The Time has Came

The Time has Come The Time has Come Tony Cansler / General 2 Chronicles 7:14 The Time has Come for an Awakening As we enter this time together my prayer and hope is you will allow your house to transform into a “House of Prayer” and a “House of Praise” today. The “First Church” during their birth and early life met in peoples houses, many today in other countries met in peoples houses, our church plant when it first began met in this house for a couple of months before we moved into a space. Let this day your house be turned into His house, God’s house and let it be a “House of Prayer” and a “House of Praise” Don’t think for a second that because you are not in a church building that the Lord cannot show up. He can, and He will if you will open the doors unto Him today. The church is not the building, the church is the Lord and the People Matthew 18:19–20 KJV 1900 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 1 Pray For the past ten weeks we have been studying the book of Esther and preaching thru the “For Such a Time as This” series. The Lord and The Lord’s people were the keys the salvation of the Jews and they were there at that time with a specific purpose for the Lord’s plan. The Time has Come for an Awakening of the Church and Christians. I think today’s text reveals the keys to an Awakening. 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV 1900 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Let us see what the Lord has revealed The Needed People “If my people, which are called by my name” The original intent of this text was Given to Solomon and Israel. Solomon had just built the Temple, and he had just finished the dedication prayer (which I encourage you to read chapters 6 and 7 in their entirety to grasp what was taking place here). While this originally was not written to us it was given unto us. It certainly applies to us. Please be aware that this is for God’s people. Are you God’s people? How do you know that this morning? Let’s chat about this for just a moment. To be a child of God you must be born of God. Have you been born of God? All of us listening or watching today have been born Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 2 once, but the question is have you been born twice. We have all experienced the water birth (natural birth), but not all of us have experienced the spiritual birth which Jesus spake about in John 3 John 3:1–7 KJV 1900 1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:14–18 KJV 1900 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 3 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. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. The second birth Jesus is referring to in John 3 is the birth of a relationship with Jesus. It is that time that you stop to submit and surrender everything unto the Lord. It is laying down the old and taking on the new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV 1900 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Have you experienced that second birth? If you haven’t let me encourage you to take that step and be born again. Here are the steps to experience the second birth and be born again. Step one - Do you realize you are a Sinner? We all have sin in our life Romans 3:23 KJV 1900 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:10 KJV 1900 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Step two - Do you believe in the Risen Savior, Jesus Christ” Matthew 28:6 KJV 1900 Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 4 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Step three - Pray unto the Lord Say a prayer like this in out own words and begin a personal relationship with the Lord today. Will you? You can say this prayer and be spared the punishment of Hell. Dear Lord Jesus, I come before you realizing I am a Sinner, I believe that you died for me, that you resurrected for me, and that you love me, and desire to be in my life. I ask you to forgive me of my sin. I seek you to come into my life. I am fully surrendering myself unto you and submitting myself unto your leadership and lordship. I desire a personal relationship with you, may we walk together the rest of my life. Thank you for forgiving me and allowing myself to surrender unto you. Next Steps • Unite with a local bible believing church that preaches the Word of God • Share your newfound faith with others • Read the Bible daily beginning in the book of John • Pray unto the Lord • Follow the Lord in Baptism If you are Born again the meat of this message is to you. We can blame our country including Washington for our problems, we can blame other countries for our problems. But the reality is as a born again believer we need to own this, we need to own that responsibility. Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 5 The people of God have became too complacent, resting on our laurels and doing nothing. The Needed Position of the People “shall humble themselves” America and our people are a very proud people, the day has came that we should transform from a proud people to a humble people before the Lord. As long as we hold onto that pride in our life it is going to restrict our relationship with the Lord. Proverbs 6:16–17 KJV 1900 16 These six things doth the Lord hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, Proverbs 16:18 KJV 1900 18 Pride goeth before destruction, And an haughty spirit before a fall. 1 John 2:16 KJV 1900 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. James 4:6 KJV 1900 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Matthew 18:4 KJV 1900 Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 6 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Romans 12:3 KJV 1900 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. James 4:10 KJV 1900 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 1 Peter 5:5 KJV 1900 5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Luke 18:9–14 KJV 1900 9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 7 rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The People’s Need to Pray “and pray” Taken from a Abraham Lincoln speech which Adrian Rogers used in his sermon We have been preserved these many years in peace, prosperity, unprofaned by the foot of an invader, but we’ve forgotten God. We’ve forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, which multiplied, enriched, strengthened us. We have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all of these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom or virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we’ve become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming, preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us. - Rogers, A. (2017). A Conversation with Abraham Lincoln. In Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (2 Ch 7:14). “pray” such a small word with such a major impact. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV 1900 17 Pray without ceasing. One pitfall people run into when praying is the fear of not knowing how to pray Many today struggle with prayer because they simply do not understand or no what to pray. Prayer is simply a Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 8 conversation with the Lord, let’s not complicate it nor should we con-volute it. Just a little talk with Jesus is all you need. We know how to talk to others, let us treat the Lord no different. Let me try to help you out a little more. Have you ever been going thru something difficult and you turn to one of your friends to talk to? You share your heart to them pouring everything out holding nothing back, right. Don’t do anything different when it comes to prayer, just pour out your heart to Jesus. You don’t have to say special words or phrases, just talk to Him. You can also ask the Lord to teach you to pray. Luke 11:1 KJV 1900 1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. Don’t be so consumed with trying to get everything perfect with your words, just have a little talk with Jesus. Another pitfall people one into when praying is when they don’t get an immediate answer they give up . We need to remember the Lord answers on His schedule and in His way. When a Born again believer prays you can be sure that the Lord Hears their Prayers. The Lord will answer the prayer in His timing not our timing. We may feel we need the answer immediately or on our schedule but that may or may not align with the Lord’s Timing. The Lord answers according to His will. The Lord will answer in one of four ways. • Yes • No Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 9 • Not Now • Not that Way Another Prayer Pitfall (and there is many more, I am just hitting 3 common ones) is Praying with Sin in your life. Psalm 66:18 KJV 1900 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me: Isaiah 59:1–2 KJV 1900 1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. If you harbor sin in your life God will not Hear or Heed your request. When you come before the Lord be cleansed of Sin first by asking Him to forgive you of your sin and to Help you to turn from it and turn to Him James 5:16 KJV 1900 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The People’s Need to Pivot “and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways” The Pivot that is needed is to Repent or Change from our current path and travel the Lord’s path. I am going to call out two requirements to succeed in this pivot. Adrian Rogers said that Repentance is more than Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 10 Conviction of Sin, Repentance is more than Confession of Sin, Repentance is more than Contrition for Sin, It is a whole hearted change. To Pivot requires us to Seek the Lord “seek my face” Deuteronomy 4:29 KJV 1900 29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 1 Chronicles 16:10–11 KJV 1900 10 Glory ye in his holy name: Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. 11 Seek the Lord and his strength, Seek his face continually. 1 Chronicles 22:19 KJV 1900 19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord. Psalm 105:4 KJV 1900 4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: Seek his face evermore. Isaiah 55:6 KJV 1900 6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near: To Pivot requires us to Separate Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 11 from the World “turn from their wicked ways” Matthew 3:2 KJV 1900 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Luke 13:3 KJV 1900 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Acts 3:19 KJV 1900 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 2:38 KJV 1900 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Revelation 2:5 KJV 1900 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Abraham Lincoln Speech quoted by Adrian Rogers Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive Introduction My friends, we cannot escape history. Those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord. And, it is fit, becoming, in all people at all times to acknowledge and revere the supreme government of God, to bow in humble submission to His chastisements—and insomuch as we know that by His divine law, nations, as well as individuals, are subject to punishments and chastisements in this world. May we not justly fear that the oft calamities which now desolate our land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 12 presumptuous sins, for our national perverseness and disobedience to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people. We seem to be surrounded this night with adverse circumstances well fitted to try our public faith and individual virtue. My friends, we are going through a great trial—a fiery trial—and this fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation. We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last, best hope on earth. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. We—even we here—hold the power and bear the responsibility. Therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do earnestly recommend to all the people—to my fellow citizens—that they unite with me as the Chief Magistrate of the nation, with all loyal and law-abiding citizens, and reverently humble ourselves in the dust and from thence to offer up fervent prayers and supplications. We must employ the compassion, forgiveness, of the Almighty. We must implore Him in whose hands are the destinies of the nations not to destroy us as a people or suffer us to be destroyed by the hostility or connivance of other nations or by obstinate adhesion to our own counsels, which may be in conflict with His eternal purposes. We must employ Him to lead the whole nation through the paths of repentance, to enlighten the mind of the nations to know and to do His will, humbly believing that our flesh should be maintained as a united people among the family of nations. My friends, we are not now what we once were. Our republican robe is soiled, trailed in the dust. Let us re-purify it. Let us turn and wash it white in the full conviction that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). Let us remember that sublime truth announced in the Holy Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 13 Scriptures, proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord. (Psalm 33:12) And, having chosen our course without guile, with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God and go forward with manly hearts, with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right. Let us turn this government back into the channel in which the Framers of the Constitution originally placed it, that this nation under God might have a new birth of freedom. Oh, my friends, it is worth your every effort. The People’s Promise “then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” Promise to Receive “hear from heaven” 1 John 5:14–15 KJV 1900 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1 Peter 3:12 KJV 1900 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 14 Proverbs 15:29 KJV 1900 29 The Lord is far from the wicked: But he heareth the prayer of the righteous. Promise to Release “forgive their sin” Ephesians 1:7 KJV 1900 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; James 5:15 KJV 1900 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 1 John 1:9 KJV 1900 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Promise to Restore “heal their land” Restore us from Sin Psalm 51:12 KJV 1900 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit. Restore us from Sickness James 5:15–16 KJV 1900 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 15 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Restore us from Suffering Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive IV. The Promise God Honors When the Church gets right, when we begin to do what we ought to do, then we’ll begin to deal with all of these other problems. Stop pointing fingers. Bow the knee before God. Get right with God. Don’t worry about the man to your right or the man to your left. Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive IV. The Promise God Honors I don’t know whether we’ve crossed the threshold or not —whether we’ve crossed God’s deadline or not. But, I’m telling you, if there were ever a time that we need to repent, this is the time, this is the day, this is the age. Don’t put it off until tomorrow in your own personal life. Tomorrow you will only have more sin to repent of and less time to repent in—and more sin to repent of. You say, “Well, I’m saved.” Well, I’m saved, too. When I was saved, I repented of my sin and I turned to the Lord Jesus Christ. But, I’m going to tell you something: I’ve done far more repenting after I got saved than I did when I got saved. And, the reason for that is I’ve learned far more about God and I have learned far more about me. I remind you again that the hope of America is not in the White House, not in the schoolhouse, not in the courthouse, but in the church house. The Time has Come for an Awakening The Time has Come for the Church to Awaken The Time has Come for Christians to Awaken Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 16 There is two keys to an awakening, the first key is the Lord Himself, the Risen Savior, the Christ. The second key is the Lord’s People, the Resurrected Saints, the Church. Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:37 AM March 29, 2020. 17