The only hope for America lies in this verse. It is not just what God has said, it is what He is saying to any people. Today we are living in what some call a post-Christian era. The America we knew as children, those happy days are gone. We are living in hostile territory. Those who used to be considered good, old-fashioned, decent Christians, because we believe the Bible, are now labeled as "religious nuts,” the religious right, fundamentalists, zealots, whackos. They try to lump us in with the Jim Joneses and David Koreshes of society. We need to ask ourselves, “What kind of country am I leaving to my children and to my grandchildren?” Some are worried about the environment and say that is the main problem. Others say it is economics that should concern us. (I think it may be ethics.) I had much rather leave my children and grandchildren a godly heritage and a godly nation than great wealth to be squandered by and in a godless society. Something terrible has happened in America (for further information consult any newspaper.) In light of that, there are two dangers we face. One, as believers we may just retreat, get a “live and let live attitude,” and just try to hold on until Jesus comes. The problem with that is we can’t do it because there’s no place to hide. The number two danger: We will substitute a political agenda for the preaching of the Gospel. Satan has always wanted to substitute something for the Gospel of the grace of God. It may be sacramentalism, rationalism, education. One of the newest ideas is to substitute psychology for the Gospel. And in many churches political strategy has been substituted for the Gospel. The great need in America today is righteousness. We may defeat our enemies, but we have failed if we do not have a spiritual revival. America will be destroyed, not because of some enemy without, but because of the debauchery within. Alexander Hamilton once said, “We get the kind of government we deserve.” Something wonderful happened that July 4 in 1776 in Philadelphia -- a declaration was made, and shortly after that, a Constitution was formed. Our Constitution reflects in many ways the values of God’s Word. But today we're doing things our founding fathers did not intend for us to do. The Declaration of Independence signed July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia. It was independence from Great Britain, but what many people fail to understand is that this was a document of dependence – dependence upon God. Listen to how it starts: “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.” And, it closes: “With a firm reliance upon the protection of Divine Providence.” "Divine providence is a reference to God! And then it says, “We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” On the Liberty Bell is inscribed these words from Leviticus 25:10 – “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land.” In that Declaration they said that God created us. (You can’t even teach that in schools today!). They said God gives us our rights, not the government. These are inalienable rights -- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These have come from God, not from government. Three things I want you to see from this text:

I. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE EXALTATION OF A NATION.

II. REPROACH IS THE HUMILIATION OF A NATION.

III. REVIVAL IS THE RESTORATION OF A NATION.

How much faith do you have? How much do you want? Do you want a faith that can be put to the test of fire? The 3 Hebrew children had it. Do you want a faith that can be tested by being put in personal danger, even death? Daniel had it. How about a faith like Paul’s that can be tried by being ridiculed, persecuted, and chased from place to place? Romans 10:17 tells us, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” And James 1:3 tells us it is “the trying of your faith” that “worketh patience” or patient endurance. Just like exercising the physical body, it builds us up and makes us stronger. It will help to grow us into what we should be as children of God. Let me give you two Scriptural principals: 1) To whom much is given, much shall be required. In Luke 12:48 Jesus said: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” 2) He that is faithful in the least will be faithful in much. In Luke 16:10 He also said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” (You know how to get a big job? Give it your all in the little ones first!) These two principles could explain why we do not have more, spiritually, than we have. If you desire to have "great" faith, you must put the faith you presently have to work. Our faith "grows" as we live in obedience to God, but before we will be obedient in the “great” things, we must be obedient in the small ones first. This is what Jesus is telling His disciples as He reveals their real lack of faith in Him. We see:

I. THE SIMPLE REQUIREMENT -- VV. 3-4.

II. THE SERVANTS' REQUEST -- VS. 5.

III. THE SAVIOR'S RESPONSE (AND REBUKE) -- VV. 7-10.

True faith in God reveals itself in a full confidence in Him (not a partial trust like many seem to have) for that is what faith means – confidence, reliance. Abraham is mentioned twice in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, first for his willingness to follow God, not knowing where he was going., and second, here where we read of his faith to fully surrender everything to God. The account of Abraham’s great faith in and obedience to God in taking his “only son” Isaac to Mt. Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice as God commanded him is found in Genesis 22:1-14. It is difficult to think of many others in the Bible, who gave up more than Abraham did. Job lost his family, his fortune, and his friends, but eventually God restored it many times over. The Apostle Paul sacrificed position, power, and pride to be used in a great way by God. But here we see Abraham, who was asked to sacrifice the most important thing a man can have, his only child, in worship of and obedience to God. (A quick note: This again reveals that obedience and worship go together.) If you are not obedient to God in your daily living, you are not truly worshipping no matter how many church services you attend. We cannot imagine what went through Abraham’s mind when God told him, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering.” Yet, in Abraham, we do not see a man who questions God’s instructions to him. Instead, we see the heart of a worshipper who acts in complete obedience, full surrender, and monumental faith in God. In our lives we may be required to respond to many and various demands that will be made upon us. Some of these may well come from God and call for personal sacrifices on our part. From a purely human standpoint, we may not want to answer them. However, God desires absolute and total obedience and surrender to His perfect will. See, I Samuel 15:22 ; Romans 12:1-2. Our text and the verses in Genesis 22 teach some very powerful lessons about the connection between true faith, worship, and full surrender to God and His will for our lives. Notice what Abraham says in Genesis 22:5: “Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship . . . ” That is the very first mention of the word “worship” in the Bible. And we see the degree of that faith in vs. 19 of our text -- “Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” It says, “In a figure” Abraham received Isaac from the dead. What does that mean? When Abraham placed Isaac on the altar and raised the knife, his son was as good as dead in his heart. Notice what God said in Genesis 22:12, “For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” Hebrews 11:17 says, “By faith Abraham . . . offered up Isaac . . . ” How was Abraham able to do this thing that would be so difficult for any of us to do? “By faith,” trust, dependence upon God. Did you ever consider that faith is a necessary element in our worship? (Not just saving faith but sanctifying faith.) See the connection between faith and full surrender, full obedience to God here. Isaac said, “Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Note Abraham’s answer, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering . . . ” Remember, Abraham knew in his heart what God had told him to do. Yet, he had such faith in God that he fully surrendered, not only his future, but his only son's future in faithful obedience to God. How many of us today have such faith in God that we are willing to surrender our future AND our family’s future in full obedience to God? Full surrender to God is neither cheap nor easy. It will cost. Abraham’s obedience was not cheap. It would cost him his son. Full surrender and obedience are always costly! II Samuel 24:24 -- David said of his devotion to and worship of God, “neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing." The approach many today have toward surrender and obedience to God is an insult to our Lord. “So long as it doesn’t cost me too much. So long as it doesn’t inconvenience me. So long as it doesn’t interfere with my plans, then I’ll obey/follow/worship/surrender to God.” We won’t vocalize those words. We may not even acknowledge them in our minds, but they are often there in our doing. So many are willing to give little or nothing to the One who gave everything. The title of this message is “Faith Produces Full Surrender” (maybe I should have said “True Faith”), but full surrender makes some demands upon our lives. We see:

I. FULL SURRENDER DEMANDS A RELATIONSHIP.

II. FULL SURRENDER DEMANDS A READINESS.

III. FULL SURRENDER DEMANDS A RELIANCE.

      Last week we dealt with the question, “What is faith?” Webster defines it as “belief and trust in and loyalty to God; complete confidence.” The word that is translated “faith” means “firm reliance; confidence.” Then we examined the description of faith that Scripture gives us in Hebrews 11:1. In its most simple terms, faith is “taking God at His word.” So next we ask, “How important is faith?” Faith is vital to every aspect of our relationship with God. We are saved by grace through faith. We are to walk by faith, not by sight. One of the reasons we don’t get much accomplished for God today is our little faith. Matthew 17:14-21 shows us the lack of faith and the results of faith. How many saved today have enough confidence in God to put Him in complete control of their lives? That’s what it takes to truly follow Jesus. Hear what Jesus said in Luke 9:23: “And he said to them all, If any man will come after  me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” If we will put that kind of faith into practice daily in our lives, it will affect our lives for Christ in a positive way. What did Noah do when God warned him of the coming judgment, destruction of the earth and all its inhabitants? Hebrews 11:7 answers that question. There are 2 key words indicated in this verse: Faith and Fear. We have seen what faith is. “Fear” here is not the usual word (phobia) for fear. The word used here means “to be circumspect; to reverence.” Thought: If men have no faith in God, they will have no fear (reverence) toward God – (Hebrews 11:6). In this message we will see what this fear (reverence) combined with faith enabled Noah to do and what it will cause us to do.

  I.  FAITH WILL CAUSE US TO HEAR GOD’S WORD.

 II.  FAITH WILL CAUSE US TO HEED GOD'S WORD.

III. FAITH WILL CAUSE US TO LIVE HOLY LIVES.

IV. FAITH WILL MAKE US HEIRS.

This morning we are going to begin a series of messages on FAITH. It may end up being two messages or ten. I am just going to go where this journey takes me. I believe faith is one of the most needed aspects of the truly Christian life today . . . AND I believe we will need it more and more as we get nearer to the coming of Christ. In this message we want to begin to look at faith and what true, biblical faith is and will do in our lives. Some people say, "Faith is just believing." Well, that's O.K. -- as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough. Until faith causes you to act, causes you to move, you really haven't expressed true faith. The Apostle James puts it this way, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can (that) faith save him?" He says that a "faith" (so-called) that does not produce corresponding good works is worthless. In Vs. 17 he says that kind of faith is a dead faith. It is only head knowledge, head belief. Peter walking on the water is a good biblical illustration of faith. Faith can also be illustrated this way. I can believe (have "faith") in this chair, but until I sit in it, I haven't really had faith. FAITH is defined as, "firm trust, or reliance that causes us to act in dependence upon the person or thing in which we have expressed that faith. We express faith in people and things on a daily basis. We have faith in the weather man. If he says rain is likely, we take our umbrellas. (I contend that often we demonstrate more faith in him that we do in God.) We have faith in our automobiles to get us where we want to go ("from point A to point B"). We may even have faith, or confidence in ourselves. (Philippians 4:13 is self confidence properly stated.) In Luke 17:5-6 Jesus said, "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed..." you could do great things. Believers today need to express a greater faith in God! As we look as these first 3 verses of Hebrews 11, I want us to learn what true faith in our Lord is, and it is my prayer that this message and this entire series can be used by God to strengthen our faith.