Sermon the State of the Faith

Sermon – “The State Of Our Faith” Sunday, January 29, 2012 Faith Temple Church – Pastor Jeff Hayes

Title: “The State Of Our Faith”

Scriptures: Several

#1 Introduction: “The State Of The Union Speech” this week!!! - Google 2 million sites that you can go to! - What is the State Of The Church/ our faith? - What do people think of when they hear Faith Temple? - Editor from the Argus Leader – talking with people! - They mentioned a variety of churches but when they mentioned “Faith Temple” what do you think they said? - Some: Food giveaway –media has covered it well, it’s a Christian ministry that people see as a good thing! - One person in the conversation with this man from the Argus Leader said, If you want to hear about Jesus go over to Faith Temple!

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Introduction: 1. Teaching From The Word Of God! 2. Not Just My Opinion, or What I Think! 3. I’m Not Here To Make You Feel Good, But Then Again I’m Not Here To Make You Feel Badly Either. ‘I WANT THE VERY BEST FOR YOU!!!!” 4. I’m Here To.... Tell You The Truth and Preach and Teach The Word Of God... 5. Hebrews 4:12 – “For The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edge sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 6. Remind each other that God has Incredible Vision and we will give an account! Page 2 7. Hebrews 4:13 – “Nothing in all creation is hidden from GOD’S SIGHT. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” 8. Holy Spirit’s Guidance – The Gift Of Jesus To Us 9. John 16:13 – “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

Scripture: Matthew 7:13 – 14 Points: 1. The Guide, 2. The Gate 3. The Goal

I. The Guide

A. The Wrong Guide 1. He Preys Upon Men – 2. I Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and ALERT. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 3. “YOUR ENEMY.... AND HE WANTS TO DEVOUR YOU!” (Weak animals get devoured by predators) 4. Our Struggle, Who Is It Against???? 5. Ephesians 6: 12 – “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” 6. Struggle isn’t against people but powers and forces 7. SUBMIT TO GOD, RESIST THE DEVIL... 8. James 4:7 – 8b “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. vs. 8b Come near to God and he will come near to you...” Page 3 B. The Right Guide 1. Who Is The Right Guide??? Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2. Ephesians 6:10-11 – “Finally, be strong IN THE LORD and IN HIS MIGHTY POWER. Vs. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” 3. Jesus in Matthew 7:14...Words In Red In The Bible are Telling Us The Right Stuff!” 4. So many analogies to point us to Jesus! 5. The Good Shepherd, the way, the truth, the life! 6. Matthew 7:14a – “Enter through the narrow gate...!” 7. Who is “the narrow Gate” – Jesus is the Narrow Gate! 8. Have An Issue With the Narrow, Gate, The Great Shepherd, The Way, truth and the life??? Jesus??? Talk To Him! 9. Have Issues with Christians, Love each other, Pray!

II. The Gate

A. What About The: Wrong Gate! The Wrong Road! The Wrong Gatekeeper Scripture: Matthew 7:13B –“For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it, ...” B. THE WRONG GATE! DON’T EVEN GET STARTED! C. DON’T EVEN GET CLOSE TO THE WRONG GATE! D. DON’T EVEN OPEN THE DOOR!!!!!!!!!! E. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET ON THE BROAD ROAD??? F. YOU’RE HEADED FOR DESTRUCTION! G. HOW MANY ARE ON THE BROAD ROAD????? H. MANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I. WATCH OUT FOR LIFESTYLES THAT SUCK UP MILLIONS OF PEOPLE!!!!!!!!! J. MILLIONS TRY TO DISMISS THEIR ADDICTIONS K. MILLIONS TRY TO STOP THEIR ADDICTIONS! Page 4 L. "Internet pornography generates $12 billion dollars in annual revenue. This is larger than the combined revenue of ABC, NBC, and CBS. $12 billion dollars in annual revenue is larger than the combined annual revenue of the NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball. "Internet pornography is big business. Every week more than 2,500 new pornographic websites come online. Sadly, the largest group of viewers is between ages 12 and 17 and the average age of a first exposure to Internet pornography is 11." M. Matthew 7:13b “For Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” N. Amercia has to ask ourselves Have We Lost All Common Sense????????????? O. Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets The worm; Life isn’t always fair; and maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or a Band Aid to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Page 5

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; along with his daughter and son, Responsibility and Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I’m A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone

The Right Gate, The Right Road E. Warn you today... Stay away from the WRONG GATE AND THE WRONG ROAD! F. STRONGLY APPEAL TO YOU TO ENTER THROUGH THE RIGHT GATE AND BE ON THE RIGHT ROAD!!! G. Matthew 7:14 – “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” H. Grid Road – Noun – Canadian. (1955-1960) “A municipal road that follows a grid line established by the original survey of the area. I. The Lord Has Surveyed Your Life And Wants You To be one a road in line with HIM. The Most Abundant Life Possible!!! J. Psalm 37:23 -24 – “The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm: though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” K. How Many Have Chosen The Right Gate and Are On The Right Road???? (Even In His Day) L. Matthew 7:14b “ONLY A FEW FIND IT!” M. John 10:9a - “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved...” Page 6 N. We want to do our own thing!!!!!!!!!! O. It’s not a NEW CONCEPT...Judges 21:25 – “In those days Israel had no king; EVERYONE DID AS HE SAW FIT.” P. Those on the road to destruction jeer those on the narrow road!!!! Q. They think that you are the one with the problem!!!!!!!!!! R. Get Drunk, Sleep Around, Use The Lord’s Name in Vain! S. Be selfish, only think about yourself, be cruel, have an attitude T. On a larger scale as a nation..... U. Only call on God when it’s convenient or a great tragedy has occurred. V. Abortion...America’s holocaust... 50 million people exterminated!!!!!! (Those who object are ridicule!!!) W.Partial Birth Abortion – KILLING A BABY JUST BEFORE IT’S BORN! (Illegal now...dangerous people believe in it) X. Adults... wanting and having sex with children... (Free Choice) Y. The Enemy Of Your Soul Wants To Get You On The Wrong Road!!! Z. Time To Stand Up For What Is Right!!! Don’t be afraid to say so!!!! I. The Guide II. The Gate III. The Goal Page 7

III. The Goal

A. The Goal Is Life! Found In The Small Gate & Narrow Road B. And Who Is Life???? Jesus Christ!!!!! C. It’s for everyone!!!

1. Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) Twenty-Sixth .....President of the United States

"I believe that the next half century will determine if we will advance the cause of Christian civilization or revert to the horrors of brutal paganism."

Ronald Reagan Fortieth President of the United States

"If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under." (36)

John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) Thirty-Fifth President of the United States

"The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God." (28)

Noah Webster (1758-1843) Author of Webster's Dictionary

"The most perfect maxims and examples for regulating our social conduct and domestic economy, as well as the best rules of morality and religion, are to be found in the Bible. The moral principles and precepts found in the scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitution and laws. These principles and precepts have truth, immutable truth, for their foundation. All the evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible."

“The State Of Our Faith” - A Complete Success if we follow: 1. The Right Guide - Jesus, Enter Through The Right Gate – Who Is Jesus , and Achieve The ...... Goal of Life, Jesus is Life!