Sinning America
E.A. Johnston warns that America faces escalating divine judgments due to persistent sin and calls for genuine repentance and the return of God's manifest presence in the church.
In his sermon "Sinning America," E.A. Johnston delivers a prophetic message warning of escalating divine judgments on America due to persistent sin and spiritual apathy. Drawing from the book of Amos, Johnston highlights the progressive nature of God's discipline and calls for genuine repentance and the restoration of God's manifest presence in the church. This urgent message challenges believers to seek revival and turn their hearts back to God before judgment intensifies.
Full Transcript
I've been studying revival for several decades. Revival is not evangelism. Revival is a sovereign work of God among his people.
In America today, America cannot go on sinning the way it is and continue without further increased judgments from God. I spoke Wednesday night from the book of Amos about the increased severity of judgments on the people of God who had moved away from God in their heart. They have moved away from him.
I talked about how God said to the people through Amos, I have brought you famine. He brought a famine of bread and he said, yet you have not returned to me. And then the next judgment was a little more severe.
It was a drought. You know, we can go without food for several days, possibly several weeks, but we can't go without water more than a few days. Yet you have not returned to me.
The next judgment from God was a little more severe. It was a financial failure. America today is a house of cards financially with the subprime credit crisis and the dollar being devalued all across this nation.
This nation could go into the worst depression and bankruptcy it's ever seen. There's nothing backing our dollar. So he had their crops fail in the field.
It brought them financial ruin. Yet the Lord said, yet you have not returned to me. The next judgment was a little more severe.
He said, I have brought pestilence among you. He brought a plague and he said, I have slain your young man. You take the young man out of a community, you're removing their future.
He said, yet you have not returned to me. In America today, God is trying to get our attention. We have breathed him away from our sanctuaries through the sins in the church.
What we need is the manifest presence of God back in the sanctuaries to reestablish his prominence and preeminence. I'm not talking about the omnipresence of God, where the spirit is in us, where two or more are gathered, he's with you. I'm talking about the manifest presence of God, where God comes down in such glory.
It's like Sinai was all together on a smoke. The reason why God has withdrawn his hand from the church in America today is because of a lack of repentance and hardened hearts and apathy and indifference.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Nature of Revival
- Revival is a sovereign work of God, distinct from evangelism
- It requires God's manifest presence among His people
- Revival impacts the heart and sanctuaries of believers
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II. Progressive Judgments on Sinful America
- God's judgments increase in severity as people do not repent
- Examples include famine, drought, financial failure, and pestilence
- Judgments serve as warnings to return to God
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III. The Current State of America
- America is spiritually distant due to sin and hardened hearts
- Financial instability reflects divine displeasure
- The church has lost God's manifest presence due to apathy
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IV. The Call to Repentance and Restoration
- God desires a return to repentance and holiness
- The manifest presence of God must be restored in churches
- Only through genuine repentance can judgment be averted
Key Quotes
“Revival is not evangelism. Revival is a sovereign work of God among his people.” — E.A. Johnston
“In America today, God is trying to get our attention. We have breathed him away from our sanctuaries through the sins in the church.” — E.A. Johnston
“The reason why God has withdrawn his hand from the church in America today is because of a lack of repentance and hardened hearts and apathy and indifference.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Seek genuine repentance personally and corporately to invite God's restoration.
- Pray for the manifest presence of God to return to your church and community.
- Recognize the signs of divine judgment as calls to return to God rather than ignore them.