Don't Turn Back

     In Psalm 78, we find the tragic story of Israel turning their back on God.  Three times during this Psalm, the phrase "turned back" appears (vs. 9,41,&57).  As you study what happened as a result of their turning from God, you will see a picture of what I believe is modern day America.
     Three things happened:
 1. They lived in the Punishment of God - vs. 31-33. 
Because of their sin, God allowed their days to consume in vanity & their years were to be full of trouble.  The average person's life is just the same way.  No purpose in life & filled
with all types of troubles.  Many today have troubled homes, troubled relationships, troubled minds, troubled hearts.  They are living in the punishment of God.
2. They limited the Power of God - vs. 41
They also tried to draw out a set of boundaries for God.  Because of their turning from God that had put a limitation to what God was capable of doing.  They put up a barrier around the Holy One of Heaven.  It is impossible to close in His wisdom because He is omniscient.  It's impossible to limit His power because He is omnipotent.  Imagine a mosquito tying a string around your neck & treating you as if you were a dog on a chain.  Telling you where you could go & what you could do.  Leading you around to wherever would please him.  It is just as insane for us to think we can tell God where & how he can go & work.  God is all powerful and capable of doing anything with anything.  As we turn from Him in sin, we limit what He can do in our lives.  We put Him in a box which causes us to miss out on some of His wonderful blessings.
3. They lost the Presence of God - vs. 56-60
As Christians, we know that we can't lose our Salvation.  We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of God until the day of our redemption.  But we can lose the sweet fellowship of God that He desires with us.  Israel had experienced the ark of God being placed in Shiloh.  The ark was where God's presence dwelled inside of the tabernacle.  Sin caused God to bring the ark out of Shiloh by the hand's of the enemies, and eventually being placed in Mt. Zion.  The interesting thing is that it never went back to Shiloh.  That never got back the presence of God again.  We must keep our eyes on Him.  Even though He will never leave nor forsake us, we often leave and forsake Him.  The presence of God in fellowship is the most important thing in your Christian life.  Without being in fellowship with Him your service will be lacking something, your testimony will be missing something, your joy will be lacking something.  Close fellowship with Him is vital, without it
 we are just walking around in the wilderness, wondering through life.