A couple of articles this past week caught my attention - and hopefully yours as well. The aftermath of our days in Iraq continually seem to haunt us as the headlines of a Reuters News Service report on February 24 stated. "Iran has signed a deal to sell Iraq arms and ammunition worth $195 million, according to documents seen by Reuters - a move that would break a U.N. embargo on weapons sales by Tehran. The agreement was reached at the end of November, the documents showed, just weeks after Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki returned from Washington, where he lobbied the Obama administration for extra weapons to fight al Qaeda-linked militants. Some in Washington are nervous about providing sensitive U.S. military equipment to a country they worry is becoming too close to Iran. Several Iraqi lawmakers said Maliki had made the deal because he was fed up with delays to U.S. arms deliveries."
What makes this weapons purchase so alarming is that Iran has always had strong aspirations of claiming Iraq for itself. You might remember that a long, bloody, costly war between Iraq and Iran was fought during the 1980's. And, you will also remember how Iran kept sending its Republican Guard into Iraq to fight against coalitions forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom. And we know that Iran has wormed its way into the very heights of Iraq's government. This weapons sale is just another indication that Iran has not lessened its interests in its next door neighbor.
Friends, Iran is certainly a country to keep one's eyes upon. Recently they tested a longer-range missile that would be capable of reaching into Europe, and, as I shared a couple weeks ago, they have sent Iranian warships into the North Atlantic - sort of a "tit-for-tat" with our fleet's presence in the Persian Gulf. Are we seeing the rumblings of an Ezekiel 38-39 scenario? It is for sure that Iran is not going away anytime soon. But we know that God will take care of that matter.
The second article appeared on the Fox News website yesterday - www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/02/25/ariz-bill-allowing-owners-to-deny-services. The article shares about the recently passed bill in Arizona that "updates existing Arizona law on the 'exercise of religion' and protects businesses, corporations and people from lawsuits if they deny services based on a 'sincere' religious belief. Supporters argue that bill is about protecting religious freedom, not about allowing discrimination. And they frequently cite the case of a New Mexico photographer sued for refusing to take wedding pictures of a gay couple. 'This bill is about preventing discrimination against people who are clearly living out their faith,' said state GOP Sen. Steve Yarbrough, the bill sponsor. ... The bill allows any business, church or person to cite the law as a defense in any action brought by the government or an individual. It also allows the business or person to seek an injunction once they show their actions are based on a sincere religious belief and the claim places a burden on the exercise of their religion."
This bill has caused an uproar and Arizona's governor, Jan Brewer, has not yet indicated whether she will sign the bill or not. By Arizona law she has until Friday to sign or to veto the bill. There is a lot of hysteria about the bill by those who oppose it. Some say it will cause businesses to post signs saying that gays will not be served - sort of a revisiting of the Jim Crow laws in America's south in the 1950's. It seems to me that businesses will not discriminate their service to their customers. If I own a bakery, for instance, I certainly would sell donuts to all those who came into my shop. But, and here is where the bill takes affect, I would have the right, as a bakery owner, to say that I would not make a wedding cake or cater a wedding for a gay or lesbian couple because it went against my religious convictions concerning marriage. I will sell you donuts, but don't ask me to make your wedding cake. That is the heart of this bill.
Friends, how sad that we even have to have such a bill. Why should not my religious convictions be held in honor by all? If I own a business, I should have the right to choose whom I will serve with that business as long as it does not violate any known laws or statutes. I cannot refuse to sell you a donut or to post a sign on the door of my bakery that I will not serve gays or lesbians - to do so would be to violate laws of discrimination. However, I would expect everyone to respect my religious convictions to refrain from doing something that I believed strongly to be counter those convictions. But, we live in a time when a person's personal convictions take a backseat to toleration of the rights of others. Yes, the laws in over a dozen states allow for a man to marry another man, or a woman to marry another woman - and I have to respect that law, even though I strongly opposed it. But that law does not mean that I have to be involved in your wedding - taking pictures, making a cake, arranging flowers, etc. You may take your business elsewhere and that is your prerogative and, as a consequence of my convictions, my business might suffer. As a business owner, that is a decision I will have to make. But don't force me into going against my personal convictions.
How sad that we have lost all respect for one another! As a pastor I have counseled my flock to know what your beliefs are and to claim ownership for those beliefs. As part of that claiming ownership, one needs to also know those biblical passages that give support to those beliefs so that your beliefs are not just a matter of personal opinion. And, once you have claimed ownership, stand resolutely behind those beliefs. Often I have used the illustration of Daniel and his three friends. Daniel resolved in his heart that he would not defile himself by eating the food of the king. I truly believe Daniel was willing to be sold into slavery or even die. And, certainly his three friends faced the reality of death - and they did so with a resoluteness. Here is what is interesting, in both stories in Daniel 1 and in Daniel 3, the king gave honor to Daniel and his friends for their willingness to stand with their convictions, even in the face of death.
Friends, I share with you as I have shared with my flock - what beliefs are you willing to go to jail for? What beliefs are you willing to even die for? I truly believe the day will soon be upon us when our jails will be filled with Christians who are not willing to compromise their beliefs. Are you ready for such a time as that?
I do want to leave you this week with a good note. This past weekend our church hosted Dr. Rob Rienow for a Family Life Conference. It was outstanding. If your church is looking for someone to come and light a fire under families getting them excited for the things of God and for what God would have a family to be, I strongly encourage you to look into bringing Rob Rienow to your church. You will not be disappointed at all. Families were the very first institution of God and they are still the key to reaching the world for Jesus Christ.
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