WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?

WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE? Restoration Fellowship, November 6, 2016

CONNECT

Issues of Interest to Conservative Voters

(Culture and Faith Institute, Dr. George Barna, August 2015)

1.     Abortion: 91%, beginning of life, right to life, contraception, adoption, unwed mothers      

2.     Religious persecution/liberty: 86%, personal duty, government duty, church response, global conditions 

3.     Poverty: 85%, personal duty, government role, church role, homelessness, hunger, dependency     

4.     Cultural restoration: 83%, appropriate morals, law and order, defensible values and norms, self-government      

5.     Sexual identity: 82%, same-sex marriage, transgenderism, marriage, LGBT           

6.     Israel: 80%, its role in the world, Christian responsibility to Israel, US foreign policy toward Israel and its enemies          

7.     Christian heritage: 79%, role of Christian faith in American history, church role in US development, modern-day relevance       

8.     Role of government: 76%, Biblical view of church-state relationship, personal responsibility, limitations  

9.     Bioethics: 76%, cloning, euthanasia, genetic engineering, cryogenics, organ donation, surrogacy    

10.  Self-governance: 75%, Biblical support, personal conduct, impact on freedom, national sovereignty          

11.  Church in politics/government: 73%, separation of church and state, legal boundaries, church resistance to government 

12.  Islam: 72%, core beliefs, response to Islamic aggression, threat to US peace and domestic stability

13.  Media: 70%, influence on public, content responsibility, truth, moral standards, choices for exposure, resistance   

14.  Senior citizens: 70%, end of life issues; family responsibilities to the elderly; government programs for the aged  

Active conservative believers feel that pastors should teach more on these subjects!

Issues of Interest to Voters at large (Pew Research Center)

Economy
Terrorism
Foreign Policy
Healthcare
Guns
Immigration
Social Security
Education
Supreme Court
Racism
Trade
Environment
Abortion
Discrimination against LGBTQ

TENSION

We can see that there is a broad divide between the population in general and the Church.  We have an election on Tuesday, but that will not solve the problem.  The divide will still be there on Wednesday, and it will, in all likelihood, get worse! 

SOLUTION

What are we to do?  Let's look at some options from Scripture...

INSTRUCTION

In the book of Revelation, God warns Babylon about coming destruction. It is a wake-up call to us that the same thing could happen here!

Revelation 18:1–2a (NKJV) After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. ²And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen...

Here the angel announces the destruction of the country of Babylon!  What was their crime?

Revelation 18:2 (NKJV) And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

The language indicates that it was not always that way.  Just as we saw last week with Assyria, Babylon was once a country that God used for His purposes.  Many Babylonian rulers gave testimony to God being the ruler of all and the King of all kings!  But just like Assyria, things changed!

America is a nation that has been blessed by God.  The imprint of God's plan is all over the founding of our country.  You can debate if we are or have ever been a Christian nation, but the fact remains that our country was influenced by the Word of God and men of God.  But now our country has moved away from the Word of God and the God of the Word.  God hasn't changed; His Word hasn't changed.  We have changed! 

Malachi 3:6a (NKJV) “For I am the Lord, I do not change;

 Psalm 119:89 (NKJV) Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.

Is there any hope? Yes!  It is never too late for revival!  It is not too late for our country.

Revelation 18:4–5 (NKJV) And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. ⁵For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

Paul had a similar admonition...

2 Corinthians 6:14–18 (NKJV) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? ¹⁵And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? ¹⁶And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” ¹⁷Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. ¹⁸I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters," says the Lord Almighty.

ACTION STEPS

1.     Come out!

a.     So we won't share in the sins of the nation.

b.     So we won't share in the judgment on the nation.

c.     So we can get a right perspective on the nation.

d.     So we can bring the Gospel to the nation!

The only way we can save the nation is to not be embroiled in the mud and mire of the nation.

Quicksand... In a pit...

2.     Speak out!

Psalm 15:1–2 (NKJV) Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? ²He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart;

Zechariah 8:16 (NKJV) These are the things you shall do: "Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace;"

Colossians 2:8 (NKJV) Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

John 17:17 (NKJV) Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Luke 7:7 (NKJV) But speak the word only...

Ephesians 4:15 (NKJV) but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

We just finished a series on genuine love... 

1 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV) Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

You may be asking, “What does sincere faith have to do with genuine love?”

When I am secure in my faith, I can respond to others in love without fear.

When others disagree with me…

When others reject me…

When others have expectations of me…

Figure out what you believe from the Word of God about the issues that concern you.  We can help; I can preach and teach more about it; we can have classes and seminars.  But the responsibility is yours!  Get into the Word every day! 

Research shows that the number one reason a church is healthy and life-giving is the majority of the church gets into the Bible on their own at least five times a week!  We cannot speak truth if we don't know truth!

Hosea 4:6 (NKJV) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

We must become people of the Word for the sake of our children.  They are growing up in a culture that is increasingly hostile to faith, especially Christian faith!  Now that is not necessarily bad; light shines brightest in dark places.  But our children will crash and burn is we do not teach them the Word of God!

Matthew 7:24–27 (NKJV) “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. ²⁶“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

But we need to speak the truth with love, not with hostility but with brokenness!  We are the hope of our nation!  We need to speak with broken hearts to broken people in broken situations.  We encounter them every day.  Our goal should not be to win an argument but to share Christ's love with a hungry and hurting people!

Romans 5:5–8 (NKJV) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. ⁶For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

INSPIRATION

Video: Change the Story

3.     Pray out!

Jeremiah 29:7 (NKJV) And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

1 Timothy 2:1–5 (NKJV)Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ²for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. ³For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

4.     Vote out!

Get involved!  Make an impact in the world we live in.

 1 Peter 2:17 (NKJV) Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Now, I've been telling you for a month who to vote for.  Get your notebooks, tablets, and phones ready.  Here we go... vote for the candidates who are righteous!

Proverbs 29:2 (NKJV) When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

Now you may say, "There is not a righteous candidate running for certain positions!"  Now that may be true.  In that case, vote for righteousness.  Which of the candidates is most likely to make rulings that align with what the Bible declares is right!

Proverbs 14:34 (NKJV) Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

Isaiah 32:1 (NKJV) Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice.

Righteous decisions result in justice for all.  As Dr. Martin Luther King quoted from the prophet Amos on that faithful day in Washington, D.C.:

Amos 5:24 (NKJV) But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

One final note when you vote...

Romans 14:5 (NKJV) One person esteems one day (candidate) above another; another esteems every day (candidate) alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.

Pray and vote as you feel in your heart.

HASHTAG #righteousjustice