French writer Alexis de Tocqueville(author of ‘Democracy in America’(appearing in two volumes: 1835 & 1840), after visiting America in 1831, said, "I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, & boundless forests--& it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, & in her institutions of higher learning--& it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress & her matchless Constitution--& it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America & heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius & power. America is great because America is good, & if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!"
*In 1776, 11 of the 13 colonies required that one had to be a Christian to be eligible to run for political office.
54 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Christians, 27 held theology degrees.
*In 1777, the Continental Congress voted to spend $300,000 to purchase Bibles for distribution in the nation.
*94% of the writings of the founding fathers of the U.S. contained quotations from the Holy Scriptures.
"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: that it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity."— John Quincy Adams(6th president)
Deut 8:6-14, 17, 20—““Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways & to fear Him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains & springs, that flow out of valleys & hills; a land of wheat & barley, of vines & fig trees & pomegranates, a land of olive oil & honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron & out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten & are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, & His statutes which I command you today, lest--when you have eaten & are full, & have built beautiful houses & dwell in them; & when your herds & your flocks multiply, & your silver & your gold are multiplied, & all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, & you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;”.....“then you say in your heart, ‘My power & the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’”.....“As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.”
Ezek. 16:5-15, 22, 30—““No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born. And when I passed by you & saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ “I made you thrive like a plant in the field; & you grew, matured, & became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked & bare. When I passed by you again & looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you & covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you & entered into a covenant with you, & you became Mine,” says the Lord GOD. “Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, & I anointed you with oil. I clothed you in embroidered cloth & gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen & covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, & a chain on your neck. And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, & a beautiful crown on your head. Thus you were adorned with gold & silver, & your clothing was of fine linen, silk, & embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, & oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, & succeeded to royalty. Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord GOD. But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, & poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it......“And in all your abominations & acts of harlotry you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked & bare, struggling in your blood.””.....“How degenerate is your heart!” says the Lord GOD, “seeing you do all these things, the deeds of a brazen harlot.”
UNTIL WE PRAY-I—Matthew 6:5-15
Attention:
This country(America) is a great country when she embraces truth...
This country(America) is not a great country when she shirks/releases truth.
We cannot celebrate independence unless we celebrate independence from sin, self, & the world, thru a dependence upon God in Christ.
Need:
?Can America receive God’s blessings when she will not embrace the true & living God?
Jesus presented a model to guide His disciples praying.
God’s people have guidance to help them in prayer.
How are God’s people to direct/guide their prayers?
When are our prayers successful?
10 realities which must be embraced for successful prayer.
Until we Pray we are not free...
We are not free until we embrace...
1— We are not free until we embrace...
God’s MANNER(:9a)
Explanation:(:9a)
:9—“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”
“It should be called "The Model Prayer" rather than "The Lord's Prayer." "Thus" pray as he gives them a model. He himself did not use it as a liturgy (cf. Jn. 17). There is no evidence that Jesus meant it for liturgical use by others.”—RWP
Jesus shows me how we am to pray by giving an example...a model...a pattern.
“Manner”—outwv—Adverb—1) “In this manner”, thus, so. Strong— “In this way”(referring to what precedes or follows).
“Pray”(See :5, 6, 7)—proseucomai—
Argumentation:
Mat. 3:1-3—“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, & saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’””
Acts 22:4—[Paul says of his pre-salvation life]““I persecuted this Way to the death, binding & delivering into prisons both men & women,”
**Ps. 37:5—“Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”
**2Kgs. 17:24-27—“Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, & from Sepharvaim, & placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; & they took possession of Samaria & dwelt in its cities. And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them. So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have removed & placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the rituals of the God of the land; therefore He has sent lions among them, & indeed, they are killing them because they do not know the rituals of the God of the land.” Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there; let him go & dwell there, & let him teach them the rituals of the God of the land.””
**Php. 4:8-9—“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue & if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned & received & heard & saw in me, these do, & the God of peace will be with you.”
**Isa. 5:20—“Woe to those who call evil good, & good evil; Who put darkness for light, & light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, & sweet for bitter!”
**Ps. 33:12—“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.”
Illustration:
Driving in America vs. Britain/Sides are reversed/If I were to lapse into American driving habits while visiting Britain, I would immediately cause an accident/God’s MANNER
Learning a trade from a skilled person/
I know nothing about oystering for a living/BUT if I shadowed an oysterman for an entire year I would know whether oystering is for me/God’s MANNER
Application:
?Your Prayers embrace God’s MANNER?
?Can America receive God’s blessings when she will not embrace God?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Independence Day history.
Action:
We are not free until we embrace...
1. God’s MANNER(:9a)
Presented 07/06/2014am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave. SE
Carrabelle, FL 32322
