R1644B A Christian Response to a Nation in Crisis, PT.2

God has an encouraging word insight about how we can and so we're going to answer the question, where are we? You have to begin with, we are blessed. I hope you know that today. Look at us, look at our church, look at the food we eat. Just think about today, all the lakes and the boats and the grills and the barbecue, the flags and the fireworks. Folks, you don't get this in some parts of the world.

You understand that, America? It's why everybody wants to come here. We're blessed. But I will say to you, if we're going to answer that question honestly, we're not only blessed, but we're also under attack. It's what happened here to Jehoshaphat.

The very people they gave license to took license. And there were people out to destroy Judah, Jerusalem, Israel. And there are people out to destroy this country. They're on a mission.

They will use any means at their disposal. So how do we as a Christian community respond? So I'm going to be very specific with you today.

There are many sided anti-Christian attacks being launched on the fabric of this nation under God. I'm going to mention five to you. Let me just tell you what they are. And there are many more. You'll add another 25.

You will go out and say, well, why didn't he say something about? Excuse me. There are scores of attacks coming against America and we Americans today. You know that.

I know that. There are the abortionists, the activists, the theorists, the humanists, and the atheists. You say, why is that important to me as a Christian? Why do I view that as an attack against America as a Christian? Why is that out to destroy the soul of this nation? As a Christian man, the abortionists, we get it. The abortionists are out to take life, which is only given by God. So you say to me, well, what about the activists? That's a sweeping term because that can be applied to so many areas, not all of which are bad. The word activist.

I'm talking about it in terms of our Christian faith, the tenets of who we are as one nation under God. Why am I diametrically opposed to abortionists? Why do I reject that? Why do I pray against that? Why do I ask God to help me when it comes to the issue of the abortion attack on the soul of America? Because they take life given by God. Why am I so deeply concerned about activists? Because they threaten the order of God.

God has an order and they threaten the order of God. What about the theorists? There are all kinds of theorists out there.

The most prevailing one right now is critical race theory, which we reject totally as believers. Why? Here's the question why. Because it ignores the image of God. This is a big, big subject. If you talk about critical race theory, which is being introduced even to children, that's an abhorrent concept.

It cannot be permitted. Why is this important to me as a Christian man? Because critical race theory ignores the image of God. It essentially deals with the issue of racism and racial injustice.

Now listen carefully. Racism in any form is sin. It is sin against God. Why does critical race theory ignore the image of God? Because all people are created in the image of God. He created male and female.

He created them. And because we are created in the image of God, we are made not only to look like God, but to love like God. Sin entered our life through Adam and Eve, and we no longer love each other like God. Racism is sin because it is one person not loving another person equally like God. It is sin.

And God condemns that. Critical race theory says, no, that's not why you're a racist. You're a racist because you are of a certain ethnicity. It's not my ethnicity that makes me sin. It's my heart which sins against God, and God condemns my racist attitude. So all critical race theory does is introduce yet another platform to divide people from one another.

Where are we? Well, they're the humanists. Big subject. Humanism essentially sees man as his own savior. It negates the sovereignty of God. The humanist in our society is attacking the very fabric of our fundamental belief that everything we have comes from God. And it's our God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or even think.

We are incapable of doing that. How does man do it? I'm a believer.

The means by which I as a man do that is because I'm not only indwelt and filled by the Spirit, but I am guided, I'm given wisdom and direction by the Spirit of the living God. Oh God, our help in ages past. That's what we believe. What about the atheists? Well, we're diametrically opposed to all forms of atheism as believers.

Why? Because atheism essentially denies the very existence of God. What more can we say? So there are three questions that we have to ask if we're going to understand how to be like Jesus. The world in which we live today, every time you turn on a television set, the infiltration, the small groups of activists everywhere, the things that are going on and the sense of hopelessness and helplessness that's creeping into the ranks of the average Christian heart.

Where are we? We are blessed, but we're also under attack, so how do we respond? This is what the Bible shows us. You're listening to Dr. Don Wilton, our teacher here on The Encouraging Word. He'll be back with the rest of today's message, a Christian response to a nation in crisis in just a moment, but we pause to remind you there are a number of resources on our website that could be just what you need to grow in Christ in a fresh new way. Dr. Wilton's good friend Charles Stanley has a book called Courageous Faith About Following Christ.

It's available, again, on our website right now at www.tewonline.org, and many are asking about the opportunity to become a part of this ministry. Every day lives are being changed by the power of the teaching of God's Word, and if you'd like to help us out to be prayerful and financial supporters of The Encouraging Word, it's by becoming what we call an encourager. 1 John 4.16 says, And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.

Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in them. We want everyone to know and be filled with the love of God. We want to proclaim the love of God to all who will listen. Will you join us in this mission?

We need your support. Become an encourager today. Call us at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 to request information on how you can help support the work of The Encouraging Word. The Encouraging Word is a viewer and listener supported ministry.

Thank you for listening today. Again, we'd love for you to discover more about who we are on our website at www.tewonline.org. If God leads you to get involved, we would be grateful. We also want you to know we're here to encourage you 24 hours a day. The phone line is available for prayer to connect with great resources at 866-899-WORD.

That's online at www.tewonline.org or on the phone at 866-899-9673. Now back to today's powerful message, a Christian response to a nation in crisis from Dr. Don Wilton. Where are we? We are blessed, but we're also under attack, so how do we respond? This is what the Bible shows us. Take a look at what happened here, and let's just consider a few great, great things here that so encourage our hearts as believers.

There's a beautiful presentation here from God's Word I want to know. Lord Jesus, I'm a Christian man, and I love my country and my family. I try so hard to love all people. I want to love like Jesus.

I want to love like Jesus. I believe all people are equal. Everybody's welcome. That's why we have a church today.

We believe that. This is the church where everyone can invite who? Anyone.

Anyone. You're welcome here. You are so welcome. It's why this church is about Jesus, people. The church is one foundation. That's why Jesus is everything here from beginning to end.

Everything. That's why we don't preach social gospel in this pulpit. We preach Jesus. We go to the Word of God.

That's why we do that. Anytime you preach and proclaim social gospel, you will see the disintegration of the church. It's happened all over the world in Great Britain. Going back to the times of Charles Haddon Spurgeon and Martin Lloyd-Jones and G. Campbell Morgan and the Great Welsh Revivals. And they began to introduce good subjects. These were not unimportant issues in the fabric of their changing society. But they brought that into the pulpits and they began to feed the people a steady diet of social activism from the pulpits. And gradually, the evangelical church found themselves with no foundation. They had nowhere to go with their struggle, with their concern.

They had no one to turn to. That's why Jesus said in His Word to preachers, preach the Word, be instant, in season and out of season. Stay, stick to the Word of God.

Ask God. It's the people of God by the power of God, through the Word of God, under the Spirit of God, to the people of the world, that Jesus Christ is the one who's the Savior of the world. And Christ makes the difference, America.

Christ makes the difference. So what is a Christian response? Number one, taken from this passage, verse six, acknowledge God.

How does a Christian, how do I respond to my nation in crisis? Number one, acknowledge God. Look at verse six.

I don't want to read these again. Oh, Lord, our God, God of our fathers, are you not the God who's in heaven? That's what we're doing today. We're looking up saying, Lord, you are God. You're the one, you're mighty, you're magnificent. Acknowledge God. Number two, stay steady.

Stay steady. Look at verse nine. If calamity comes, are you listening? If calamity comes, whether by sword or judgment, plague, COVID, famine, long lines at the pump, onslaught, we will stand in your presence in the temple. I'm not preaching on end times.

One of the signs of times, folks, you will find in the next 10 years, it'll shock you. There will be people you believe are Christians, they're going to leave the church. They're going to run from the church.

One of the major signs of time. They're going to run from the church. What are they running from? They're going to run from the church's one foundation to the court of public opinion. They're going to leave the church. Listen, church. Stand steady. Hold the line with your family. Stick to the word of God. Be in worship. Don't become like everybody else and everything you read on social media go into a state of panic.

And then go and tell everybody how much the media is influencing everybody. But you yourself are getting caught up in it. Don't fall for the same trap that you believe everybody else is falling for when you're a believer. Stand firm.

Stay steady. Number three, call the spade. Verse 11.

See how they are repaying by coming to us. You know what that phrase is, call a spade a spade? I just did. I so badly today wanted to just get up and preach just such a wonderful message and stay on the blessings of America, because that's where my heart is. That's me by nature and God wouldn't let me. God was saying to me, no, our people need to hear the spade. Call the spade the spade. Face reality.

Parents, look at me. Watch your children right now. Be careful of the friends they keep. Watch out who you're listening to. Were you going for counsel?

Be very careful about where you're spending your time and you're giving your money. Call the spade. Number four, love this one, admit inadequacy.

Oh God, will you not judge him because we've got no power. Just admit your inadequacy. This morning I got on my knees before the Lord and I said, Lord, I can't preach this.

I did. Lord, I can't preach this. Admit your inadequacy. You will find in the coming days that you're going to feel more and more like there's a colossus. There's something out there and that you just got no control.

Just admit your own inadequacy. You know what God wants us to do? God wants us in a way to be like a little child.

Just jump up in his arms and say, Daddy, would you please hold me? You're not a child, I know, but that's how our Heavenly Father loves us. He loves us so much. He holds us. He wants us to depend on him.

Number five, depend totally. Then the Spirit of Lord, verse 14, came to how do you depend totally? Well, Bible tells us four things that you do and I'll close with this. How do you depend totally on God?

That's a real battle for me because quite frankly, between you and me, I think I'm wonderful. So how do I depend totally on God when we, the people, you know, we just, we may not be humanists, but boy, we're impressed with ourselves. We really believe we've all got the answer. We don't. But God does.

So how do you depend totally? Number one, by listening, by listening. That's what the Bible says here.

I'm just going through the text. He said, listen, King Jehoshaphat. Anyone know what it means to just listen? You're listening right now, aren't you? We're listening to God. Just listen.

Just listen to what God says. There's so much noise in this world, folks. We've, we've noised ourselves out of everything. Every one of us want Siri or whoever it is to turn the volume up. What's her name?

The sweet little sweetheart that sits in our kitchen. Listen, second way we depend totally is by engaging. Engage. Verse 16, the Bible says, tomorrow, march down against them.

Here's how this happens, folks. You and I as a church, we need to come together and we need to hear the word of God. Then you and I as citizens need to go out and do it. Take your stand.

Don't just become inactive. Engage in our world, but engage like Jesus. You've got to love like Jesus. You don't go and engage the world like the world engages us because you're not doing it Jesus way. That's a tough one for those of us who know and love the Lord Jesus. Number three, by conceding to God.

Bible says in verse 17, look at verse 17. You will not have to fight this battle. So God says, engage, but engage knowing that you're not fighting the battle. Only a Christian can understand that, right?

You engage, but you don't have to fight the battle. God's doing it. Let God do his work. Let him use you as an instrument, but you let God do his work.

Have confidence in him. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could. That's what I mean by concede to God. And then number four, and I close with this, by worshiping the Lord where we began this message today.

I mean, the Bible says in verse 18, so Jehoshaphat and all the people bowed down. So I went to my Twitter account this morning wondering what I could say, wishing thousands of people a happy July 4th. And this is what I said.

And now, you know where it came from because I was just reading over this again. And God says, that's what you need to say. So I would have said, and I will say, happy July 4th, everyone.

And it comes with all of my heart. But because I was listening to the Lord and because I read his word and because the Spirit of God was speaking to me, I said, celebrate America by worshipping the God who gave it to us. Would you bow your heads with me today? It's all about Jesus, isn't it? It's amazing how the Lord Jesus changes our lives.

You might have been listening today and God is speaking to you. Would you give your life to Christ? Would you? Would you trust Jesus as your Savior? Why don't you pray this prayer today? Dear God, I know that you love me. I've traveled the road and I accept and acknowledge that I'm a sinner. Please forgive me for my sin and come into my heart.

Change me forever. I want to live for you and I want to make a difference in my world as a Christian person. And I pray this prayer in Jesus' name. Perhaps moments ago as Dr. Wilton was praying, you were praying along with him to give your life to Christ, maybe for the first time or perhaps to rededicate your life to Jesus. In either case, Dr. Wilton has wonderful resources, free resources he wants you to have if you'll call us and let us know about your decision. Our number is 866-899-WORD.

That's 866-899-9673. Or perhaps you'd like to email Dr. Wilton. It would be his joy to pray for you to know your story about God's working in your life if you'll just email him, Don, D-O-N, at T-E-W, online dot O-R-G. Again, just his first name, Don, D-O-N, at T-E-W, online dot O-R-G. Dr. Wilton would love to hear from you each and every day.

We read through letters and emails about how God is working through the ministry of the encouraging word and the power of the Bible itself. Again, Dr. Wilton would love to hear from you, Don, D-O-N, at T-E-W, online dot O-R-G. Of course, the phone number and website, it's all there at T-E-W, online dot O-R-G. Before we get away, our pastor has a few closing thoughts from his heart. Okay, just before you go today, I just want you to know how much I love you. You mean so much to me. And I just want you to know that with all of the things that we've talked about and the way in which God is speaking to your heart right now, we are the encouraging word, and we are available to you 24-7, morning, noon, night, or day. You can call a friend, one of my friends, right now, and they will encourage you, pray with you, listen to you. Isn't it great to have people around us who really care about us?

You are not alone. God bless you and be encouraged. As you can hear from the heart of our pastor, it's our desire to encourage you. The phone number he mentioned is 866-899-WORD.

Again, that's available 24 hours a day. We'd love to pray with you and for you at 866-899-9673. You'll find that and other ways to connect on our website as well. That's T-E-W, online dot O-R-G. Now while you're there at our website, T-E-W, online dot O-R-G, be sure and sign up for the daily encouraging word email devotional from Dr. Wilton. It is a powerful insight that lands in your mailbox about 6 o'clock every morning and will infuse your day with the power of God's word. That's all available online at T-E-W, online dot O-R-G. Until next time, thank you so much for joining us, and thank you for your prayerful and financial support of the encouraging word.