ, who seek to follow Christ, who seek to honor the word of God and to seek to glorify God in all that they do. And as we know we have here a guy displays a wonderful heritage.

A Judeo-Christian foundation and that foundation, which was laid many years ago in which we celebrate today that continues to have a tremendous impact on life in here in the United States and that we thank God for that. We do celebrate our independence and freedom.

The liberties that we have that we may take for granted in the wonderful privilege of meeting like this in relative comfort. We realize her brothers and sisters throughout the world are not always able to be like this.

There are Christians who have persecuted their prescriptions who are imprisoned that are pastors who removed from their families as evil forces in other parts of our world seek to destroy the gospel of Jesus Christ. So we are tremendously blessed and we do not take that for granted. We give thanks to God for it.

But we must recognize that there are seismic shifts in our culture, they are spiritual and moral conditions of a nation are deteriorating. So we have. For example, the percentage of Americans who say they don't have any religious affiliation.

I guess it was a religious affiliation well your guess is as good as mine. People who say the religious is meant to say that they believe the Bible but dad religious in some form. So those who say they don't have any religious affiliation 20 years ago was only 8% of Americans said they had no religious affiliation. According to Gallup in March of this year.

That percentage has not risen to 21%. That is one in five Americans say they have absolutely no religious affiliation et al. the decline in the spiritual and moral condition of our society is going down with increasing acceleration and this open hi Mark in the Miami Herald in the April 9 of this year.

He writes and he says I am not a religious person so here is a nonreligious person writing in the Miami hurled he writes of the danger is, as he recognizes by this poll that that are less and less Americans say that they have any religion at all.

He says the danger is that the religions will be replaced by secular political fanaticism." I quote in a post truth world is an interesting and unbelievers talking about a post truth world is right.

Increasingly, devoid of values under which populist demagogues of 10 basic values upside down by normalizing lying in political and racial intolerance. We urgently need a moral compass that I'm not commenting on his his political viewpoint which may come through in that statement, but I was strong, but if by this factor here is a man who is looking at our country and is obviously appreciates the moral foundation of our country and he's asking this question is a very serious question, isn't it. When you remove that foundation. When you say you have no longer biblical values. What is put in their place this nation as we celebrate today was built via funding fathers on what they called self evident truths we believed in truth, they believe that certain truths were self evident. But how do you get his moral compass that Andras Oppenheim was talking about you. You get a moral compass in a society which increasingly says that truth is whatever you wanted to be question is asked here in the United States. The questions also asked in Europe was Martin again and if he is as written a book about this is saying this you remove the biblical values you remove people would say religion.

Women are like that term but you remove that what you put in this place easy to say this is what I don't believe but what do we believe when people remove biblical values what's going to fill the vacuum. While we know we know from Scripture when people turn from God as they did in the book of Judges. What did they do. Everyone did what was right in that on its truth is whatever you wanted to be in this that increasingly where we are in the United States of America. The truth is whatever you feel like whatever you want. You have your truth.

I have mine.

Don't be surprised that increasingly in our society we see lying, deception, selfishness of violence.

Think of the violence in our country.

Think of the immorality.

All of them are on the increase. Today I want to look at an ancient prophecy. The book of Jeremiah, incidentally, is the longest book in the Bible. 52 chapters. The longest that is in terms of Hebrew words but like we're not going to go through all the 52 chapters of the we could benefit from the health where I am going to look at some key points from this prophecy. Unless another people, of whom it is said that they pursue God a people who knew better and deliberately abandoned God. Here is Jeremiah the prophet result by God to give warnings warning, calling the people back to the word of God and saying if you don't listen to what I'm saying. God's judgment is coming and indeed it did.

If we understand our situation if we cry out to God.

If we change our ways. There is hope that is a future that's the message the glorious message of the gospel number looking at a prophecy was written about 600 years before Christ. That's almost 3000 years ago and you say John, come on man, that with you dealing with some contemporary problems. Why would you turn to this ancient prophecy. Well Paul the apostle Paul in the New Testament in Romans chapter 15 says that the older writings that what was written before is written for our instruction. Jeremiah is written for the instruction of people sitting here in Calgary church on July 4, 2021 is written for our instruction and says Paul, you might have hope. So here is a message of instruction is a solid message is a serious message, but is also a message of hope so turn in your Bible you brought one, there's one in the pew.

Jeremiah is invited middle of your Bible. If you don't know where it is. Don't be embarrassed unless you pass it on an elderly deacon, but if you're not in that category.

You can look at the index regular beginning and get the right page. Jeremiah ends and the 31st of all, from chapter 1 we went to see the nation for six Lord the nation for six Lord now here is the historical setting. Jeremiah 1 verse one the words of Jeremiah, the son of hell tile.

One of the priests who are in our thoughts in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came. Notice that to whom the Lord of the Lord came the days of just sire, the son of a moan, king of Judah in the 13th year of his reign became also in the days of Joe Hayek him the son of Josiah King of Judah and until the end of the 11th year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah King of Judah until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month so here very interesting.

We have the historical setting of the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah is raised up by God in his ministry during the reign of Josiah is one of Judah's greatest kings remember Josiah as I was a young man he turned to the word of God. Jeremiah begins his ministry under the reign of King Josiah. But the nation more and more terms from the word of God and so Jeremiah gives the people warning he calls the people to repentance. He calls him back to the word of God and says that if they don't do this judgment is coming. God will raise up a pagan nation. The simpler part of the day Bible and and they're going to come as we read that happens during the reign of Zedekiah and Jerusalem on the beautiful temple built by Solomon. This decimated in 586 BC, the judgment of God comes on Judah with the Babylonians, and you take the people captive to take them to Babylon member Daniel was one of them.

Jeremiah is ridiculed is persecuted. He's been these imprisoned in fact, this style bought what he prophesied come true. You reject God determined to your own way. God's judgment is coming in so the Temple of Jerusalem is totally destroyed by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC, unless read on the best for when we see the Jeremiah is appointed by God as his spokesman Jeremiah 1 verse 49 the word of the Lord came to me saying before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you, I appointed you a prophet to the nations than I said our Lord God bolded do not know how to speak for them, only a youth but the Lord said to me, do not say I'm only four to alter, whom I send you, you shall go, and what ever I command judicial speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord, the Lord put his hand and touched my mouth and the Lord said, behold, I put my words in your mouth. See, I've sent you this day over nations and kingdoms to part company to break down, to destroy and overthrow to build and to plant a wonderful Jeremiah is raised up by God is appointed by God to be the voice of God when he speaks God is speaking and repeatedly in this long book of Jeremiah repeatedly.

We hear such phrases as the word of the Lord came to me. Thus the Lord said to me, thus saith the Lord.

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah.

These phrases are throughout Jeremiah making the point is not a man giving his personal opinion is declaring the word of God is the voice of God to the people of Judah, is the voice of God to the Kings is the word of God to the prophets and the priests were false, which corrupts were telling the people lies here is the voice of God, but don't listen. Jeremiah says 54 times in this prophecy you didn't listen 15 times he says in his prophets. Prophecy you disobey, what is happened a nation who has a love God, a nation whose main sewer blast delivered from Egyptian bondage. Now they deliberately forsake the Lord the abandoned the Lord. Some examples chapter 2 verse 17 Jeremiah 2 verse 17. Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God, when he led you in the way. Listen in woman, you forsake the Lord you think you know better, but her consequences for your action verse 19, your revocable to size you on your apostasy able to preview know and see that it is evil and better for you to forsake the Lord your God, the fear of me is not in your declares the Lord God of hosts, the people had lost the fear of God and here is the word that you do it is going to be evil if you're going to do it is going to be better. There are many, many of us here who could testify that when we have turning from the word of God. It is bitter. There's pain you live your own way.

The consequences verse 27 of chapter 2, who say to a tree you're my father ridiculous. Go God is your father and your worshiping a tree onto a stone you gave me birth. This is your mother know, for they have turned their back to me and not there face verse 32 can a virgin. Forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire yet my people have forgotten me days without number. Chapter 7 Jeremiah 7.

We will continue to see this Jeremiah 7 verse 23, but this command I give them obey my voice and I will be your God and you shall be my people, and walking all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you. You want things to go well with you obey the Lord love the Lord pursue the Lord not verse 24 they did not obey our inclined earlier but walked in the room and consoles in the stubbornness of that evil heart and went back word and not forward by strong is in the chapter 9 Jeremiah 9.

Other examples under so many Jeremiah 9 verse 13 on the Lord says because they have forsaken my law that I set before them and have not obeyed my voice or walked to the card with it but have stubbornly followed the visit that on hearts is where we are and we have stubbornly followed out on hearts is that I feel for surrendering to the girl my own heart and of going after the bowels that the false God's as her father's throat was Jeremiah saying repeatedly over and over again, these are only a few examples of deliberately and repeatedly disobeyed God instead of worshiping God to worship idols, instead of being different from the pagan nations, you were to be the light, you become like them instead of you bringing the light to them. You have embraced the darkness inside of you telling them what is good. You have embraced the evil chapter 13 verse 10 this evil people who refused to hear my words stubbornly followed on hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and strong indictment from this fearless prophet of God, ridiculed and persecuted but is true to his calling.

We we just us.

We Americans, we have forsaken the Lord, and with disobeyed his work is the true today we call evil good and good evil Isaiah 5 verse 20 says war to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for that true, something which is good we call evil, that which is evil we call good.

What happened at the time of Jeremiah, the people of Judah is happening I'm saying to you before our very eyes. Here in these wonderful United States of America.

What's a process. What happened with Judah, with the process.

First, we received the word of God.

We honor God's word with God's help, we seek to obey God's work. We teach it to our children in their schools and a little boy 10 years old and Mrs. McDonald's class. I don't know she was a believer in Jesus Christ, but she would read from the Bible.

Yes, the public every so often we go to the creek as a class. The church of Scotland and their the Bible is right there. Even among those who are not authentic followers of Jesus Christ. That is a respect for the word of God the Word of God is taught we preach and teach it in our churches seek to live by the inspired word of God is this our heritage here in the United States. We believe that biblical truth is indispensable to salvation of our souls of the word of God is essential for spiritual renewal and refreshment that without God's word. We have nothing and so first we receive the word of God. We seek to practice it, teach it to her children in the schools and churches in society. We have a respect for the word of God. Step number two through the subtler attacks of the devil.

We then begin to question the word of God. Right from the garden of Eden 20 to grudgingly say that meeting will a new experience is the Bible really true. I come to whether this is the cyst spent it 21 of other nice things in the Bible, but believe all of your is not a make sure of of myth and truth rather old-fashioned and relevant to note contemporary cool world that you still believing that old Bible staff digits. We can hear them even in the church bring up Bible, in this digital age and on the general Bible dear she first we accept the word of God we believe it.

Step two. We question it. Step three openly and repeatedly disobeyed the clear teaching of Scripture. We rejected there is then the third step is a fruit flagrant violation of holy Scripture.

You notice that someone starts questioning the word of God very very soon their lifestyle as opposed to the word of God. Sometimes they raise these questions, but not really question so much about the accuracy of the Bible you tried to demonstrate it or not really interested. No wanted a part of it because they want to live a certain way. Jeremiah 5 verse 30 this is the word of God and appalling and horrible thing is happened in the lands of stranger to do that is true of United States and appalling and the horrible things happen the land. The prophets prophesy falsely and the priests rule at their discretion, prophets and priests the religious leaders that hand-in-hand my people love to have it so what we do when the end comes.

You've gone against the word of God.

You let these false teachers, false prophets and priests and the sad thing is, my people love to hear. I was very nice. What a beautiful message that guy got his wife really beautiful in that book coming. He is telling us to just pursue your own dreams are kind of prosperity theology, a kind of entertainment mentality in the church of Jesus Christ and people love to have a so so people say to me well know if he ripped out to change some things you might get more people in. That's true.

That is to give a dog and pony show them we get more people in, we find I want believers once and give it to them and I was happen happening for step accept the word of God step to the question, it step three we disobey. Step four. We not only reject the word of God.

We criticize and attack those who believe it. You believe the Bible your big you are on the wrong side of history. Things are moving on your left body that people yes your grandfather used to believe that way but history is moving on. Culture is changing so that those know who believe biblical truth of increasingly criticized increasingly belittled. This is what happens when people foresee God. Jeremiah 6 verse 14. They have healed the wounds of my people lightly, saying peace peace when there is no peace, where they ashamed when they committed abomination. No, there was not a tall, ashamed, they did not know how to blush. See what happens. We embrace the word of God.

Secondly, we question it. Third, we disobey now what attacking and belittling those who obey and those who disobey the word of God.

Jeremiah essay that lost that ability to blush. There's no shame of lost that ability to blush.

The openly prorated their sin. Recall their sin.

Liberty and freedom is not where we are in a country people not only go against Scripture they celebrate it may prorated may attack those who continue to obey Scripture. This is happening all around of us masking. Who would've thought even 30 or 40 years ago some of your battles and who would've thought say in the generation that in this country.

Not only would there be perversity of all kinds, but that would be broadcast into our homes so that immorality and violence put on our huge televisions in our home when we sit down with her family and watch that.

Think of what you can get in your home today. All of the most obscene immorality and perversity and bring that moral sewer into your family room and just sit down with your family and embrace it. If our fathers and grandfathers came back and came into our homes. The home of the average America American when the be absolutely shocked and I with the invention of the rifling pornography is privately viewed by millions that I was a criminal prosecutor in Edinboro. The capital Scotland real estate prosecute recalled and that the man with the dictating coats go to some little peep show and watch some pornographic films now that doesn't happen, you'll need to creep around and in a disguise and go to some sleazy part of town to watch that filled you can get it right on your iPhone and it becomes a billion-dollar who would've thought few years ago. Who would of thought in the United States, a country which had been so blessed by God that we would systematically kill just kill millions of unborn children, and do so in the name of a woman's right total in body thought that would happen so that we take the most innocent and a completely defenseless and we talk about our rights and seemed to be unconcerned with the right of the most innocent and defenseless human being in the world and the mother's womb you find alarming you find alarming in the country to speak so much about rights.

I have my right as a juvenile, you violated my rights more so concerned with the rights is not alarming that with all of the talk of the human rights the most fundamental right to life is violated is shocking that with all of the thought of discrimination. Of course we should be against discrimination but is not appalling that we discriminate in such a way against the on board you have heard of a new book entitled what's an abortion. Anyways I currently mains think the title it's goal is to build a world for kids and adults where courts abortion is normalized as another outcome of pregnancy. Just like miscarriage number saw young women finds herself pregnant. 12 she may have a miscarriage to maybe give birth to a Jimmy abortion is all the same courts, parents, caretakers and providers need and deserve a nonjudgmental gender inclusive and medically accurate resource to use in discussions with children about abortion. According to the right of children must learn that people of all genders have abortions really undergo is to have this book and put it in the libraries United States right next to books about pregnancy and so a schoolteacher mother father we can sit down and talk about abortion and in the same way as if it were giving birth to a child or having a miscarriage.

This is happening in the wonderful United States of America. Who would've thought as well. Just a few years ago that same-sex marriage would become part of the fabric of our society. Who would've thought that say 34 years ago some thinkable 2015, John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court he dissented. Give him credit for that.

He dissented from the Supreme Court's majority decision declaring of rights again were so concerned about a right to same-sex marriage. Just as Robert says this from the dawn of human history until a few years ago for every people known to have populated this planet manage was defined as the union of a man and a woman. If you're among the many Americans of whatever sexual orientation, says Roberts, who favored expanding same-sex marriage. By all means celebrate today's decision but do not celebrate the Constitution. It is nothing to do with Constitution of nothing to do with same-sex marriage. But these justices defined in our Constitution. More importantly, not only is it not in our Constitution is not in Scripture.

Same-sex marriage can I say this, same-sex marriage, same-sex unions are contrary to the clear teaching of Scripture. As I read the object of Jeremiah several times I thought this was repeating itself.

Here is a nation who turn from God. Judah, who no better who hear the word of God, who persecute the preacher and not only continue to sin, the celebrated.

They applauded so the evil is no called good and we do so in the name of progress and freedom of you is this, that we are progressing the country. All of our freedoms. Secretary of State Anthony Lincoln, who seems to be a good, very professional diplomats.

I wish him well and he announced. You hear it.

Just this week a little allowing people to self select male or female in the passports to produce a medical certificate to say well I was John Monroe.

That's my passport out for a while but put it down as Joan Monroe I self select whether I am male or female on the past my passport when I read that this week north of the thought of Paul in Romans one. Is he good lives that the client of a nation and he says this professing to be wise to become fools is the height of foolishness as well as against the very divine design of God that our nation individually declared little in truth and to go so far as to say I can self select for that I'm male or female nonsense is the but as this happens to my seminars when trying to say here conduct which was not so long ago regarded as sinful is not only declared legal. Not only is it enshrined in our laws and supported in their courts.

Not only is it taught in our schools. It is promoted aggressively in our society and applauded. That's what's happened so values have been turned upside down. Evil is that good and good is no evil. Jeremiah says you're doing that and you lost your ability to blush, so that people can go on television all right books and talk about after perversity and it is plugged. We have forsaken the Lord and disobeyed his work was limited was just Jeremiah is repent of sin in seeking the Lord is essential repent of your sin and seek the Lord Jeremiah to come there very very important versus easy when you for signal all the Lord is always a substitute. Not only does Judah forsake the law of heart they commit idolatry.

Jeremiah to verse 11 is a nation changed its gods, even the are there no gods made as America.

When I worshiping a different God for my people have changed the glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled the heavens at this, be shocked. We lost our ability to be shocked the name of tolerance.

Be appalled to have this be shocked the utterly desecrate desolate, declares the Lord can imagine the Angels looking down the sin of Judah and be actively child imagine the Angels of God looking down on us in this country and be utterly appalled why that is affecting my people have committed two evils notice is two evils.

Number one they forsaken me, the fountain of living waters is the number one number two shootout systems for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

They don't listen to Jeremiah. The embrace of false prophets in the falls. Priests that indoctrinated by the culture paganism has come in and has NSN to brainwash them another to commit to evils.

Not only do they forsaken the living waters of the living God, the time to cheap substitutes.

Can you imagine here is fresh, pure, living water. This here is a system trough of Stillwater in their own time is dirty and smelly its pollutants, animals, and thinking, and you have on this hand. The living water out of the living God ever fresh, ever pure 100% pure water from God. You reject that not only do you reject that you put your face in this directory. One human with forsake the Lord inevitably we substitute something or someone is cold, idolatry I noticed that over the years, someone doesn't someone begins to question the word of God, and very soon that embrace open sin when that when a nation forsakes the Lord. The result is a society of sexual excess and impunity with dreadful consequences.

Read Romans one as Paul does it in the first century what the consequences, broken homes, mammography, abortion sexually truth transmitted diseases, loneliness, substance abuse, violence, exploitation even sexual slavery all in our society. We have forsaken God but is just as Paul says these things were it not only find out instruction to give us hope, with the hope Jeremiah Jeremiah chapter 29 unit is Jeremiah 29 verse 10 for thus says the Lord, when 17 years are completed for Bible and people of God are 70 years in captivity in Babylon.

When these are completed I will fill fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place back to the lands. Verse 11 talk about God's grace. Talk about God's mercy and you glad God is patient with this you glad God is merciful and gracious, but I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil to give you a future and a hope after 70 years of Babylonian captivity. The Lord open the way so that the people could return to Israel to and rebuild the temple, but Jeremiah is making it clear this promise that you have a future and all remember this is dependent on people repenting on calling on the Lord seeking him with all of her heart. Verse 12 we just often stop at verse 11.

Only people so well. I have I have a future envelope with with the Lord. That's true, but read on verse 12 then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will hear your you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I've driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile was a principal the principle is the one that we've been learning in Matthew, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Your life is my stop. We as a nation are messed up.

What's the answer to understand our sin is against a holy God, to understand that our sin desires the judgment of God, but that God in his grace has done a remarkable thing and not something he has provided forgiveness is a saying I've come to the cross. That's it.

The cross is the place where I do business with God.

But I acknowledge my sin and that through the person and work of our magnificent Lord Jesus Christ there's offered to you and me. Salvation was, with a broken humble and repentant heart.

You want God's plan for your life. Absolutely you would not be in a place of worship on the Lord's day. If you did not want God's plan for your life God who is all wise. God loves your brother knows the future Cardinals.

Everything about you when we submit our life to the Lord and say Lord guide us. I want your very best in my life lost as well. You're the call upon the pre-and Uganda seek me with all your heart, that is the focus. There is a priority told by Jesus. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things will be added to your you don't know Christ. You've got to repent of your sin asked Christ to come in to forgive you and to trust the Lord Jesus Christ through repentance means that were convicted of our sinful attitudes and actions through repentance and self-deception through repentance means that there's a personal yet personal conviction of sin.

It's one thing to look out there and say all that a lot of sin in our nation that is true I'm giving some examples of what God wants from you and me, not so much the prime targets. But the point in and say that is sin in my heart I have offended you, the living God, and then repentance, I turn from my sinful attitudes and actions.

I confess that and I asked for God's forgiveness.

This is Jeremiah's message. The people of God, the God has great plans for you.

God has a great future for you but you must obey the word of God, you must repent, you must turn from your sin, you must seek the Lord in prayer call upon the Lord's people to his repentance.

Kinda harsh harsh John as he writes to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and three, and most of them know because in the church to do repent Calvary church of the repent.

Would you think you as an individual and individual member of, judging interdependent spiritual lethargy. Your lackluster love of God. The trivial way in which you handled the word of God, your carelessness or selfishness.

Your last read slow you are to tell others about Jesus Christ and his many things we need to repent of your heart and mind. I began by saying that our nation United States of America has largely forgotten God, but is easy to condemn our society's easy to criticize the political situation as we do. Easy to criticize the social structures and that the greed of corporate America and the obvious injustices and corruption around us. That's easy to do is I don't what's the answer to elect new politicians your judges your governors will be wonderful man and woman who live their life in accordance with the word of God and who knew, legislated, and who ruled in the fear of God and praise God for the Christians who are in the fields of law and politics. These other areas, but that's not the main answer is the main answer is a spiritual one is legitimizing is for spiritual renewal is for spiritual revival and is often said that revival is God's finger pointed at you is of our nation needs arrival the truth absolutely pray for maybe because they begins with you and me. Yes there's hope for us as a nation for us as a church for years and the individual. Whatever you are your broken your life is messed up. Thank you so much that God is brought you the Calvary church is morning when the Savior you, there is hope, there is forgiveness there is a new beginning in Jesus Christ turn from the dark to polluted waters and drink of the magnificent HR no waters of God. Jesus still stands and says if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink our nation's thirsty people are thirsty people are broken. Sadly, millions of drinking from the polluted waters don't do that turn from that and come to the Lord Jesus Christ says if anyone comes to me I will in no wise cast him. Psalmist says in Psalm 80 restored also.

God let your face shine we maybe say a prayer for America resource will go on your face to shine on us that we may be saved is my favorite Calvary church, for God's grace which shine on us that we would be saved, that we would continue to be lights in the darkness. This is my prayer for you, but God's grace God salvation would come on you that you would be saying and live a life lights illuminating the darkness salt permitted corruption within sing about God's mercy. But before we do so will your business by with me.

I think all of us have to depend on when the few here without Jesus Christ remind you that he came to save you the God sent his son not to condemn you not to judge of that through our Lord Jesus, you might be safe so Christ come to the cross as we were sitting come from your sin receive Christ you're here and you're a follower of Christ that you've wondered, there's no set this at sin in your life. You mean drinking of the polluted waters will you confess that sin knowing that God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Eternal God, the holy father, thank you for this worded it's a tough word is read the words of Jeremiah as we think about on nation and father mercy upon us. We do pray with pray that you will raise from Calvary children students young men young woman older man and woman stand for righteousness with grace, communicate your truth that Calvary would be a light on the hill that many will come to saving faith in Christ. Mayor Mercer beyond us. We pray Christ