Ignore the doom-sayers.
Posted on 09/02/2011 2:22:26 PM PDT by TaraP
Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, will be starting a new sermon series on Sept. 11 titled, "Twilight's Last Gleaming," in hopes of getting the message across to Christians that "we are not going to save America."
The sermon series kicking off on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is actually based on a book of the same name to be released in January 2012 by Worthy Publishing. The book's subtitle, "How to make America's last days your best days," is actually meant to be encouraging, according to Jeffress.
Jeffress, who has authored several books and often appears on major news networks to provide a Christian perspective on various issues, spoke with The Christian Post about his new sermon series and book.
CP: Please explain the sermon series, "Twilight's Last Gleaming," that you will be starting on Sept. 11.
Jefferess: "Twilight's Last Gleaming" is actually based on my book coming out in January by Worthy Publishing. Mike Huckabee did the forward to the book, and the book is subtitled How to Make America's Last Days Your Best Days. In this series, what we're trying to do is help people realize that, ultimately, we are not going to save America.
America's days are numbered, because this world's days are numbered. But instead of reacting with despair and fear, Christians are to realize that while we cannot prevent the demise of our country, we can delay the demise of our country by being the salt and light Jesus commanded us to be. That's really what this series is about: how Christians can be salt and light in a decaying and darkening world.
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CP: What would be your advice to Christians who are trying to navigate the current cultural terrain?
Jeffress: I really think Christians have gone to one of two extremes in the past. One extreme, in reaction to what has been happening in our country, is political activism; the belief that if we can just elect the right candidates and enact the right laws, we can save America.The other extreme has been political passivism. That is to say, "Well, that's not our responsibility. We're just to preach the gospel and leave that other political stuff up to other people." I think we're actually to do both. I think we do, as Christians, need to stand up and push back against the tide of immorality that is sweeping our country.
You know, we cannot predict God's ultimate judgment, but we can delay it just like Jonah did with Nineveh. But the reason that we're trying to bide time for our country and prevent its premature decay is not so that we can turn around our country, but so that we have an opportunity to preach the Gospel. And that's what being light is all about. You know, the light shines brightest in the darkness.
I think about what Paul [wrote to the] Philippians 2,000 years ago. They were living in a very decadent culture, even more so than ours, an anti-Christian culture. Yet he told them to rejoice in that time, realizing that in that dark and perverse generation, they could be children of light, holding out the word of light. And I believe that should be our response as Christians as well. Instead of hunkering down and buying gold and waiting for the end to come, we ought to see that we have an unprecedented opportunity to share the gospel in these dark times.
CP: You said we cannot prevent America's last days but that we can delay it. Some Christians might argue that once God appoints a certain time for something to occur, then it is going to happen no matter what. Please explain what you mean by delaying but not preventing God's judgment on America.
Jeffress: I would refer people back to the story of Nineveh and Jonah. According to Jonah, God relented of His decision to destroy Nineveh for a period of time. But God did ultimately destroy Nineveh. Jonah had the opportunity to preach the Gospel so that Nineveh was saved and so I believe that, while we can't prevent America's ultimate demise, we can delay it by being that salt, by standing up and pushing back against immorality and by delaying what is going to be God's inevitable judgment.
CP: Why are you starting the "Twilight's Last Gleaming" sermon series on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks?
Jeffress: I always start my new sermon series in the second week in September. In one sense, it's a coincidence but I'm glad it turned out this way... I believe Americans are especially going to be tuned in to what's happening in our country, what has happened, and [thinking about] the future of our country at this time. So it garners a lot of unintended but welcomed publicity.
CP: What would you say to critics who might say it is bad timing to discuss America's doom when people are going to be using Sept. 11, 2011, to remember those who lost their lives ten years ago?
Jeffress: We're going to be remembering those people, too, in our service and having a special time for prayer, not only for those who lost their lives but for those who gave their lives in the last ten years to protect our country. But that doesn't mean that we don't also look forward to what we can do to protect our country against the tide of immorality that's sweeping [the nation].
CP: You mentioned that since 9/11 is such a special day, many Americans are going to be looking for answers. How would your sermon series benefit those who are not necessarily Christians?
Jeffress: I think what the series will do for those who aren't Christians [is] make them realize that the only hope for our culture ultimately is faith in Jesus Christ. [What] I'm saying to our people is that the only way to save America is by saving Americans. ... Just like the Statue of Liberty holds up the torch, Christians need to hold up the light of the Gospel. So mainly this series is directed to Christians, to motivate them not to be angry or depressed or apathetic about our country's situation, but to be proactive and do what God's commanded us to do.
CP: You mentioned a "tide of immorality" sweeping the nation. What are some of the issues you think Christians are facing in America today?
Jefferss: One thing that I'll be talking about in the series is how Christians should vote. John Jay, the first chief justice of the Supreme Court, said "It is our duty to prefer and select Christians as our leaders." In the Old Testament days, the spiritual direction of the country was directed by the king. If it were a righteous king, the nation was blessed by God; if it were an unrighteous king, then the nation was cursed by God.
In our democracy, we get to choose our leaders. Although I'm not going to tell our people who to vote for in the 2012 election, I'm going to talk about what criteria every Christian ought to use to select a candidate for office, including the president's.
CP: Why do you think there is so much fascination with biblical prophecy and the end of the world?
Jeffress: There's fascination with it because the Bible has so much to say about [it], and I believe that if we think the end is coming, we want to know what we should do and how we should live. Now, I am not Harold Camping trying to predict when the end is going to come. I have no idea when Christ is coming, but one thing I do know for sure is that in the next 50 years, either Christ is coming or I'm going to see him.
One reason I'm preaching this series [and have written this book] is to help Christians know how to prepare for the end – whether it's for the end of the nation or their own end.
Only if Americans sit on their butts. Americans rebuilt after WWI and WWII, we can do it again if we want. That is the big question.....do we want to save our country and what are we willing to do to accomplish that?
It would take a lot of small miracles to pull America out of its sorry state. I believe that’s demographically still possible, if enough people gave enough of a damn to get off their duffs and try to do something, please forgive my French. 90% of Americans identify with some kind of creed they call Christian. Maybe half of those make a serious attempt to live according to an orthodox faith. Even the liberal other half often has qualms about more extreme questions, such as abortion and “gay marriage.”
We can’t presume an outcome since only the Lord knows how long this mortal coil has to exist, but Christians (and principled agnostics) would be amiss not to try. It has helped in the past. Believing Christians’ citizenship is in heaven, and a standing duty for them is to reach out as long as it remains possible to bring heavenly influence into the creation. That moment won’t last forever.
Ignore the doom-sayers.
“Americans rebuilt after WWI and WWII, we can do it again if we want. That is the big question.....do we want to save our country and what are we willing to do to accomplish that?”
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America, in no way, resembles the America of 20 years ago, much less 50 years ago.
The Tea Party has the only representation of traditional Americans, and they are a very small percentage.
All civilizations rise and fall.
I understand what you are saying. BUT....I will not give up on the American people until they take my guns out of my hands and as long as I have a say in anything. It seems we, Americans, have to get beat up some times before we decide to fight. As in WWII, we were getting our butts kicked for the first two years of the war. Then the American people forgot their differences and came together and kicked butt. I’m sorry, I won’t give up.
>Americans rebuilt after WWI and WWII, we can do it again if we want.<
.
You completely overlook the fact that America’s demographics have intentionally been SEVERELY altered since then. The greatest generation has died out and is not being replaced.
We are now innundated with 3rd world immigrants and with those who have no intention to EVER assimilate because their “religion” does not allow them to do so.
America does not even resemble the country I once knew — LBJ made sure of that.
This, unfortunately, is very true. However, we can’t give up. We owe it to generations past and present who have given the ultimate sacrifice to never give up. We also owe it to our children to bequeath to them our heritage of freedom. If we go down, we should go down swinging.
Are you saying we are to give up? I don’t understand this attitude.
Typical all or nothing thinking
I am not sure anybody would want to live in an exact replica of the past. Because that replica would contain the same seeds of destruction and the same shortcomings that the real past did. If America gets a reprieve, it would only be fitting to try to honor God through lessons learned. It would be still an unmistakable part of a fallen creation, and still only a temporary home.
That’s right, TaraP ... that’s the church I went to when I was in Dallas for a few years. And my dad went there, too ... for many years after he retired. It’s a good church and the pastors they’ve had there over the years have always been good. Pastor Robert Jeffress is exactly right, and it’s time for Christians to focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. “Saving the country” isn’t “in the cards” according to the Bible, because in the end, all nations of the world turn against Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and fight against Him, when He returns. It’s time for Christians to recognize “where we’re at” - right now!
It is worth remembering that Christians are strangers, passing through. We don’t belong to this world.
America was once largely Christian in population and values. Now? Read this link on a crime committed in California, and ask if this is in ANY way conceivable to an American in 1960:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.O._Green_School_shooting
A small sample:
The bullying continued when King transferred to E.O. Green Junior High School in the seventh grade, and intensified when he began attending school wearing women’s accessories and clothing, high heels and makeup in January 2008...The school could not legally stop King from dressing as such...although teachers at the school thought that his clothing was clearly in violation of school code, which prevents students from wearing clothing considered distracting....
The school issued a formal notice to every teacher...We have a student on campus who has chosen to express his sexuality by wearing make-up. It is his right to do so....
...Joy Epstein was one of the school’s assistant principals, and also openly lesbian. Some people, including King’s father, accused Epstein of encouraging Larry’s flamboyance as part of her “political agenda.” King also taunted boys in the halls, saying “I know you want me.”...
...Brandon David McInerney was born on January 24, 1994 in Ventura, California. His mother Kendra had a criminal history and was addicted to methamphetamine. In 1993, Kendra accused her husband William of shooting her in the arm with a .45-caliber pistol. In another incident, William McInerney choked his wife almost to unconsciousness after she accused him of stealing ADHD medication from her older son...
It's not giving up....it's just delaying the inevitable, which is what I've been striving for.
“However, we can’t give up.”
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That is true for many.
I am, however, now retired and have chosen an international life.
If I were still young and raising a family, I would still
be standing my ground, but I live in Realville, and I can tell when the party is over.
I was born and raised in Memphis, and spent over fifty years of my life in that area.
When I left for good in 1999, black population had gone from 40 percent to 60 percent, and made Memphis number one
in US murders.
They had taken over all elements of the government, including the nationally acclaimed Light, Gas, and Water
Division. I understand that it has now been broken up and sold off to out of state companies.
Prior to the late 90s I rarely, if ever, saw a Hispanic person.
I was in a suburban Walmart the night before I left.
EVERY customer in the store was Hispanic.
It is no longer my America, much less my parent’s country.
If I were young and had to stay, I would head for the hills
and away from any large metro areas.
I would not live in any state that votes Democrat.
Tennessee, did not even vote for home boy Goreon.
Memphis and most of west Tennessee, unfortunately, is the
ugly stepchild of the state.
ping
Amen to that!
To fight the Good fight...
Hey ST!
So good to hear from you again!
Amen!
GOD’s Blessings to you my friend!
We do not have nearly the same motivations as post WWI or post WWII American had. Our attentions to our families, elderly, the unborn, NOR to God are the same.
There really is not comparison, and God is watching.
In fact if Pastor Jeffries would make a serious comparison of the spiritual nature of First Baptist Church in August, 1945, with the present, if he is honest, he would have to say the difference is planetary.
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