My blog is coming out earlier this week because its subject just cannot wait. I want to share concerning the January 22, 2019 decision by the New York State Legislature concerning abortion. As you know, January 22 was the 46th anniversary of the 1973 Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. Since that decision tens of millions of boys and girls have been aborted. They were never given the opportunity of receiving any love from a mom or dad. They never were given the privilege of getting a hug from a loving aunt or uncle. They never played a game of baseball or played a trumpet. They never had the opportunity to go to school. Perhaps one of those aborted boys or girls was given the key to the prevention of cancer or heart disease. We will never know because their lives were snuffed out before they were born.
This past January 22, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Reproductive Health Act. This bill was passed by a 92 to 47 majority in the New York House, and by a 38 to 24 vote in the New York Senate. What does the Reproductive Health Act do? The bill grants legality to an abortion even if it is just moments before the baby is to be born. That's right! A child in the womb can be aborted at any time prior to its birth. And the killing of a child in the womb comes with no criminality associated with it at all. As Stacey Lennox at The Resurgent wrote, "So in New York, no one can be prosecuted for the deliberate or accidental killing of an unborn child and health is so broadly defined as to make almost any issue sufficient for a woman to request an abortion. ... New York just legalized Kermit Gosnell." (www.patriotpost.us/articles/60729-new-york-expands-culture-of-death.)
New York just declared that a baby has absolutely no rights before it is born - not even the right to life itself. There are hunting regulations in New York on deer, but no hunting regulations on babies.
CBS New York reports, "Provisions in the bill include dropping most restrictions on abortion after 24 weeks, allowing midwives and nurse practitioners to perform abortions and ending criminal charges for harming children in the womb." (article cited above). In other words, an abortion does not necessarily have to be performed by a licensed physician.
But as much as I detested and was abhorred by the signing of the bill, it was the celebratory atmosphere afterwards that made me want to gag. Governor Cuomo, upon signing the bill, said, "The Reproductive Health Act is a historic victory for New Yorkers and for our progressive values. In the face of a federal government intent on rolling back Roe v Wade and women's reproductive rights, I promised that we would enact this critical legislation within the first 30 days of the new session - and we got it done. I am directing that New York's landmarks be lit in pink to celebrate this achievement and shine a bright light forward for the rest of the nation to follow." (from article cited above.)
The Catholic League's Bill Donohue said, "This is not the passage of abortion rights, but the permission to commit infanticide and call it by another name. An eight-pound baby can survive outside the womb with very little medical aid. If this isn't demonic, the word has no meaning."
(article written by Tony Perkins, www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA19A53&f=WU19A18).
Meanwhile, also on January 22, Polk County District Judge Michael Huppert stuck down Iowa's so called "fetal heartbeat" law. Judge Huppert declared that Iowa's law, which was one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the nation, was unconstitutional. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland immediately responded with praise for Judge Hubbert's actions: "Today's ruling is a victory for every Iowan who has ever needed or will need a safe, legal abortion. We are pleased that especially today, on the 46th anniversary of the landmark decision Roe v Wade, abortion care was upheld as a safe and legal part of basic reproductive health care." Personally, I prefer the opinion of Iowa's Governor Kim Reynolds who said, "I am incredibly disappointed in today's court ruling, because I believe that if death is determined when a heart stops beating, then a beating heart indicates life." And the Governor is absolutely correct.
Permit me to share with you one of the most powerful statements in the Bible concerning life as it develops within the womb. Psalm 139 was written by David - when? the Bible does not tell us. But I like to think that he wrote it as he watched his young son struggle with life before he was ushered into God's presence. Listen to these amazing words from a dad:
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!" (Psalm 139:13-17).
Friends, I believe what happened on January 22, 2019, will create a stench in the nostrils of God. How can we point the finger of accusation at the pagans for offering their children as sacrifices to Molech and Chemosh and a host of other deities when we offer our children as sacrifices on the altar to convenience and self-centeredness?
Are you angry at what happened? Do we not affirm that we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? I guess that affirmation does not apply to a baby growing in his or her mother's womb. I guess that baby has no rights. I guess that baby has no value. But I am grateful that he or she does have eternal value to God.
Friends, how we need to speak for those who have no voice - the children yet unborn. How we need to plead their case so that they can be given the opportunity to live. It is time that we get riled up and get into the fight. The lives of the next generation are depending upon us for their very survival.
Monday, January 28, 2019
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
The Anger of the Left Demonstrated Once Again
In last week's blog posting, I shared about how the Left is working diligently to dissuade Christians from being part of the political dialogue in America today. Not only Christian values but Christians themselves are being assaulted. This past weekend we witnessed a most blatant attack upon the wife of our Vice President simply because she had returned as a volunteer teacher to a private Christian school.
Tony Perkins wrote a scathing article against the Left and exonerating Karen Pence. You can read the entire article at: www.patriotpost.us/opinions/60620-karen-pence-the-teacher-and-the-religious-test. The author begins his article with these powerful, yet insightful words: "It was supposed to be a day celebrating religious freedom in America. Instead, liberals decided to show everyone just how much our First Freedom is at risk. For Christians, who've tried to warn people that these last several years were about a lot more than marriage, the attacks on Second Lady Karen Pence certainly seem to prove their point. Three years after Obergefell, all of the lies about 'love' and 'tolerance' have been eclipsed by the court cases, articles, and editorial demonizing people of faith. What Americans see now is the truth: the Left is coming for our freedom. And they have no intention of letting up."
Note: You will remember that the Obergefell decision legalized same-sex marriage within our country. It was one of those Supreme Court decisions, like Roe v Wade, that has left a dark stain upon our nation's moral structure.
What did Karen Pence do that incurred the wrath and hate-filled speech from those on the Left? Her crime was volunteering to teach art at Immanuel Christian School, a private Christian school. Karen Pence said, "I am excited to be back in the classroom and doing what I love to do. I have missed teaching art, and it's great to return to the school where I taught art for 12 years." This all sounds pretty innocent, doesn't it? Why would anyone get all bent-out-of-shape? Well, Immanuel Christian School has a policy of only condoning biblical marriage - that of one man to one woman. Perkins quotes from CNN's Kate Bennett: "'So, lemme get this straight. The second lady of the United States has chosen to work at a school that openly discriminates against LGBT adults and children?'" He then quotes from Ben Shapiro, a conservative columnist: "'So, lemme get this straight. You're a reporter but you've never heard of religious people before? BREAKIN: Pence's wife is working for a Christian school that requires that Christian students pledge to abide by Christian standards of sin that have not changed in 2,000 years.'"
Perkins continues: "There used to be a consensus in this country that religious liberty was for everyone. When the Religious Freedom Restoration Act came before Congress, only three members voted against it. Over time, some liberals tried to isolate faith - to churches, Christian schools, or family rooms. You've heard me say before that the Left's hope is to quarantine religion within the four walls of the church. Now, it's becoming clear - even that won't satisfy them." He closes his article by quoting from Matt Walsh, a writer for the Daily Wire: "Suddenly, even Christianity behind closed doors, on private property, in a private school, is a target of outrage and scorn. It was a lie all along. They were never planning to stop outside the walls of our homes and our churches and our schools. That's just what they said to lull us to sleep. Now the next phase begins."
As I shared with my congregation this past Sunday, we are going to see an acceleration of these attacks upon Christians in the marketplaces, especially those in the arena of politics and governmental service. How we need to be prepared to "stand firm against the assaults of the evil one."
I trust you have been paying attention to what is happening in the Middle East these past few weeks. Given President Trump's statement that American troops will begin leaving Syria, it seems that Israel has stepped up its air assaults upon the Iranian backed Assad regime. This past week Israel launched a series of day-time air raids targeting Iranian military depots outside of Damascus. Israeli forces also discovered several more tunnels along the northern border with Lebanon that Hezbollah had dug for the purpose of invading Israel. And the situation along the Israeli-Gazan border remains on high alert. To make this even more complex, Israelis are in the midst of a national election. Because the coalition Prime Minister Netanyahu had created crumbled, the Knesset (Israel's equivalent to our Congress) was dissolved and new elections were mandated for early in April. Although, according to latest polling, Prime Minister Netanyahu is leading, there is much concern over a possible criminal indictment against him. Israel continues to bear a careful watching as we await the trumpet to sound.
The political gridlock continues in Washington. Even President Trump's State of the Union speech, scheduled for next Tuesday, is threatened to become one of the victims of this gridlock. The philosophy of "I want it all" has contributed greatly to this gridlock. Compromise? No - I want what I want! Sit down and have a civil conversation and negotiate? No - I want what I want! Our political parties have forgotten that governing is about providing for the betterment of America's citizens, not about improving the party. And, sad to say, I do not believe this philosophy will change any time soon, if ever. Just another reminder that we are getting closer to the return of the King.
Tony Perkins wrote a scathing article against the Left and exonerating Karen Pence. You can read the entire article at: www.patriotpost.us/opinions/60620-karen-pence-the-teacher-and-the-religious-test. The author begins his article with these powerful, yet insightful words: "It was supposed to be a day celebrating religious freedom in America. Instead, liberals decided to show everyone just how much our First Freedom is at risk. For Christians, who've tried to warn people that these last several years were about a lot more than marriage, the attacks on Second Lady Karen Pence certainly seem to prove their point. Three years after Obergefell, all of the lies about 'love' and 'tolerance' have been eclipsed by the court cases, articles, and editorial demonizing people of faith. What Americans see now is the truth: the Left is coming for our freedom. And they have no intention of letting up."
Note: You will remember that the Obergefell decision legalized same-sex marriage within our country. It was one of those Supreme Court decisions, like Roe v Wade, that has left a dark stain upon our nation's moral structure.
What did Karen Pence do that incurred the wrath and hate-filled speech from those on the Left? Her crime was volunteering to teach art at Immanuel Christian School, a private Christian school. Karen Pence said, "I am excited to be back in the classroom and doing what I love to do. I have missed teaching art, and it's great to return to the school where I taught art for 12 years." This all sounds pretty innocent, doesn't it? Why would anyone get all bent-out-of-shape? Well, Immanuel Christian School has a policy of only condoning biblical marriage - that of one man to one woman. Perkins quotes from CNN's Kate Bennett: "'So, lemme get this straight. The second lady of the United States has chosen to work at a school that openly discriminates against LGBT adults and children?'" He then quotes from Ben Shapiro, a conservative columnist: "'So, lemme get this straight. You're a reporter but you've never heard of religious people before? BREAKIN: Pence's wife is working for a Christian school that requires that Christian students pledge to abide by Christian standards of sin that have not changed in 2,000 years.'"
Perkins continues: "There used to be a consensus in this country that religious liberty was for everyone. When the Religious Freedom Restoration Act came before Congress, only three members voted against it. Over time, some liberals tried to isolate faith - to churches, Christian schools, or family rooms. You've heard me say before that the Left's hope is to quarantine religion within the four walls of the church. Now, it's becoming clear - even that won't satisfy them." He closes his article by quoting from Matt Walsh, a writer for the Daily Wire: "Suddenly, even Christianity behind closed doors, on private property, in a private school, is a target of outrage and scorn. It was a lie all along. They were never planning to stop outside the walls of our homes and our churches and our schools. That's just what they said to lull us to sleep. Now the next phase begins."
As I shared with my congregation this past Sunday, we are going to see an acceleration of these attacks upon Christians in the marketplaces, especially those in the arena of politics and governmental service. How we need to be prepared to "stand firm against the assaults of the evil one."
I trust you have been paying attention to what is happening in the Middle East these past few weeks. Given President Trump's statement that American troops will begin leaving Syria, it seems that Israel has stepped up its air assaults upon the Iranian backed Assad regime. This past week Israel launched a series of day-time air raids targeting Iranian military depots outside of Damascus. Israeli forces also discovered several more tunnels along the northern border with Lebanon that Hezbollah had dug for the purpose of invading Israel. And the situation along the Israeli-Gazan border remains on high alert. To make this even more complex, Israelis are in the midst of a national election. Because the coalition Prime Minister Netanyahu had created crumbled, the Knesset (Israel's equivalent to our Congress) was dissolved and new elections were mandated for early in April. Although, according to latest polling, Prime Minister Netanyahu is leading, there is much concern over a possible criminal indictment against him. Israel continues to bear a careful watching as we await the trumpet to sound.
The political gridlock continues in Washington. Even President Trump's State of the Union speech, scheduled for next Tuesday, is threatened to become one of the victims of this gridlock. The philosophy of "I want it all" has contributed greatly to this gridlock. Compromise? No - I want what I want! Sit down and have a civil conversation and negotiate? No - I want what I want! Our political parties have forgotten that governing is about providing for the betterment of America's citizens, not about improving the party. And, sad to say, I do not believe this philosophy will change any time soon, if ever. Just another reminder that we are getting closer to the return of the King.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Oh How We Need to Rediscover Our Nation's History!
As many of you know I have a deep love of history, especially that of our country. Over the past several years I have read numerous volumes about those early days of our nation's founding. In fact, I have shared some reviews of many of those volumes. Of all the nations of the world that have ever existed, in my opinion there are only two whose origins were directly guided by God: Israel and the United States. We all know the story of how God entered into a covenant with Abraham and promised that great patriarch three things: numerous descendants, a specific piece of land with clearly defined borders, and that through one of his descendants the entire world would be blessed. Of course, we know this descendant as the Lord Jesus Christ. (Read Genesis 12, 15, 17). And the miracle of Israel's founding, recorded for us in the pages of the Old Testament, continued as God preserved that nation through the perils of one pogrom and holocaust after another, finally coming to fruition with the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. If you want to read a power description of some of those 1948 miracles, I strongly recommend the book titled, "O Jerusalem!" written by Larry Collins and Dominique LaPierre.
Our nation's founding, I believe, was also guided by the hand of God. I believe that guidance was seen in the spiritual awakening that occurred within the Colonies prior to the Revolution. Instrumental were those ministry trips of George Whitefield. And the powerful preaching of Jonathan Edwards echoed strongly within the corridors of America's Independence Hall. Then one focuses upon perhaps the greatest group of statesmen that our nation has ever known: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John and Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe, John Witherspoon, Patrick Henry, just to name a few. These men all had diversity of opinions and convictions. Oh the debates that occurred within the meeting rooms there in Philadelphia and in the taverns that dotted the nearby streets. Often those exchanges were very heated, yet there was this underlying thought that kept bringing this diverse group of men back together: they believed Providence was guiding them to create a new nation founded upon the principles that had a foundation upon a Judeo-Christian ethic and teaching. Again, if you would like to read more about these men and that time, I highly recommend the book by Joseph Ellis entitled, "Our Founding Brothers."
In the light of our nation's founding, to read of how people of faith are being almost driven from the posts of government becomes almost a national disgrace. On January 12, Todd Starnes, who writes for Fox News, published an article that can be found at: www.foxnews.com/opinion/todd-starnes-yes-kamala-harris-and-mazie-hirono-are-religious-bigots. Allow me to quote at length from this disturbing article: "There are a disturbing number of Democrat lawmakers who believe Christians must renounce their religious beliefs and affiliations in religious-based organizations if they want to hold public office. The latest victim of this blatant religious bigotry is Brian Buescher, President Trump's nominee for the U.S. District Court in Nebraska. Buescher came under attack by Senator Kamala Harris, D-Calif,. and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, for his membership in the Knights of Columbus, a revered and highly-respected Catholic charitable organization.
"Both lawmakers posed a series of written questions demanding to know if he would end his membership in the Knights of Columbus should he be confirmed. 'The Knights of Columbus has taken a number of extreme positions,' Hirono wrote in the questionnaire. 'For example, it was reportedly one of the top contributors to California's Proposition 8 campaign to ban same-sex marriage.'
"Harris referred to the group as an 'all-male society' and took issue with their positions on abortion and other culture war issues. 'Were you aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed a woman's rights to choose when you joined the organization?' Harris queried.
"The condemnation from conservatives was swift. 'This isn't just about the Knights of Columbus or Catholics, this is an ongoing attack from the extremist left of the Democratic Party to silence people of faith and run them out of engaging in public service based on their religious beliefs,' Penny Nance, the president of Concerned Women for America, wrote in a statement."
Starnes than applauds Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii and newly announced presidential candidate, for calling out members of her own party for 'weaponizing religion.' 'We must call this out for what it is - religious bigotry,' she wrote in a scathing op-ed in The Hill. 'I stand strongly against those who are fomenting religious bigotry, citing as disqualified Buescher's Catholicism and his affiliation with the Knights of Columbus. If Buescher is "unqualified" because of his Catholicism and affiliation with the Knights of Columbus, then President John F. Kennedy and the "liberal lion of the Senate" Ted Kennedy would have been "unqualified" for the same reasons. No American should be asked to renounce his or her faith or membership in a faith-based service organization in order to hold public office.'"
Starnes then quotes Dennis Prager who had stated on Fox Nation's Starnes Country radio program, that secularists and leftists are attempting to drive people of faith out of the public arena. "'The only organized opposition [to leftism] comes from within Judaism and Christianity. The Orthodox Jew, the faithful Mormon, the traditional Catholic, and the Evangelical Protestant, these are the only opponents of leftism, and they know it, and they will do anything they can to suppress it.'"
"In 2017, Notre Dame law professor and mother of seven Any Coney Barrett was grilled by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif,, over orthodox beliefs. 'When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that's of concern.'" I don't know about you, friends, but I applaud people whose lives are a reflection of those principles that they hold tightly to within their hearts. There can be no pretenses or hypocrisy with such reflections.
"During that same year, Sen. Bernie Sanders - I-Vt., viciously attacked the religious faith of Russell Vought, the president's nominee to be deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Sen. Sanders deemed Vought unsuitable for office because the nominee believes that salvation is found alone through Jesus Christ. He said someone with that kind of religious belief system is 'really not someone who this country is supposed to be about.'" Excuse me, Senator Sanders, you really do not know your American History. Senator Sanders, perhaps it is time for you to have a refresher course in American History; you need to know the story behind those Vermont patriots Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Men. Perhaps, Senator Sanders, if you knew that history, you would not be rushing to create another Venezuela upon our shores. Russell Vought is exactly the kind of individual our Founding Fathers had in mind when they created our great nation.
Friends, look at those biblical examples that we have of men who served their nation and God so very well. Joseph served Pharaoh and God in that ancient Egyptian nation. David served his people and God well as King of Israel. Daniel masterfully served not one, but two world powers, and yet also was faithful to God. When the day arrives that Christians are shunned from the arenas of politics and government, then the apocalypse will be upon us.
Our nation's founding, I believe, was also guided by the hand of God. I believe that guidance was seen in the spiritual awakening that occurred within the Colonies prior to the Revolution. Instrumental were those ministry trips of George Whitefield. And the powerful preaching of Jonathan Edwards echoed strongly within the corridors of America's Independence Hall. Then one focuses upon perhaps the greatest group of statesmen that our nation has ever known: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John and Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe, John Witherspoon, Patrick Henry, just to name a few. These men all had diversity of opinions and convictions. Oh the debates that occurred within the meeting rooms there in Philadelphia and in the taverns that dotted the nearby streets. Often those exchanges were very heated, yet there was this underlying thought that kept bringing this diverse group of men back together: they believed Providence was guiding them to create a new nation founded upon the principles that had a foundation upon a Judeo-Christian ethic and teaching. Again, if you would like to read more about these men and that time, I highly recommend the book by Joseph Ellis entitled, "Our Founding Brothers."
In the light of our nation's founding, to read of how people of faith are being almost driven from the posts of government becomes almost a national disgrace. On January 12, Todd Starnes, who writes for Fox News, published an article that can be found at: www.foxnews.com/opinion/todd-starnes-yes-kamala-harris-and-mazie-hirono-are-religious-bigots. Allow me to quote at length from this disturbing article: "There are a disturbing number of Democrat lawmakers who believe Christians must renounce their religious beliefs and affiliations in religious-based organizations if they want to hold public office. The latest victim of this blatant religious bigotry is Brian Buescher, President Trump's nominee for the U.S. District Court in Nebraska. Buescher came under attack by Senator Kamala Harris, D-Calif,. and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, for his membership in the Knights of Columbus, a revered and highly-respected Catholic charitable organization.
"Both lawmakers posed a series of written questions demanding to know if he would end his membership in the Knights of Columbus should he be confirmed. 'The Knights of Columbus has taken a number of extreme positions,' Hirono wrote in the questionnaire. 'For example, it was reportedly one of the top contributors to California's Proposition 8 campaign to ban same-sex marriage.'
"Harris referred to the group as an 'all-male society' and took issue with their positions on abortion and other culture war issues. 'Were you aware that the Knights of Columbus opposed a woman's rights to choose when you joined the organization?' Harris queried.
"The condemnation from conservatives was swift. 'This isn't just about the Knights of Columbus or Catholics, this is an ongoing attack from the extremist left of the Democratic Party to silence people of faith and run them out of engaging in public service based on their religious beliefs,' Penny Nance, the president of Concerned Women for America, wrote in a statement."
Starnes than applauds Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii and newly announced presidential candidate, for calling out members of her own party for 'weaponizing religion.' 'We must call this out for what it is - religious bigotry,' she wrote in a scathing op-ed in The Hill. 'I stand strongly against those who are fomenting religious bigotry, citing as disqualified Buescher's Catholicism and his affiliation with the Knights of Columbus. If Buescher is "unqualified" because of his Catholicism and affiliation with the Knights of Columbus, then President John F. Kennedy and the "liberal lion of the Senate" Ted Kennedy would have been "unqualified" for the same reasons. No American should be asked to renounce his or her faith or membership in a faith-based service organization in order to hold public office.'"
Starnes then quotes Dennis Prager who had stated on Fox Nation's Starnes Country radio program, that secularists and leftists are attempting to drive people of faith out of the public arena. "'The only organized opposition [to leftism] comes from within Judaism and Christianity. The Orthodox Jew, the faithful Mormon, the traditional Catholic, and the Evangelical Protestant, these are the only opponents of leftism, and they know it, and they will do anything they can to suppress it.'"
"In 2017, Notre Dame law professor and mother of seven Any Coney Barrett was grilled by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif,, over orthodox beliefs. 'When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that's of concern.'" I don't know about you, friends, but I applaud people whose lives are a reflection of those principles that they hold tightly to within their hearts. There can be no pretenses or hypocrisy with such reflections.
"During that same year, Sen. Bernie Sanders - I-Vt., viciously attacked the religious faith of Russell Vought, the president's nominee to be deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Sen. Sanders deemed Vought unsuitable for office because the nominee believes that salvation is found alone through Jesus Christ. He said someone with that kind of religious belief system is 'really not someone who this country is supposed to be about.'" Excuse me, Senator Sanders, you really do not know your American History. Senator Sanders, perhaps it is time for you to have a refresher course in American History; you need to know the story behind those Vermont patriots Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Men. Perhaps, Senator Sanders, if you knew that history, you would not be rushing to create another Venezuela upon our shores. Russell Vought is exactly the kind of individual our Founding Fathers had in mind when they created our great nation.
Friends, look at those biblical examples that we have of men who served their nation and God so very well. Joseph served Pharaoh and God in that ancient Egyptian nation. David served his people and God well as King of Israel. Daniel masterfully served not one, but two world powers, and yet also was faithful to God. When the day arrives that Christians are shunned from the arenas of politics and government, then the apocalypse will be upon us.
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
The Russian Orthodox Patriarch and His Statement about the Antichrist
Yesterday the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, issued a statement that grabbed my attention. His remarks were picked up by various news sources around the world. Patriarch Kirill made his statement on Russian TV on Monday. He said that "The Antichrist is the person who will be at the head of the worldwide web." He went on to say, "Every time you use your gadget, whether you like it or not, whether you turn on your location or not, somebody can find out exactly where you are, exactly what your interests are and exactly what you are scared of. If not today then tomorrow methods and technology could appear that will not just provide access to all information but will also allow the use of this information. Do you imagine what power will be concentrated in the hands of those who gain knowledge about what is going on in the world? Control from such a single point is a harbinger of the coming of the Antichrist." Patriarch Kirill then said that the Russian Orthodox Church was not opposed to the internet or to uses of modern technology, but just wanted to issue a warning about "the development of a system that is aimed at controlling a person's identity."
This statement by the Russian Orthodox Church leader got me to thinking about the Antichrist. What does the Bible tell us about the Antichrist? We know from Revelation 13:7 that he will have control over the world: "He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation." How can anyone capture such control? Well, I believe he will do it through two means. First, he will control the powers of commerce, the powers of buying and selling. We read in Revelation 13:16-17 these words: "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." Friends, that is a strong control. One person has the power to influence what I buy or what I sell, or whether I can even buy or sell.
We also know from the Scriptures that the Antichrist will seek to control people's mind through the power of deception. The Apostle Paul writes these words: "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing" (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). Notice that Paul proclaims that the Antichrist will be able to do some incredibly awesome miracles. I believe he will be enabled to do many of the miracles that Jesus did while on earth: calming stormy seas, healing various diseases, multiplying loaves and fishes, etc. But, unlike Jesus who refused to submit to the accolades of the throngs to become king (John 6:15 - "Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself"), the Antichrist will not only entertain such thoughts, but gladly accept them. And when he accepts their invitation, he will become the master-controller of their lives. He will influence how they think. He will influence their every decision. He will influence what they do. Quite literally, people will sell their souls to the Antichrist.
Now, how does all this relate to what the Russian Orthodox leader said. Look at how we are so strongly influenced today by the social media. People almost live on what they see and hear on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. We hear the sad stories of young people who take their own lives because of what they read on those social media pages. Somehow we have allowed our lives to be "controlled" by what is said on those pages. I believe the Russian Orthodox leader was simply saying how dangerous it will be when just one person has access to all of the social media accounts of people around the globe.
Technology can be a tool used to enhance our lives and to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ. But it can also be a tool the Enemy can use to accomplish his purposes. You control what is on your iphone; don't let what is on your iphone control you.
And keep looking up because our Redemption will soon be here.
This statement by the Russian Orthodox Church leader got me to thinking about the Antichrist. What does the Bible tell us about the Antichrist? We know from Revelation 13:7 that he will have control over the world: "He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation." How can anyone capture such control? Well, I believe he will do it through two means. First, he will control the powers of commerce, the powers of buying and selling. We read in Revelation 13:16-17 these words: "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." Friends, that is a strong control. One person has the power to influence what I buy or what I sell, or whether I can even buy or sell.
We also know from the Scriptures that the Antichrist will seek to control people's mind through the power of deception. The Apostle Paul writes these words: "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing" (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). Notice that Paul proclaims that the Antichrist will be able to do some incredibly awesome miracles. I believe he will be enabled to do many of the miracles that Jesus did while on earth: calming stormy seas, healing various diseases, multiplying loaves and fishes, etc. But, unlike Jesus who refused to submit to the accolades of the throngs to become king (John 6:15 - "Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself"), the Antichrist will not only entertain such thoughts, but gladly accept them. And when he accepts their invitation, he will become the master-controller of their lives. He will influence how they think. He will influence their every decision. He will influence what they do. Quite literally, people will sell their souls to the Antichrist.
Now, how does all this relate to what the Russian Orthodox leader said. Look at how we are so strongly influenced today by the social media. People almost live on what they see and hear on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. We hear the sad stories of young people who take their own lives because of what they read on those social media pages. Somehow we have allowed our lives to be "controlled" by what is said on those pages. I believe the Russian Orthodox leader was simply saying how dangerous it will be when just one person has access to all of the social media accounts of people around the globe.
Technology can be a tool used to enhance our lives and to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ. But it can also be a tool the Enemy can use to accomplish his purposes. You control what is on your iphone; don't let what is on your iphone control you.
And keep looking up because our Redemption will soon be here.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
It's 2019, But Some Things Just Do Not change
I want to say a Happy New Year to each one of you. I trust that your new year has begun well. This year should be a very interesting one. What will the stock markets do this year? Will the "run of the bulls" continue, or will the "bear come out of hibernation?" If the past three months are any indication, it certainly appears that the markets will demonstrate great volatility.
What will happen in Washington DC this year? For the first time in two years we have a divided government with the Democrats have a 40 seat majority in the House while the Republicans have a 6 seat majority in the Senate. As the new Congress begins their session tomorrow, will those who have been elected to represent us actually do just that, or will they support the wishes of their party's leaders? Will it be America first, or party first, or my own political ambitions first? There are some difficult decisions to be made: border security and immigration reform being two of the top agenda items. As I have shared in previous blogs, what I find so disconcerting is that our political leaders either do not know how to conduct a civil dialogue any longer, or else they simply do not have a desire to do so. Debate is vital to the success of a democracy. There does need to be a openness to listening to the arguments from both sides of an issue. But when our own opinions are so strongly fixed that we cannot entertain the arguments from a different perspective, then conversation becomes confrontation, dialogue becomes argument.
I fear that 2019 will see the continuation of the erosion of our moral foundations. On December 15, Todd Starnes posted this article on the Patriot Post website: www.patriotpost.us/opinion/6003-teacher-fired-for-refusing-to-call-a-transgender-student-by-preferred-pronoun. "A devout Christian teacher was fired from a government-run school in West Point, Virginia, after he refused to call a girl who identifies as a boy by her preferred pronoun. The school district voted unanimously to fire Peter Vlaming, a veteran French teacher who is beloved by students. They accused him of 'misgendering' a student.
"'That discrimination then leads to creating a hostile learning environment. And the student had expressed that. The parent had expressed that," West Point Superintendent Laura Abel told NBC News. 'They felt disrespected.'
"Vlaming explained to school officials that his religious beliefs prevented him from using male pronouns when addressing a biological female. He had agreed to call the child by her new 'masculine' name, but the school district rejected that compromise.
"He was basically given a choice - either reject the teachings of the Bible and basic human biology or find another job.
"'Tolerance is a two-way street,' said Shawn Voyles, Vlaming's attorney. 'My client respects this student's rights; he is simply asking that his rights be respected as well... The student is absolutely free to identify as the student pleases. The school board adopted one viewpoint and required Mr. Vlaming, at the cost of his job, to repeat that ideology, repeat that viewpoint. That's where it's compelled speech. That's where it violates his First Amendment right he still retains as a public employee.'
"More than 100 students walked out of class to show their support for Vlaming. 'I don't think they should shut Mr. Vlaming and his rights out like that,' eighty-grader Cassidy Heidelberg told the Virginia Gazette. 'He has four children, a wife and it's hard enough earning enough as a teacher.'"
Now to the flip-side of the coin. On December 17, Robin Smith wrote an article, also posted on the Patriot Post website: www.patriotpost.us/articles/60073-modern-education-activism-has-displaced-academics. The author of this article, after citing the case of Peter Vlaming, then cited another case in Virginia. "In the same state, just about 100 miles due north as the crow flies, in the Arlington Public Schools, a second-grader, excited to share a story about Daniel from the Bible during show-and-tell, was silenced among his peers by his teacher. As told by his dad, his enthusiastic son stowed away his Bible among his school supplies in his bag for the purpose of telling a story that was important to him that involved the Jewish man whose courage and determination was used by God. The eight-year old exclaimed to his dad, 'The teacher stopped me from speaking and went on to the next person. I didn't get to tell them about Daniel.'"
Friends, a teacher is fired because he refused to use male pronouns to identify a transgender student who is a biological girl. And his refusal is based upon his religious convictions. A second-grader is interrupted in his show-and-tell presentation because he shares a Bible story about a man whose courage should be an example for all of us. Both this teacher and this student's rights are protected by the First Amendment. Yet, in today's world, the rights guaranteed in that First Amendment seemed to be applied in a discriminatory manner. If I am a Christian and believe in the Bible, then my First Amendment rights are limited; but, if I am a secularist, my First Amendment rights have no limitation.
Friends, as we enter into another year, I do not believe that the assault upon Christians will lessen this year. In fact, I think the attacks upon believers who are committed to standing for truth will only increase. The reason why I say this is because I believe we are nearing the end of this age. The Bible tells us, quite clearly, that people will be deceived and believe the lie rather than the truth. So, this is a year in which we, as followers of Jesus Christ, will need to do two things. First, we will need to dig more deeply into the Word of God; and, second, we will need to have a strong Christian community that will give us encouragement. To accomplish the first, you will need to find a time to sit down with your Bible and just read and meditate on what God is saying to you. To accomplish the second, you will need to find a good church where the Bible is preached, and when you find one, get involved in it. Those two things will give you an edge toward a successful new year.
What will happen in Washington DC this year? For the first time in two years we have a divided government with the Democrats have a 40 seat majority in the House while the Republicans have a 6 seat majority in the Senate. As the new Congress begins their session tomorrow, will those who have been elected to represent us actually do just that, or will they support the wishes of their party's leaders? Will it be America first, or party first, or my own political ambitions first? There are some difficult decisions to be made: border security and immigration reform being two of the top agenda items. As I have shared in previous blogs, what I find so disconcerting is that our political leaders either do not know how to conduct a civil dialogue any longer, or else they simply do not have a desire to do so. Debate is vital to the success of a democracy. There does need to be a openness to listening to the arguments from both sides of an issue. But when our own opinions are so strongly fixed that we cannot entertain the arguments from a different perspective, then conversation becomes confrontation, dialogue becomes argument.
I fear that 2019 will see the continuation of the erosion of our moral foundations. On December 15, Todd Starnes posted this article on the Patriot Post website: www.patriotpost.us/opinion/6003-teacher-fired-for-refusing-to-call-a-transgender-student-by-preferred-pronoun. "A devout Christian teacher was fired from a government-run school in West Point, Virginia, after he refused to call a girl who identifies as a boy by her preferred pronoun. The school district voted unanimously to fire Peter Vlaming, a veteran French teacher who is beloved by students. They accused him of 'misgendering' a student.
"'That discrimination then leads to creating a hostile learning environment. And the student had expressed that. The parent had expressed that," West Point Superintendent Laura Abel told NBC News. 'They felt disrespected.'
"Vlaming explained to school officials that his religious beliefs prevented him from using male pronouns when addressing a biological female. He had agreed to call the child by her new 'masculine' name, but the school district rejected that compromise.
"He was basically given a choice - either reject the teachings of the Bible and basic human biology or find another job.
"'Tolerance is a two-way street,' said Shawn Voyles, Vlaming's attorney. 'My client respects this student's rights; he is simply asking that his rights be respected as well... The student is absolutely free to identify as the student pleases. The school board adopted one viewpoint and required Mr. Vlaming, at the cost of his job, to repeat that ideology, repeat that viewpoint. That's where it's compelled speech. That's where it violates his First Amendment right he still retains as a public employee.'
"More than 100 students walked out of class to show their support for Vlaming. 'I don't think they should shut Mr. Vlaming and his rights out like that,' eighty-grader Cassidy Heidelberg told the Virginia Gazette. 'He has four children, a wife and it's hard enough earning enough as a teacher.'"
Now to the flip-side of the coin. On December 17, Robin Smith wrote an article, also posted on the Patriot Post website: www.patriotpost.us/articles/60073-modern-education-activism-has-displaced-academics. The author of this article, after citing the case of Peter Vlaming, then cited another case in Virginia. "In the same state, just about 100 miles due north as the crow flies, in the Arlington Public Schools, a second-grader, excited to share a story about Daniel from the Bible during show-and-tell, was silenced among his peers by his teacher. As told by his dad, his enthusiastic son stowed away his Bible among his school supplies in his bag for the purpose of telling a story that was important to him that involved the Jewish man whose courage and determination was used by God. The eight-year old exclaimed to his dad, 'The teacher stopped me from speaking and went on to the next person. I didn't get to tell them about Daniel.'"
Friends, a teacher is fired because he refused to use male pronouns to identify a transgender student who is a biological girl. And his refusal is based upon his religious convictions. A second-grader is interrupted in his show-and-tell presentation because he shares a Bible story about a man whose courage should be an example for all of us. Both this teacher and this student's rights are protected by the First Amendment. Yet, in today's world, the rights guaranteed in that First Amendment seemed to be applied in a discriminatory manner. If I am a Christian and believe in the Bible, then my First Amendment rights are limited; but, if I am a secularist, my First Amendment rights have no limitation.
Friends, as we enter into another year, I do not believe that the assault upon Christians will lessen this year. In fact, I think the attacks upon believers who are committed to standing for truth will only increase. The reason why I say this is because I believe we are nearing the end of this age. The Bible tells us, quite clearly, that people will be deceived and believe the lie rather than the truth. So, this is a year in which we, as followers of Jesus Christ, will need to do two things. First, we will need to dig more deeply into the Word of God; and, second, we will need to have a strong Christian community that will give us encouragement. To accomplish the first, you will need to find a time to sit down with your Bible and just read and meditate on what God is saying to you. To accomplish the second, you will need to find a good church where the Bible is preached, and when you find one, get involved in it. Those two things will give you an edge toward a successful new year.
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