TEXT: GENESIS 3:1,6

TITLE: THE SEDUCTION of AMERICA

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said…? …she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and Gave also unto Her Husband with her; and he did eat.” [Genesis 3:1,6]

In Genesis 3:1,6 we see Eve being seduced by the old Serpent, she then quickly becomes the seducer, and that of her own husband, her own loved one. That is always the evidence that Satan has been successful in destroying one’s faith in the Goodness of God and the Authority of His Word; you swallow his lie and in return you try to feed the same lie to others, even your very own people and loved ones. The seduced, like Eve, joins the Devil’s team and now carries the ball for him, becoming his seducer of others. It then is no longer Satan we have to be concerned about, but our very own people.

This may be the greatest evidence of Satan’s successful seduction of America and our complete falling away from the Lord and our Christian roots. In the 1950’s, at the height of anti-Communist fervor, Congress added the words ”under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. It was an attempt from our leaders to link patriotism with religious piety and to distinguish us from the godless Soviets. We understood we were in a battle against the Communist threat to destroy America’s world wide influence, America’s exceptionalism and to eventually conquer us and replace our Christian Faith and Religious Liberty (that had made us the greatest Nation on earth, as well as having given us a lifestyle that was the envy of the world) with their godless atheism and it’s inhumane and evil policies.

Today, the war against the Christian Faith and Religious Liberties in America, as well as the attempt to spread evil and atheism around the world is no longer coming from the godless and evil forces from without, but from those same forces within us. It is no longer the Communists in the Soviet Union, but our own School Teachers, our own College Professors, our own Politicians, our own News Media, our own Entertainment Industry, our own Government, our own Parents, our own Institutions, our own Preachers and Churches that are attempting to destroy our Nation’s Religious Faith and Liberties. It is our own Government that is promoting and exporting evil around the world. Our own Government is pressuring other nations into embracing Homosexuality, it is our own Government that is promoting Abortion around the world. It is our own Government that is at war against the Christian Faith and the Religious Liberties of it’s own people. Like the seduced Eve became the seducer of her own husband, her own loved one, her own people, so has America now become the seducer of her own and the exporter of Satan’s Lies around the world. We no longer need to worry about the devil, we have become the evil one. We see an example of this in the lives of those who were educated in our schools since the Bible and Prayer were removed. They are now the very people that are fighting to rid the rest of our society of the Bible and Prayer. The Seduced have become the Seducers. The America that was once Satan’s greatest opposition may now be, in many ways, his greatest supporter and servant.

Adam and Eve were cursed of God and banished from Paradise for allowing themselves to be seduced and becoming the seducer. The same is soon to be America’s fate. The Lord will not tolerate a nation to forsake Him without experiencing his Judgment. “The wicked shall be turned into @#!*% , and ALL the NATIONS that forget God.” [PSALMS 9:17] The Lord will not allow us to become the instrument of Satan and His foe without cursing us. The Lord will no longer continue to allow us to enjoy the paradise America has always been, it too will soon become a Paradise Lost.

Adam and Eve attempted to appease God and maintain His favor by covering their shame and sin with the fig leaves of religion, but God clearly rejected their religion of works as an atonement for their sin. America, in our desperation will soon begin to show signs of turning to religion in our feeble and futile attempt to curry God’s favor, but we will discover as did Adam and Eve, that all such attempts will fail and be rejected by the Lord. It will only succeed in further offending a Holy God even more than we have already. Our survival depends upon us recognizing, that as the Lord taught Adam and Eve and as the song writer said; “What can wash away my sins; Nothing but the Blood of Jesus” The Gospel is the only Power that can save us. [Romans 1:16] The Gospel is the only Message that shows us how we must be reconciled to God, it is the only Message telling us how to become the recipients of the Grace of God. It is the only Message of Hope for America. We need a Revival of Gospel Preaching in America’s Churches and America’s Pulpits. Away with the Prosperity Gospel that has made us spiritual paupers; away with the Health Gospel that has made us into the most anemic and morally sick generation of Christians America has every seen; away with the Gospel of Positive Thinking, that has created the most Negative circumstances our Churches and America has ever faced; away with timid preachers that white wash and condone the evils among them. The most pitiful sight in the whole of the world must be to see a bold sinner sitting in a Church pew with a timid preacher standing in the pulpit, too fearful to rebuke him or her for their evil.

For America to Survive we must see a Revival within the Church in America, for America’s Church to have Revival it’s Preachers must once again become Bold Prophets of the Lord, condemning sin wherever it is found, calling the Lord’s people to Repentance and un-apologetic PREACHERS of the GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ. [1 Corinthians 15:1-5; Galatians 1:6-9]

~Jack Woodard

1Cor.2:2; 2Cor.4:5

A POINT of REFERENCE or a PURITY RENOUNCED

“…thou hast left thy first love. Remember, therefore, from where thou art fallen, and repent…” [Revelation 2:4,5]
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” [Revelation 3:20]
“There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.” [Proverbs 30:12]

Many believe the 7 Churches in Revelation 2 & 3 represent 7 Ages of the Church; Ephesus representing the Church of the first generation and Laodicea representing the end day Church. Others see the 7 Churches as representative of the different state of well being within the Church in every age. Some see them as both.

The spiritual state of the Church in America today compared to her in days past could give validity to the view that the 7 Churches represent 7 ages of the Church, with this generation being the last generation, that is soon to see the return of the Lord Jesus.

In the Church at Ephesus the Lord tells them to “Remember…from where thou art fallen, and repent…”, in the Church of Laodicea the Lord is outside the Church and the hearts of its individual members. [Revelation 3:20] A real problem within the Church in America today is, most of its members, unlike past generations and unlike Ephesus, have no point of reference to remember and to return to. An older generation can remember the:

1. The Old Hour of Welcome They Gave to Christ  (Their Salvation Experience)

2. The Old Hymns of Worship They Sang to Christ

3.  The Old Houses of Worship They Started for Christ

4. The Old Homes of Warmth They Shared in Christ (The stable and traditional Christian family they grew up in)

(By the way, these four areas would make great areas for a Pastor to focus his Church upon, if they want to experience a genuine revival among his saved members.)

Today all four of these have been lost to this generation of Church goers. I am afraid that for the majority Jesus is still outside of their hearts, and their purity is nothing more than God-offending, self-righteousness. Every Church member needs to ask themselves if they truly have a point of reference in their past that proves that there was a time that they really did repent and asked Christ to come into their heart and save them, a righteousness that is based only on the Shed Blood of Christ.

“NOTHING IN MY HAND I BRING; SIMPLY TO THE CROSS I CLING” should be and must be the testimony of all who claim to be a Christian.

~Jack Woodard
1Cor.2:2; 2Cor.4:5

SERIES: THE GOSPEL OF LUKE – JESUS’ AUTOBIOGRAPHY

SCRIPTURE: LUKE 5

SUBJECT: A NEW MINISTRY SWEEPS THE LAND

STUDY: NUMBER FIVE

INTRODUCTION:

  I. JESUS CALLS DISCIPLES  [LUKE 5:1-11]

  A. People Come to Hear His Word [5:1]

  B. Peter Learns to Heed His Word [5:2-9]

  C. Partners Leave to Herald His Word [5:10-11]

II. JESUS CURES the DISEASED and DISABLED  [LUKE 5:12-26]

A. A Leper – The Cleansing of Sins Defilement [5:12-15]

B. A Paralytic – The Curing of Sins Disablement [5:16-26]

III. JESUS CONVERTS the DESPISED  [LUKE 5:27-32]

A. The Call [5:27]

B. The Cost [5:28]

C. The Celebration [5:30]

D. The Criticism [5:30]

 IV. JESUS CONFRONTS HIS DOUBTERS  [LUKE 5:33-39]

 A. Jesus is For the Sinner as a Doctor is For the Sick [5:30-32]

B. Jesus’ Presence Was a Cause to Rejoice Not Remorse  [5:33-35]

C. Jesus’ Grace is not Compatible With Moses’ Law  [5:36-39; Romans 3:28] 

“But if they (the false prophets) had stood in My counsel, and had caused My people to hear My Words, then they should of turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.” [Jeremiah 23:22]

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers…Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean; saith the Lord Almighty.” [2 Corinthians 6:14,17]

As a Preacher of the Gospel, if I see any of the Lord’s people involved with sin and yoked together with the evil; giving strength to their cause and dishonoring the Name of the Lord, I am duty bound to the Lord to call them to repent and come out of their sin and evil associations. If I see one of my members involved in practicing or promoting homosexuality, abortion, pornography, alcohol, or any other such evil, I would be betraying the trust the Lord has given to me if I failed to call them to repent and come out of it, and quit supporting the evil and the enemies of our Lord.

If I see my people voting for the Democrat Politician and Platform, which promotes the same evils, am not I just as duty bound to call them to repent and come out from among those who are practicing and promoting evil and wickedness? SURE I AM!!

It is SIN for a Christian to be involved in a Party that promotes evil,that are the enemies of righteousness, the enemy of the Gospel, and not the least, the enemy of our Lord himself, whether it be the party of Homosexuals, the party of Abortion, the party of Gay Marriage, the party of Communists,the part of Atheists, or the Democrat Party that is made up of of all the above and promotes all the just mentioned evils.

~Jack Woodard

1Cor.2:2 / 2Cor.4:5

“TIP TOEING PREACHERS”

When I was a youth and still lived at home, I would at times stay out later than I was supposed to. On those occasions, when I got home I would always try to Tip Toe when I got into the house so that I would not awake or arouse anyone.

It seems to me in the days we are living that many of our Preachers sneak in the Pulpit, like they are doing something wrong and then Tip Toe around every issue, hoping not to arouse or awake anyone, fearful if they do they will be in trouble. We live in a day that our Preachers would do well to heed the Lord’s admonition to the Prophet Isaiah that we find in [ISAIAH 58:1] “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

~Jack Woodard
1Cor.2:2 / 2Cor.4:5

“It is clearly evident to all who have eyes to see, that if the following list of people choose to have a political persuasion they almost always choose the Democrat Party.

#1. The Irreligious – Those who find it foolish or too restraining to adhere to any core religious and moral beliefs, and who at best are indifferent to people of Faith and at worse, people who are hostile towards religion and people of Faith, find a comfortable home in the Democratic Party.

#2. The Irresponsible – Those who feel no shame in living off the labors of others, nor have any qualms for being a non-contributing member of society, feel right at home in the Democrat Party.

#3. The Immoral – Those who have chosen to live a life of sin, sex, perversion, drinking and carousing, want affiliations who will condone and even promote their godless lifestyle while making them feel comfortable in their Immoral lifestyle. They do not find such acceptance and support in the Republican Party, but the Democratic Party is more than eager to do so for their votes, so again, they find themselves to be right at home in the Democrat Party.

#4. The Ignorant – I am willing to accept that many Democrats are just Ignorant. Ronald Regan once said that: “Democrats are not ignorant, they just believe so many things that are not so.” That is a kind way of saying it without saying it. Many in the party are uninformed, brainwashed by Liberalism, or uninterested in really taking the time to look at the eventual consequences of the corrupt policies of their Party. Many also still fail to see that the Democrat Party of years ago is not the same Party they have today. They have a blind loyalty to the party of their Fathers, and find it easier to stay than to go.

Conclusion:

There is one thing that is certain, and that is, if the Church and America ever experiences a genuine, heaven sent Revival, their will be radical change in the hearts, minds, and actions of our people. The Irreligious will become Religious ( and I use that term to mean a personal and committed relationship with Jesus, not an empty form of religion), the Irresponsible will become Responsible, the Immoral will become Moral, the Ignorant will experience an Opening of their Eyes to the Truth.

Another thing is for certain, and that is, if Genuine Revival comes to America the Democrat Party would change or a majority of Democrats would change Party, they would no longer feel comfortable and at home in such an immoral swamp.
Why wait, do it know while you can still save the soul of America and pass on to your children and grandchildren the same Nation you inherited from your parents.

~Jack Woodard
1 Corinthians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:5

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SERIES: THE GOSPEL of LUKE – JESUS’ AUTOBIOGRAPHY
SCRIPTURE: LUKE 1
SUBJECT: LUKE’S INTRODUCTION
STUDY: NUMBER ONE

I. THE AUTHOR: LUKE

1. A GENTILE…The only Gentile to be used to pen a Book in the New Testament

2. A PHYSICIAN…(Colossians 4:14)…Paul’s personal physician that he dearly loved

3. A COMPANION … Luke was Paul’s companion on his Missionary Trips…”WE” sections in Acts:16:10-17; 20:6; 21:18; 27:1; 28:16. Joined Paul at Troas, ACTS 16:10…the change from “they” to “we”. Was with Paul to his end. (2 Timothy 4:11).

4. AN AUTHOR… Luke penned the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. Only Paul penned more of the New Testament.

II.THE AUDIENCE: (1:4…Theophilus)

1. HIS NAME…Theophilus – “Lover of God” “Friend of God” “Dear to God”

2. HIS NOBILITY…Most Excellent – (A Roman Official) used of Claudius Lysias in Acts 23:26; Felix in Acts 24:3; Festus in Acts 26:25. Like saying “Your Honor” to a Judge.

3. HIS NEWNESS…(1:4…instructed…taught…”catechumen-someone who is being taught the basics of Christianity” Theophilus was a fairly new Christian undergoing a New Member’s Course in the Scriptures.

III.THE AIM: (1:3,4)

1. A COMPREHENSIVE ACCOUNT…To give a Comprehensive account of the story of Jesus.

A. Luke is the longest of the Gospels
B. Luke gives us the Songs of Christmas
C. Luke gives the longest account of the Virgin Birth of Jesus
D. Luke gives us 20 miracles, 6 of them are recorded in no other Gospel
E. Luke gives us 23 parables, and 18 of them are in no other Gospel
(Prodigal Son, Good Samaritan)
F. Luke is the only Gospel to record the walk to Emmaus of our resurrected Lord (24:13-32)
G. Luke speaks of Jesus’ humanity and His concern for the suffering, women (abused and
mistreated, helpless), sinners, and the rejected by society.

2. A CONSECUTIVE ACCOUNT…(in order 1:3)

3. A CERTAIN ACCOUNT…(from the very first 1:3…”from above”…John 3:31;James 1:17…certainty)

Theophilus had been studying Biographies of Jesus, now he had Jesus’ Autobiography

4. A CONFIRMING ACCOUNT…(1:1,2; certainty…1:3)

The writings of others that Theophilus had been reading and studying were not complete, and even though they were told by eye witnesses, those accounts would have been told from the persons angle. Five witnesses to a car wreck will give you five different accounts, depending on their vantage point. As a matter of fact the Police are always suspicious of two people who give an exact account of the same event, but these partial and differing accounts may have caused confusion in the mind of Theophilus. Luke wanted him to have a Complete, Consecutive, Certain account of Jesus’ Life, a divinely inspired account.

IV.THE ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF JOHN’S BIRTH (Luke 1:5-25)

Here is where Luke’s story of Jesus begins (1:2…from the beginning)

A. A Godless Society ( …in the days of Herod…1:5)

1. Politically (…in the days of Herod…1:5)
2. Religiously (Malachi was the last interaction of the Lord with His people. 400 years earlier)

B. A Childless Family (…had no child…1:7)

C. A Committed Family (…both righteous before God…1:6)

D. A Child’s Future (1:13-25; 57-80)

1. Filled with the Spirit (1:15)
2. Forerunner to the Savior (1:17)

E. A Promise Fulfilled (1:67-80)

2. THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF JESUS’ BIRTH (Luke 1:26-56)

A. A Virgin Mother (1:27)

1. How she would conceive (1:31,35)
2. Who she would conceive (1:31-33)

B. A Valiant Mother (1:38)

C. A Visiting Mother (1:39-45)

D. A Vocal Mother (1:46-56)

SERIES: THE GOSPEL of LUKE – JESUS’ AUTOBIOGRAPHY
SCRIPTURE: LUKE 4
SUBJECT: JESUS BEGINS HIS POWERFUL MINISTRY
STUDY: NUMBER FOUR

INTRODUCTION:
In Luke 4 we have the record of the beginning of the Lord’s Ministry. It is no surprise that it would begin with a battle with His arch enemy, the Devil. As a Spirit Filled man He is compelled into the Devil’s battle ground where the long awaited [Genesis 3:15] conflict of foes would begin.

I. JESUS REBUFFS SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS [Luke 4:1-13]
A. The Reasons For the Temptations [Gen.3:15; Heb.2:14,15; 4:25; Isa.14:12-14]
     1. Satan attempts to break Jesus power [Genesis 3:15]
         a. to disqualify Him  [Hebrews 4:15 ...without sin...]
         b. to dominate Him  [Isaiah 14:12-14]
     2. Savior assures the breaking of Satan’s power [Hebrews 2:14,15]
         a. to destroy him [v.14]
         b. to deliver His [v.15]

B.  The Regions of the Temptations [Luke 4:3-12; 1 John 2:15,16]
      1. Appetites – The Lust of the Flesh [v.v.3,4]
      2. Avarice – The Lust of the Eyes [v.v.5-8]
      3. Ambition – The Pride of Life [v.v.9-12]

C.  The Rationale of the Temptation [Luke 4:3-12]
      1. The end justifies the means [v.v.3,4]
           ill. Driving a Beer Truck is alright, you have to feed your family
      2. You will be better off if you serve the Devil and not the Lord [v.v.5-8]
           ill.  It is more profitable to gain the world than to worry about serving the Lord
      3.  You can jump and God will catch you [v.v.9-12]
            ill. Go ahead an charge it, the Lord will provide the money later.

D.  The Response to the Temptations [Luke 4: 4,8,12,13]
      1. Jesus rebuffs Satan [v.v.4,8,12]
      2. Satan relinquishes for a season [v.13]

II. JESUS RETURNS TO a SUCCESSFUL TOUR [Luke 4:14,15,23]
A. Powerful [Luke 4:14,23]
B. Popular [Luke 4:14,15]
C. Purposeful [Luke 4:15 ...taught...]

III. JEWS REJECT the SAVIOR’S TEACHINGS [Luke 4:16-30]
A. The return to Nazareth [Luke 4:16-21]
     1. continues His practice [v.16]
     2. complimented His presence [v.v.16,17]
     3. confirms His prophecy [v.v.17-21]
B. Reasoning of Nazarenes [Luke 4:22]
C. Rebuke of Nazarenes [Luke 4:23-27]
D. Rage of Nazarenes [Luke 4:28,29]
E. Reaction to the Nazarenes [Luke 4:30]

IV. JESUS RETURNS TO SUCCESSFUL REGION [Luke 4:14,23,31,32]
A. Teaches the Word [Luke 4:31]
B. Transfixed by His Words [Luke 4:32]
C. Troubled by His Word [Luke 4:33,34]
     1. Satan’s instrument [v.33]
     2. Savior’s interference [v.34] NL T-”Go away! Why are you interfering with us?”
D. Transformed by His Word [Luke 4:35]
     1. Demon removed by Christ [v.35a]
     2. Demonic redeemed by Christ [v.35b]
E. Telling of His Works [Luke 4:36,37]
     1. amazed [v.36]
     2. acclaimed [v.37]

V. JESUS REMOVES TO SIMON’S TENEMENT [Luke 4:38-41]
A. He cures diseased sufferers [v.v.38-40]
B. He casts out demon spirits [v.41]
C. He came to deserted spot [v.42]

VI. JESUS RETURNS TO SYNAGOGUE TEACHING [Luke 4:42b-44]
A. Crowds come to restrain Christ [v.42b]
B.  Christ continues to reach out to the cities [v.v.43,44]

INTRODUCTION

All around us we see corruption on the increase, spreading like a cancer through every segment of our society. This unchecked corruption is a stinging indictment  against the Church. It reveals to us that we are having a decreasing influence upon our society. We are no longer the powerful influence upon our society that we were just a few short decades ago.

The following outline lists several evils within the Church that are causing her to lose her Salt Ministry to our Nation.

I.  UNHOLY DEFILEMENT [MATTHEW 5:13; I Corinthians 5]

Sin and immorality run rampant within the Church. Within the Church you can find the same lawlessness and every evil that we see within our society, showing the influence the world is having upon us. One thing that Church leaders and their members must begin to understand is that, the world does not respect our likeness to them, but our difference from them. Our power is in our difference not in our likeness. We no longer expect and demand holiness from our membership. We tolerate from our members what many clubs and societies would dismiss their members for.

II. UNCHRISTLIKE DISPOSITIONS [John 13:34, 35; I John 4:7,8]]

The common characteristic in the children of God is love, and in a selfish, dog eat dog world, Jesus said that this would be the one distinguishing mark between the children of the world and the child of God. The world has no obligation to believe that anyone is a Christian who does not demonstrate the Love of Christ towards  all men, and especially toward each other in the family of God. Yet within the local Church you find some of the meanest, merciless people upon the face of the earth, and that meanness is especially pointed towards the Lord’s Pastors. One of the signs of APOSTASY within the Lord’s people in the Old Testament was how they persecuted their prophets.[Matthew 5:11,12] This Unchristlikeness shames the Lord and destroys our influence.

III.  UNBIBLICAL DOCTRINE [ I Timothy 4:1; 6:3-19]

Many congregations have never heard a sound doctrinal sermon. Our Pulpits spew out health, wealth, and prosperity, along with seeker friendly messages designed to make Jesus acceptable to unregenerate rebels, not realizing their job is to make the sinner acceptable to Christ, which can only be accomplished by the preaching of the Gospel, the Gospel that tells a man he is a condemned sinner and his only hope is to Repent and in Faith flee to Jesus, believing His shed blood at Calvary is the only thing that can atone for mens sins.

We preach a Christ who is not the Christ of the Bible, but a Christ of our corrupt imaginations that is just as corrupt as we are. [Romans 1:21,22] A corrupt Christ that approves homosexuality, abortion, and every other evil. Many old mainline denominations are now ordaining homosexuals to the ministry. We no longer preach the Gospel and uphold the Truth, and thus many churches are irrelevant to our society.

IV. UNENDING DIVISIONS [I Corinthians 1:10-17]

There seems to be no end to the divisions within our Churches. Church splits are more common and frequent than raindrops from heaven. The Southern Baptist Convention alone reports that nearly 200 Pastors a month are fired from their Church, leaving smitten shepherd’s,  scattered flocks, disgraced and weakened Churches.

We are spending our time and energies fighting ourselves and not the real enemies of the Lord. To make matters even worse, many a Church ends up honoring those who are the very culprits in tearing up their Church and running off every Pastor they couldn’t buy and own.

V.  UNNECESSARY DIVORCES [Matthew 5:31,32; I Corinthians 7:15,16]

Divorce within the Church is far too frequent and for the most part unnecessary and without Biblical grounds. Many of these marriages could have been saved and divorce unnecessary if one or both of the parties were not self-centered brats.

Divorce scatters children. Where once the whole family was in the same Church week after week, now they are at the other parent’s home on the weekend and if they do go to Sunday School and Church anymore it is just sporadically. This has gone on so long that we have two generations that were once in Church who are now not.

Divorce is also causing us to lose our Moral Authority to speak to our Nation on the subject of marriage and to defend traditional marriage between a man and a women against those who would legalize Gay Marriages. They laugh at us and question who we are to speak out on the subject of marriage when the marriage model we defend we can’t keep together.

There are times Divorce is justified, but it must be justified, and these times must become few and far between in the family of God if the Church is to have influence as Salt upon our society.

VI.  UNPAID DEBTS [ Romans 13:8; I Timothy 6:3-19]

Many within they Church have been infected with the lust of the eye, and have borrowed and charged to have so many things that now we can no longer pay for them, nor take the time to go to Church, because we cannot afford to rest one day a week, we must work every day to pay for the stuff we no longer have the time to enjoy.

Too many never gave thought that the bubble might one day burst as it has. They never thought there would come a day when they could no longer pay their bills, but that day caught them unaware and their testimony for Christ drove away as the lien holder came and drove away in their car, and boat. They lost their big house and their testimony the same day.

VII.  UNFULFILLED DUTIES [ Matthew 28:19,20; I Corinthians 16:2]

The Church’s influence has been weakened by the fact that so many of her members are not fulfilling their duties to Christ, their Church, and a lost world.

Members refuse to deny themselves their time, talents, and tithes for spreading the Gospel and expanding the Lord’s Kingdom. Many a Pastor has to say to the lost world what the Apostle Paul had to say to his beloved Church at Philippi. “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. [Philippians 2:19-21] What would the Church do without it’s Timothys? What an influence the Church could have if  every Church member were Timothys!!

In the matter of tithing, I once heard Adrian Rogers say that if every church member in America was on welfare and tithed, the offerings would double. We don’t have a money problem, we have a giving problem. Money is not the solve all, but there is no taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth unless people with the money pay the way for the missionary to go. [ Romans 10:13-15]

CONCLUSION

You may have other points you could add to my list of those things which are destroying the Church’s Influence upon our society, but this list is enough to explain why we are so impotent and inconsequential. This list is enough to show us why are Nation is tottering on the verge of destruction. This list is enough to make the case that we are in desperate need of Revival. This list makes the case that we all are falling short of being the Christian we are meant to be. This list makes the case that the Lord cannot be pleased with us and His desire for our immediate repentance is undeniable.

~Jack Woodard, 1 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 4:5]

 

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