Foundational Realities

Best-selling author, speaker and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarland, best-selling author and apologist Dylan Burroughs together bringing you the truth for a new generation. This is TMG radio in the book of Isaiah in chapters 58 and 61 it has a lot to say about rebuilding the foundation rebuilding the things that the city and even the culture stands upon in on today's edition of TMG radio Alex McFarland here and Underwood birds were to talk about some of the foundational realities not only of gospel, but of of America itself and what can Christians do in a time when some of our core moral and spiritual foundations have been eroded. I welcome to the program, blisters, and Dylan. It's good to be with you again my friend. Great to meet you again today. Alex, you know, as we record this, we are just hours away from beginning one of our trees for new generation conferences and as you hear this TMG event, the first of 2018 will be over, but they were about foundations up my life and for the last three years have been restoring an old house hundred and 15-year-old house. In fact, by the way, if you ever have an idea to restore an old house. I can save you some time and money.

If you're going to restore an old house. What you might be better off doing just run your checkbook through a paper shredder because it will get so much more quickly. Plus, you won't get splinters, but at any rate, we are restoring an old house and the first thing we had to do is fix the foundation. The foundation was crumbling. The house was sitting cockeyed. The walls were slanted and in a putting paint on the walls with accomplished anything or putting the crown molding or hanging pictures that would've been a waste of time before you do any restoration you're going to have to fix the foundation and I was thinking about that in terms of our country because America that I love and that I'm sure you do as well.

Our founding fathers had Christianity in view when they were framing the Constitution and winning our freedom from Britain and building what is the calm, I believe, second only to Israel under King Solomon. The greatest nation in the world really in terms of opportunity, freedom, security, prosperity and and yes, for many years.

Righteousness, in fact talking Mathur who was going to great leaders of early America and academic a minister, but cotton Mathur said that people settled in America because they wanted to raise their kids under the gospel and they believe that their kids, grandkids and great grandkids would live in a culture of the gospel as well. We know that's to a large degree, been attacked, ignored, and I believe we are in a time of what the Bible describes is apostasy in second Thessalonians 213 to 17 the word of God talks about the teachings in verse 15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, hold the traditions or teachings or instructions which you have been taught, whether by word or by our epistle. Now, earlier in that verse in chapter talks about falling away the word of Greek word, apostasy is the very same word in the original language, which means rebellion every one for himself and Dylan. I believe we live in a time of really spiritual rebellion or almost theological anarchy as people create their in beliefs if you talk about Jesus. They often said that you were truth. That's not my truth is if we can selectively invent our own truths we must rebuild the foundations the foundation of the gospel in our culture or like a house falling in were just going to continue to implode and it's not from a lack of information, Alex.

Obviously we live in an information age. You can go to Google you can ask Siri on any topic under the sun. You can provide yourself with endless pages of information more than you can ever read. But when it comes to transformation our nation is at a critical stage where we are at a crossroads of deciding whether we want to continue and what you talked about is the old ways a nation under the gospel or if we want to go our own way and we see in the Old Testament Scriptures when Israel went its own way.

The consequences of that but we also see warnings in second Thessalonians 2 that you just read about what happens when we see people falling away from some of the basic doctrines of Christianity were not talking about preferences about what music you like on Sunday morning at church or what clothing you like to wear to church on Sunday were talking about the essentials about who Jesus is about salvation by grace through faith alone about what the Scriptures are so when we talk about this apostasy were talking about the key things the core beliefs of our Christian faith, which we have held firm to since the beginning of the Christian movement, but Dylan won't give you some examples of why I think we are in a time of apostasy or unbelief or falling away from the core teachings that it is the word Perry does this, which means these foundational beliefs that Jesus is the son of God of the Trinity. Father-son Holy Spirit salvation by God's grace biblical truth about morality and me. These are not up for revision a revote and so I think that we've got to restate and shore up our belief in these things for the health of the church and frankly for the future of our nation uncertainly and I think of Romans 116, where Paul talks that we should not be ashamed of the gospel. This is not something to be scared of to hold back on, but this is the essential information we are to communicate in our churches and in our communities and beyond.

When I look at the New Testament. I don't see a group of people who are timid or shy about their faith the people who are bold and courageous and stood firm on the resurrection about the teachings of Jesus and that these of the teachings that they told us to emulate in our lives today. But I want to encourage people is not just about the information we believe apostasy also includes our actions. If you were to look at some of the examples in Scripture. I think of Titus one where it talks about the false teachers that said they there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers so these are not just people who have teachings or Babbitt lives that are bad, and often times one drives the other does not. Alex really does it really does.

We got it will break but as we do. You know Dylan, sometimes on the road I get ask questions that are in a hard questions about moral issues, homosexuality, divorce, you know, just the nature of marriage and human sexuality, and more moral had people come up to me and also I will you know we've all got our own opinion or listen my mind's child dies X and they are a good person.

We can remember that the standard pump which behaviors, beliefs, and even people's lives are judged is not certainly not my opinion anybody's opinion. It is the word of God and in the church of Jesus Christ of weird to be the salt of the delight that God called us to be. If we are to serve as the redeeming war stories. Chuck Colson said the conscience of the culture got to remember right and wrong is not defined by anybody's opinion by God's revealed word combat will give a talk about signs of apostasy, then what you and I can do to make a wonderful difference for Jesus Christ. TG radios back and forth for a new generation is here to equip Christians with the biblical worldview through conferences and camps and speaking about camps. Registration is now underway for the TNG summer youth, apologetics, happening July 22-26 at North Greenville University in South Carolina. Alex McFarlane will be there along with Tony being the vice president for student services in Christian worldview it into you will engage your thought topics like if God is so good why is the world so bad. Understanding and applying what God's word says about gender and a whole lot more. 15 apologetic and worldview training sessions and all along with a field trip to the Billy Graham Center, and of course outdoor fun and games.

And don't forget about the food, great food, enough to fill up and keep going. Find out more about the 2018 TNG summer youth apologetics camp when you visit truth for a new generation.com. If you're a Christian parent. You of course want to instill a biblical view of life in the hearts of your children, your pastor, you want to offer ministry that draws young families to your church. This is Alex McFarland encouraging you to check out my new book and video curriculum. The 21 toughest questions your kids will ask about Christianity. I interviewed hundreds of children ages 5 to 12 and we address actual questions from actual children. The spiritual issues that are on the minds of your kids Jesus everything the book and video lessons are great for groups of any size and was produced with the goal of equipping kids to stand strong for Christ in any situation. The 21 toughest questions your kids will ask the book study guide and video series.

You'll find it@afastore.net that AFA store.net video Alex will continue and talk and it will remind you at the app store. Whether you have an iPhone or android mobile device is the TNG out has a number of features is got a searchable database that's growing every week of articles that I've written books and you cannot keep up with where I'm speaking and that the future truth for new generation national conferences. Also, this is huge. Dylan last fall we started distributing a daily devotional book and we don't have the daily devotional on the app yet but it's coming very soon and so the hard copy goes out. If you would like to get our newsletter pray for the ministry get the devotional book that is free to all the folks that pray for us and I keep up with us and also the apps you can go to treats for a new general.com you can go to my website Alex McFarlane.com but I do want to stay between events, broadcasting and publishing God is called us to win the lost and equip the Savior doing her best to do that with that wonderful staff.

We are growing and your prayers and support will help us do the thing that God has called us to do which is to lift up Jesus and call this nation back to the gospel. Dylan would see a movie called darkest hour and is the story of during World War II when Neville Chamberlain in much of a British Parliament you really wanted to roll over and play dead and hope that Hitler would go easy on them and appeasement and surrender was on the mind of so many and one person, Winston Churchill, masterfully portrayed by Gary Oldman really save the world and he really did – if you haven't seen the movie darkest hour it's very stirring, and it wasn't hard to see the parallels between Europe and the world almost ready to to be subjugated by Hitler and really the inspiration of wine and then to three the fire and the seal and the commitment to stand for what is right ultimately spread throughout Britain, Europe and change the world. In fact, is my wife and I were leaving the theater, we heard several people talking about how that's just such a parallel to where we are today is secularism. The rise of Islam. The redefinition of marriage.

The rise of the mainstreaming of homosexuality really threatens to undo this culture now. It was interesting. Dylan Gary Oldman was on the Academy Awards in his portrayal of Winston Churchill was just so amazing. He he and the film got a number of awards but in Hollywood where thousands of people make millions and millions of dollars here in America and and I doubt they could get so rich and famous in any other country standing in front of a camera and merely pretending for a living, but Gary Oldman, who played Churchill said that it's time to recognize the value or defeating Hitler the valiant work of England and America and nobody clapped and I was thinking about those Hollywood elites sitting with their arms folded, scowling that Oldman a.k.a. Churchill would say a good word about America and they sat there just adamantly frozen. Not going to clap or say anything good that the very America that's given them a posh life where they can live wealthy, and very often times is reprobates. We are in the time folks that we need a great revival we seen the ordination of homosexuals which the sexual behaviors clearly condemned in God's word. Leviticus 18 first Corinthians 6.

Christians ashamed of the gospel immorality within the church. The increasing marginalization of Christians and the church Dylan. I really think that the way that the culture has not just a disregard for salvation really contempt for God and for the people of God. This is a sign that we're wearing a time where the need for revival is urgent. Well yes and the one thing I saw recently a lifeways study that talked about a survey they did of spiritual preferences or spiritual areas that help you grow in your faith and they showed the top 10 and what disturbed me is in the top 10 the local church was not even included, and that to me was a compelling sign of the times that people see the church is irrelevant to their personal spiritual growth and yet the church is considered the bride of Christ in the New Testament the gathering of God's people for the bringing about of change in this world and I goes along with some of the signs you've talked about of apostasy in the church at one of those is lack of compassion for the lost and we see that very clearly. I live in Chattanooga Tennessee which is considered one of the most Bible minded cities in America. One of the most church cities in America and yet how many times I run into people he say today I share my faith that this person, he doesn't know Jesus. Please be praying for them.

It rarely happens and that's within the church. So we are very far from the signs a revival that we see in the New Testament the call that we been given to make disciples of all the nations in the love our neighbor as ourselves, and this is just one of the factors of apostasy. I think of churches today where hell and sin, and the blood of Jesus and suffering in those types of difficult topics are rarely mentioned discussed our preaching if they were the core of the life of the early church really experienced persecution and rejoiced at the suffering and they expected it, and second Timothy 215 is clear that all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted so you do need to be willing to take on the tough topics and do the difficult things for the cause of Christ and know that it's going to cause controversy even if some of these ideas do today that we talked about how excellent you know within the American church. There is this widespread appetite for sugary feel good at any cost. Teaching Dylan one of the saddest verses in the Bible is Hebrews 42 and it says of of people turn away from the truth. Quote the word of God preached did not profit them."

I can speak at a Christian university where I'm in front of thousands of young people, college-age Christians, if you merely set forth what the word of God says about marriage and morality and repenting from immorality. People say well he's gay bashing or or something like that.

We have got to in the church instill an ethic of scriptural authority for the word of God says what it says and none of us not one of us is in a position to declassify sin amid the word of God says what it says and we can as is visit we can stand on the rock or stumble over it with the rock of God and his word will not be a man will talk more about what we can do in times of apostasy and come right back. Stick with our country is falling apart, political unrest, social upheaval, the breakdown of the family. The rise of atheism. The rise of Islam are religious freedoms are under attack.

There's gender fluidity gender identity is making the mass of freedom of expression. So we need to put some skin in the game and love this nation.

As Christians we are to stand strong. There has to be some personal investment in the living out in the preservation of stand strong American is that you face help you become a champion champion for Christ in stand strong American Jason Jimenez and I lay out the facts about our nation. The current condition and how you yes view your family community can be involved in keeping this great Republic stand strong America is a guide for encouraging wherever Christian first Peter 315 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have were instructed to be prepared to defend our faith.

This is Alex McFarlane for the life he answers teams students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina.

The life answers.

Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams.

We train speaking churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times.

From a biblical perspective like is there a God is the Bible true. What about gender and moral issues. Call me at 864977 2008 and we will arrange for the life answers team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come.

864-977-2000 eight and always be ready for new generation radio Alex McFarlane and Dylan Burroughs here with you and talking about apostasy in the but in the thing that we want to discuss what can Christians do in times of apostasy is not just about stating the problem but about providing responses biblical this compelling and that's loving and obviously with many things in our Christian faith we talk about the first step is prayer.

Luke 18 one tells us, we ought to always pray and not to faint or lose heart, or give up.

This is the compelling fire which drives us as followers of Jesus. I think of James. He says draw near to me and I will draw near to you. That's God's promise to us if we want to grow closer to him. We want to make an impact in our culture. It starts with growing close in our walk with God, but also talks about in Scripture. Our witness and want you to talk a little bit about that.

Alex at what is it mean to be a witness in our world today and how can we go about doing that well will you know in Mark 1616 preach the gospel to every creature and it says go into all the world and preach but really in the original language. It means as you are going. I think being a witness for Christ is is just part of our lifestyle but it's just natural that were going to try to gravitate conversation toward spiritual things in to help people find Jesus that they they may not know it all or may only know about moderately and Dylan witness is really the word for martyr and we think of a martyr is somebody who dies for their faith, but in terms of being out of voice for Christ. My dear friend, you might have to die to complacency or you might have to die to your own unit apprehensive this or something like that.

I was so shy was very timid about was kind of an introvert going up in the idea of talking to people talking to strangers would've been pretty unthinkable for me, but when you find Christ to me, you've got a recent to talk to people and you've got a motive and an incentive because of me think about it in a compassion for the lost that neighbor that coworker that Fred J going to spend eternity somewhere and so weird to be a witness asked five verse 42, speaking of the early church and they had much more up against them than really we do even they were going into the Jewish and Roman cultures very hostile to the gospel initially and they turn the world upside down. But it says in acts 542 daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ don't I believe, like DL Moody DL Moody got up every morning you this day will not go by before I tell somebody about Jesus Christ. We we get up and we we go about our day and hate we are on the mission field we are to talk to people about Jesus.

I will say true for new generation ministries.

If you want some materials contact us will city we've got a wonderful book is called what does God say about my relationship with him is a gospel booklet. We have a short version and a longer version that we use in our events. That is, if you want to just hearsay can be witness.

You could say hey come to church with me. And hey, can I give you this. It's about kind of the basics of Christianity in and how the Lord loves you and how you can have a relationship with Christ that you couldn't. You don't have to be a theologian or you don't have to be some expert to be a witness for Christ in you very well may change somebody's eternity. Plus help restore our nation by sowing the seed of the gospel in the life of hungry people all around you. Amen. I want to pick up on what you just mentioned about DL Moody.

I love the idea that when you wake up in the morning.

Who will I share Jesus with. Today it to make that a driving force a regular pattern in your life that's compelling even for me. When you work in Christian ministry or in a Christian family around Christian people. The temptations that think everybody has Jesus. They don't need to hear this message but we always had to be thinking about the wine and leaving the 99 just as in the story in Luke 15. I want to move on. Also, to one of these other areas, we want to discuss his area of serving. If we want to overcome apostasy.

We have to be willing to serve on my desk I have verse from Matthew 2311 Ridenour Jesus said the greatest among you will be your servant that versus change me is not about how great I am, but it's about how great he is or how great I can make him among the nations is not about getting my name out there.

My recognition or my platform and it's not about that for you either your social media should be a platform to talk about Jesus, not a platform for your latest meal. Your latest event you've gone to, but a way to broadcast Jesus to the nations, not just the word of God but also a life. The reef lacks the love of Jesus Christ in your life, among other people, someone encourage you to think about that as you communicate today and serve it with some other areas as well. We have a couple of minutes left Alex were a couple other tips we can give to people's were talking about living in an age of apostasy and how to do something about that that would be worthy of the cause of Christ. Well, you know are also two things one observant reflectance study.

In other words understand the times and understand that the church in every generation has an assignment, and in this generation. I believe the assignment for the American churches to rediscover evangelism and revival and so know what's going on and know that you can play a role. You can really play a role doing what I'm about. Said it might sound a little counterintuitive, but rejoice I think something we need to do right now is rejoice, rejoice that we have a true message rejoice that we have a living Savior. Rejoice that we have an opportunity to see the power of God in our midst prayer, witnessing the Holy Spirit changing lives rejoice that you will be rewarded in heaven for all that you do for Christ.

So folks, here's the call pray, stay equipped observers look for opportunities and remember that your life every day that the good Lord gives you is is something that's been entrusted to you to make a difference for the Savior who gave his very life for you and for me amen and I think about what's called the – when you look on the gravestone of a person you see the date when they were born. The date when they died and there's a – and between and that – represent every activity you will do in this life. It's so short is so fleeting, don't waste it, use it for God's glory make a difference in the life of another person today. Thank you for being with the spirit truth for new generation radio. Please check us out online@truthforanewgeneration.com or get our apps stay connected.

Look forward to hearing from you again and being with you next time.

Thanks truth for a new in association with Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries exists to equip Christians with the biblical worldview through conferences and camps for information about upcoming events visit for a new generation.com or give us a call at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God in the number one TMG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 that's PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden Carolina 71 will give online@alexmcfarland.com generation.com.

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