Liberty Alert: Dr. Walter A Maier’s 1941 Message, “God Is Our Defense.”

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Welcome to Liberty action alert with Greg Seltz sponsored by our friends at the Lutheran center for religious Liberty here in Washington, DC, a program that cuts through the chaos and confusion in the culture today by talking to kingdom, citizenship, bold biblical principles for a robust public Christian life. And now your host, Dr. Greg sells

Grace mercy and peace BTU U in Jesus name. Amen. Today is defense Sunday. And therefore this message is a defense message, but not the kind which certain congregations are featuring today. And for which many pastors have received, especially prepared sermon outlines, true churches of Christ do not need such reminders for their members duty to defend our country and its liberties. It's a vital part of the Christian creed that we who accept the Lord, Jesus, follow his injunction, render therefore under Caesar, the things which are Caesars, obey his word, let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, accept the Bible's instruction, be subject to principalities and powers and submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, those who should receive these defense talk reminders are the groups in our country, which have repeatedly opposed our system of government. The appeal for wholehearted endorsement of our military Naval and air preparation should be sent to the association for the advancement of atheism and like-minded infidels who are steadily undermining national foundations.

The plea to work harder, longer, more intensely for the protection of the United States should be directed to the communists. Many of whom are pledged to overthrow our American institutions for unbelievers who reject the Bible and its repeated appeals for loyalty and allegiance to the constituted authorities are those above all. Others who need constant instruction in the duties of citizenship. So my remarks will differ from the opinions that some of you heard in your churches this very day, because this broadcast is dedicated to the truth that only in Jesus, as the son of God and savior of mankind can our age and the millions in our country find sure defense men who do not know the Redeemer who propagate a creed opposed to Christ or who at best omit, all mention of the Lord from the sermons they preach on this Sunday, they understand neither the greatest weakness of our nation nor the divine help to be found in Jesus and his word.

During these darkened days, their, when military leaders, production experts and government officials, point to the increasing war clouds on the international horizon, the Christian churches should reemphasize our responsibilities as citizens of this uniquely favored land unparalleled in its divine blessing, but let Christian pulpits in addition, call attention, especially to the moral and religious dangers confronting us and the necessity of protecting our hearts, our homes, our national institutions against the assaults of unbelief. So when I speak to you on defense, I wanna stress the side that many politicians forget in this crisis, America's need of a spiritual bull work. The safeguarding of our souls to that end. I give you this divine assurance for this present emergency and see God is our defense a pledge from the unbreakable Bible. The words of Psalm 62 versus six and eight. He is my defense. I shall not be moved trust in him at all times.

God is our best national defense in, in a world of international greed and hatred bloodshed. The United States should have a strong, complete defense is the earnest prayer of every American Christian that our country be adequately protected and made too strong for successful attacks by any foreign fo this is in harmony with the Bible and it's good, common sense. The writers of the sacred scripture and the founding fathers were not pacifists and neither should we be. They never entertained the mistaken notion that the world was continually improving and that therefore it was unnecessary for us to have a strong military strong Naval forces. And neither should we in a world of flame with the fire of war, stop short of protecting our Homeland adequately. No sacrifice will be too great to shield our blessings. Those who love God know that he expects them to obey their government in everything, except in any proposal, contrary to his revealed will Christians of America have put their hard earned savings into defense bonds.

They have not created bottlenecks and defense work. They love this divinely endowed land and they will work for it. Save for it, fight for it, die for it. True followers of Christ are true Patriots. They're like the mighty defender of spiritual Liberty. Gustava APHAs king of Sweden who on the battlefield of Luen 309 years ago. This very day helps seal modern religious freedom with his blood Christian soldiers stood with Washington at valley forge. They fought and fell at Gettysburg. They lied buried in the argon forest and yesterday St. Louis witnessed an impressive service commemorating the devotion of the first young man from our city to lay down his life during the present hostilities and signalman, Ralph Cloer of the ill faded, Ruben James, whom we thus mourned was a member in good standing of our Lutheran church. When a nation exalts God and heeds his word it's people can say in the certainty of our text, he is my defense and be marvelously shielded by the almighty guidance in seven 13 BC, the trained armies of SRA of a Syrian king with regimen upon regimen of fully equipped veterans came up to besiege Jerusalem.

The city seemed doomed, but he AKA the prophet. Isaiah, the priests and the leaders resorted to the house of God. They prayed earnestly for divine help and they received his assurance. I will defend this city to save it. Despite overwhelming odds. Sin Akra was completely defeated when the angel of the Lord destroyed 185,000 as Syrians remember also how in past crisis moments of American history during colonial times the revolution, the civil war, our heavenly father answered the please of the masses by delivering our people from overwhelming enemies. God's promise call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver the, and these records combined to tell us that where the Lord is honored, the people can say he is my defense, and they can be comforted by the knowledge that ultimately his good gracious purpose must prevail a country though may be attacked, not only from, without by foreign FOS, but also from within, by even more formidable enemies, destructive forces seeking to SAP its strength and undermine its resistance can hue down the pillars, which support freedom, blessing prosperity.

Rest here they are these powerful, but often unrecognized adversaries of a better America national enemy. Number one, unbelief rebellion against God. This rejection of the almighty has no armies to oppose our military forces, no air squadrons for the bombing of our cities, no Naval craft to shell our shores, but it has a satanic might more deadly than tanks, airplanes, and cruisers a force that is not many miles distant, but a spiritual T NT at work. Now within our borders, the multitudes of Americans who have rejected Christ his word, his church, the pride that boast, we don't need God. The influence, which ridicules the Christian religion, the perjury blasphemy and profanity, which desecrate God's holy name, the sarcasm heaped on the almighty and literature entertainment often in everyday life together. Then the 50% of America that is not honor God, the ungrateful masses, who will not find a moment to remember the Lord, even on the two coming days of national Thanksgiving, these constitute the most formidable danger to our country's welfare.

The almighty will not continue indefinitely to bless a people in which unbelief constantly grows Boulder. The verdict of his word and of history is this the nation that will not serve the shall perish. And again, if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy. That nation says the Lord national enemy, number two godlessness and crime larger than any battalions, which can invade us is the army of our past and present criminals, almost 5 million fellow Americans convicted, and the many unconvicted of serious crime murder assault, robbery, the heavy sins of violence and greed, the oppression of the poor and the underprivileged, the getting rich at the expense of widows and orphans. This can inflict more severe and lasting damage on the United States than any war for the holy word, warns the Lord have a controversy with the nations. He will give them that our wicked to the sword says the Lord.

And again, behold, the eyes of the Lord, God are upon the sinful kingdom and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth. National enemy. Number three, corrupt government, never before has our country witnessed graft bribery, official dishonesty. On the large scale, this generation has produced judges conniving with criminals law enforcement officials working hand in hand with the underworld legislators, selling their votes for patronage and expedience. All this lies over the land as a heavy shadow to fore evil for the eternal truth records that while judgment establishes the land, he that receive it gifts, overthrows it. And again, scripture warns. It's an abomination for those in authority to commit wickedness national enemy, number four, unfaithful churches, the studied insulin heaped against the Bible in thousands of American congregations, the rejection of Christ AAR atonement at ministerial training schools where not a single faculty member accepts the inspiration of the Bible or the promises of the cross and the blood, the worldliness, the lip service, the form of godliness, even in sound churches.

These are disasters far more grievous even than the loss of many, a battle, the divine word protests be not deceived. God is not mocked national enemy. Number five immorality in the home. We record to our shame that the United States has more broken families than any other civilized nation accepting Russia. That unfaithful between husband and wife is increasing that young people are constantly lured to break the purity commandment, the loose spirit in our age, the bad example by elders, the ridicule of decency, the spurring of parenthood, the disregard of childhood, all of these combined a form, a menace of tremendous proportions. Hear this, no country can ever be stronger than its homes, to the extent which our American households crumble a vast part of our moral foundations is destroyed national enemy. Number six anti-Christian education. This tragedy will be more deadly in the years ahead when today's boys and girls will be tomorrow's fathers and mothers.

If our youth is to be trained, to be mentally cunning, instead of spiritually good, if it's education molds the brain, but neglects the soul. If schools refuse to recognize sin and wrong, have no place for God and his grace in Christ, can you not see should this treachery toward our youth assume control of the American education system, that the ship of our very state may slowly but surely be steered toward destruction on the Rocky SHOs of unbelief national enemy, number seven, the disregard of God's law and labor and industry. When on the one hand radical elements, direct American working men away from the Lord and his will, as the toiling classes are tempted to misuse for selfish interests, the power, which is theirs in United action. And when, on the other hand, the muddied groups help make the poor poorer. And in this day of rising prices, increasing living costs refuse to share a greater part of their profit with workers.

If God was ready to spare degenerate, Sodom and Gamora provided, they contained only 10 righteous people. Most assuredly, he will regard with blessings multitudes, which turned penitently to his grace beside every Christian, with his regenerated life and his determination to follow the Savior's footsteps. As far as humanly possible, that person adds to the country's moral strength increases the righteousness, which exalts a nation and battles against the approach of sin. No appeal to America in this international emergency is more vital than the plea of our text, which pointing to the gracious God urges trust in him. At all times, you people look to Christ for the guidance, strength, and reliance that says he is our defense, therefore fortify America, by keeping Christ Jesus in the churches built and dedicated to the glory of his name. Every Christian pastor who's seeking to please God, rather than men avoids soft Christless preaching.

And instead reveals God's whole truth. The punishment of his law and the promise of our Savior's pardon? That person, that pastor increases spiritual reserve defend America. Then by strengthening Christian homes, husbands and wives who keep Jesus in their households. As the honored guest who train the children, they bring into the world to be God-fearing useful. Law abiding patriotic citizens. They do more good than many frequently quoted and frequently married public figures defend America. Then by supporting Christian education colleges, where the fear of the Lord is still the beginning of wisdom where atheists and Christ deniers are banned from the faculty and lower schools like those conducted by my church, but open to all where children are instructed not only in the customary branches, but are daily taught also to love the Lord Jesus, to obey their parents, to thank God for America. These, our powerful factors in the promotion of national good and the rejection of evil defend America by putting Christ's teachings into capital and labor.

If the American working man in conformity with God's word gives honest wholehearted return for his salary, rejects every recourse to violence and oppression and does unto his employer as he would have the employer due unto him. If capital refuses to exploit the toilets, but accepts the scriptural program affair upright treatment for the working classes, hours will be a stronger and a happier country, and finally defend America by purifying its political life, exercise your privilege and your responsibilities as citizens send men and women to the legislatures who cannot be bought, who refuse to connive with evil and will stop the enactment of legislation contrary to the divine law, give us Patriots. Instead of politicians, Christians statesmen, rather than partisan leaders and America under God will be defended. Now I do not say that if these principles were followed in our country, we would experience no national difficulty, no attacks from without or serious problems from within for sometimes even then the almighty sends reverses to make a people spiritually and morally stronger.

But I am equally confident that if multiplied millions of Americans look to the Lord in Christ and say he is our defense, our heavenly father will powerfully. And even if necessary miraculously protect and bless us to that end, may God richly bless us all. Please pray with me. Holy spirit, our comforter and sustainer, many powerful enemies have been mobilized against the nation and the church from both without and within of our own lives. We feel the attack of dark hateful forces, which opposed the free and full grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Forgive us. We be speech the, for the Savior's sake, our many disloyal, our repeated sins against him and whom alone. There is heavenly hope. If in our own strength we seek to resist the foes of the faith we're lost for, with might of ours cannot be done, but be thou O blessed spirit together with the father and the son, our shield and protection against the onslaughts of hell, the assaults of our own conscience and the enticement of a sinful world show us that our victory is granted by our trust in the power of the cross, defend our blessed Homeland against all adversaries, the menace of unbelief, rejection of divine grace and destructive godlessness thou art.

Our defense help us then for Jesus' sake. Amen. Thanks for tuning in today to get to know our LC R LDC work better. Check out our website@lclfreedom.org till next time, God bless you. Always I'm Greg sells have a great week.

You've been listening to Liberty action alert with Greg sell executive director of the Lutheran center for religious Liberty in Washington, DC. This program has been brought to you by the Lutheran center for religious Liberty.