All right, let's take our Bibles
once again and turn to the book of Psalms 33. Psalm 33. Psalm 33. I'd like to read one
verse of scripture. Verse 12. Blessed is the nation whose God
is the Lord and the people. whom he hath chosen for his own
inheritance." What a wonderful revelation of
God's grace. That the nation, that is the
people, whose God is the Lord, they are blessed. They're happy. Happy. That nation's God is the only
God that there is. Blessed is the nation whose God
is the Lord. Here's the reason. Isaiah 45.22
says, Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth,
for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word
is gone out of my mouth, in righteousness, and shall not return that unto
me. Every knee shall bow, and every
tongue shall swear. Now here's the reason that the
nation whose God is the Lord is blessed, because He's the
only Lord God that there is. Every other people but the people
of God's choosing is worshiping one who is not God. And therefore,
can do nothing for them. Nothing. That's a blessed people. He's the God of creation. In the beginning, God created
the heaven and the earth. He's the God of all providence,
Isaiah 115.3 says, but our God is in the heavens. He hath done
whatsoever He hath pleased. He's the God of salvation. Isaiah
52.10, the Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all
the nations and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation
of our God. The God who is the God, the only
God, God of creation, providence, and salvation is the God who
has made bare His arm of power. The Gospel. The power of God
unto salvation. The revelation of His Son. Do
you realize the blessing of being a member of the nation whose
God is the Lord? The only God. God who is Jehovah. Father, Son, Spirit. The God
who chooses to show mercy, the Son who redeems, and the Spirit
of God that regenerates. But let me ask you something.
Where is this nation? As I was studying on this, I
kept thinking about that phrase, God bless America. God bless
America. America, Christian nation. That's
not so. That's not so. God bless America. It sounds patriotic and I love
patriotism. I love patriotism. I thank God
for patriots. I really do. I love this country. But this country is not that
nation that's being spoken of. God is blessed and He has blessed
this and others. In the raising up of the gospel
of God's free grace, He's raised up out of nations, different
nations. He's raised up men and women,
called them by grace, taught them of Himself, blessed them. But I know when it comes to men,
nations and men, every imagination of the thoughts of Man's heart
is only evil continually every day. Where is this nation who's
bound together in purpose and love for God Almighty? Where are they? I know that this
nation exists. I know it does. Because the scripture
declares that that nation is blessed of God. The Spirit of God moved on the
Apostle Paul right in Ephesians chapter 1. They're blessed with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. But let's just
consider for a few minutes something about this nation. I know this
for a fact. Hold your place. I'm going to
read a passage of Scripture in Ephesians 2. I know this for
a fact concerning this blessed nation. It's a nation that is
of God's creation. God created this nation. Ephesians 2.10, For we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. It's a nation of God's creation
created unto good works. Do you know the difference in
a good work and a dead work? Good works, dead works. The scripture
speaks both of them. Good works are those works performed
by God's people as the evidence of their salvation. 1 Thessalonians 1-3 speaks of a
work of faith, a labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ. That's a good work. The evidence
of salvation. A dead work is that which men
perform thinking that they are accomplishing their own salvation. Romans 3.20 says, Therefore by
the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his
sight. So the difference is, we are,
the scripture says we are created. We are created. We are his workmanship. created in Christ Jesus unto
good works. God's people evidence something. They evidence that they're alive
by good works. And they put no confidence whatsoever
in their flesh. They don't put any confidence
in them. So, where is this nation? Well, it's a nation created by
God. That God has shown mercy unto. where he told Moses, show me
your glory. I will have mercy on whom I'll
have mercy. It's made up. This nation is
made up of a people, Jews and Gentiles, chosen in Christ before
the foundation of the world that they should be holy and without
blame before God in love. They are the bride of Christ.
given unto him by the Father, betrothed to himself. The scripture sets forth 1 Peter
2.9. 1 Peter 2.9 says something about this nation. 1 Peter 2.9, he said, you're a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood. and holy nation, a peculiar people,
that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Now, what about
these people? What about those descriptions
right there? You're a royal priest, a chosen general, a royal priesthood. The scripture declares in Revelation
1, 5, and 6, it's a nation that is said to be kings and priests
under God by Him that loved us, washed us from our sins in His
own blood. Actually, what this nation is,
it's a kingdom of priests. That's what they are, kingdom
of priests. That's what Exodus 19.6 says. And ye shall be unto
me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Priests robed in the
righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Priests, that the scripture says
in Hebrews 13.15 by him, Offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually. That is the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to His name. You know, the Lord promised Abraham
in Genesis chapter 12, verses 2 and 3, that he was going to
be a great nation. Listen to this, Genesis 12, 2
and 3. I will make of thee a great nation. I will bless thee, make
thy name great, thou shalt be a blessing. I will bless them
that bless thee, curse him that curses thee, and in thee shall
all the families of the earth be blessed." Truly, Israel was
made a great nation. God had blessed them, gave them
the law, into that nation sent the Messiah. but natural Israel
was but a picture of spiritual Israel. Spiritual Israel. And the blessing to all the families
of the earth was through spiritual Israel. And here's a people,
just a handful of people right here, that I'm convinced, many
of which, part of this great nation, whose God is the Lord. They're blessed. Their God is
the God. And all the families of the earth,
through the preaching of the gospel, blessed. What a marvelous display of God's
mercy. 1 Peter, back in 1 Peter chapter
9, it was talking about there were a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation. Holy nation. What does that mean,
a holy nation? Set apart. Sanctified. Set apart. Saints. That's the
word. Holy nation. Set apart by God. You think of this blessing. We hear this glorious truth. I was talking to Glenda last
night. We were talking about growing
up, graduating from high school, and I got to thinking to myself, Of all the people, and here again,
I'm not trying to be presumptuous, I'm just telling what I have
in my mind. Of all the people that I went to high school with, I don't know. I don't know of
another. I don't know of another. I don't
know of anybody. I asked her, I said, you went
to high school with, graduated with. I was in college, went
through art school. I got to thinking, I thought, Could it be that Almighty God
was pleased to show, told you about my mama? Twelve kids in my mama's family,
twelve kids. Only one that I know of. Concerning this nation, he said,
you're a holy nation, set apart. Do you realize How humbling that
is. And you think, if the Lord left
me to myself, I'm just telling you the truth. I'm just telling
you this is the way it is. God shows mercy to whom He'll
have mercy. I've had people tell me, they
say, well, that's just not fair. Then I think, fair. Fair. If God left, I think everybody
ought to have a chance, but I know what they're going to do. They
won't come unless God reaches down and takes a brand out of
the fire, plucks a brand out of the fire. If He leads me to
myself, you're a holy nation, a peculiar people. That's what
He said. Purchased. Purchased. I loved you. I chose you. And I bought you. I paid for
you. Ephesians 5, 25. Husbands, love
your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself
for it. That's so. Purchased them. And preserved
them. Preserved them. Kept them. Kept
them from falling. He's able to keep you from falling. Able. Aren't you glad? I'm telling you, if He didn't
keep me, I'm gone. This nation is comprised of those
who are trophies of God's grace that shall ever set forth His
glory and His honor and His praise. The Scripture says Here again,
but you're a chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation,
peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises, the virtues
of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous
light. Show forth, show forth the praise
of Him. You realize the witness of God
keeping a people. Yeah, you say, well, it's not
as many as there was years ago. Yeah, but we're still here. We're
still here. Has God left us? Has God forsaken
us? By being kept by the power of
God through faith, not of our own praise and glory and honor,
but that God would keep us, we show forth. We show forth the
praises, the virtues of him. We show forth. Did he say, I'll
never leave you, I'll never forsake you? Yeah. We're still here. We show forth
the virtues of him. This is a nation, secondly, that
knows and declares its salvation and preservation to be of the
Lord. That's what Jonah said. Jonah
2, 9, I will sacrifice unto thee with a voice of thanksgiving.
Now here's what Jonah said. You know the story of Jonah.
I'm going to pay that I have vowed salvation is of the Lord. Now here's the sacrifice, here's
the voice of thanksgiving. Thank you that you've shown me
that salvation is all of grace. Thank you. Thank you for blessing
me with that truth. Salvation is of the Lord. It's
origin, God purposed it. It's procurement. Christ bought
it. Paid for it. With blood. And the application of it is
by the Spirit of God. And man has no hand in that. And I'm glad. Because He who
loved us, chose us, and bought us, and called us, and kept us,
is the God of this nation. God. You know, every country has got
a national anthem. I told you, I love singing the
national anthem. You know, the Star Spangled Banner,
I just... Americans. I love, again, I love
patriots. I love patriots. I love it. Got a national anthem. This nation has a national anthem.
Isaiah 26, one and two, listen to this. In that day shall this
song be sung in the land of Judah. Here it is. Here's the song of
this nation. In that day, this song shall
be sung. We have a strong city. Salvation will God appoint for
walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates that the righteous
nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Boy, that's some
good lines. Gary comes and picks out these
songs. If it's a song, it doesn't magnify
the Lord. It just don't agree with what
we believe. We don't sing it. You may say,
we're going to turn to so and so. We're going to sing verses
1, 3, and 4. Why? Because there was something
about verse 2 that just... We'll sing 1, 3, and 4. Well,
here's the verses of this song. Here's it. This is the joyful
song of the nation whose God is the Lord. We have a strong
city. We have a prevailing, secure,
majestic city. The holy city, New Jerusalem. This is the strong city. It's that blessed nation whose
God is the Lord. That nation who knows her life,
her salvations, all of grace without works. It's that city
that John said he saw in Revelation 21-2. I saw the holy city, New
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared, made
ready, as a bride adorned for her husband. It's a strong city. This is the city that Abraham
was said to look for. It had foundations, whose builder
and maker is God, strong, because God established it, and He's
God Almighty. Strong because the Lord defends
it. Psalm 511, but all those that
put their trust in the Lord, rejoice, let themselves shout
for joy because thou defendest it. That's what they say. We have
a strong city. Here's that second verse. Salvation
will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Salvation. You might as well just put where
salvation is, just put the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what Simeon
said. Lord, receive me. Let me go in peace. Mine eyes
have seen Thy salvation. He was looking at the Lord, the
infant. He was looking at Him. Mine eyes
have seen your salvation. Christ! Will God appoint? Will God constitute? Will God
make one to be? In covenant grace, covenant mercy,
salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks? This city,
this nation, we're talking about these people, their strength
is not in rocks and moats and fences and such the like. This city's strength is Christ. Can you imagine? We have a strong
city. Strong city. And then that last
verse there, Isaiah 26, it says, open you the gates that the righteous
nation which keepeth the truth may enter in." This city has
gates. Gates that scripture reveals,
Matthew 16, 18, that the gates of hell is not going to prevail
against. The gates of hell shall not prevail against this city's
gates. Nobody's going to keep the Lord
from saving his people. God's going to call that His
own. This nation, it's a righteous
nation being found in Christ. Those that keepeth the truth. That's what the Lord prayed in
John 17. John chapter 17, in that high
priestly prayer, the Scripture sets forth that He said, Verse
six, I've manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest
me out of the world, thine they were and thou gavest them me
and they have kept thy word. Why? Because he kept them. He kept them. I give unto my
sheep eternal life and they shall never perish. No man. able to pluck them out of my
hand. We're kept from falling away
by Him who is our God. And this nation, in closing,
is going to surely be called out of darkness. Isaiah 26, I'll
read out of verse 15 right here, it says, thou hast increased
the nation. Oh Lord, thou hast increased
the nation, thou art glorified, thou hast removed it far unto
all the ends of the earth. Thou hast increased. I looked
it up. It says increased the number. Now obviously there's no increase
in the amount that are in this nation from eternity. That number
was determined by God Almighty before the foundation of the
world. Revelation 17.8 declares that the Lamb's Book of Life,
when was it written? You know this. From before the
foundation of the world. All the names of God's elect.
God's everlastingly known his people. I know my sheep. God
chose them, gave them to Christ, and he knows them. Has anybody
ever been added to the roles of God's elect from the foundation
of the world? No. No. No. But this nation is said to
increase outwardly in our eyes. through the means of the preaching
of the gospel, it grows. It grows in number. Listen to
what he's saying now, and realize to our perception. Thou hast
increased the nation, O Lord, Thou hast increased the nation,
Thou art glorified, Thou hast removed it far unto all the ends
of the earth. Not in those that God has eternally
loved, but to our understanding. God Almighty increases the borders,
is what he's saying. When it says, thou hast removed
it far unto the ends of the earth, the borders, that's what he's
saying. He has removed it, increased it, far extended it. And where are these borders?
They're in every nation, kindred, tribe, tongue, surely being called
out In the day of God's power, they're made willing to come
unto the Lord. Blessed is the nation whose God
is Jehovah and the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance. That's pretty plain, ain't it?
If God gives you eyes to see, it is. We rejoice in Christ Jesus,
not trusting ourselves, but trusting thus saith the Lord. Lord, may
it be so to our hearts today afresh. Amen.