Our National Need Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people. Our Nation is going through a cultural metamorphosis... Dr. Andy Woods stated well that all of our foundations are under attack... The Divine Institutions are under attack... o The Word of God o The Church o The Family o Nations o Etc... Founding Father Quotes: Benjamin Rush By removing the Bible from schools we would be wasting so much time and money in punishing criminals and so little pains to prevent crime. Take the Bible out of our schools and there would be an explosion in crime. Let the children...be carefully instructed in the principles and obligations of the Christian religion. This is the most essential part of education. Samuel Adams - I... [rely] upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins. 9 Elias Boudinot PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS; SIGNED THE PEACE TREATY TO END THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION; FIRST ATTORNEY ADMITTED TO THE U. S. SUPREME COURT BAR; FRAMER OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS; DIRECTOR OF THE U. S. MINT Let us enter on this important business under the idea that we are Christians on whom the eyes of the world are now turned [L]et us earnestly call and beseech Him, for Christ s sake, to preside in our councils.... We can only depend on the all powerful influence of the Spirit of God, Whose Divine aid and assistance it becomes us as a Christian people most devoutly to implore. Therefore I move that some minister of the
Gospel be requested to attend this Congress every morning... in order to open the meeting with prayer. 17 The Bible Knowledge Commentary Righteousness among a group of people has a beneficial effect... but sin among them has an adverse effect (it is a disgrace, reproach, ) We are in desperate need for the Lord in this moment not only within our own Church but in our Nation...His Glory, His Power, His Truth and Grace... To walk in Righteousness we must walk with the Lord Righteousness is simply walking according to God s standards...his Truth and in His integrity... Ultimately Christ is our Righteousness... I Cor. 1.30 We cannot accomplish this on our own...but rather we are empowered by the Lord in His strength to walk according to His ways... To Walk according to His ways, we must: I. Turn to Him II. Be Transformed by Him III. Trust Him I. Turn to Him Acts 14:14 15 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out 15 and saying, Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.
o Paul s appeal to the crowd is rather than worshiping himself and Barnabas that they... o Turn from the vain things to a living God... o Vain no purpose, empty, without aim How many things are we involved in that are fruitless? Without Aim? Worthless and Empty? We are believers, how much more ought we to be about the things of God rather than persuading the vain things of this world? Colossians 2:6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, o Walk here is Pres. Active imperative... o We received Him by Faith and are to walk with Him by Faith... o We turn to God from the vain things of the earth and ought to continue to walk with Him pursuing the greater things of substance in Christ... Romans 5:1 2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 1 Peter 5:12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother (for so I regard him), I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! o We stand firm in the Grace of God... Rom perfect act. ind... o We don t nullify the grace of God as Paul tells the Galatian believers o Rather we stand firm in God s Grace Aorist Act. Imperative...
II. Be Transformed by Him Romans 12:1 2 Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present (aorist act. ind) your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Spiros Zodhiates An expanded rendering might read, Stop being molded by the external and fleeting fashions of this age, but undergo a deep inner change [metamorphoústhe {3339}] by the qualitative renewing [anakainṓsei {341}] of your mind. Such a transformation can be wrought only by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18). Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. o Hearing akouo to hear with understanding... o This comes through the Word of Christ... III. Trust Him Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 3:5 6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Philippians 1:6 For I am confident (persuaded and or trust) of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced (trust) that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. o We walk by Faith, trusting the Lord each and every moment of the day... o The Lord is Trustworthy o He is able o We place our trust in Him! Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord! Trust & Obey... Stanza 1: When we walk with the Lord In the light of His word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. Stanza 2: Not a burden we bear, Not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief or a loss, Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey. Stanza 3: But we never can prove The delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay; For the favor He shows, For the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey. Stanza 4: Then in fellowship sweet We will sit at His feet, Or we'll walk by His side in the way; What He says we will do, Where He sends we will go; Never fear, only trust and obey. Refrain: Trust and obey, for there's no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.