Are We Losing It?

So, hey, everybody. We are in a time and a season in our nation, and that it's unusual. Unusual in the sense that a remarkable thing is happening, and that is in the area of what will our community be like? What will your neighborhood be like? What... What kind of school will your kids go to? What will they learn? Does that matter to you? Maybe you're single and you don't care about things like that. You have the luxury of too much time on your hands, which is very scary, by the way, because we're... required to manage our time to the glory of God, but you're not even thinking on those lines. You're thinking more of, hey, you know what? We're going to drive to Santa Barbara this weekend, or we're going to head up to, you know, the Hamptons, or we're going to go down to South Beach or wherever you're at, or maybe you're going to be out there and go to the rodeo. And you're just thinking open thoughts like that because it's getting near the weekend and you're calling friends and you're going to see how you're going to fill your time this weekend. And my point in this podcast is not to discuss if that's right or wrong. My point in this podcast is to point out that you do have that freedom to do that. And when I talk about What kind of future is in store for your neighborhood, your street where you live on? Do you know how that is to be answered? There's a way to find out. And that is by finding out how your city is being led by community leaders. Now, look, there's a lot of influencers in the world, and let's be honest, most of them we don't care about. there could be a hundred of them that are interesting, but let's be honest, you don't care about 95 of them. Highly possible. But did you ever stop to realize that those that are people that you probably don't even know their names are making decisions that will affect literally your... Oh, I was reaching for my wallet. Forgot my wallet. I was going to reach for my wallet to say, they're making decisions. They're actually going to get inside of your wallet and take money out because they have the authority to do that. Because we've given them that authority. And you don't even know their names. And then they're going to make decisions about what's going to be allowed in your community, on your street, your neighborhood. They're going to make rules. They're going to make laws. They're going to make decisions that will affect you and your future life and your children and your grandchildren. And I want to ask you right now. Are you tempted to turn this off right now because it's too practical? I'm going to predict that this podcast gets least amount of views in comparison to our normal podcast audience. You want to know why? People are tuning this off right now because they have already decided. I'm going to be very curious to watch this. on the back end where we're at, we can see the analytics of how many people have just dropped off because they don't want to know about this. He's talking about practical stuff. I want my head to be in the clouds. I want to be dreaming up here. Don't give me reality. But I want to say to you today, it really matters what we're going to be discussing here in a moment. And I'm going to give you one argument out of the New Testament and one out of the Old Testament. And I'm going to ask you this question, friend. Do you really believe this? Do you really believe what the Bible says? Because America, California, all 50 states, in a matter of a couple of months, or stepping into the valley of decision. Because right here in the United States right now, unannounced, unbeknownst, unbeknownst is a movement to sterilize Christians, silence them, to do exactly what England just did last week, where they criminalized the use of the Bible to... Say to somebody that they are a sinner. You can't say that in England anymore. On the streets or in a park. You can't evangelize. I guess maybe you can say it in a church. Not sure. Don't know if there's many pastors. I know a couple, thank God, that would give the gospel in England. But that said, what would you do? If there are people vying for power... And their agenda is to silence the voice of the Christian and to embrace the religion of the atheist. Atheism is a religion. What does the Bible say to those of us who claim to know God? Old Testament first. Jeremiah 29 verse 7. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to dwell. And pray to the Lord for it, for in its peace you will have peace. Pray for the city where you live, where you dwell, where God has sent you, where you are captive. I like that. Pray for the city that rules over you. Pray that it would have peace so that you can live in peace. Jeremiah 29, verse 7. That is an important declaration because God is saying there, Jack, pray for the peace of Chino Hills, California. Jack, pray for the peace of the surrounding cities So pray for your Belinda. Pray for Diamond Bar. Pray for Anaheim Hills. Pray for Corona. Pray for Chino. Pray for these surrounding cities. On and on it goes, yes? Pray for your county. Pray for your state. I'm going to ask you this question. I can just watch the numbers drop. Do you pray for your state? When God says to pray for your state? See, Jack, where does it say that? Listen to this. In 1 Timothy 2, 1 Timothy 2, now we go to the New Testament. So Jeremiah 29, 7. Now we go over to 1 Timothy 2, verses 1 and 2. This is the believer's life. Therefore, I exhort first. Ooh, exhort means therefore. Hey, listen to me. You've got to do this, is what Paul is saying. Therefore, I exhort you, first of all, that supplications, prayers, and intercessions, and the giving of thanks be made for all men. That's all mankind. Intercessions, prayers, right? Supplications. He goes on verse two for kings and all who are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. That's the Christians marching order. So let me ask you something. And I tell you, by the way, before you bail out, if you bail out, I'd love to see your comments right now on this. I'd love to please leave comments on this one. I don't know if I've ever asked for that before. But I'm just, I'm not a prophet. I'm just predicting. The numbers are probably tanking because people don't want to hear this. Because why? I don't want to know. Don't tell me. Don't tell me. Put blindfolds on me. Tell me it's going to be... Clear skies, 75 degrees, please. Clear skies. Only clear skies. Only 75 degrees. As I get in an airplane, no bumps, no bumps. Like the pilot has control over the turbulence. Life's going to have bumps. Life's going to be sometimes 100 degrees, sometimes 30 degrees. Sometimes there's going to be storms. Storms. But a person that is unable to cope with reality doesn't have faith in God and in His Word. And so they have to have clear skies in 75 degrees. That's not going to happen. What does happen is God's saying to us, wherever I have you living, I need you to