Restoring Foundations: The Church's Call to Action

Devotional

Day 1: The Church as the Moral Compass

The church has historically been a guiding voice in society, especially during times of political and social upheaval. However, today it faces significant challenges in maintaining this role due to external pressures and internal fears. The fear of losing tax-exempt status or facing societal backlash has led to a silencing of the church's voice, particularly in political matters. Despite these challenges, the church must reclaim its position as the moral compass, speaking truth to power without fear of repercussions. This involves a commitment to uphold spiritual and moral foundations, guiding believers through the complexities of life and politics. [01:12]

Isaiah 58:1 (ESV): "Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins."

Reflection: In what ways can you personally contribute to your church's role as a moral compass in your community today?

Day 2: Recognizing the Deep State

The concept of the "deep state" is often misunderstood as a conspiracy theory, but it is a reality acknowledged by many in positions of power. It represents entrenched bureaucratic elements within the government that work against Christian values, creating chaos and confusion. This distraction diverts attention from real issues such as the erosion of religious freedoms and moral values. Understanding the deep state helps believers recognize the spiritual battle they face and the need for discernment and prayer. By acknowledging this reality, Christians can better prepare to engage in spiritual warfare with wisdom and faith. [03:38]

Ephesians 6:12 (ESV): "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Reflection: How can you cultivate discernment and prayer in your daily life to better recognize and combat spiritual battles?

Day 3: The Power of Leadership

Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping society, as those in power can either honor or mock God. The choices made at the polls have profound implications for religious freedom and moral values. Christians are called to engage in the political process with wisdom and prayer, understanding that leadership decisions impact the direction of the nation. By electing leaders who uphold Christian values, believers can influence the preservation of spiritual and moral foundations. It is essential to approach political engagement with a mindset of faith and responsibility, trusting that God will guide the process. [02:20]

Proverbs 29:2 (ESV): "When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan."

Reflection: What steps can you take to ensure that your political engagement is guided by wisdom and prayer?

Day 4: Standing Firm Against Erosion

Our nation is at a crossroads, with foundational values being challenged by ideologies like globalism and socialism. These ideologies seek to remove God from the public sphere, leading to the erosion of traditional values. The church must stand firm in biblical truth, resisting the pressure to conform to societal norms that contradict God's Word. By holding fast to spiritual and moral foundations, believers can be a beacon of hope and truth in a world that desperately needs it. This requires courage and conviction, trusting that God will sustain and strengthen those who remain faithful. [16:26]

1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV): "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."

Reflection: What are some specific ways you can stand firm in your faith and resist societal pressures that contradict biblical truth?

Day 5: The Call for Revival

Revival is essential for restoring the nation's foundations, beginning with prayer and intercession. As believers seek God's guidance and strength, they can stand firm in truth and become catalysts for change. The church is called to be a beacon of hope, engaging in spiritual battles with boldness and faith. By committing to prayer and intercession, Christians can trust that God will restore and rebuild what has been broken. This revival involves a return to the foundational truths that have sustained believers throughout history, leading to a renewed commitment to be the moral conscience of the nation. [24:42]

2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV): "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Reflection: How can you incorporate prayer and intercession into your daily routine to contribute to a revival in your community?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the critical theme of "If the Foundations Are Destroyed," drawing from Psalm 11:3. This verse challenges us to consider the state of our spiritual and moral foundations and what the righteous can do when these are under threat. Historically, the church has been a voice of truth, guiding believers through the complexities of life and politics. However, there is a growing concern that the church's voice is being silenced, particularly in political matters, due to fear of losing tax-exempt status or facing societal backlash.

We delved into the concept of the "deep state," a term often used to describe entrenched bureaucratic elements that work against Christian values. This is not a conspiracy theory but a reality that many in positions of power acknowledge. The deep state creates chaos and confusion, distracting us from the real issues at hand, such as the erosion of religious freedoms and moral values.

The sermon also highlighted the importance of leadership and the impact of political decisions on our lives. Leadership matters because it can either honor God or mock Him. The choices we make at the polls have profound implications for the direction of our nation, especially concerning issues like religious freedom and the sanctity of life.

We are at a crossroads where the foundations of our nation are being challenged by ideologies that seek to remove God from the public sphere. This is evident in the push towards globalism, socialism, and the erosion of traditional values. The church must rise to the occasion, not by conforming to societal pressures but by standing firm in the truth of God's Word.

In conclusion, the call is for a revival—a return to the foundational truths that have sustained us. This revival begins with prayer, intercession, and a commitment to be the moral conscience of the nation. We must engage in spiritual battles, not with fear and discouragement, but with boldness and faith, trusting that God will restore and rebuild what has been broken.

Key Takeaways

1. The Role of the Church as a Voice of Truth: The church historically served as a guiding voice in society, especially during elections. Today, it faces challenges in maintaining this role due to external pressures and internal fears. The church must reclaim its position as the moral compass, speaking truth to power without fear of repercussions. [01:12]
2. Understanding the Deep State: The concept of the deep state is not a conspiracy but a reality acknowledged by many in power. It represents entrenched elements within the government that oppose Christian values. Recognizing this helps us understand the spiritual battle we face and the need for discernment and prayer. [03:38]
3. Leadership and Its Impact on Society: Leadership matters significantly, as those in power can either honor or mock God. The choices we make in electing leaders have profound implications for religious freedom and moral values. Christians must engage in the political process with wisdom and prayer. [02:20]
4. The Erosion of Moral Foundations: Our nation is at a crossroads, with foundational values being challenged by ideologies like globalism and socialism. The church must stand firm in biblical truth, resisting the pressure to conform to societal norms that contradict God's Word. [16:26]
5. The Call for Revival and Intercession: Revival is essential for restoring our nation's foundations. This begins with prayer and intercession, as we seek God's guidance and strength to stand firm in truth. The church must be a beacon of hope and a catalyst for change in a world that desperately needs it. [24:42]
** [24:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:07] - Introduction to the Theme
[00:19] - The Importance of Foundations
[01:12] - The Church's Historical Role
[02:20] - Leadership and Its Consequences
[03:38] - Understanding the Deep State
[04:51] - Global Challenges and Spiritual Battles
[06:07] - Religious Freedom at Risk
[07:14] - The Church as the Moral Voice
[10:24] - David's Trust in God
[12:26] - Fear and Discouragement
[16:26] - The Erosion of Moral Foundations
[24:42] - The Call for Revival
[35:27] - Government's Role According to God
[46:06] - The Power of Intercession

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Psalm 11:3

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Observation Questions:

What does Psalm 11:3 mean when it asks, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" How does this question set the tone for the sermon? [00:19]
How has the role of the church as a voice of truth changed over time, according to the sermon? What historical context was provided? [01:22]
What is the "deep state" as described in the sermon, and how does it relate to Christian values? [03:38]
How does the sermon describe the impact of leadership on society, particularly in relation to honoring or mocking God? [02:20]

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Interpretation Questions:

In what ways does the sermon suggest that the church has been silenced in political matters, and what are the implications of this silence? [01:48]
How does the concept of the "deep state" challenge the church's mission, and what spiritual battles does this present? [04:11]
What does the sermon imply about the relationship between political decisions and religious freedom? How should Christians respond to this relationship? [06:07]
How does the sermon interpret the call for revival, and what role does prayer and intercession play in this process? [24:42]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on the current state of your spiritual and moral foundations. Are there areas in your life where these foundations feel threatened? How can you strengthen them this week? [00:33]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of the church as a moral compass. How can you personally contribute to your church's role as a voice of truth in your community? [01:12]
Consider the concept of the "deep state" and its impact on Christian values. How can you stay informed and discerning about the political and spiritual battles around you? [03:38]
Leadership has a significant impact on society. How can you engage in the political process with wisdom and prayer, especially in upcoming elections? [02:20]
The sermon calls for a revival beginning with prayer and intercession. What specific steps can you take to deepen your prayer life and become a catalyst for change in your community? [24:42]
How can you resist societal pressures to conform to ideologies that contradict biblical truth? Identify one area where you feel pressured and develop a plan to stand firm in your beliefs. [16:26]
The sermon discusses the erosion of moral foundations. What practical actions can you take to uphold and restore these foundations in your personal life and community? [16:26]

Sermon Clips

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? What can the righteous do if the foundations are destroyed? And it's interesting because this verse is kind of like David's going along and then he just says this and it's interesting. I looked at the Latin Vulgate, what Jerome wrote, I looked at Charles Spurgeon, Matthew Henry's commentary, Elliott's commentary in the Bible, and there's not a lot of different views. It's pretty standard on what this means actually in the Hebrew language. [00:00:33]

The pulpit in America used to give election day sermons all across the United States. The church would give election day sermons for 150 some years until this thing snuck in there, the Johnson Amendment from Lyndon B. Johnson, who didn't want the churches talking about issues. Many churches are scared of that because they could lose their 501c3 status if they talk about political issues. [00:01:23]

Leadership matters. You might not care about politics, but it cares about you. Who we have in office, who we have in the Supreme Court is huge. Either they honor God or they mock Him. That's a big deal. We're not talking about, well, this group paves the streets, this group wants to put money into planting more trees. You are talking about killing children at nine months. [00:02:19]

This deep state, there are people, you're here, hear the names, Comey, Flynn. What happened with Flynn recently? News. These are setups from people in the deep state because, for example, General Michael Flynn knew too much information. He knew a lot about the shenanigans that were going down. He knows exactly what happened with Osama bin Laden, still Team Six. [00:04:06]

Fear and discouragement chip away at the foundation. Fear and discouragement. Do you ever say to yourself, what is happening in our nation? Why are people doing something? Fear and discouragement, they chip away at that foundation. But what I enjoy doing a lot in construction was renting a huge John Deere backhoe or an excavator with a breaking bar on the end of it. [00:12:32]

The church is the moral voice of the nation. The church is getting the information out. The church people vote. Church people make a difference. Church people are the ones stirring the pot in Sacramento, so they want to silence that truth. I don't know if they know the depth of it, but it's a satanic force, I believe, working to silence the voice of the church. [00:07:09]

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? That's what's happening right now. This is a very relevant message. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? Elliott's commentary, I like what they said. They said they translated this and what they do is they look at the Hebrew language and they look at the sentence structure and different things. [00:16:26]

We believe that God honored the prayers of pilgrims and the Puritans in the 1600s who wanted to flee religious persecution, went to Holland, ended up in America. They came here on bended knee. They gave up, they gave the lives of their own children to get here. They built God's word into all areas of society. [00:18:28]

The church is the conscience of the nation. The Bible says the church is the pillar and ground of the truth. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth. And I just went over a Barna survey. You know, Barna is a Barna survey in 2016. They interviewed pastors and different things, and it's actually worse than 2013. [00:42:05]

We need to get back to that again. Guys, this is my call to you. We need people of extraordinary prayer and brokenness and humility right now. This is how we rebuild the foundations. You intercede on behalf of the nation. God said, Ezekiel, I look for a man from among them who would stand in the gap. [00:45:26]

If my people, not Hollywood, if Hollywood would seek God, boy, if we could just get our governor and our president, if we could just get a famous athlete, if I could just get the rock saved, man, can you imagine if Dwayne Johnson was safe, we could just, if we, God says, if you, if my people who are called by my name means the true, genuine Christians bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. [00:46:44]

If you turn to me with all of your heart and if you pray, if you seek my face, if you turn from your wicked ways and you pull down heaven, then I will hear and I will rebuild the foundations. I will heal your land. I will rebuild what was driven away. I don't know about you, but I'm not going down without a fight. [00:47:09]

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Restoring Foundations: The Church's Call to Action

Devotional

Day 1: The Church as the Moral Compass

Day 2: Recognizing the Deep State

Day 3: The Power of Leadership

Day 4: Standing Firm Against Erosion

Day 5: The Call for Revival

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Restoring Foundations: The Church's Call to Action

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