Faith for the Nation | Pastor Grant Ethridge | Liberty Live Church

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♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Welcome to Liberty Live Church, we are so glad you decided to join us.

Today's your first day at Liberty, we'd love to meet you. So text CONNECT to 40371, tap the seat back in front of you, or visit us at one of our next step centers after the service today. We can't wait to meet you. Spanish Because of your generosity, lives are being changed right here in Hampton Roads and around the world. When you give, you partner with us to help change lives, communities, and the world for Jesus Christ. You can give through our website, tap the seat in front of you, or through an envelope at your campus today. Thank you for investing in all that God is doing through the work here at Liberty. You know, God is moving in so many incredible ways here at Liberty, from kids to students to young adults to senior adults. There are so many ways for you to find community, discover your purpose, and grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus. So right now, let's look at some exciting things coming up. Music Don't miss what's happening all throughout the week. So follow us on social media and connect with your campus Facebook group. Thanks again for being here today where it's not just church, it's life. Music Music Good morning church. Are you confident you serve a God who was slain yesterday? Today, you will be a God who was slain. Faith will forever. Let's go, let's clap our hands together like this, come on. Let's sing this. You've been good, good for all my life.

So nothing could ever change my mind. Cause you never break your promise. You're constantly doing what you do. Cause yours is the way, the truth, the life that I choose. Come on. And so I know that I know you won't ever let me go. Cause every low, every high, you are faithful all the time. You shall face the end I've seen. Cause you've been so, so good to me. Cause I know that I know you'll be faithful all the time. Oh, you'll be faithful all the time. Oh, I will look to the last for you. Oh, I will look to the last for you. Cause I will keep you by my side. And all my shame, nothing is losing me. Cause I've got to face the storm, things I cannot say. And so I know that I know you won't ever let me go. Cause every low, every high, you are faithful all the time. You shall face the end I've seen. Cause you've been so, so good to me. Cause I know that I know you'll be faithful all the time. Oh, you'll be faithful all the time. Oh, cause I won't stand on words of men. God, I'll stand on yours instead. Just all of my hope, all of my faith, all of it's in your name. And the world cannot deny all that you've done in my life. Just all of my days, all of my prayers, all of it's in your name.

Cause I won't stand on words of men. God, I'll stand on yours instead. Just all of my hope, all of my faith, all of it's in your name. And the world cannot deny all that you've done in my life. Just all of my days, all of my prayers, all of it's in your name. Just all of my days, all of my prayers, all of it's in your name. Cause you're so unknown, but I know you won't ever let me go. You'll never let me go. Every low, and every high, you are faithful all the time. Oh, I know, God, I know you won't ever let me go. Cause every low, and every high, you are faithful all the time. You're not sleeping, not sleeping, but you've been so, so good to me. Cause God, I know, God, I know you're singing. You're faithful all the time. Oh, you're faithful, faithful all the time. Oh, you're faithful all the time. Oh, we sing, we sing, faithful all the time. Oh, sing it out, you're faithful all the time. Oh, oh, oh. You're faithful all the time. Oh, oh, oh. You're faithful all the time. Give Him praise, come on. Woo!

Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo! He is faithless faith. He is faithless faith. All right, let's sing this, come on. As Christ is my firm foundation. He's the rock on which I stand. And everything around me is shaken. Oh, I've never been more glad. That I put my faith in Jesus. Cause He's never let me down. He's faithful through generations. So why would He fail now? He won't. He's in confidence right now. Yes, He won't. Yes, I know. Cause I've got control in chaos. I've got peace that makes no sins. So I won't be going under. I've got nothing on my strength. Cause I built my life on Jesus.

Cause He's never let me down. He's faithful in every season. So why would He fail now? He won't. Yes, He won't. I know, I know. Yes, He won't fail. He won't fail. Christ is my firm foundation. He's the rock on which I stand. And everything around me is shaken. Oh, I've never been more glad. That I put my faith in Jesus. Cause He's never let me down. He's faithful through generations. He's never let down on me. So why would He fail now? So why would He fail now? He won't. He's in the confidence, God, we're confident. He won't, I know. Yes, He won't fail. He won't fail. He won't fail. Welcome to our church family. Christ is our firm foundation. I love, we've got three baptisms happening today. Come on over here, Arthur. Three baptisms today. This is Arthur.

And I got to know Arthur through a parenting group we have, and it's just been a real joy to see how he's pressed into the Lord. And things haven't been easy. He had a health issue early in the year, and that's really what God used to draw him to salvation. He gave his life to Christ out of that. But really what he's told me is he's really realized that he's got to press in. He's got to stand firm on what God's doing. What he's just said in the back was, he kind of thought, I got to get myself all cleaned up and then I'll do the baptism, but he realized that's not how it works. So he's here in faith today that Christ is his firm foundation. He's following a believer's baptism. So Arthur, it's a joy to see you lean well with your family and to baptize you, my brother, in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Bearer of the Christ in baptism, raise the rock of newness of life. All right, come on down, Myles. And we have a young man, Myles, here. He is super excited, coming out of Vacation Bible School to be baptized. And his mom was just sharing in the back that they've had some loss. And Myles has been the one to really encourage he and his mom that Christ is their firm foundation,

that God is the one who will never walk out on them. And he gave his life to Christ before VBS, but at VBS, he was like, mom, I want to do this. And so he's here today to follow in that. And Myles, your excitement for the Lord is inspiration to all of us. Hopefully they can see you, but it's a joy to baptize you, my little brother, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Bearer of the Christ in baptism. I want you guys to meet my man Kalen. Kalen has a really cool story that starts out with some tragedy. He had lost his brother within the last year and sent him on a bit of a downward spiral, just mad at God and struggling with sin and trying to figure out why. Well, why is this happening? Why did this happen to me? And he actually went to visit his brother's graveside and said, I did something I don't normally do. I spoke to God out loud and I said, God, I want to know what you want me to do about the hurt that I'm feeling and the sin that I'm struggling with. And I said, he opened his Bible and just threw a finger on the page. And the first words he saw when he opened his Bible, the first two words said, pursue me. You want to deal with the grief? You want to beat the sin? Pursue me. Man, what a blessing. And so through a Bible study group that he joined up in Gloucester, he said, that's what I'm going to do. And so he has been pursuing Jesus and said, he knew this was his next step. And so it is a privilege, Caitlin, to baptize you, my brother, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, buried with Christ in death. Praise the Lord. I'm safe with you. I'm gonna make it through. Rain came and blew, but my house was built on you. I'm safe with you. I'm gonna make it through. Rain came and blew, but my house was built on you. I'm safe with you. I'm gonna make it through. I'm gonna make it through.

Cause Christ said, this is all on you. Yeah, I'm gonna make it through. Cause my house is built on you. Cause Christ is my first foundation. Yes, he is. He's the rock on which I stand. And everything around me is safe and I'll never be known. But I've never been more glad that I put my faith in Jesus. Cause he's never left my side. He's taken my generation. Yes, he is. So I would even now sing out, he won. We just sing out of confidence that our God won't fail. Come on. Yes we know. We know. We know. He won't fail. Yes He won't fall. Yes He won't fall. Yes, we know. We know. We know. Yes, He won't fall. Yes, He hasn't fell. He hasn't fell. And He won't fail. He won't fail. He won't fall. Yes, we know. We know. We know. He won't. Yes, He won't. He won't fall. Yes, He won't fall. He won't. Yes, or no, or no.

Yes, He won't. Yes, He won't fail. He won't fail. No, He won't. He won't fail. He won't. He is promise keeper. He didn't fail us then. Won't fail us now. In Christ alone my hope is found He is my light, my strength, and my song This cornerstone, this solid ground Firm through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love, what depths of peace When fears are sealed, when strivings cease My comforter, my all in all Here in the love of Christ I stand In Christ alone There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain Then bursting forth in glorious day Love from the grave He rose again And as He stands in victory Sin's curse has lost its grip on me For I am His and He is mine I'm bought with the precious blood of Christ I love You Jesus for Your blood Your watch is the sword of wisdom We thank You Jesus There's no guilt in life, no fear in death This is the power of Christ in me From life's first cry to final breath Jesus commands my destiny No power of wealth and no slave of man Can ever block me from His hand Till He returns or calls me home Here in the power of Christ I'll stand Oh, I'll stand in Jesus' name Oh, in Christ alone Till He returns or calls me home Here in the power of Christ I'll stand Here in the power of Christ we stand I hope you have confidence declaring that this hour Is anybody thankful that Christ is the rock that we can stand on?

I want to encourage you this hour No matter what circumstances or situations in life you may be walking through In the midst of chaos or fear or uncertainty or hardship Jesus Christ can be a firm foundation And I hope your life this morning is built on Him And we're so glad you're joining us If it's your first time or you come every single Sunday I want to tell you welcome home I really believe you were meant to be here And this is a family for you to be a part of And so church family will you help me welcome those who are visiting for the very first time? We love you and we're so glad you're here And I really believe there's a place for you to get connected At any point if you want to connect with us there is a sticker on the seat back in front of you You can tap your phone to that seat back in front of you And we'd love the chance to be able to pray for you To be able to encourage you Help you find a place to get plugged in At whatever level we'd love to connect with you that you're comfortable with And I want you to connect with those around you Will you give somebody a high five, a handshake? Tell them you're glad to see them at church this morning Good morning. Thank you. Thank you, Father. You can be seated. Hey, listen. We're getting ready to go into one of my favorite seasons in the life of our church. August 2nd, we start 21 days of prayer. And those are people who have been a part of it. There's nothing like being in the room, nothing like experiencing what God has for you. And I wanna do something I don't normally do.

This is especially for our Hampton campus. We have a vision and worship night coming up in September. In fact, every single campus is gonna have a different night. Ours is September the 19th. And Pastor Grant is gonna share that night, a new vision that God's given our leadership and our church family as we go into this next decade of ministry. And so I don't want you to miss it. I want you to mark your calendar. I want you to go on the whole 21 days of prayer journey with us because I really believe God has more for you and for your family. And I don't want you to miss what he has for you and for your life. Yesterday, we celebrated 250 years of being the United States of America. All around the world, even this morning, believers don't have the freedom that you and I have right now. And I never want us to take for granted the freedom that we have to be able to worship Jesus, the freedom that we have to be able to live the lives. What an honor to be able to be an American. And I hope you feel that honor this morning. And we put together a video to really make us think this morning about the last 250 years.

Turn your attention to the screens. This is the United States of America. A nation built by people willing to believe in something bigger than themselves. Born from the pursuit of freedom, shaped by sacrifice, strengthened through hardship. When freedom was tested, ordinary men and women answered the call. Across oceans, through smoke, into uncertainty. In our highest moments, in our hardest ones, we remember who we are. Not perfect, but united by the belief that we are the strongest together. 250 years later, the story is still being written. Still striving. Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Still one nation. Come on, every campus, say it with me. We're one nation. You're not saying it with me. Come on, say it with me. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Well, I want to welcome you on this July the 4th weekend. Anybody glad to be in church today? We welcome all the family and our guests at every campus and those of you who are joining us online. We have military families around the world, missionary families, and men and women in the Department of Corrections,

and it's a joy to bring the Word of God to you, to study the Word of God together. We're gonna have a great time. Come on, every campus, put your hands together and welcome all the family. Get your Bibles and turn with me to Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11, and we're going verse by verse through this great chapter called the Hall of Faith. While you turn there, we'll begin reading in verse 32 in just a moment, but while you turn there, let me say thank you for your generosity. Last week, we were able to send a check of $40,000 to Venezuela for the earthquake relief, and I just want you to know, you are there through your gifts, through your prayers. In fact, one of our members just told me that they were at the grocery store, and I'm telling the story like they told me, okay? They said they were at the grocery store looking for pickles, and they said, somebody said, can I help you? And they showed them where the pickles were. was where the pickles were. Ooh, my English teacher, get me if I don't straighten it out. And all of a sudden, the man began to cry and he just looked at him and said, pray for my mother country, Venezuela. And our members had the opportunity to pray with him, right there in the grocery store. Now, that's being a light wherever you are, amen? And that's what we want to continue to do, continue to pray

and thank you for your gifts that are making a difference. All right, Hebrews chapter 11, we're at verse 32. It says, and what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and I don't have to tell you about them because I did it last week. All right, that's what I preached last Sunday, four points. Today, the message is on David, Samuel, and the prophets. Let's pray. Father, I ask now that you would pour out your spirit, that you would so fill me that I would preach out of the overflow, and I pray the Holy Spirit would give people ears to hear your voice, what the spirit says, and draw us close to you, closer to one another, and I pray that today we'll leave committed to the greatest cause, the gospel of Jesus Christ and what you're doing in our country and around the world. In Jesus' name, and everybody said, amen. Well, when you read about the men and women of Hebrews chapter 11, you learn several things, the first of which is they were not perfect. You know what? Our founding fathers weren't perfect. You're not perfect, I'm not perfect. That's why we all need Jesus. We're all sinners in need of a savior, and so these men and women were not perfect, but let me tell you what they did. They lived oftentimes in uncertain and ungodly nature.

They lived out of sight, out of mind and out of heart in the things they did. They lived out of faith, and in those things they lived out ofEOVERwhelming courage, and through that courage, they came to understand the nations and the desires and the dreames that there were in those nations. And yet, God used them to shape the future and the courage to stand, the courage to stand. His story starts here in 1 Samuel 16, after Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, the Lord hasn't chosen any of these. Samuel asked him, are these all the sons that you have? Now remember, King Saul, the first king of Israel, had rebelled against God, and God said, I'm looking for a man after my own heart, and he told Samuel to go to Jesse's house and anoint the new king. When he said, are these all the sons that you have? He said, there is the youngest. He said, but he right now is tending the sheep. Samuel told Jesse, send for him. We won't sit down to eat until he gets here. So Jesse sent for him, and he had beautiful eyes, and a healthy, handsome appearance. I wish the Bible would say that about me. It's gonna happen one of these days in heaven, when I get my glorified body, amen? Then the Lord said, anoint him, for he is the one. Now Samuel almost made the mistake of anointing the oldest,

because he was a tall, handsome guy like King Saul, looking on the outward appearance, you'd say, oh, he looks like a king. He looks like a deliverer. He's about six foot two. He's got the perfect body. I want you to know, life is not fair. We don't all have the same start. We don't all get a perfect body, and yet Samuel learned a valuable lesson. God said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, to be a man after my own heart, and that's why God chose David. God didn't look at the outward appearance, watch this. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the what? Everybody say it. He's looking at the heart. Well, God calls people who are working. Don't miss the fact that little David is out tending to sheep, but when you read Hebrews 11, we start with Abel. Abel was doing what? He's tending sheep. You think about it. Noah was building an ark. Abraham was traveling on a pilgrimage. Sarah's giving birth in her old age. Isaac is opening wells. Jacob is building a nation.

12 sons, that became 12 tribes. That became the nation of Israel. So that Joseph was feeding that nation, that Moses would be the one to deliver that nation, and Joshua would be the one who would lead the army of that nation. A David was being prepared to be king by what? By being a shepherd boy. Oftentimes when the world just sees a shepherd boy, God sees a king, amen? Listen, if you're faithful with little, God'll give you much. The Bible says in Matthew 25, well done, good and faithful servant. That's what we all wanna hear one day. You are faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. You know, David's brothers, they made fun of him being a shepherd. David's brothers said, you know, you're the runt of the litter. You're the youngest in the family. And they're out there fighting with Saul and in Saul's army. And every day Goliath the giant would come out and say, you pick your best man and let's fight. And if he wins, we'll serve you. And if I win, you'll serve us. And the Bible says they were paralyzed with fear. Day after day, it was like a football team

lining up to play, but nobody would hike the ball. Nobody was willing to run the play. And that's where David shows up. His dad sent him out there with some cheese and some bread to check on his brothers. He's just sending his brothers a Hebrew happy meal, amen. And so he gets out there running an errand. He didn't realize it would be the opportunity of a lifetime. I think that we need to be reminded that every day God gives us errands to run. God gives us daily assignments. And you wanna be found faithful and ask God to see the greater picture, the bigger picture. Somebody, one of our members thought they were going to buy pickles. No, they went to pray for somebody whose family was in need in Venezuela. Do you see the difference? And so every day we have daily assignments, but we have to look for the greater purpose in those assignments. Well, we read here that David said, whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, I went after it, struck it down, rescued the lamb from its mouth. And if it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down and kill it. Let me just stop right there for a moment. He is saying God has prepared him

on that assignment out there in the shepherd field. Let me tell you what God, everything God's done in your past up to this point has been to prepare you for something that's coming. Hello? See, the way God prepares us is by the experiences of life. And he's out there every day tending to a few sheep, bored to death. You know what he's doing? He's practicing with that slingshot. And God was using that to get him ready to kill Goliath. Use the skills that you have. You can't put on Saul's armor. You can't use somebody else's gift or somebody else's talent or somebody else's armor. No, you use the gifts God's given you. Use the skills he's given you. What has God put in your hand? We pick up here in verse 45. David said to the Philistine, you come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. David is defending the honor of God, the honor of his name. And you know, when you try to take on giants in your life, you need to expect opposition. When you take on some giants, you're trying to bring down giants in your life, you need to expect criticism. We know his own brothers attacked him,

saying, you're but a boy. Even King Saul said, you're but a boy. This guy has been a fighter, a warrior all of his life. You don't stand a chance. And we see that David is going up against Goliath and he's being criticized. They're telling him, that giant is gonna chew you up and spit you out. And yet he didn't listen to the critics. And that's what I'm trying to get across to you. You gotta stop listening to the critics. Stop listening to the wrong voices. People make wrong choices when they listen to wrong voices. Now, we need to remember what Booker T. Washington said. Look at this, you measure a man's greatness, not in the position he has achieved, but in the number of obstacles he had to overcome. Can I get a witness? The battle between David and Goliath, he had so much to overcome. And it is an epic, iconic, if you will, illustration. Most people know the story of David and Goliath. And it's about the underdog and everybody's pulling for the underdog Just like we pull in for the United States of America in this World Cup, right? Come on right Don't y'all remember how the hockey game turned out? Hello Hey, sometimes we're David going up against Goliath and as we think about the 250th birthday From the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Let me tell you 13 colonies with no standing army went up against the greatest army in the world at that time It was David fighting Goliath and as a nation we still face many Giants today

Giants who would mock the Living God just like Goliath mocked the Living God Giants who want to destroy this great country Giants who want to erase our history? Giants who want to do away with our Christian heritage? Giants in the land Giants of hatred Giants of division Giants of polarization of spiritual apathy Giants of secularism Listen, don't you listen to that garbage about separation of church of state separation of church of state separation of church of state All they meant by that is this they they left England and Europe to get out of a state church the Church of England, they wanted religious freedom and So when you think about the separation of church of state, here's what I would tell you They believe in the separation of institutions not the secularization of institutions. There's a big difference Go to Washington DC. Look at the Supreme Court. You'll see the Ten Commandments You go to the Capitol you'll see Scripture you go to the Library of Congress you go to Union Station You go to the monuments. You're going to see Scripture after Scripture after Scripture. You're going to see Moses You're going to see the Ten Commandments They're not saying that we shouldn't have any Christian heritage or principles or morality No, in fact, they said without it you can't keep freedom That our liberties and freedom come ultimately from our Creator. They come from God Now that separation of church of state let me illustrate it for you You remember the Kings in the Bible you remember the priest in the Bible? Everybody's got a role to play when when King Saul did the sacrifice before Samuel got there. It didn't go well for him He lost the kingdom When King Uzziah tried to be the priest and offer up Incense what happened God smote him with leprosy There's a separation between church and state between the king and the priest in the Bible, but that is a biblical principle. Hello

And so I want you to understand that we have giants today all think about the giant of AI Whole armies of AI I Mean listen, you just think about what is coming technology Social media and yet we have all of that without wisdom without morality Entitlement without responsibility consumerism without service and ultimately the greatest giant of all is forgetting God You know the Giants Have always been there in every generation. They've been different in every generation, but faith everybody say faith Faith doesn't look at the problem faith looks at the promise We look at the promises of God, what are the Giants that you're facing in your life today? Maybe financial debt or depression maybe fear or anxiety Maybe pornography or another addiction alcoholism insecurity might be worried. Maybe stress I'm telling you don't look at the problem. You look at the promises of God David wasn't trusting in the Rock or in the sling he was trusting in God But don't miss the point God used a rock and a sling While he's trusting in God, he's picking out five stones while he's trusting in God He put one of those stones in his slingshot. I want you to know that he's trusting in God But he's aiming at Goliath He is trusting in God when he is swinging that sling getting it ready He's trusting in God when he let it go and it hit him right there right between the eyes In the forehead, I'm telling you trusting God But use what's in your hand you got to put feet to your prayers a Giant is something that is bigger than you, but it's still smaller than God. Amen And so I want you to understand for a nation to endure God's people. I've got to have courage to stand like David had courage to stand But then I also want you to see about Samuel And Samuel here is the second person mentioned, and he had the conviction to speak, the conviction to speak.

Let's pick up here and read in 1 Samuel 7, so Samuel said to all the Israelites, if you are returning to the Lord with all of your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and commit yourself to the Lord. He is calling people back to God. And it didn't matter if the judges were in power, or King Saul's in power, or King David's in power, Saul's got one job, pointing people to God, communicating to them the Word of God. And that's our job as a church today. We've got to do what Samuel did, gather all of Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf. And when they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water, poured it out in the Lord's presence, they fasted that day, there they confessed, we have sinned against the Lord. So this prayer was a prayer of confession, a prayer of fasting, pouring out their heart to God. That's what we desperately need today. That's why we have 21 days of prayer, we start our year that way. That's why at the end of summer, in August, mark your calendar, 2nd through the 22nd, we have 21 days of prayer, we come together 6 a.m. at every campus, pray every morning. Some of you are here for the first time, you're saying, did he say 6 a.m.? Yeah, a.m. It's not p.m. If I said 6 p.m., nobody'd come. You couldn't get here for the traffic, hello? But 6 a.m., starting your day, people come. And I'm telling you, we'll have over 1,000 at all of our sites, it'll come every day, 9 o'clock on Saturday morning, and then at the altar on those three Sundays. And what do we do? We fast and we pray. We start our year that way, but the August one is so important because it's a reset, coming out of vacation, coming out of the summer, getting ready for the fall, preparing

for the harvest that God's gonna give us. We come together in unity and we come together in humility. Well, we read here in verse 12, afterwards, Samuel took a stone and he named it Ebenezer. We used to sing a song when I was growing up in church, come thy fount of every blessing, tune mine heart to sing thy praise. The second verse says, here I raise my Ebenezer. I always wondered what that was. Well, an Ebenezer is a stone, and they're making the stone of remembrance that just simply says, the Lord has helped us to this point. And on our 250th birthday, I would say to you, it is the Lord who has helped us to this point. Yeah. You know, we need to be careful about saying that America was a Christian nation from the beginning. There is no state religion. None of the 13 colonies did have a state religion. It could be Baptist, it could have been Catholic, but you get the point. So they said, hey, we don't want the nation or any state telling us what religion we've got to be. We left that. Many of them fled persecution, religious persecution, and that's why they came here. They wanted religious freedom. And so we're not a Christian nation in the sense that every person is to be a Christian or a particular denomination. Did you hear that? Say amen. But there is no doubt, history records, that the men God used to found our nation, many of them were Christians. And the nation became more and more evangelical through the great awakening. It was the great awakening that set the stage for religious freedom.

For example, you've got the skeptic, the analyst, Ben Franklin. He's one of the founding fathers. He claimed to be a deist. If you read his autobiography, he said at 15 years of age, he heard a deist speak. And he said, that's what I'm going to be. I'm going to be a deist. But God used a man in the great awakening, the first great awakening, named George Whitefield. And George Whitefield was a great preacher, evangelist, who became friends with Ben Franklin. And Ben Franklin printed his sermons and distributed those sermons. It had an impact on Franklin. It had an impact on this nation. When you think about Ben Franklin, here's what I'd say. Which one are you talking about? The young one or the old one? Y'all not getting it. You look at the founding fathers and a lot of them in their early years and where they stood on issues and look at them at their death where they stood on those same issues. I don't want somebody judging me based on when I'm 15. Hello? No, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. And I want you to know that you see the great awakening setting the stage having an influence listen the number one quoted book of The Founding Fathers in all of their writings is the Bible That the most influential voice of the Founding Fathers was their clergy their pastor like Whitfield John Hancock everybody knows his signature, right? But here's what I would say, did you know that he was a governor not not just once but elected twice and As governor he issued 22 proclamations for fasting and prayer in his state Do you know the First Continental Congress began with a two-hour prayer meeting? Asking God for wisdom of how to form this nation The Declaration of Independence Expresses the conviction that our rights come from our Creator that all men are created equal where they get that idea the Bible

We're all made in the image of God Thomas Jefferson said God who gave us life Gave us Liberty. He also said this can the liberties of a nation be secure When we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God You go to any public school go to any public university and You will not hear what I'm telling you right now You're not going to hear that John Adams Who had such an influence not only on the Declaration of Independence, but later went on to be president Listen, he said the general principles on which the fathers achieved independence Were the general principles of everybody say it everybody say it Christianity I will avow that I then believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God What a statement, but you won't hear that in public school. They're not going to tell you that in these state Universities, did you know of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence 55 were considered Protestant and one Catholic that other 56 signers Who? Staked it all out Given their life whatever it took to be free from England That 29 of them went to Harvard and Yale and Harvard and Yale were not the godless institutions. They are today Harvard and Yale were the Bible colleges of this nation that trained preachers And I'm saying that's where these men 29 of the 56 went to school on and on I could go I'm just saying that listen they started with prayer and Samuel said I'm not I'm not gonna sin against God Not to pray for you. Look at this as For me far be it for me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you And I will teach you the way that is good and right and our job is the church is To teach people the way that's good and the way that is right and you can't do that apart from this book right here

Listen, our founding fathers had a conviction to speak. That's why they wrote the Declaration of Independence. They were making a statement It was Christians who led the charge against slavery men like John Adams Sam Adams Roger Sherman outspoken Christians Puritans Quakers preachers evangelists like John Wesley Charles Finney. That's why Abraham Lincoln in 1863 would say this at the Gettysburg Address That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain that this nation Under God shall have a new birth of freedom. Don't you like the sound of that and that? Government of the people by the people for the people shall not perish from the earth now, where'd he get that idea? From a preacher named Theodore Parker who in remember that was 1863 July the 4th 1858 in Boston This pastor an abolitionist minister and theologian. Here's what he said Democracy is defined as direct self-government over all the people for all the people by all the people Where'd he get that idea? I'm glad you asked in The Wycliffe Bible came out the first English translation of the Bible and it says in the prologue The Bible shall be be by the government, of the people, for the people, and by the people. I'm just telling you there's nothing new under the sun. That these men borrowed from great truths of the past. And we cannot forget our Ebenezer as a nation. That we continue to come back to the book that has guided us and has led us thus far. You know, I think about Samuel, he served under the judges. King Saul, King David, it didn't matter who the earthly personality was in power, he just kept the conviction of speaking the truth. That's our job as Christians. That's our job as the church.

And all God's people said? Amen. My third and final point is about the prophets here. The prophets. We see in them the call to serve. I couldn't help but think about Jeremiah 29, he said, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says, to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to, everybody say it, they're in the wicked, wicked nation of Babylon. He says build houses, settle down, plant gardens, eat tomato sandwiches. That's not there, but it's implied in the plant gardens, amen? I had my first one this week, oh, it was so good. It was so good. Nothing like some Duke's mayonnaise, slice you a big tomato, put that thing on there and pour the salt and pepper to it, Jesus said, be the salt of the earth, amen? Woo, that's a delicacy. Plant those gardens, give your pastor some good big red tomatoes, amen? It's all right there in the text, y'all. Build houses, settle down, plant gardens, eat what they produce, marry and have sons and daughters. Get married and have children. Oh, that needs to be preached today. So many people think, you know, if I get married, I'm going to be unhappy. No, the surveys say that those who marry are twice as likely to be very happy than those who are single. Hey, let me tell you about having kids. It's more important than your career. It's more important than the followers on social media. You know what God said he wants? He said, I want godly offspring. And so we need to be raising up a godly generation, pointing them to Jesus.

That's why I love Kids Week. That's why I love camp that's coming up this week. Hey, that's what we're called to do here, is to find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there. Do not decrease. It says, also seek the peace and prosperity. Now, where are they? They're in Babylon. They're in a wicked country. Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it because if it prospers, guess what? You too will prosper. Are you praying for the city that you live in? During 21 days of prayer, we pray for the cities where we have campuses. We need to be praying for our nation. I encourage you at the close of the service today to come to the altar. Let's pray for our state. Let's pray for our cities. Let's pray for our nation. We need it. We're desperate for it. And so we are told here exactly what we're to do. Plant gardens. You get a shovel and you get on your knees and you pray. I ask you, am I blessing the place God has put me? Your neighborhood, your place at work, the school you attend. Ask yourself, am I standing for God? Am I serving with humility? You know, we should come to these moments like this.

I mean, I was 11 years old in 1976 during the bicentennial. We're celebrating it again. I'm 61 now. Fifty years from now, how old will you be? I had two of my grandchildren with me this morning. Dalton and Lindsey are on their anniversary trip. We've got four kids. Are you ready? And we got their mother dog who had puppies two days ago. I've had no sleep. I've been up all night long. You better not go to sleep on me in this sermon. I'll get you. Oh, my. Hey, I don't even know where I was going with that. Where was I going? Oh, yeah, I had the grandchildren with me. I told you I'm tired. I had the grandchildren with me. And I looked at them and I said, hey, how old are you? And he told me, he said, I'm 10. I said, well, in 50 years when you celebrate this again, you'll be 60. You'll be as old as I am. 50. more years, where will you be? I'll be 111. I'll be with the Lord. But I want you to remember what your pastor said 50 years from now when you celebrate this milestone again, hey, don't take your freedom for granted. Don't you take the liberties we have for granted. No, I tell you, we live in a day where there is a spirit that is anti-Christian, anti-Jewish. You know why? It's the spirit of anti-Christ and he is the Messiah. But I still have hope.

Everybody say hope. Jeremiah, here's what it says, for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you'll call on me and I'll come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You'll seek me and you'll find me when you seek me with all of your heart. The signers of the Declaration of Independence, let me tell you, they were pastors. They were lawyers. They were business people. Many of them were Christians. But hear me, they had a higher calling and that is they served their nation best by serving God first. I'm going to say it again. They served their nation best by serving God first. I think about the location of our church. We're right here where it all began. Jamestown. The gospel first came to this continent, to America, at Jamestown. Wouldn't it be awesome if God would send a revival and another great awakening and let it start right here where it all began? That's what I'm praying. Hey, God sent Jacob back to Bethel. He sent Moses back to Egypt. Hey, maybe God will tell us to go back where the gospel first came and let's see revival again. And I told you, they what? They served the nation best by serving God first and we have no better example of that than Daniel. Daniel chapter 1 was a prophet and in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the whole kingdom. Hey, I want the employers and I want the government, whether city or state or local or all the way to the national, to Washington, D.C. When they see Christians, I want them to find us ten times better. Are you better? Let me tell you, we ought to have a better attitude than the world has. We got a better outlook because we know how this thing ends. God's in charge. I tell you, we should have a better work ethic. Show up early, stay late, go the second mile. Listen, do what needs to be done even if it's not in your job description. That's not in my notes, but it's good preaching. Amen? Hey, we should be better. If God's name's on it and we take his name, then it should be better. Daniel chapter 6 verse 3, Daniel distinguished himself above the governor's satraps because of an excellent spirit within him. And the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. Watch this. Promotion comes not from the east or the west or the south. It comes from above. Daniel is in a pagan land, a pagan nation, and God's promoting him. God's watching you. And then we see on two occasions, first with a fiery furnace, and then with the lion's den, how they were tested

for their faith. And you know how it is? They told Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you bow down to this idol and you worship it. And they wouldn't. They said, our God's able to deliver us, but even if he doesn't, we're not bowing down to your idol. And because they wouldn't bow and they wouldn't bend, praise God, they wouldn't burn. There's a fourth man that showed up in the fire, didn't even have the smell of smoke on them, the Bible says. Nebuchadnezzar then said, praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants. They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I decree that the people of any nation, watch this, or language, who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, will be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, watch this, for no other God can save in this way. Hey, as Christians, as the church, that's the way God's called us to be in every country, in every nation, so they'll know who the one God is who can save. Well, the last story, Daniel ends up in his latter years as an old man. in the lion's den not because of anything he did wrong he just prayed to God three times a day and they came up with a great idea because they knew he was about to be promoted they said hey let's take him out we'll make this decree that anybody praise any other God other than the King will be thrown in the lion's den and we'll get rid of Daniel but he didn't let pressure stop his patterns he kept meeting with God in the morning meeting with God at noon and then in the afternoon three times a day they caught him praying has anybody ever caught you praying oh I love it when my children or grandchildren catch me praying gee daddy what are you doing I'm talking to Jesus I'm praying for you amen hey they caught him praying they threw him in the lion's den you know what happened God shut the lion's mouth and look at what Darius see he served four they don't miss this he served four administrations for four different kings and the king of Darius here he said what he wrote to all the nations people of every language and all the earth may you prosper greatly I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God

of Daniel oh you want a sermon on the 250th birthday of our nation here it is this is what I want to take with you hey he's the Living God he endures forever his kingdom will not be destroyed his dominion will never end he rescues and he saves and he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth he rescued Daniel from the power of the lines so Daniel prospered during the reign of the Democrats and the reign of the Republicans because God is in control therefore our country and every nation must remember blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord I leave you with this George Washington said it is the duty of all nations not just this one it's the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God to obey his will to be grateful for his benefits and humbly implore his protection and favor and that's what we need to do on this Independence Weekend celebrating 250 years you remember the last prophet we looked at was Daniel and this picture I think is a great picture of him in the lion's den he's an older man the lions are hungry oh but God shut their mouths you got somebody attacking you you got somebody speaking I guess you just pray gotta shut their mouth the devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour but God can shut their mouth look at this you got the hungry lions their mouth shut you got Daniel but Daniel is not looking at the lines he's focused on the light and in these days when they we as Christians and sometimes as the church feel like we're surrounded and outnumbered and and the lines are out to to destroy us and they're roaring loud in the world you just stay focused on the light gotta take care of the lines amen stay focused on the light what's your greatest need the lion's den represents your greatest need what's your greatest need today bring it to God in prayer that's why I love as a church we have an altar culture a 21 days of prayer culture we go to God we pray we fast we seek him I encourage you today whatever's on your heart whatever your greatest need is bring it to him and I want us to pray at every campus be praying for our nation campus pastors you lead that prayer in that time today I tell you we need to cry out to God and we need to

ask him to give us faith to stand give us conviction to speak and help us to answer the call to serve bow with me for prayer it's the most important time in the service do you know the God of Daniel the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego do you know the one true and living God have you ever put your faith and trust in him pray something like this just say God I know I'm a sinner and I know I can't save myself but I believe Jesus you came and died on the cross paid for my sins rose from the dead dead and I ask you now to be my Lord and my Savior. I give my life to you and I want to follow you all of my days. Thank you for hearing my prayer and God I pray for those to make public that faith in Christ to follow in baptism. I pray that they will connect with the local church and that they'll let their light so shine before men that they'll see their good works and glorify our Heavenly Father. Lord I pray for us as a church to stand like David, to have conviction like Samuel and just surrender to your call to serve like the prophets. God I'm praying for this coming week would you move in the next generation. God I'm praying even right now that you would help us hear our prayers in this time of altar call that we would be the restraining force against evil that will stand for what is good and God I'm praying that you'd hear our prayers and answer them and be merciful to us as a nation and I pray we will not take for granted the freedoms that we enjoy like we're experiencing even right now. We love you. We need you. We're desperate for you. In Jesus name, amen. Amen. Whether you're online or joining us right here in the room we'd love to know if you prayed today to receive Christ. It is the most important decision you will ever make and we want to come alongside you. Give you resources as you begin walking and serving the Lord and so you can let us know by tapping the seat back in front of you. You can let us know by clicking right there online or texting yes to 40371. Let us know if you made the decision to follow Jesus but I want you to stand all over this room. As we end our service today we're gonna end in a very specific way. I believe there is one major call that all of us should take in response to the sermon and that is to pray for our nation. There are a

lot of times that we spend praying for things in our own lives or things in our own families but God has called us through his word to pray for our nation. If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face then will I hear from heaven says the Lord. Will I forgive their sins and heal their land. And so we want to open the altar. Even now I want you to come. We're not gonna have our staff come down and stand. Today is all about praying very specifically for our country. I want to invite the men of our church down. I want you to lead the way. Now over these next few minutes I want us to bombard heaven with prayers for our nation. You can come. All over this room I want you to take a prayer posture. As we sing, as we worship together I want you to pray specifically for our leaders. I want you to pray specifically for our education systems, for our military. I want us to pray for revival in our land. God even as people come now I want you to hear our prayers. If there's anything in us that would grieve or quench your spirit, that would hinder our prayers from being heard, I pray that you would open our eyes to confess, to repent. God start revival now even in us. God as we seek you now I pray that you would burden our hearts with the things that break yours. I pray that you would bring to mind the very things that we ought to be asking you for. God we're praying for transformation that only comes from you. And so God we're drawing close to you. We're seeking you. We're asking you to do what only you can do. In Jesus name we pray. As we worship I want you to be in an attitude and posture of prayer, and then we'll come back and close corporately together. ♪ Draw me close to you ♪ ♪ Never let me go ♪ ♪ I'll lay it all down again ♪ ♪ To hear you say that I'm your friend ♪ You're my desire. ♪ You are my desire ♪

♪ No one else will do ♪ ♪ And nothing else could take your place ♪ ♪ To feel the warmth of your embrace ♪ ♪ Help us love, help me find a way ♪ ♪ Bring me back to you ♪ Sing, you're all I want. ♪ You're all I want ♪ ♪ You're all I want ♪ ♪ You're all I've ever needed ♪ ♪ You're all I want, help me Jesus ♪ ♪ Help me know you are near ♪ ♪ Draw me close, draw me close to you ♪ ♪ Oh, never, never, never let me go ♪ ♪ I lay, I lay, I lay it all down again ♪ ♪ To hear you say that I'm your friend ♪ ♪ You are my desire, you are my desire ♪ ♪ Oh, never, no one else will do ♪ ♪ Oh, and nothing, and nothing else will do ♪ ♪ Oh, and nothing, and nothing else to take your place ♪ ♪ To feel the warmth of your embrace ♪ ♪ Oh, help us find, help me find a way ♪ ♪ Bring us back to you ♪ ♪ Oh, with every voice, you're all we want ♪ ♪ You're all I want ♪ ♪ You're all I've ever needed ♪ ♪ You're all I want ♪ ♪ Oh, help us, Jesus, help me know you are near ♪ ♪ Sing, you're all we want, you're all we want ♪ ♪ You're all I've ever needed ♪ ♪ You're all I want ♪

♪ Oh, help me know you are near ♪ ♪ One more time, sing, you're all we want, you're all I want ♪ ♪ You're all we need, you're all I want, you're all I want ♪ ♪ You're all I've ever needed ♪ ♪ You're all I want ♪ ♪ Oh, help us, Jesus, help me know you are near ♪ ♪ Help me know you are near ♪ ♪ One more time, sing, you're all we want, you're all we want ♪ ♪ Help me know, help me know you are near ♪ Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Jesus, we need you. We want you. We desire you. God, we're asking specifically that you would draw us back to you. We know that revival starts in the church, in the household of God. And so we're asking that you would bring us back to repentance, that you would bring us back to a fear of God, that you would fill us with your Holy Spirit. God, that you would make us ambassadors of the kingdom of God, that everywhere our feet go, we would claim it as holy ground. In our encounters with people,

God, we're asking that you would give us influence for the namesake of Jesus, that you would make us pillars of the kingdom of God and of the household of God. God, we're asking that you would start revival in us. I'm praying it for our campuses and our churches all around Hampton Roads. Our cities need revival, Lord. So we're praying like never before that we would see your spirit move. You would use us to share the gospel with our neighbors and our coworkers and our friends, that many people would be brought to the kingdom of God and to the light. God, we pray so specifically for our leaders. Lord, we're praying for our state leadership. I pray over the governor and her family. And I pray that you would open their eyes to the truth of who Jesus is. We're praying for salvation in the name of Jesus. I pray you would lead her to govern in such a way that she would honor the values and the principles of the word of God. God, would you use her to promote justice, to lead to what is good and what is holy and right? God, I'm praying for all of those in authority. I'm praying over our military that you would protect them in the name of Jesus. Wherever you send them, would you just surround them with holy angels to keep them safe?

As they're faithful to the call to defend and protect all of us, would you look after them? God, I pray that even in our military, in our leaders, that you would raise up godly men. God, I'm praying for a revival of men like the first and second great awakening, that you would raise up leaders in the workplace. You would raise up leaders in politics that would honor your name and make much of Jesus. God, I pray like the Jesus revolution, like the promise keepers of the 90s, that there would be an army of men who would honor your name and live for you. God, I pray for our senators. I pray for our congressmen. Now, I pray even right now this morning that every one of them would be visited by the Holy Spirit of the living God. I pray that right there, wherever they're at, that they would feel drawn to the presence of God. I pray that they would feel drawn to the person and work of Jesus. I'm praying that revival would be poured out among our national leaders. God, that you would turn their hearts toward you, that you would turn their hearts toward the word of God. We pray that they'd be saved and follow you. I pray for our president, for his cabinet, for his family. Lord, I pray that they would honor and serve Jesus, in such a way that it would lead our nation back to you.

God, if any of them do not know you, I pray that all of them would be invited by your Holy Spirit to the truth of the gospel, even now when they sent your spirit with them. Lord, I'm praying for the next generation. I pray for our school teachers and our education systems. I pray for generations that are coming along behind us, that they would grow up in favor with God and with man, that they'd be taught good from wrong, that they would know what's evil and what is right. God, I pray ultimately that there would be an outpouring, even this week at student camp, that there would be an outpouring of revival among the next generation as they turn to Jesus. Do it for your namesake and your kingdom. In Jesus' name we pray. Everyone said, amen and amen. Hey, I pray you take this spirit of prayer with you. If you don't have a normal routine every day of spending time with God, of praying for our cities and our leaders, I pray that you would make this the habit of your life. This is what God calls us to as believers. We're called to stand in the gap, to lead people toward Jesus. And so I pray even this week that you would have that kind of daily routine and pattern. Would you do this? Would you pray for us as we go to student camp this week? I'm gonna be preaching.

I'll be going with our teenagers. We'll have a thousand students there. And I'm just believing that God is going to move in our students' lives this week. And so be praying for all of our students and all of our leaders as we go. And I hope you're encouraged this morning. I'm so thankful for the nation that we get to live in. I'm so thankful for our military. It's unbelievable what you all do to protect our freedom. We love you. We're praying for you. And we can't wait to see you next Sunday. God bless you. Have a great day. ♪ Faithfulness, I will rest ♪ ♪ In your promises, my confidence ♪ ♪ Is your faithfulness ♪ ♪ Faithfulness, I will rest ♪ ♪ In your promises, my confidence ♪ ♪ Is your faithfulness ♪ ♪ Faithfulness, I will rest ♪ ♪ In your promises, my confidence ♪ ♪ Is your faithfulness ♪ ♪ Faithfulness, I will rest ♪ ♪ In your promises, my confidence ♪ ♪ Is your faithfulness ♪ ♪ Faithfulness, I will rest ♪ ♪ In your promises, my confidence ♪ ♪ Is your faithfulness ♪

♪ Faithfulness, I will rest ♪ ♪ In your promises, my confidence ♪ ♪ Is your faithfulness ♪ ♪ Faithfulness, I will rest ♪ ♪ In your promises, my confidence ♪ ♪ Is your faithfulness ♪ ♪ Faithfulness, I will rest ♪ ♪ In your promises, my confidence ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪

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♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ I know that there's a heaven out there, but this world sure feels like hell. No money, but there's bills to pay. Lord, let my soul know that it is well. Sometimes it's raining, and my ways keep failing. Still my heart's too cold that you are enough. Cause behind every stormy cloud, the light of the sun, behind every loss is a battle that's won. I put my life in the hands of the one who made mine. No matter the days past, waiting, impatient, I swear that you'll find, you will never be late on God's hand. When this world's trying to bring me down, remind my soul that you are good. Yes, you're good Lord. Cause there's a hope of glory, Lord, you redeemed my story. By faith I am assured.

Sometimes it's raining, and my ways keep failing. Still my heart's too cold that you are enough. Cause behind every stormy cloud, the light of the sun, behind every loss is a battle that's won. I put my life in the hands of the one who made mine. No matter the days past, waiting, impatient, I swear that you'll find, you will never be late on God's hand. We wait on God's hand. Never late on God's hand. We're safe on God's hand. We wait on God's hand. Never late on God's hand. Yeah, we're safe on God's hand. On God's hand. We wait on God's hand. Never late on God's hand. We're safe on God's hand. Cause behind every stormy cloud, the light of the sun, behind every loss is a battle that's won. I put my life in the hands of the one who made mine. No matter the days past, waiting, impatient, I swear that you'll find, you will never be late on God's hand. Never be late. No, you will never be late on God's hand. You will never be late on God's hand. You will never be late on God's hand.