America - Our Greatest Challenge
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 07/07/2018
Foundation Scriptures:
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:4-14 KJV
1. Deception.
a. Deceit; duplicity; double-dealing; fraud; trickery; chicanery; deviousness; slyness; wiliness; guile; bluff; lying; pretense; treachery; fraud; hoax; fake; ruse; cheat; swindle; con; scam.
b. Deception is being used on the population from every side.
c. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
d. From the cradle to the grave.
e. If you are not teaching and instructing your own children – someone else is.
f. Daycare; Elementary school; High school; University.
g. Students are pressured to go along with the crowd (group think).
h. They are discouraged from individuality and steered away from independent thought.
i. They are encouraged to unquestioningly accept whatever the teacher, or professor, or “expert” tells them.
j. Influences through media; Hollywood; music industry; celebrities; sports stars; politicians.
k. Puppets; fake news; misinformation; disinformation.
2. Measure Everything Against the Standards of God’s Word.
a. Don’t believe everything you hear.
b. Be discerning.
c. Do not just believe things because someone said it, posted it online, or made a movie about it.
d. 2 Timothy 2:15-16 AMPC – “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. 16 But avoid all empty (vain, useless, idle) talk, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.”
e. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 AMPC – “But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.”
f. Hebrews 5:13-14 KJV – “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
3. Lies Which Divide.
a. The attack on ministry/our ministry.
b. Twisting facts; making up lies; no basis in truth.
c. Of the seven things that are an abomination to God, two of them are: “A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:19 KJV)
d. One of the current lies being propagated, in order to sow discord, are critical race theory and identity politics.
e. Asking the question: “Can white people be saved?”
f. Acts 10:1-35
g. Verses 34-35 KJV: “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
h. God is not black or white or brown.
i. He loves the world – He loves the nations.
j. John 3:16-17 KJV – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
k. Genesis 12:3 KJV – “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
l. Galatians 3:8 KJV – “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”
m. In Acts 2, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in heavenly tongues, a multitude of people each heard their own languages being spoken.
n. The Holy Spirit doesn’t discriminate.
o. In Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17, God promised that He would pour out His Spirit upon ALL flesh – men AND women, of ALL colors and ALL ages.
4. We Can Not and Will Not Allow the Enemy to Divide and Conquer Us.
a. The agenda to cause division is operating all over the world – in many nations.
b. We cannot allow ourselves to take offence or to be drawn into the conflict.
5. Be a Part of the Solution.
a. We must win souls and turn people’s hearts back to God.
b. 1 John 4:20-21 KJV – “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”
c. We must come against racism and classicism in every form.
d. Let’s cast a Gospel net across Tampa and bring in a great harvest.
e. Jesus is coming soon.
f. Let’s see America shaken.
6. Things We Can Do.
a. Pray.
b. Go and do.
c. Reach out.
d. Make a positive difference.