It is written in Proverbs 14:34, Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. So I have to ask; what is sin?  The answer is simple: sin is anything that goes against the laws of God.  If we keep that one definition of sin before our eyes, everything becomes perfectly clear.  God is not asking us what WE define as sin, nor is He interested in what our opinion is.   He has already given us the parameters of what sin is, and He is Almighty God, so His definition is the plumb line by which our lives are measured.

Notice it is written that RIGHTEOUSNESS exalts a nation, not POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.  Righteousness, that is, right standing before God is only possible by our coming into agreement with God’s way of doing things. For example, I don’t care how many people get together and say murder is good and acceptable, God says it isn’t, so it isn’t.  In fact, it is written in Proverbs 11:19-21,
Pro 11:19  As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
Pro 11:20  They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
Pro 11:21  Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
Also in Proverbs 16:5,
Pro 16:5  Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

Most clearly, God is telling us, He doesn’t care how many say it’s ok to do what He said NOT to do, those who do those things which defy God will not go unpunished, period.  True, He is a merciful God, but He is also a God of justice and righteousness.  And right now the righteousness of our nation “stinketh”, and if you think God is not going to punish our nation for our sins, you either have your head stuck in the sand, or you just don’t care what pleases God and what doesn’t.

If you don’t want to get on the wrong side of God, you need to know what He doesn’t like, and then don’t do those things.  Here is a sampling of things God hates:
Pro 6:16  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Pro 6:19  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Now that’s pretty simple to understand, isn’t it?  Not too many “thee and thou” words there, just plain English.  Do those seven things, and God will not be happy with you, no matter how many of you come together and agree that they are acceptable.  Can you understand that?

1. A PROUD LOOK:  Being self-righteous, a law unto yourself, disregarding the Word of God, for you are above God, or at least in your opinion, equal to Him, with no need to be subject unto Him.

2.  A LYING TONGUE: Many politicians are real good at that, deceiving the people, and sneaking stuff into the law of the land that is NOT RIGHT!  And not just picking on politicians, that also includes people who cheat on their employers (or employees), cheat on their taxes, inflate insurance claims for profit, making false claims, the list goes on and on.

3. HANDS THAT SHED INNOCENT BLOOD:  Now if ABORTION doesn’t fit that description, I don’t know what does.  People say, it isn’t a life, it’s just a decision.  Well then, what if someone decides someone’s existence is no longer necessary, and they make a decision to end it, it may not mean much to you, but what if it’s YOUR existence?  Would THAT make any difference to you?  An unborn fetus is ALIVE and INNOCENT, and unable to defend itself.  Does not the innocent blood of millions shed in this nation alone cry out unto God?  How long will we continue to poke our finger in God’s eye and continue with impunity and go unpunished?  Do you think all these “natural disasters” we have been experiencing in recent years is just “coincidence”?   Think again.  As our nation continues its defiance to God’s Word, He is lifting His hand of protection that has been upon our nation, and the devil is taking advantage of it.  How much destruction will there be?  That depends upon how long we will harden our hearts and disregard God in favor of “political correctness”.  Perhaps the nation will be destroyed entirely.  But know this: God will protect those who are truly His.  The rest had better watch out, it isn’t going to be pretty.

4. AN HEART THAT DEVISETH WICKED IMAGINATIONS:  Remember when America stood for all the good in the world, how we were a blessing to the poor and the oppressed?  Why were we so blessed?  Because our nation was founded upon the Word of God, and now people tell us it isn’t politically correct, and in a few short years, this nation has become corrupt, filled with greed and graft, desiring to manipulate others for our profit?  Please, tell me it isn’t so…..

5 .FEET THAT BE SWIFT IN RUNNING TO MISCHIEF:  Yeah, we are swiftly running away from God , not toward Him.  People are telling us now that our nation was NOT founded on the Word of God.  They can tell themselves that, but that doesn’t make it so, does it?  People can tell the same lie for so long that they actually believe it’s the truth!  Why are we listening to their lies? We still have history books, why not take some time to actually READ them!   Most of all; why are the God-fearing people of this nation sitting on their cans and doing NOTHING about it?  We as a nation are beating a path to the devil’s door, and he is saying “Come on in!”  History shows us that EVERY nation that has turned from God and eliminated God from their society has FALLEN.  People, America is in a rapid spiral DOWN, and only God’s people can turn it around!  Are YOU one of God’s people?  Then it’s time to act like it, and stop thinking it’s “someone else’s job”.  A solemn warning is written in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14,

2Ch 7:13  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

GOD’S PEOPLE, LISTEN UP!  He said IF MY PEOPLE, which are called by My name…He isn’t talking about those who don’t know Him.  HIS PEOPLE!  Supposedly that is YOU and ME!  I know you’d rather hear a “feel-good” message, and you don’t want to hear this.   Actually, I don’t care what people want to hear: I just want to please God, and He told me to preach this, and whether or not you pay attention and heed His Words is not my responsibility.  He told me to sound the warning, so I’m sounding it LOUD AND CLEAR!  We need to pray this nation turns back to God before the land is destroyed!  If it isn’t destroyed by disaster and pestilence, it will be destroyed by foreigners intent on imposing their way of life and their false gods and religion and taking the land the LORD gave us as a blessing because of our obedience to Him, and turning it into a land of misery and cursing. It isn’t going to be pretty, folks!  I’m not hollering “wolf”, I’m hearing God’s warning and judgment is coming, for God cannot turn a blind eye to the ways of our nation.  Will God judge other nations too?  Sure, but THIS nation is the one who claimed to be a Godly nation, so we are being held accountable.  Can we turn it around?  Only by obeying 2 Chronicles 7:14.  There is no other way!  Political correctness is NOT going to do the job.  PRAY!  SEEK GOD’S FACE!  REPENT FROM YOUR SINS!   If you think YOU don’t need to pray, then I’m scared for you.  I don’t know about you, but I fear the Word of the LORD, and God doesn’t need to hit me upside the head with a 2×4 for me to get the message.

6. A FALSE WITNESS THAT SPEAKETH LIES:  Pastors, you’d better make sure what you’re preaching is GOD’S WORD, and not some “politically correct, mealy-mouth, watered-down, low-powered, skimmed milk, carnal, self-serving people-pleasing” message that doesn’t drive your people to their knees and turn them to God with their whole heart to serve Him only.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ WILL turn this nation back to God, if our preachers will quit fearing the approval of men, and start pleasing God instead.  God said He will confirm His Word with signs following.  That means if a false witness is preached, God will not confirm those words with His signs following.  Look at the place where you go to worship: if there are no confirmations of God’s Word following, you’d better find another place where there IS, and QUICK!

7. HE THAT SOWETH DISCORD AMONG BRETHREN: Those kind are easy to spot: they aren’t there to serve God, they are there to divide the Body of Christ.  Rebuke them and if they repent, love them and help them.  If they don’t, then RUN THEM OFF! Get them out of your church!  The intent and purpose of the preaching of the Gospel tells us this, that God hates discord and division,
Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Don’t worry about being a people-pleaser.  Make it your highest goal in life to be a God-pleaser.  For in ten thousand years from now, the only thing that will matter is your relationship with Christ Jesus.  Righteousness is the result of being a God-pleaser.  Think of one God pleaser, then another, then another, then another, until we have a whole nation of God-pleasers.  We can run the devil out if we work with God.  Righteousness exalts ANY nation.  Why not make it YOUR nation?