Romans 1,

verse 18 through 23,

for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness

of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God

is evident within them, for God has made it evident to them.

For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse.

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks.

But they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing to be wise they became fools and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and of

four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

And now, Lord, as we undertake to open these few verses in order to see your description of man without God. I pray that we would be made sober and earnest. I pray that trifling and Tom foolery would be removed from our minds and hearts.

America is a very doodling nation.

We fritter away our infinite possibilities of knowing you.

And I ask now, Lord, that some of that would be destroyed right now as you come and there would be a weight

upon this people of glory. This text is all about the exchange of glory, the loss of glory, in exchange for lizards and tigers and statues. Lord, it's an appalling thing. Be appalled,

oh heavens, be shocked. Be utterly desolate, says the Prophet Jeremiah.

My people have committed two great evils.

They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and have hewn out for themselves cisterns, broken

cisterns that can hold no water, the dark exchange.

Lord, I plead with you that I would be able so to speak these words,

that people would be rescued from the dark exchange.

Come with your light, I pray, and shed it abroad in our hearts. In Jesus' name, I pray,

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