Praying for our Country with the Honorable Sam Rohr

This is good Truth Network.

Oh, do we have a treat for you today. I'm truth talk live. The treat is not that student is not here, but if the truth is that we have such a wonderful, wonderful gift somebody that God is used in some really neat ways you can find out about it today. He is the Hon. Sam Rourke and currently the president of the American pastors network and the Pennsylvania pastors network, but it really unique task that we get to share with them today and start to cool sand that we get to do this on the recording as you're listening to this is on the national Day of prayer and so how fitting that we would have a chance to share these subjects on the national Day of prayer. When you think well national Day of prayer is that I do it at a great day to talk about anything having to do with God and prayer in things of eternal value in that.

Certainly in our country today.

There are so many reasons why we need to becoming before our great God on our knees in prayer.

So why yes absolutely I would agree with you. It's really exciting and I got to attend the national Day of prayer event this morning and so coming off that and I'm like oh wow, I get to interview Sam and Sam, you have quite a background with the political career. Maybe you share with our listeners before we get into the American pastors network how God kinda prepared you for that. Well I can I can briefly in the Lord to put my life together. And third, the third in private business. After I had gone fishing, education, and that actually spent a couple of years in the Christian radio. Interestingly enough and then and then about 20 years, 18 years actually in public office in the state of Pennsylvania where God opened the door for me to serve as a minister of God, and government.

Romans 13 for 18 years in the general assembly in Pennsylvania and during that time, and God opened the door for me to begin to preach, so he actually called me to be a minister of God in the pulpit while I was still there is a minister of God, and government. And then when that time was completed, then God put before us the vision of what really we believed and I believe God would say to be the greatest need in this country having been blessed of God raised up by God as a shining city on a hill led by the pulpits in those early days, looking at where we are now saying how do we get back at it we get back to God's blessing and I believe that God's plan is that the pulpits of America must once again preach the whole counsel of God boldly clearly applying biblical principles to the issues of lives of the issues of the day so that our people know how to live and think biblically, raise up families that reflect God's plan and impact a culture that is going to hell right now in a way that brings it back to God's plan and that's really out of that. Then came the American pastors network and all of the things associated with the focusing on the pulpit and then radio and TV programs now trying to proclaim truth into the public square.

As a person of God should do and as were trying to encourage our pulpits across America to do want to platform.this is given you guys with the American pastors network in the course of the Pennsylvania pastors network, but you've got a whole lot better idea of what the problem is but you know based on this Barna study and maybe a show with our list is kind of what pastors are facing.

The thing that may not be aware of. Well, you know there's a lot of challenges facing the pulpits today. I think we we know that's the case from a number of research that the one you just referred to the Barna group research would indicate that them large numbers 90% of pastors in the pulpit, actually believe that they have an obligation to lead the way in matters of religious freedom and that kind of thing but the numbers really drop off when it comes to those who were actually feeling their actually having an impact and actually persuading people in the pews and then there's a break in the minds of so many relative to just how far do they go with that to the actually name cultural issues that they talk about cultural challenges by name and discuss them from the pulpit or do they stay clear of them. And unfortunately, most are staying clear of them, but ultimately Robbie. One thing that we do know is that by and large the pulpits of America have if you were to put in a general sense there silent there far more quiet when it comes to actually taking what God says about life and living in God's plan for society and government in the family and the church all laid out in Scripture silent on so much of that to the degree that 92% of those in the pews of America. According to George Barna himself. Research would say that 92% of those in the pews of America are hungering for their pastors to take biblical word biblical principles and actually lay it out for them so that they know how to think biblically about the issues confronting them, their families and the culture sad part about it is only 9% 9% of those in the pulpit. What actually do it. Now that's the conflict that we have we have a culture and need.

We have people who are hungry people in the pews were hungry, wanting to know what God says but we have a precious few who will actually do what the people want and I think what God commands us to do in regard to discipling our people and warning our sheep about the wolves that are out there running about in the culture so there's a great need is a great hunger great potential but we need more stand up and be more bold and that's what were trying to encourage the pulpits to do across America. I'm sitting there thinking that God is pretty clear in Revelation, that is if you are lukewarm you spit out and and so you know we need some some folks that are on fire that are hot for the things of God, and in all sorts of different ways they speak to that and so he's given to this platform. The radio show there with the American pastors network share little bit about that well over the last we been got it raised up about five years ago. So were only five years old, but that during the course of time that's permitted us to have three radio programs a minute program called stand in the gap minute estate one minute challenge of the daily program, which is the news analysis program headline news from a biblical and constitutional perspective we call that stand in the gap today and then the best of show the best week of the weekend program.

Our program called stand in the gap weekend just less than a year ago. Then God also began a weekly TV program, which is now national called stand in the gap and we take their transcending issues. The kinds of things that may not be the headline use but there issues that affect us all that don't go away anytime soon and can we deal with those from a biblical worldview perspective touching millions of lives a week and that is something that is truly of God. But we are convinced that God's word hold all of the answers for all of the challenges of life, no matter who the person be the individual or family or society or our nation which has so much need right now or internationally, makes no difference.

God word speaks to all of them.

Robbie and when we actually go there for instruction that says I would give it to you and then if we do it then we have the promise to obey it. Then we have the promise that God will bless and that is something that that that God has done a marvelous way and were just trying to the best of our ability to take every opportunity we can and drive that point home that we have needs. Yes, we do we have answers and absent God's word and we say the pulpits must lead the way with everybody in the pew. Even if there pulpits don't lead the way. Everybody in the pew as an obligation before God and has an ability to go to God's word himself and find the answers for themselves that they can employ and put into effect in their lives and the lives of their families. We have an answer God's word hold that we just need to do it, seek it, do it and implement so I'm sure everyone listening can hear the fire that you know Pastor Sam has and so I'm curious on how did God like that fire in your life. I mean, I said I know you are in Congress and obviously you did some really cool things there in Pennsylvania to help Christian education, but I'm curious about those moments when it was like going from being a representative to being a pastor. How did how did God get into that white day. We could do a long time. I better take you back to the point when I was young I was born into a Christian family. I was saved. Lord save me when I was seven years old and after that point my mother my mother a lot of folks were approaching Mother's Day here this weekend.

My mother are coming under my mother said this to me said Sam and my siblings as well. You will have a Hebrew every person has a hero, but don't go to the magic that don't go to the entertainment world don't go to the sports world. You may find somebody there but go to God's work because every person that God chooses to put in the word of God. Are there for our instruction and I did. I took that admonition and when I was I had nine years. I had to break in here, but I know that's work to be excited who the second segment of truth talk lives and hear how God did take Sam and let them teach him with those girls. So when we come back from here so much more from the Hon. Sam Rourke and it with the American pastors network Pennsylvania pastors network will be right back. Welcome back to truth. Talk to live Robbie Gilmore filling in for student doing what a treat.

We have today, the Hon. Sam Rourke who was the president of the American pastors network in the Pennsylvania pastors network and when we left our hero, he was finding out about heroes and what his mother was teaching him so take us where we left off their Sam running be glad to get into quite a story in the night. I often share with children students when I talk with them because I say to them there in the same kind of a load all of us have heroes all of us, whether adults or children, but my mom said you will have one go to the Bible and choosing from there. I did and I reckon I can recall about nine years old just couple of years after I had accepted Christ as my Savior that the Lord began to draw my heart to two characters in the Scripture one.

My name is Joseph and the other the name of Daniel and and both of those stood out to me because they were both young men. Daniel probably about 16 when he was sold by his brother and into Egypt, and one away.

No family. Nobody looking over his shoulder and yet he stood tall for God and God ultimately used him the salvation of the Israel in those early days when Daniel was the same way.

He was probably about 12 years old, his family had been had been murdered and taken off into Babylon and sexually abused as a young man turned into a unique he was away from family. He was away from everyone and put into a foreign culture and somehow amazingly this young boy stood tall like a man and God ultimately rose him and raised him to a position just like Joseph VP of their respective nations. In the case of Daniel. He also was a preacher. He was a prophet and I looked at both of those growing up in a citizen it was possible that obviously this is not why God put them there. I God raised up these two young men very young tough positions. They stood tall. They knew yes young boys they knew what to think about God and they had the ability to trust in God. God preserved them raises them to the top echelons of the political realm in which they were and as far as we know those two individuals. God did not record any moral failure with either one of them and as a young boy I said you know what I can see how God uses those in positions of authority righteous when they are in authority. The people rejoice in the other is as a preacher. Obviously, as we see what God says II didn't know was a boy with a God wanted to call me in the end of the political realm or into the pulpit. Ultimately he didn't call me into either directly, but later in life than midway through and I was just my 30s.

He called me into public office as a minister of God. Long story miraculous story and then he followed up by giving me the opportunity to preach, bringing together those things that God laid in my heart when I was very young and interestingly led me both in the office and the decision to preach by going to the passage in Ezekiel 2230 were God says, and I look for a man among them to make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it, and I found none. And I thought how is it possible God's people, Israel learned of God trained of God given God's commands got to a point where they turned their back on him and God couldn't find anybody to stand in the gap.

Ultimately that's referring to Jesus Christ who could stand in the gap for us that the whole world with the point being, God was looking for someone who was willing to say I understand who God is and I'm willing to sacrifice my life if need be, for the cause of truth and because of that is why we now on our programs are programs recalled stand in the gap stand in the gap today stand in the gap minutes I've used that reference because that's what God used in my life. I offered as a challenge for those who work listening today in their homes.

Mom's dad's children. Whoever, God still looking for people to stand in the gap truth, but it means we have to know the truth.

A personal relationship with the Lord and then be committed to obeying what God said. When that happens, great things can take place.

That's what our people need. That's what our nation needs. That's what God wants fascinating as I was thinking about your two heroes and them standing in the gap. They both ended up in the pit and so I'm kinda guessing that at some point in your life you felt like you are in the lines then are you felt like your brothers in the pit.

But God that God use that as well to help like that far. Well he has and I think all of us. I think me and you yourself Robbie and I made and I know people who are listening to your program right now if if they have dedicated their lives to the Lord in the past and they been faithful in their walk with the Lord. Absolutely, there are times when they know the wolves have been sniffing around at their heels and and we know the times when the devil has attacked in.

Yes, we know when those when those pits have come, but but all of us who had a walk with the Lord and I and I'm speaking for all those were listening. We also know that even in those Mr. those times like those three boys, those friends of Daniel and Reich, Meshach, and Abednego, even though they were in the fire Lord was there with them and it was obvious. And that's what we have to be convinced about that.

We will do what God says Stanford truth and if we throw it in the fire. Even then we will do what got sick because we know and believe that he can if he wants to take us and delivers from that flame if not so be it. I think that confidence Robbie should belong to everybody who has a personal walk with the Lord and that is what he wants this. I think the trust in him and I think all of these experiences, they come to all of us.

They sure do. But there's always the other side of the experience and that should be giving us the kind of confidence and and strength to go forward because that strength is not within ourselves. It's not us. The Holy Spirit who lives with NS to power empower us and he promises to give us that if we trust in him speaking is getting thrown in the pit. Imagine that most Christians listening and I certainly know in my case it's not infrequent to face what pastors face that apparently 44% of pastors according to Ms. Barna group study, 44% of pastors feel limited to speak about homosexuality and the lay the LGBT movement essentially at an I know that I get engaged in that often in the know people come to me wanting to pick a fight, but it also ends up being a place that really compare grapefruit if you can handle bad in love and so I'm interested how you how you discuss that with pastors on your program well. I generally go by saying this as a Christian we should not be afraid to say I am a Christ follower and what that means is that I believe that God is, I believe that God created. I believe that there was a fall were sin came into the world and I believe that because of the love and the justice of God. He sent his son Jesus Christ as the Redeemer for all of mankind unwraps the biblical worldview. Simply stated, that is what every true believer should know should be joyful about and should understand and that should be the position of hope that is offered to every other person no matter who they are so be talking to a Muslim may be talking to an atheist may be talking to an agnostic really makes no difference. We know that God made all people to be in need of him, and there is a search for truth that all have the devil is deceived so many but it is the truth of God's word clearly explained empowered by the Holy Spirit that opens the eyes and brings light out of darkness, that that that doesn't those things that is what we must have the confidence about and we can do that in love because with God so sunny son who love the world that he gave himself for all of the world, and on that cross. We just past Easter on that cross, Christ could hang there and say Lord father forgive them for they know not what they do should not we think the same thing.

The fight ultimately fight all the library is not against SME and William we we engage those who are opposed to truth and yes many of them have faces.

They do but ultimately this is a spiritual battle.

We should remember that it is and that that the spiritual battle is won by spiritual truth, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

And as we faithfully communicate that love that truth in love, and set up the standard that God has established for all walks of life for our family for father for mother for children for government what it should look like what it should do for the church. What its purpose is for human sexuality how that ought to be that when we lay out God's model and the blessings that God promises for following his model. It's good news know people can accept it. They can reject it, but I surely have no problem holding it up as the model because it is just so wonderful when we do what God says for us to do. And here we are on the national Day of prayer as far as you and I right now.

I know you may not be listening on the national debit purpose. It was recorded. Some pastor what you pray for our listeners and me that we would do those very things you just described. I would be would be honored to do so dear heavenly father, we are we are so thankful that we can come before your presence no matter where we are and on this case on this on the radio program and thousands of people can be engaged together in prayer before you right now, Lord, we acknowledge our sin as your people that we have strayed from you as a nation we have moved far away from where you set a nation must be for you to bless and we also understand Lord that you do say that when your people led by your people who understand who you are and humbly seek your face and turn from our wicked ways, Lord, our wicked ways of idolatry, trusting in ourselves doing those things that put other things before you when we acknowledge those things the Lord you will hear and you will answer.

And on this day of prayer were doing this program now and and as that we go through this year.

Lord we need your intervention. We need you to heal this land we need you to heal the divide caused by sin and deception that only can be done to your Holy Spirit faith in Jesus Christ and we pray that those who know you believe it and live it.

And for those who may be listening don't know that piece of Jesus Christ in their heart that they would trust you. Even today, right now and receive that great gift of eternal life, we would pray that Lord we just asked for all of these things all who were listening maybe make us all brighter lights and saltier salt in these days of need in this country. We pray these things in Jesus name, amen. The Hon. samara again, the president of the American pastors network, the Pennsylvania pastors networks their Facebook page mode check that out American pastors network APN and APN at American pastors on twitter course.

The Hon. samara Rachel M. Sam Rourke and Sam Rohrer on twitter so check all those things out, Sam. What a joy it was to have Jan today of all days so much fun. Now Robin's blessing to be with you and God bless you and all of your listeners and the entire network – it thank you