Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:9-10

Matthew 6:10 says, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven…” There will come a day when God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. In this passage, Jesus teaches us to pray for the Coming Kingdom of Christ. It is the Kingdom of God’s government, where God rules and reigns. The purpose of prayer is for God’s will to be done. Therefore, effective prayer is finding the will of God and getting in on it. Adrian Rogers says, “God wants for you what you would want for yourself if you had enough sense to want it.”

God has given us principles by which we can know His will:

Surrender: Surrender is more than simply committing to the Lord; it is renouncing control. We'll never know God's will until we are willing to say “Thy will be done.”

Scripture: The Word of God contains the will of God. His word is His revelation to you.

Spirit: The Holy Spirit helps us understand the word of God and articulate our prayers.

This is our confidence: When we pray in the Spirit, any prayer that the Holy Spirit lays upon our hearts will be answered. Adrian Rogers says, “The prayer that originates in heaven certainly is not going to be rejected there.”

The coming kingdom of Jesus Christ is the Kingdom of God’s grace. Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us (Titus 3:5-7).

It is also a Kingdom of God’s goodness. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. He is so good.

Finally, it is the kingdom of God’s glory. God will be glorified here upon this earth. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as waters that cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

His kingdom has not come yet on earth. His will is not being done on earth, but it will be.

Apply it to your life

Have you surrendered to the will of God? As you pray today, consider praying this simple, yet powerful, declaration: “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:9-13

There is nothing more important than knowing how to pray. Adrian Rogers says, “Nothing can stand against the man who can pray, because prayer can do anything that God can do... and God can do anything.”

Matthew 6:9 shows us how to address our God when we pray: “After this manner therefore pray ye, Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name…” What happens when we say, “Father”?

First, we express God’s very nature. He is a father. 1 Corinthians 8:6 says, “But there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things in Him.”

When we say Father, we also expect His nurture. Calling Him Father infers that we are His children. When we become Christians, we are supernaturally born again. His very life comes into us. We can find great comfort in knowing we have His care. We also have His correction. Hebrews 12:7 says, “for if you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as Sons, for what son is He whom the father chasteneth not?” Adrian Rogers says, “When God saves you, He doesn’t fix you up where you can’t sin any more, but He sure does fix you up where you can’t sin and enjoy it anymore.”

We also have His companionship.

Again, we are told by Pastor Rogers, “I’m so glad that our heavenly father never gets so busy that he doesn’t have time just to close his ledger and talk to you like there’s no one else on earth and nothing else for Him to do. You can come to Him anytime any day and talk to Him and call Him Daddy.”

And we have His compassion. A true father would die for his children. That is exactly what God the Father did when He sent Jesus to take on the sins of the world.

Lastly, when we call Him Father, we exalt His name. The name of Jesus is above every name. When we hallow that name — recognize, revere, and rely upon it, we find that we have great power in prayer.

Apply it to your life

Adrian Rogers says, “We don’t bring our shabbiness to God. When we pray, we pray in the name of Jesus.”

When you pray today, call Him Father; express His nature, expect His nurture and exalt His name.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 Samuel 1

It's well been said that the head of the home is the husband, but the heart of the home is the mother. Perhaps the most powerful and influential class of people in the world today are mothers.

1 Samuel 1 tells the story of Hannah, a barren woman who wanted more than anything else to have a son. After much prayer, God gave Hannah a son named Samuel, who was considered one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament.

Hannah’s story offers five powerful principles for raising godly children.

The first is the Principle of Proper Priority.

“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish” (1 Samuel 1:10). Hannah had a God-given instinct to be a mother. She recognized that there is no greater earthly blessing than children.

The second principle is the Power of Prayer.

Adrian Rogers says, “The time to begin to raise godly children is before they're born, and even before they're conceived.”

Hannah is one of several women in the Bible who were considered barren and were later given children by God; other examples are Sarah, Rachel, Ruth, and Elizabeth. Their children went on to bless the world and glorify God. Understanding this, we should begin praying for our children before they are ever conceived.

The third principle of raising godly children is the Principle of Purpose.

Hannah’s reason for wanting a child was to dedicate him back to God. She wanted to glorify God through her child. Our prayers for our children should not regard their wealth or power, but how they will glorify God.

The fourth is the Principle of Persistence.

"Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him” (1 Samuel 1:17). Hannah was a woman of prayer, but not just prayer easily uttered and soon forgotten. She continued to pray before and after this child was born. By her example, we learn to never waver in our prayers, no matter how dark the circumstances.

Finally, there’s the Principle of Persuasion.

A mother makes the deepest impression on a child; her chief weapon in her arsenal is the influence she has over her children.

Apply it to your life

Are you raising your children for the glory of God? Remember, those who will take that priority, make that prayer, own that purpose, commit to that persistence and persuasion, by the grace of God, will raise godly children.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11:23-27

It takes a family to raise a child, and it takes faith to make a family. The most powerful and influential people on Earth are mothers and fathers of faith.

Hebrews 11 tells the prophet Moses’ divine origin story, which would not have existed if not for his parents, Amram and Jochebed.

“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment” (Hebrews 11:23).

As we learn the importance of faith for the family, there are three principles to learn from these parents' indispensable faith.

First, we note faith’s vision.

Moses’ parents recognized that he was the special handiwork of God. It is our responsibility to see our children as specific, individual creations of God, and raise them accordingly.

Second, we recognize faith’s valor.

Amram and Jochebed hid Moses for three months because the King had commanded that baby boys be killed. By faith, they recognized this physical conflict as a spiritual conflict between the gods of Egypt and Almighty God, and “they were not afraid…”

In these treacherous days, raising children is a spiritual battle and our only hope is a solid faith in Jesus Christ.

Third, we see faith’s venture.

Moses’ parents did not have a spirit of fatalism; rather, they did their part to protect their son, trusting God to do the rest. When facing challenges, we must do all we can do with a spirit of optimism. If it is God’s will, we can trust that He will move heaven and earth for our children.

Finally, Amram and Jochebed displayed faith’s victory.

Hebrews 11 notes that because Moses’ values were established in him by his parents, he valued his faith more than all the riches of Egypt. Moses embraced the virtues of knowing Christ eternally, and rejected the vices of this world, refusing to be called Pharaoh’s son. (See Hebrews 11:24.)

Adrian Rogers says, “There are a lot of pressures on our kids today, and we’d better be certain they have something on the inside.”

Apply it to your life

Are you raising your children by faith? When posed with a choice, Moses evaluated the virtues his parents established in him in his youth. This led to a determination to follow God and eliminate the things of this world. It began with Amram and Jochebed, just like it begins with you.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Reference: Judges 6:1-22

In Judges 6, Israel had forgotten God and the victory He had already given them. As a result, the nation was intimidated and impoverished by an oppressive enemy; the people’s shame was severe and continuous.

Our nation suffers shame of its own. We’ve traded authority for relativism, truth for pragmatism. We’ve traded reason for feeling, convictions for opinion. We’ve done away with the fixed standard of right and wrong. Everyone does what is right in his own eyes.

But God raised up an unlikely hero, Gideon, to fight for His people. And as our nation begins to fall into the same trap, we must recognize the four principles of victory in Gideon’s life, that we may be used like him.

First, there was the principle of vision.

Gideon had a vision of the living God. (See Judges 6:11.) Gideon lived in defeat and fear until he took his eyes from the enemy and fixed them on God instead. We have something far better than Gideon had: the Word of God and the Holy Spirit abiding in us. And there is no excuse for us not to have an encounter with the living God.

Second, there was the principle of valor.

Gideon was a man of valor, not because he felt brave in and of himself. Rather, God took this fearful man and transformed him with His power, enriched him with love, and enlightened him with a sound mind.

Third, Gideon had the principle of vigilance.

After dismissing those who were afraid to fight, God tested Gideon’s army further to see which soldiers would be careless and who would remain vigilant. (See Judges 7.)

We don’t have to be afraid of our adversary, but we do have to watch, pray, and never let our guard down.

Finally, Gideon had the principle of vitality.

God’s plan is to take ordinary people and do something incredible through them.

Adrian Rogers says, “It’s not your scholarship, it’s your relationship. It’s not your ability, it’s your availability. It’s not your fame, it’s your faith. It’s not who you are, it’s whose you are.”

Apply it to your life

How do we win the victory?

Through boldness: The God that was with Gideon is the God that will be with us.

By brokenness: God never really uses anything until He first breaks it.

With brightness: Our commission as men and women of God is to let our light shine in a sinful, dark world.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Romans 11:36

Romans 11:36 says, “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things, to whom be the glory forever.”

God is the producer, preserver, and purpose of creation. Everything starts with God, operates through God, and returns back to God.

This divine triangle is exemplified in our salvation. God first loved us and brought us to Himself through Jesus Christ. We live the Christian life through the power He gives, and one day we are going back to Him.

This divine triangle is exemplified through sanctification. We receive the Holy Spirit from God and are continually sanctified to become more like God.

It’s also exemplified through stewardship. We receive blessings from God to bless others, for the purpose of bringing glory to God. Romans 11:36 reveals three transformational truths about the power of effectual prayer.

First, the origin of all effectual prayer roots in the purposes of God. God gives us the privilege of working together with Him through prayer. Prayer is also the way God disciples us; it is how He works on us. Adrian Rogers says, “Prayer is not bending God’s will to our will. Prayer is finding the will of God and getting in on it.”

Second, the operation of prayer relies on the power of God. Our old nature does not want to pray. It is God who gives us the desire and power to pray. God also gives us the direction for praying. Prayer gives us insight on what to ask for and how to use what we’ve been given.

Finally, the objective of prayer results in the praise of God. Adrian Rogers says, “Thanksgiving enjoys the gift, but praise enjoys the Giver.” Praise and thanksgiving complete the triangle of prayer. Prayer goes into God’s presence to carry something away, but praise goes into God’s presence to remain there forever.

Apply it to your life

Each time you prepare to pray in the name of Jesus, consider these questions:

-Has God put this request in my heart, through the written Word or through His Spirit?

-Am I now praying in the energy of the Spirit rather than the energy of the flesh?

-Is the desire of my heart that God would be glorified?

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Matthew 18:15

Broken relationships in the church are a very painful problem that disgraces the Father and discourages the Bride of Christ.

Adrian Rogers says, “There is nothing worse than a church without harmony and there is nothing better than a church with harmony.”

In Matthew 18, Jesus explains how to heal broken relationships. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone...” (Matthew 18:15).

First, we must consider our relationship with the person who has sinned against us.

If he is a brother in Christ, we are members of the same body; harming him harms us. If he is lost, he needs our pity and prayers all the more; regardless, he is to be loved no matter what.

Next, we must remember our responsibility to make it right between us. Galatians 6:1 says, “...if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” We have to ask ourselves: are we sinning in a similar way? Have we been praying for that person and setting a good example?

Once we have the proper perspective, we must seek out the biblical procedure of restoration.

We don’t have the luxury of waiting for our trespasser to come to us; we go to him lovingly, privately, and humbly. If there is an opportunity for restoration, forgive him freely, fully, and finally. If there is no restoration, come back with fellow brothers or sisters in the faith. If he still refuses to listen, go before the church, as Matthew 18:17 instructs: “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”

Excommunication is a heartbreaking last resort reserved only for those who are stubborn in their own ways, who will not hear the brother, the committee, or the church that has tried to speak truth in love. It is important that we love the unrepentant offender, but we do not let him poison the fellowship. We cannot let him hurt and distort the cause of Christ.

Apply it to your life

If someone has sinned against you, don’t make it a matter of gossip; go to the individual lovingly, humbly, and gently, after first considering yourself.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 3

As Christians, we are instructed to keep the faith and give it away. We must be ready to give an account for what makes us different. We must learn how to answer a skeptic.

1 Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…”

There are four basic propositions that can help us when giving an account for our faith.

First, forego the folly of fools.

Foolishness isn’t a lack of knowledge, rather it is evidence of moral depravity. A fool is not an honest doubter, he is simply hostile toward the truth. When someone shows himself to be a fool, we should not argue with him; we should tell him what God says and go our way.

Second, we need to learn the limits of logic.

To give a defense for our faith does not mean to apologize; it means to give an answer as one would give in a court of law. We know creation’s complex design speaks of God’s existence, as does the moral law of the universe. But we must keep in mind that while logic is a very valuable tool, it can only take us so far in answering a skeptic.

We must also remember the resource of revelation.

If we want to know God, He must reveal Himself to us.

2 Peter 1:19 says, “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts…” God knows we need help understanding Scripture, so the Holy Spirit shines it into our dark hearts, giving us the light to see.

Adrian Rogers says, “The Holy Spirit takes the curtain of your skepticism and He pulls it aside, pins it with a star of hope, and floods your heart with Gospel light.”

Finally, fortify the force of faith.

We are witnesses of His existence because of what He has done in our lives.

Apply it to your life

Are you prepared to give an answer for the hope in you? When Jesus is real to us and is sanctified in our hearts, we can answer skeptics with meekness and fear.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 2 Peter 2:1

In the Bible, there is no greater crime than being a false prophet. It’s bad to tell a lie and it’s worse to teach a lie; but it is evil to teach a lie about God.

Adrian Rogers says, “Don’t let false teachers take you by surprise; when you look for the devil, never fail to look in the pulpit.”

We must learn how to spot a counterfeit teacher.

2 Peter 2:1 says, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”

Scripture tells us that false teachers are among us and warns us of the dangers of their doctrine.

We can identify counterfeits by their message. There are five tests we should run in our minds as we listen to a preacher:

-Source Test: What is the basis of his teaching?

-Savior Test: Does he believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah?

-Subject Test: Is the primary source of his teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

-Salvation Test: Does he teach salvation by grace or does he try to mix works or baptism or anything else into salvation?

-Sanctification Test: Does he teach, and endeavor to live, a holy life?

We can also identify false teachers by their methods.

2 Peter 2:2-3 says, “And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”

Good counterfeiters will lay false teaching alongside good teaching in order to confuse their listeners. Their words are feigned, like plastic; they are malleable and easy to contort.

You can also spot a counterfeiter by his motive, which is to manipulate his people for his own profit or gain.

The desperate need in these last days is authentic biblical teaching; God will not spare the false prophet.

Apply it to your life

Remember this advice from Adrian Rogers: “The world is full of counterfeits; make sure you have the real thing. There are some counterfeit Christians, but don’t you let that keep you away from Jesus. Jesus is real, salvation is real and you can be real if you’ll repent of your sin and trust Him.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Luke 14:25-35

It costs to serve Jesus Christ; we must be prepared to pay the price. Many will try to water down the Gospel in an attempt to gain more followers, but Jesus is not looking for easy followers; He wants fully committed disciples.

Jesus wants disciples who will worship at any cost.

Luke 14:27 says, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”

Jesus must come before personal relationships and reputations. His disciples must prioritize Him over their families and loved ones, and even before themselves. He must come before personal realization. The decision to follow Jesus was the last independent decision any Christian ever made; our lives now belong to Jesus.

Second, Jesus wants disciples who will work at any cost.

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it…” (Luke 14:28).

Jesus calls us to build our lives according to His blueprints, spiritually conceived through prayer. We cannot look for a cheap, easy, lazy way to build our lives for Christ. We must count the cost, and steadfastly work to completion.

Third, fully committed disciples will war at any cost.

Adrian Rogers says, “When I follow the Lord Jesus Christ, I follow Him into battle.” There is no such thing as neutrality in this spiritual warfare. Though we are outnumbered, we cannot be cowards or compromisers. Nor can we be cautious; we must go into the battle with all of our hearts and souls.

Finally, Jesus wants disciples who will witness at any cost.

“Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:34-35)!

Salt preserves, flavors, and heals; likewise, we are called to preserve truth and to have a zest about our lives that heals this sick world. But salt also burns and penetrates; it is an irritant that permeates everything it touches. We cannot fear our nature to irritate this corrupt world and permeate Jesus Christ into everything we touch.

Apply it to your life

Are you a fully committed disciple of Jesus Christ? Are you willing to pay the cost of worship, work, war, and witness?