In the next few weeks we will share with you 6 principle characteristics that we must watch and hold on to so that we do not lose them in today’s modern time.

1. Lost Character of Forgiveness
In a world filled with pain and wrong doing it is very easy to be unforgiving. It is easy for the believer to adopt this way of thinking. When you turn on the news and you hear of what is happening around the world and in our nation you can become hardened and unforgiving. Paul gave an example of Christian’s that were so filled with and unforgiving heart and revenge that he talks about it in Corinthians:

a. I Corinthians 6:6-8
6 But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers! 7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.

b. 3 Reasons why we don’t forgive
1. It feels good to our flesh to get even with someone
2. It makes us feel empowered
3. It makes us feel that we are right

c. Colossians 3:12-14 – Bear With Each Other and Forgive
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

d. 3 Reasons to forgive
1. Christ like forgiveness Is Supernatural
2. Forgiveness is healing for us and the other person
3. Forgiveness teaches you to walk as Jesus did

2. Loss of Daily and Group Prayer
We are not as much of a praying people as our former brothers and sisters in Christ were. We may not commit to praying as much as we need to.

a. Pew Research On Prayer
For many Americans, every day is a day of prayer. More than half (55%) of Americans say they pray every day, according to a 2014 Pew Research Center survey, while 21% say they pray weekly or monthly and 23% say they seldom or never pray. Even among those who are religiously unaffiliated, 20% say they pray daily. Women (64%) are more likely than men (46%) to pray every day. And Americans ages 65 and older are far more likely than adults under 30 to say they pray daily (65% vs. 41%).

b. 3 Areas For Prayer Review
1. If you are not praying daily then you should ask yourself why not?

2. If you are married and you and your spouse are not praying together daily you should ask yourself why not?

3. If you are part of a church and you are not gathering to pray together regularly or weekly with other believers then you should ask yourself why not?

c. Luke 18:1 – Pray Always And Don’t Give Up
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

d. 5 Reasons We Don’t Pray
1. God doesn’t answer us the way that we want Him to
2. It’s not important to us so we don’t make time
3. We are carnally minded
4. We don’t know how to pray
5. We don’t want to pray

e. I Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Pray Continually
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

f. 3 Reasons we should pray
1. Prayer opens up our hearts to hear from God
2. Prayer ushers forth God’s power and breaks chains
3. Prayer changes things

3. Loss of Meditation On The Word
We do not open our Bibles. Just as much as there is a loss of prayer in our culture there is also a loss of reading and meditating on God’s Word daily.

a. American Bible Society and Barna Research On The Bible
The majority of Americans hold the Bible in high regard, according to The Bible in America, a new report from American Bible Society and Barna Group.

The report, which considers six years of annual research from American Bible Society's State of the Bible survey, indicates that two-thirds of Americans believe the Bible contains everything a person needs to know in order to live a meaningful life.

The Bible in America also reveals that 80 percent of Americans view the Bible as sacred literature and 64 percent believe the Bible has more influence on humanity than any other text. And although just one-third of Americans profess to reading the Bible at least once per week, the majority of Americans (62 percent) express a desire to read the Bible more often.

b. Other Stats On Non-Christians
1. The number of non-Christian millennials who have not read the bible = 62%

2. The top 3 ways non-Christians perceive the Bible

a. The Bible is a useful book of moral teachings = 30%

b. The Bible is a dangerous book of religious dogma used for centuries to oppress people = 27%

c. The Bible is an outdated book with no relevance for today = 19%

c. Personal evaluation on reading The Bible
1. How often do you read your Bible?
2. Do you believe that it is the true word of God?
3. Do you believe that it has relevance for your life today and daily?

d. 3 Reasons we don’t read our Bible Daily and meditate on it
1. We don’t have time
2. We don’t believe it to be true
3. We don’t understand what we are reading

e. Psalm 119:9-16 – I Have Hidden Your Word In My Heart
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

f. 5 Reasons We Read The Bible
1. It keeps us pure
2. It keeps us from straying
3. It keeps us from sin
4. It teaches us truth
5. It gives us joy

The Great Decline: 60 years of religion in one graph
January 27, 2014 – Religion News Service
Religiosity in the United States is in the midst of what might be called ‘The Great Decline.’ Previous declines in religion pale in comparison. Over the past fifteen years, the drop in religiosity has been twice as great as the decline of the 1960s and 1970s.

How do we track this massive change in American religion? We start with information from rigorous, scientific surveys on worship service attendance, membership in congregations, prayer, and feelings toward religion. We then use a computer algorithm to track over 400 survey results over the past 60 years. The result is one measure that charts changes to religiosity through the years.

During the post-war, baby-booming 1950s, there was a revival of religion. Indeed, some at the time considered it a third great awakening. Then came the societal changes of the 1960s, which included a questioning of religious institutions. The resulting decline in religion stopped by the end of the 1970s, when religiosity remained steady. Over the past fifteen years, however, religion has once again declined. But this decline is much sharper than the decline of 1960s and 1970s. Church attendance and prayer is less frequent. The number of people with no religion is growing. Fewer people say that religion is an important part of their lives. All measures point to the same drop in religion: If the 1950s were another Great Awakening, this is the Great Decline.