Is There Hope for America? | Part 2

Rollover funding Studios in Memphis Tennessee on Byron Tyler there with Carrie Vaughn, the CEO of Laura finding Carrie today. Adrian Rogers pixel part two. Is there hope for America. We invite her friends to take your Bibles and turn to first Peter chapter 3 in verse 10, I believe there's hope for America if you take a step back.

First Peter 116 says this we are holy because he is holy and so I think when God's people walk in holiness. There is definitely hope.

And there's always hope for us. Looking at a barn article that was dated back in 2017 the most post-Christian cities in America 2017 rates of church attendance, religious affiliation, belief in God. Prayer and Bible reading have all been dropping for decades by consequence, the role of religion in public life has been slowly diminishing in the church no longer functions with the cultural authority it had in times past these are unique days for the church in America is it learns what it means to flourish in a new post-Christian era right head football coach and said hey guys on Monday were getting back to the blocking and tackling a football.

I think that's true for Christian faith in our Christian walk. Dr. Rogers had a book called what every Christian ought to know, and it talks about the fundamentals are we doing the fundamentals correctly. Yes, that's the question I think is a great point are we doing those fundamentals correct and we need back to the basics and I'm so glad that lobar funding provides that through the Bible teaching program of Adrian Rogers right in those resources are there LWF.org you can go those are at your fingertips and download those use those as a discipleship tool in your personal growth where we always want to hear from our listeners, and we encourage you to write. Let us know where you are, how the program is encouraging your spiritual journey, so please be sure and give us a message. We do receive messages via our website and also through Facebook and here's one that says Adrian Rogers was an educated brilliant man and teacher, preacher, I've been watching him for over 20 years.

There's no one like him. A true gift. I agree I would take a stepfather. I would say he is a prophet. He was deftly a prophet in our time, but at the same time he put it, and was able to apply it so that we could use it in our everyday lives will carry Adrian Rogers had we like to call Adrian isms you know about the Bible about our relationship with the Lord about life right there were nuggets for the day when we put them on cards and in we have a minute. Three volume book. We also have a new card set that we just produced think you can go online to LWF.org learn more about that. Well, you know, even though all may not be right with the world where we live. Adrian Rogers offers this viewpoint. If I were not a Christian, I would be a pessimist. Knowing what I know, but I'm not a pessimist, and I'm not.

I'm not going around the Pollyanna painting the clouds and sunshine in and saying gods in his heaven all dried with the work will not right with this world, but I am not a pessimist. I am a glowing optimist, for I know that I know that I know that the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and people ask what is the world coming to, I can tell you is coming to Jesus and that was his mantra come to Jesus come to Jesus right if it was a T-ball game if it was a Christmas tree production. If it was a Sunday morning.

He always gave a special invitation to come to Jesus Christ come to Jesus and it's all coming to Jesus right right kingdom will become right and so it will come to Jesus. That's what the world coming to, and I think that is the gas in the tank. Byron for this message and for who we are as Christians to not let up or slow up but to go forward.

Is there hope for America with part two peers, Adrian Rogers, now the times that we're facing a new for us, but they're not new. In Christian history. As a matter fact, this book that I read to you from the book of first Peter is a handbook for survival in days like our days because the Christians were being put upon very much like Christians today are being put upon and will be put upon.

They said in that day, as we say in this day that adultery is wrong.

Fornication is wrong.

Homosexuality is wrong and other things are wrong and that ran against the grain of the powers that be. Now I want to give you. Therefore, some principal is a pastor say that I'm to be involved.

How what should I do.

How can I help my neighbor. What are the principles of God's word. The very first principle is the principle of Lordship. Look, if you will, in verse 15 but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Nothing must stay in the way of your obedience to Jesus Christ. Have you enthroned him as Lord. If not, I pity you because you're going to be the most miserable of all people, you're going to be caught in the crossfire. Many don't have enough courage to serve the devil or enough grace to serve God and I have not sanctify. That means set aside the Lord in your hearts set aside God as Lord sanctify the Lord God in your heart that means set him aside. Place him in throwing him as Lord. The principle of Lordship second principle, the principle of learning. Look again in verse 15, but sanctify the Lord God in your heart and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask if you are the reason that is in you. Can you do that, do you know that the word here answers the word, we get the word apology from apologetics. That doesn't mean apologizing for the gospel. It just simply means a verbal like you would give a court of law. Can you verbalize your fate. Can you intellectually, logically, systematically defend what you believe be able to give an apologetic a defense but a whole continue third principle, the principle of lowliness lowliness. Look, if you will. In this verse but sanctify the Lord God in your heart and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask if you've a reasonable hope that is in you with meekness and fear you want. Meekness is it's not a weakness.

It is strapped on the control and the word fear here has the idea of reverence for Almighty God, lowliness was the method that the very son of God use the method will be used. James says this and put this in your Martin James one verses 19 and 20. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath and then here's what James says for the wrath of man work is not the righteousness of God that if you get your mind right off mind and a loving heart is a powerful combination. Many of you have unsaved love when you been lecturing without letting if you can love the lecture be ready to give a reason of the hope it's in you, but do it with fear and trembling in meekness and reverence man with a soul winner went to witness to a man who was a agnostic soul winner studied he want to have all the answers. He went armed with what he thought was truth of the word of God with fear and trembling, presented the message of Jesus Christ and the man to whom he was speaking with his wit with his logic with his sarcasm with his ungodly mind and heart just pushed back everything that man's witness was like beating him pumped up tire with a hammer back. Finally, the soul winner was just crushed. He was moved to tears. He said to the man I'm sorry I made a fool of myself. I just wanted to share Jesus. I just wanted to say and broke down and wept and left the man to whom he witness Walt that man's house, knocked on the door and said I won't deceive us in such a man that man. His wife said way back to the bedroom. I don't think he wants to see anybody man's that I believe he wants to see me.

She led him back then the man said listen, I'm sorry for the way I treated you continue tell me about God I meet God.

I'm sorry for my arrogance was so pleased that I can understand that you are so hard to seem like everything that I said I just felt I can understand what changed you he said your last argument that we remember what it was.

What was it you said your last argument was when you put your arm around me and wept and told me you love me he said I couldn't figure out what would make a man like you love a man like me less what you had was real Frente!. That's one of the arguments that we need in presenting the Lord Jesus Christ is a broken heart lowliness. Nobody is really argued into the kingdom of heaven.

Many times we did win the argument and lose the audience. Jesus, when he was mistreated did not lash back in.

Jesus didn't have to even the score.

Look in chapter 2, verse 23 speaks of Jesus and it says who, when he was reviled, reviled not again when he suffered a threatened but committed himself to him that judge if righteously now look at that friend. If somebody mistreats you take the court.

I don't need any court take him to the Supreme Court, and I don't mean the one in Washington. I mean the one thing that's what Jesus did. He couldn't man himself to the one that judge if righteously God's eyes are over all of this have to even the school. God knows just commit yourself to the Lord be like the Lord Jesus Christ. We can wait for heaven's verdict, it will be right. Lowliness is a principle we need back in this time when this book was written zero was persecuting the Christians. Historians believe that Nero wanted to clean up Islam, so he could build some palatial buildings at the slums burned. The fire got out of control. People realize that an arsonist had done it some rumor that Nero may have done it. His advisor said wanted to blame the Christians there always talking about setting the world on fire. Fire of the gospel fire of the spirit Nero in order to deflect that judgment that looked like was coming to him made an edict that Christians were to be put to death. Christians were captured, covered with oil and par crucified and then lit a flame to light up Nero's gardens, like human candles. These Christians suffered in such a way suffered such a godly way that they brought the Roman empire crashing down.

The blood of the martyrs has been and continues to be the seed of the church when we need true humility.

I need and it will often disarm those that we speak to put this verse that chapter 1 verse six Nehemiah spray Ellison what he says let thine ear now, be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou may steer the prayer of my servant which I pray before the now day and night for the children of Israel by servants and confess the sin of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against the bovine and my father's house of San Gilbert judgment needs to begin in the beginning your house in my house there's something else. It needs to begin with you and me lowliness where wondering about society. There are parents who are bent out of shape because the children can't pray in school and they only those children. Prayer in the burial homes that's unmitigated typography, is it not lowliness is 1/4 principle, the principle of lifestyle lifestyle now look, if you will, in verse 10, but sanctify verse 15 brother but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask if you are reason of the hope that is in you.

That means that somebody see something different about you go back to verse 10. What is it that they see.

For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile letting us do evil and do good. Let them seek peace and instill it for the eyes of the Lord over the righteous lifestyle is anybody ask you recently. What makes you tick by said you you have a superior lifestyle. You are different.

Tell me please. The secret of your life. That's what that's what he's talking about. He saying you live a lifestyle lifestyle that others can see and that will invigorate them to ask you about your life. I am embarrassed and humiliated at some of the scandals in the modern church were talking about radio and television. Some of the erstwhile so-called televangelist. So for those of us who preach and those of us who teach, we got two strikes against us before we start you what the world needs they may not have to agree with this different, don't you think don't respect us.

I mean, don't you think that they ought to at least pull some respect for us and not tell you how we are going to get respect.

We are going to get it the old-fashioned way were going to earn it by letting his will to live.

We need to outlive out give out love pray freaked out. Give the pagan will to see a difference when we begin to live that way people will ask us why that really well. Paul and Silas in prison thrown in prison in the most prison acts chapter 16 says at night. They were singing praises to God let jail that he heard moans and groans, but not so pressing but not praising. Then there was an earthquake jailhouse rock and that man came in and he asked this question says what must I do to be saved. Why did he asked that question will obviously he had seen the lifestyle of these two men of God there in that prison serves what must I do to be saved. The people of your household people in your neighborhood.

People in your skilled people in your business ought to ask you, what must I do to be saved. I will ask your question. An appreciable difference in you and the people that you associate with.

I'm not about what you sample about what you are what the intellectual meat.

She said Nietzsche said to the Christians if you will me to believe in your Redeemer, you're going to have to look a little more redeem principle of lifestyle. That's what Peter says here's the last principal the principle of love. Love not. Why do they ask this will go back to chapter 3 verse eight. Finally, be all of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brethren will be courteous look in chapter 4 verses eight and nine and above all things have fervent charity that were charity means love fervent charity among yourselves for charity shall cover the multitude of sin is hospitality one to another without grudging love worth finding where to start from everywhere against abortion, then we need to show love to those pregnant young unmarried women and help them against pornography, then we need to show compassion to those whose minds are fevered with pornography who need help and can't get it against homosexuality. We need to say to the homosexual. We love you and there's help in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to wrap societies wounds inside of involvement not installed. Our church needs to be a place of love. People need to know this church not only for what we are against what were full, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ world is looking for answers. Folks, I mean it's looking you know what they hate to admit it, but they they know they don't have the answer and the back of your mind ask you one more time do we have the answer to something folks. The church of Jesus Christ is the only institution that has the answer. We do have the answer and persecution.

If it comes. Cannot snuff out the answer when the cultural revolution began in China massive tongue and his henchmen decided that they would wipe out every vestige of Christianity all Western books were burned.

Pastors were either killed or imprisoned churches were turned into warehouses on the collectible farms.

When these people were there, the communes in these government owned farms.

They would put a picture massive tongue. There is a bout to the picture.

Christians who would not bow had their legs broken at the knees. All Christians had their jobs taken from them their means of subsistence. When that began their work .5 million.

No Christians in China when finally, after years of the most repressive brainwashing I mean repressive. They even went into the cemeteries. If there was across the grave sizzle all the tombstone but after all those years of repression from .5 million 50 million believers in China that it happened.

From pulpits because they could preach it from Pope that went from heart to heart from life to life from lip to lip people doing exactly what people said we to do here. And folks, I've got good news for you of the Lord Jesus Christ is not only going to survive is going to thrive. Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against God, man, church will just survive, she will thrive to an amazing truth for us today as we conclude this lesson and if you've enjoyed the message by Adrian Rogers and maybe have some questions about your own faith and how to follow Jesus, how to receive the forgiveness he's offering you. We urge you to go to our website LWF.org and click the Discover Jesus tab to find answers, you may need about your faith as well as a response section where you can share this message and others have impacted you go to LWF.org/radio and click Discover Jesus, we can't wait to hear from you. Thanks for studying with us in God's word today and be sure to join us next time.

For more profound truth from Dr. Adrian Rogers right here on love worth fighting