FAITH, FATALISM AND AMERICA’S FUTURE

00:00 Introduction

00:20

BILL ARMSTRONG STORY

In the 80’s I served on the staff of Senator William Armstrong from Colorado.

He loved Jesus and he was very smart. Those of us who worked for him used to joke that the only reason he had a staff is so that he wouldn’t make the other United States senators feel bad.

But humor aside, in private this brilliant man said, “As a United States Senator, I can’t hope to turn America around. I can’t even hope to stop the slide. The best I can do is help slow it down.”

That doesn’t inspire hope, does it?

01:00

CHUCK COLSON STORY

Then there was Chuck Colson, another extremely smart man who loved Jesus.

He founded Prison Fellowship & the Colson Center.

I remember about 20 years ago, my wife got frustrated as she listened to him speak. She said to me later, “He just speaks doom and gloom about America.  He said we are beyond the point of no return!  What am I supposed to do with that?  Does he really think there’s no hope?” 

Folks, that was about 20 years ago!  He thought it was bad then. It’s a lot worse today!

1:42 – We have Idiots for Leaders

CULTURAL SYMPTOMS

We have a lot of idiots for leaders.

Mass shootings seem to occur almost weekly.

Sexual perverts are going after our kids.

Child suicide is higher than it has ever been.

Men who think they are women.

The fentanyl crisis has exploded.

The rule of law is a joke.

Social Security is heading towards insolvency.

Inflation is devaluing or currency.

Another possible Great Depression looming on the horizon.

We are being invaded on our southern border.

America hasn’t been this polarized since the Civil War.

Russia, China, and Iraq joined forces against us.

You think that’s bad?  It’s going to get worse. But now let me give you some hope.

02:30

HOPE FOUND IN GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

Do you know what both Chuck Colson and Bill Armstrong also firmly believed. They both believed that God is sovereign. God decides. God is fully capable of turning America around. 

But….

But it will only happen if first God brings revival to this nation. You notice, I did not say, only if revival occurs. Revival doesn’t just occur. I said, only if God brings revival to this nation.

Because God is sovereign.

When we say God is sovereign, we mean, God is in complete control.

03:25

FATALISM VS. FAITH

Some Christians respond to God’s sovereignty:

“Well, if God’s in control there’s nothing I can do about it.”

            That’s FATALISM.

If you listened to my podcast a few weeks ago about my cancer diagnosis & sovereignty of God, you know I have had a tendency to view God’s sovereignty like a fatalist – more like Eeyore than like Tigger. Probably because of my Presbyterian upbringing.

Other Christians respond, “If God’s in CONTROL, there’s nothing I can’t do empowered by God’s Spirit.”

            That’s FAITH.

Faith or Fatalism. Which one best describes you?

Which one best describes you when you listen to the evening news?

Polls show that a majority of Americans don’t think the future looks bright. You may be one of them.  I’M NOT! And here’s why. In the final few years before my dad passed away, he kept saying, “I believe another revival is coming to America, and it will be characterized by love.”

In light of that, we need to ask two obvious questions:

5:34

OUR ROLE

First, what is our role?

Since God is sovereign and He is in control, our primary responsibility is to daily ask him to send revival. If we aren’t doing that, then nothing else matters, because only God can cause revival. We cannot. So we need to be asking every day.

But also, we must recognize the real problem in America today is not that there is too much darkness. Is there a lot of darkness? Yes! But that is not the problem. The real problem in America today is that there is not enough light. And folks, if that’s the problem, we can each do something about that, can’t we? Jesus said we are to be salt and LIGHT. Jesus’ strategy was to use us to bring light into the world. Light casts out darkness. It is not your pastor’s responsibility to bring light into your neighborhood; it is yours.

6:40

GOD’S ROLE

The second obvious question is: What is God’s role?  It is to CAUSE revival. Only He can.

KEY QUESTION

So, let me ask you the million-dollar question: if you are not willing to pray and be a light in your community, how likely do you think it is that God will cause revival?

7:21

FAITH DEFINED

You can either respond to God’s sovereignty as a Fatalist—and do nothing.

Or you can respond to God’s sovereignty with Faith.

And folks, faith is not just belief; faith is acting on belief. Faith is primarily an action.  That why James, the brother of Jesus said, “Faith without works is dead.”

7:52

CLOSING CHALLENGE

Folks, it’s time for you and me to turn up the Light, trusting that our sovereign God will act in response to our faith.

America’s destiny is at stake. Our children’s futures are at stake.

It’s time for each of us to make God the issue. It’s time to love our neighbors.

Like my dad, I believe there’s another revival coming, and it will be characterized by love,

but only if we first pray for each of our neighbors and then extend the love of Christ to them.

God is the issue. So, let’s go out and make Him the issue—in love.