Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus’s model prayer in Matthew 6 teaches us that it is not the length or language of our prayers, but their faith and focus that elevate them to Heaven. Verse 11 says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Bread is symbolic of any need we may have. It gives God honor to meet our needs. Adrian Rogers gives four steps on how to pray for our daily bread.

We must establish a proper priority.

We must express our prayerful petition.

You must exercise a personal performance.

You must enjoy a present provision.

Notice the priority established in Matthew 6:9-13: Thy name, Thy kingdom, Thy will, our bread, our debts, our temptation. If we don't establish this priority, we will not see an answer. Adrian Rogers says, “There's one place that God will not work and that is second place.”

Adrian Rogers tells us, “Prayer is the key that unlocks heaven’s treasury.” God will not meet greed, but He delights in meeting every need. He says “Ask of me and I will answer thee” (Jeremiah 33:3).

We must learn to ask: “Give us this day bread sufficient for us: what we need.”

Proverbs 30:7-8: “Two things have I required of thee. Deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with food convenient for me.”

Prayer is not a substitute for work and diligence. Proverbs 20:4 says, “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold. Therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing.”

We show our faith by doing something, for faith without works is dead (James 2:26).

If we do not learn to be content in any state, we will never be content. The Bible does not tell us not to plan, but the Bible very clearly tells us not to worry.

Be content with a little and don’t worry about tomorrow. Who needs a barn of stale bread when our Father is a Rich Baker?

Apply it to your life

When you pray for God’s daily provision, are your priorities aligned with His? Have you asked for His providence? Are you prepared to work for what you’re asking for? Are you thankful for what He’s given you today?

The Coming Kingdom of Christ (1688)

Matthew 6:10 says, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven…” There will come a day that 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. (Habbakuk 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.”

When We Say "Father" (1684)

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.

Heaven’s Bread for Earth’s Hunger (2252)

No matter how different we may be, human beings have one thing in common: our souls are hungry for something this world cannot satisfy. But the Bible says, Jesus is Heaven’s Bread for earth’s hunger.

In John 6, Jesus is speaking to a great multitude that was growing hungry, but there was no food to eat. Yet, they were fed.

This story reminds us, first, that there is no problem too big for God to solve.

Secondly, we are reminded that there is never a person too small for God to use. Adrian Rogers says, “Don’t insult God by saying God cannot use you; He takes ordinary people, does extraordinary things.” In this story, Jesus used a little boy’s lunch to feed five thousand people. The boy offered what little he had; it was received and blessed by Jesus, and then multiplied.

Third, Jesus is the spiritual bread that satisfies the deepest hunger of our souls. John 6:32-33 says, “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from Heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from Heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” Jesus reminds the multitude of the day of Moses, in which the people of God received manna from Heaven in the wilderness. This story is symbolic of Jesus, who is not only spiritual bread, but also supernatural bread, having come down from Heaven.

Jesus is also the satisfying bread. John 6:35 says, “Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

Finally, Jesus is sustaining bread. John 6:57-58 says, “As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven… he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Jesus offers everlasting, abundant life through Him. We’ve been invited to the table, to feed upon Heaven’s Bread, that we may never be hungry again.

Apply it to your life
Are you hungry for the Lord Jesus? Or are you too filled with other things? Spend some time today feeding on God’s Word.

Is There Hope for America? (5648)

Is there hope for America? Yes: Jesus Christ’s spirit in us is still the only hope for America. However, it seems America is in a post-Christian era; professing Christians now enter hostile territory. We may be tempted to retreat or to allow political strategies to substitute the gospel of Jesus Christ. But we don’t have the luxury of silence. We’ve been called to preach the Gospel and come to the aid of our brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of denomination, vocation, economic status and race.

If we want to share the only hope for America, we must adopt the principles found in 1 Peter 3.

The first principle we must adopt is lordship.

1 Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…” Nothing should come between us and our obedience to God. Before anything else, we must sanctify the Lord God in our hearts.

Secondly, adopt the principle of learning.

1 Peter 3:15 goes on, “...and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you of the reason of the hope that is in you…” The answers to the world’s questions are readily available to us in God’s Word. We need to be the people in society and politics who know what they believe and why they believe it.

The third principle to adopt is lowliness.

1 Peter 3:15 goes on: “...with meekness and fear.” Adrian Rogers says, “Meekness is strength under control. And the word fear in this context is a holy reverence for Almighty God.” We can’t be arrogant; Lowliness and true humility were the method that Jesus used in His ministry, and it is what we ought to use.

The fourth principle to adopt is a new lifestyle.

There needs to be something different about us. We are called to be set apart.

The final principle to take on is love.

1 Peter 3:8 says, “Finally, be ye of all, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.”

Churches need to be places of love. People need to know, not what we’re against, but what we’re for, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Apply it to your life
Have you adopted these principles? The only hope for America is Christians who begin to look more like Christ, the Savior of the world.

The Politics of Pilgrims (2133)

As Christians of this day and age, our greatest need is to realize that we are pilgrims heading to a home which is not of this world.

The Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Philippians from a prison in Rome; a city of great hostility toward Christians. It was in this prison cell he told the church of Philippi: “Our citizenship is in heaven.” (Philippians 3:20) He points out the politics of those once born and of those twice born. We notice there is a great contrast in their affections, allegiance, and aspirations.

In order to understand the politics of pilgrims, we must first:

- Remember our mandate. Our mandate is still the Great Commission, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.
- Utilize the right method. Our ally is the Holy Spirit. Our source of supply is Almighty God. Our Commander in Chief is Jesus Christ. And our battle ax is the Word of God.
- Have the right mindset. Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice.”

It’s easy to become bitter about what wicked people in power are doing. But we are supposed to keep our eyes on Jesus and rejoice always.

Knowing our politics, we can commit to the Pilgrim’s Resolution:

1. “I will not despair.” Adrian Rogers says, “It may be possible for some earthly kingdom to be in decline and God’s kingdom to be doing quite well.”
2. “I will not be intimidated.” Be encouraged when the polls do not turn in our favor: we belong in the minority. Jesus says in John 15:18, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
3. “I will not be bitter.” Philippians 4:8 encourages us to dwell on “...whatsoever things are true… honest… just… pure… lovely… of good report… of any virtue… of any praise.”
4. “I will not compromise.” Don’t stop voting or participating. Adrian Rogers says, “We must hold high the flag of Jesus Christ, the blood-stained banner of our Prince and King and never compromise Jesus Christ.”

Apply it to your life
As Adrian Rogers says, “Let the Congress make the laws. Let Hollywood run their garbage pit. Let Wall Street take care of the economy. And let’s tell this world about Jesus.”

Christian Citizenship (2080)

What does the Bible say about Christian citizenship? What are our responsibilities, duties, and rights? What are Christians to do, to think, and how are we instructed to behave?

Many Christian citizens shy away from political involvement for various reasons. Some are discouraged, others are intimidated or annoyed.

But Romans 13:1-7 encourages us, first, to look at the reasons for human government.

The Bible tells us that human government is ordained by God.

Daniel 2:21 says, “He (the Lord), removeth kings and setteth up kings.”

God ordains human government for two reasons: to restrain evil and to reward good.

Romans 13 also outlines the requirements for human government.

In Matthew 22, Jesus tells the people, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.”

As Christians, our responsibility is, first and foremost, to God; but we do have a responsibility to human government.

Adrian Rogers says, “Separation of church and state does not mean the separation of God and government.”

The government is here to restrain evil. The church is here to preach the Gospel. The state is not the master of the church, and the church is not the master of the state.

The church is the conscience of the state. We are here to hold up a standard of truth.

There are six duties Christian citizens have concerning our government.

1. Pay our government: Jesus paid His taxes; we ought to do likewise.
2. Pray for our government: Adrian Rogers says, “The greatest responsibility in America is not in the White House but in the church house.”
3. Praise our government: We are to give honor to whom honor is due.
4. Preach to our country: Adrian Rogers says, “We dare not identify the Christian faith with the Democrat or the Republican Party. We need to be free to tell both parties to repent and get right with God.”
5. Participate in our government: Christians are to participate, not on the basis of parties, but principles. We are to be informed.
6. Persuade our government: Our hope for America is to change public opinion. The Great Commission remains the same: we are instructed to win souls for Jesus Christ.

Apply it to your life
Have you been a good steward of your Christian citizenship? Are you involved? Get informed and pray for our government.

The Leadership Crisis in America (1939)

God has ordained our government and commanded us to get involved in the decisions made for the leadership of our country. Adrian Rogers says, “Leadership is really stewardship, because the leader acts for God.” Jesus taught us to participate in government when He said We are to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. We’re to render to God the things that are God’s. (Matthew 22:21)

There are four basic principles to consider when responding to the leadership crisis in America.

Think first about the character that God requires in leadership. God blesses good character over ability. When you go to vote, consider the following qualities that God requires:

Godliness: Nobody is fit for leadership who is ungodly or unrighteous.

Wisdom: Does your candidate have the wisdom that can only be given by God?

Honesty: Proverbs 20:28 says, “Mercy and truth preserve the king.”

Discernment: Someone who is able to distinguish between good and bad.

Sexual Morality: If a man has no moral standard of his own, he can’t set a moral standard for the nation.

Sober: Look for a leader who is not only sober-minded, but simply sober.

Protective: A good leader protects the weak and defends those who cannot defend themselves.

Secondly, remember the choice that God respects. God allows us to choose against His will, and that is the reason we receive the poor leadership we deserve. Adrian Rogers says, “Wicked rulers are God’s reward for wicked people.”

Third, see the consequences that God reveals. It is deeply disturbing to consider that America doesn’t know the trouble she’s in on the path she’s currently walking. Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”

But ultimately, remember the control that God reserves. Even if wicked men make wicked choices for wicked rulers lead, God has forsaken control. God is still the King of kings.

Adrian Rogers says, “If we do not allow God to rule in America, God will still overrule.”

Apply it to your life
What should we do about the leadership crisis in America?

1. Pray for revival.
2. Prepare for suffering.
3. Prepare for His arrival.
Let the voting polls be a reminder: Jesus is coming, soon.

How to Pray for America (2482)

America is at a crossroads of morality and spirituality and we cannot afford to take it lightly. Our nation has been taken captive by the world, the flesh, and the devil. In times of crisis, we remember that our greatest resource is prayer, and our only hope for this country is God. We must understand how to pray for America because only prayer can hold back the judgment of God.

In the Book of Daniel, God’s people had been taken captive by the Babylonians. In chapter 9, we find a very specific prayer from Daniel for his nation, asking God for deliverance.

It was a prayer with serious concentration.

Daniel 9:3 says, “And I set my face, unto the Lord God.” It is not the length, eloquence or frequency, but the faith and fervency of our prayers that reach the ears of the Lord. If you want to strengthen your prayer life, consider fasting. In the Bible, God always links fasting with spiritual activities. We should be careful to fast for the right reasons, not for our own glory. If you feel called to fast, first examine your motivation and avoid extremism. Pray for God’s guidance; be wise about when you fast and for how long.

Daniel also prayed with steadfast confidence.

Adrian Rogers says, “It is impossible to see the greatness of God and the mercies of God and not pray with confidence. Face your problem, but focus on your God.”

Daniel also prayed with sincere confession. He confessed his personal sin, but also asked God for forgiveness on his nation’s behalf. Likewise, we should confess the sins of America to God: our greed and materialism, our neglect of the poor, our racism. We should ask God’s forgiveness for our nation’s sexual immorality, for killing the unborn, for the humanism we’ve allowed to infiltrate our schools. We must identify ourselves with our nation, and confess on its behalf.

Lastly, Daniel prayed with spiritual concern.

In chapter 9, Daniel asked for the removal of guilt, and the restoration of glory. The concern of our prayers for America ought to be for a revival, not simply for America’s sake, but for the glory of God.

Apply it to your life
There’s no time for finger-pointing; it’s time for personal repentance and national confession; pray for America.

The Generation to Come and the American of Tomorrow (2232)

America did not just happen; America was a gift from God. However, it seems as though the virtues and values upon which this nation was built have been trampled. What legacy are we going to leave for the generation to come? What is the America of tomorrow?

It could look like Psalm 78. In this passage, God had blessed the nation Israel, delivered them from the chains of slavery, and brought them into a good land. Yet, they defiled the land, denied the Lord, and disobeyed the new law. If we want to avoid the judgment given in Psalm 78, we must heed to this ancient truth in today's world, following three practical ways.

First, we need to review our history:

As a country: America has a distinct spiritual heritage. We must teach our children America’s history of trusting in God.
As a family: How did your family come to know Jesus? Do your children know the story of how the Gospel changed their heritage?
As a church: It is crucial to remain rooted in the infallible Word of God our churches were built upon.
As an individual: We must understand and acknowledge what God has done in our lives and tell the generation to come.
The lust of the flesh; rather than thanking God for blessings, Israel asked for more, testing His graciousness.
The lure of the world; they broke God’s heart by forgetting Him, renovated the nation to exclude the One upon whom it was built.
The lies of the devil; the one who steals, kills, and destroys was behind it all.

Next, we need to renew our memory. As a nation, we have three evil principalities at work, trying to manipulate our perspectives. We see them here in Psalm 78:

Finally, we must reclaim our legacy.

Adrian Rogers tells us, “Not only is God our greatest hope, God is our biggest threat. And the nation that was born in 1776 must be born again or we will join the graveyard of the nations.”

The America of tomorrow depends on our decision to reclaim our legacy. We have to do the best we can with what we’ve got, every chance we get.

Apply it to your life
Our only hope is to review our history, renew our memory, and reclaim our legacy. For the sake of the generation to come, repent, and turn to God.