R1619 God Can Do This, Pt.1

God has an encouraging word for you and me today, through the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message called, God Can Do This. Oh, it's so exciting to see how God has delivered a new message to Dr. Wilton about the power of God working in and through us.

That's what we're going to hear today. Know that we're available online as well at www.tewonline.org. We'd love to connect with you.

And now today's teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. God has given to me a very important message to share with you during this critical time. And I'm just going to ask you for just a moment if you'd bow your heads and let's pray together. And I'm going to keep my eyes open when I pray today because I'm praying for you and I want you to know that today. So, Heavenly Father, right now, as I share this word into the hearts of believers everywhere, God-fearers, wonderful American people who love the Lord Jesus Christ in this, the greatest nation in the world. I pray right now that the power and presence of the Spirit of God would take hold of our hearts. We need you, Jesus, and we need a word from you because our nation is in crisis. And we know that you have the answer to all our circumstances. I'm going to pray right now for every individual person listening. I'm praying with thanksgiving in my heart because people are tuning in.

They're listening by all different kinds of means. And we're in the middle of a pandemic. Look at me, Lord. Some of my best friends are really struggling. I pray for people today. I pray for people in great need today. But I pray most of all for the hearts of the American people today and especially for those of us who know and love the Lord Jesus. This is our time to stand up and be counted in this great nation because we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. I pray this prayer in the powerful and wonderful name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Well, you're going to need your Bibles today. I have got so much that I want to share with you today.

I know that I don't need to go back and revisit the events of this past week. One thing you and I know for certain, and that is that we are experiencing urgent times. This is not a good time in America. And in the middle of this transition of the presidency of the United States, there are so many feelings. There's so many convictions.

There's so many things that are so important to so many of us. And we are Americans and we've got the right to know and to say and to do what we say and do. That's why we're Americans. We live in this free country, freedom of expression.

And yet, Lord Jesus, somehow we know, you know, I know that something we're doing is not working. Evidently, we're not doing too well as a people, not only here, but all across America. And today, people all around the world are casting dispersions upon us. I was so almost angered to read some of the comments by some of the communist and socialist nations. One particular country in which they lectured us and said, well, I'm just going to let you know, said this leader of one country. You no longer America have the right to lecture us about the way we do our politics.

We know that our stock has diminished. People are laughing at us today. We're no longer the country that can go out there and change the world and show people how to live. And we've been so blessed. What is the matter with us? How can we behave like this with all of these blessings? I mean, just think about America today and all the blessings we have, our schools and our children and our loved ones and our churches and our freedoms. How can we be like this?

It bothers me. Can we see ourselves and all across America, there are people like you and me saying, what can we do? What's the response? And you believe in Jesus Christ like I do. Well, I want to share a message with you today that God has put in my heart. God can do this. You know, if I said nothing else, didn't even get into the meat of what God's put in my heart.

This is what I want you to take home today. God can do this. We have hope. And it's time God can do this. How much longer have we got to say we're a nation that puts our trust in God?

He's the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's time for us believers to show up and actually believe what we say. I'm going to share with you what God's put in my heart. I got three passages of scripture today that I'm going to ask you to turn your Bibles and follow along with me. So the first one is going to be in Philippians chapter one. Now, I want you to get this verse.

It's one verse. Take it. Put it in your the pocket of your heart. Ask God to give it to you first in Philippians chapter one, verse twenty seven. Here it is.

You ready? Whatever happens. Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Did you get that? Let me just read that again.

In case you just missed this. Who am I talking to? You, Americans, we, us. Men, women, Republicans, Democrats, people with great convictions. People are going to stand for what we believe. But I'm talking most of all to you and me who are believers. Here's what Paul said. Whatever happens. What does whatever mean? Whatever happens. Conduct yourself in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of the Lord Jesus.

Here's another one. So I'm going to be in second Timothy. Chapter one and verse seven. Second Timothy chapter one and verse seven. God did not give us a spirit of fear. But God has given to us a spirit of love. A spirit of power. And a spirit of self discipline. We've become a powerless country that shows no love. And we've got no discipline. Period. America. And the result.

We're plunging into fear. God can do this. God can do this.

Stand up, man. God can do this. One more verse. One more passage.

I'm outside so I get a little breeze every now and again. Not quite as easy to turn these pages. Listen to this. So Jesus said this in Matthew chapter five. Jesus said this.

And I'm going to read to you verse 13 and 14 of Matthew chapter five. You. Yeah, you. Me. Hey, excuse me. That's talking to you and me. It's talking to those of us who are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are the salt of the earth.

But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It's no longer good for anything. Now watch this. Except to be thrown out. And this is the part that Jesus said and to be trampled by men.

There is a trampling by men going on in America. And it's time for us to examine our own hearts, believers. I'm talking to us as believers. That's to us.

If the salt loses its saltiness, it's no good. And where does it end up? Just to be trampled by men. Let me tell you what's going on right now. All across America, let alone what went on in D.C. this week, it's been trampled by men. There's a great trampling by men going on. It's just one big never-ending riot. Just everybody stomping all over everybody else.

That's exactly what's happened. And Jesus says when the salt loses its saltiness, that's what you get. Then he goes on and he says you are the light of the world.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people put a light in a lamp and put it under a bowl. Where's your light? Instead, they put it on a stand, gives light to everyone. The same way, let your light so shine before men so that others may see.

That's what the word says. Let others see your, my good deeds. Believers?

Church? Well, where do we start with something like this? I'm going to share with you just really from my heart because I want to show you some incredible truths here. I'm going to share just from my heart because I, too, like you, I'm an American citizen. I vote. I have deep convictions.

I'm deeply disturbed by the direction of our country. Let's just be honest. So let's start out here. First of all, how do we respond?

If God can do this, how do we respond? Number one, accept the facts. Accept the facts.

What are the facts? I think I think we've already started just putting the smackdown on them. It is what it is, right? This is going on. This is us. It's not them. It's us. It's America. It's our people, our country.

It's a billboard of our values. This is going on. Well, what are the facts? The facts are, my friends, that this has happened before.

I just want to encourage your heart in case you didn't think about that. Riots, unrest, civil unrest, political upheaval, unemployment, injustice, anger, people getting really mad with each other. It's happened before. Let's just take a peek back into the 1980s.

I've got to be quick here. 1980, the New Mexico State Penitentiary riot in Santa Fe. 1980, the Miami riot that took place May 17 through 19 was horrible. 1982, Miami policemen shot a black video game player in an arcade. Riots broke out.

Remember, in Overtown. 1985, the Philadelphia bombings. Remember how horrible that was? The riots, the losses that took place. How about 1986, the Marquette Park KKK rally?

Ku Klux Klan. Remember that? How about 1988, the Tomkins Square Park riot in New York City?

Pretty bad stuff. 1988, in Cedar Grove Shreveport. I was living in Louisiana at the time. I remember that very well. 1989, again, the Miami riots. By the way, also instigated by racial injustice.

Miami policemen killed a black motorcycle rider. What about the 90s? 91, the Washington, D.C. riot, Mount Pleasant. Remember that? How about 91, the Crown Heights riot in Brooklyn, New York? Remember that? How about the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles? Boy, we all remember that. Boy, that was a tough time. Remember how that trucker was pulled out of that truck so brutally?

Burnings going on and looting. Same time in 1992, the Washington Heights riot among the Dominican community. Remember that? Remember in 96 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Or 97, the Hollywood, North Hollywood shootout.

We were all riveted to our television sets. The Michigan State student riot in April of 1990 in East Lansing. Remember that? How about the Woodstock 99 music festival incident in Rome, New York? Or what about the WTO meeting in 1999? All that issue that was going on over the Battle of Seattle, it was called. The World Trade Center.

Remember all that with climate and all that sort of stuff? Listen, I'm just scratching the surface. Just accept the facts. Look at the facts. You're going to track American history. Am I proud of this?

Are you proud of it? Why has this happened? Because of human nature. Because of the people trying to do things their own way. Leaving God out of everything.

That's why. You think perhaps we've convinced ourselves that we are not capable? That we're not the lords of our own manor anymore? And we can't just call meetings and say, hello be our name. Our kingdom come.

Our will be done. It don't work, people. I'm a Christian man. My life has been handed over to the Lord Jesus. It's in him that I live and move. I don't have that wisdom.

You know, the Bible says if we seek after his wisdom, he'll give it to us and then liberally, that means in an overabundance. Isn't that fantastic? God does it. God can do this. We've got hope. I'm telling you, we've got hope.

We've got an incredible future. Accept the facts. And when you accept the facts, you've got to do two things. You've got to ask yourself what's going on. And then you've got to ask how you are responding. Now, let's get awfully personal. So how have you responded this week?

You're just as bad as everybody else. You know, we got COVID all around us. Do I need to remind you of that?

Where would we be without Jesus? We can't do this. But God can do this. Please forgive the interruption. We'll be back with more of this great teaching from Dr. Wilton in just a moment. But oh, what a powerful truth. We can't do this, but God can.

Sometimes that's the point we have to get to where we know we are at the end of ourselves. If you'd like to have someone pray with you about breaking free from a hurt, a habit, a hang-up, and you've just come to the end of yourself, oh, that's a great place to be, because God can do this. Our phone number is 866-899-WORD, and we would love to pray with you. 866-899-9673.

It's available 24 hours a day. We'd also love to connect online at tewonline.org. That's tewonline.org. While you're there, consider following Dr. Don on social media or sign up for the daily encouraging word email from Dr. Don.

You can do that online at tewonline.org. Now back to today's message. God can do this with Dr. Don Wilton. So you've got to ask yourself how you respond. Number one, accept the facts. Number two, settle allegiance.

That's my second point. Settle your allegiance. Do you know what Matthew chapter 6 and verse 24 says? Now Jesus gave us this. He said this. You cannot serve two masters. You are either for God or you're against God.

Did you get that? Jesus said that. Jesus made this clear when it comes to our allegiance. You either belong to the Lord Jesus or you don't.

What is it? Do you belong to the one foot club? One foot in the world and one foot in God's kingdom. Do you serve God and Jesus just on Sunday mornings and on other special occasions when grandma's there? Or do you serve him with all your heart and your soul and your mind? I'm so grateful in my church.

I'm surrounded by so many people who are so sold out to Jesus. And you can see the difference. You can see the difference in parents with their children. You can see the difference in businessmen and women. You can see the difference in schoolteachers. You can see the difference in so many of our young people who've settled the issue of their allegiance. Are you a hoverer?

You hover between two pinions. All across America today, we just got people everywhere who just they don't know what they want anymore. They don't know what they do. They can't make up their mind.

And when something happens and they've got convictions about it, they've got nothing else to do but to go ballistic. There's never an excuse for violence. That is not the way you carry out your convictions.

It doesn't matter. That's not how we live and that's not how we operate. That's not how we behave. And if you're a believer, God will do this.

He loves us that much. So number one, accept the facts. Number two, settle allegiance. Well, maybe some of you thought I might have said, no, you wouldn't. But you might have thought, you got to decide, are you a Republican or a Democrat? Listen, there are incredibly strong, strong feeling. Boy, do I respect those feelings.

Do we not respect the feelings of one another and the convictions, by the way, and the rights that we have as an Americans? I'm not ashamed of the political convictions that I've got. I'm going to stand on that.

I believe in these things. They are important, they critical, they vital. I'm going to fight for them. I'm going to do everything I can.

But the word fight doesn't mean I'm going ballistic over it. Because my allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ. And God's word said, I am to conduct myself in a manner that is worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ in every circumstance. No exception to it. That's pretty tough.

It's very tough. Well, if you've accepted the facts and settled the allegiance that you have to the Lord Jesus. How about number three, establish foundations, establish foundations. Well, you know, in America today, we've got a hundred thousand wonderful foundations, the freedoms that we have. And I'm telling you, I'm one of those people. I love the constitution of this nation. I stand on the freedom to worship. I'm one of those people that believes profoundly in the Second Amendment. We have freedoms, freedom from want and freedom from fear, freedom to provide, freedom to work, freedom to earn. And we believe in the equality of all people.

Bar none, no exception. When it comes to the foundations of a believer, there are three foundations. Number one, trust in Jesus. Number two, follow Jesus. Number three, obey Jesus. That's foundational. Trust, follow and obey.

That's what it means. That's foundational. That's the constitution of every believer. I trust in Jesus. I'm going to follow Jesus. I'm going to obey Jesus. We are not doing any of those, evidently, in America today.

I'm talking about among Christian people. And if we don't do it, where does that leave the rest of America? Because the salt loses its savor. And if the salt loses its savor, it's just going to drop all over the place and men are going to trample on it.

We are being trampled on America by people, mankind, men and women, voices, the court of public opinion, bad behavior, people just going ballistic. Not us as believers, surely my brothers and sisters, not us. We ought to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus. God will do this for us because God can do this. What a powerful message from Dr. Wilton today. God can do this.

More than just a message title, I believe Dr. Don is being stirred to make this perhaps the theme of 2021. God can do this. What is it that you think God can't do? God, open your heart to him right now because there is a single first step that must take place before God can work in our lives.

Here's Dr. Don with that invitation. God has spoken to you, hasn't he? And you ready to give your heart to Jesus?

I'd love to help you right now. Would you pray this prayer with me and accept Jesus into your heart and life? Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner.

I know that Jesus loves me and died for me on the cross. Right now, I repent of my sin and I confess my sin to the Lord Jesus Christ. Come into my heart and save me today and forgive me for my sin. In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen. If you've prayed that prayer, we'd love to get alongside of you and celebrate with you and send you some literature and help you as you begin to grow. I want you to know that I love you very, very much. If you've just given your life to Jesus Christ, welcome to the family, welcome back if you've rededicated your life.

Dr. Don has resources he wants you to have for free. If you'll call 866-899-WORD right now, that's 866-899-9673. If you've given your life to Christ, let us walk with you in the next steps.

Call 866-899-9673 or meet us online at www.tewonline.org where you'll find resources like this. God's intended purpose for us never changed. We are not defeated. We are overcomers through Jesus Christ. The Word of God is alive and is relevant to all times in which we live. There are countless testimonies of people who walked with God in the Bible. They are our cloud of witnesses to encourage us on the Christian journey.

Learn from them. You can walk with God's giants. With your gift of $20 or more in support of the encouraging word, you will receive Dr. Wilton's new dynamic two-part series, Walking with God's Giants. Series 2, Walking with God's Giants is available on CD or DVD. It includes four messages on the lives of Nehemiah, Naaman, Solomon, and David. Call us today at 866-899-WORD to request Series 2, Walking with God's Giants. If you missed the first series, you can request it too. Thank you for your continued partnership to help us share the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. Our time's gone for today, but let's stay connected online at www.tewonline.org. The Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton is brought to you by listeners like you who prayerfully and financially support the ministry of the encouraging word.