Persecution in America?

I recently read a teaching I did almost 12 years ago about Christian persecution; it seems almost prophetic. What do you think?

“I’m not so sure that very soon in this very country, we may end up having to face persecution towards the church. The way the government is going now, it’s possible that you, as a Christian, may have your liberties taken away. You’re not going to be able to discipline your children as the Scriptures say. You may not be able to educate them in the schools you want. You’re going to have homosexual groups begin to impose on and persecute the church. Already, they’ve actually infiltrated and disrupted services; bit and spit at people going to church. This is going to become more and more commonplace, and if you raise your voice and say, ‘Look, this is what God says about how we should believe and live,’ we’re going to be in for some persecution. I’m not looking forward to it, but I’m not going to bury my head in the sand, either. Things are going to change; believe me. We need to know why we believe what we believe. Why am I not a non-believer? Why do I believe in Christ?”

I wanted to share how the Lord ministered to me on the night of my father's memorial service. It had been a difficult day, obviously, and with many mixed emotions. A lot of you know my testimony and what a turbulent relationship my father and I had throughout my life. I opened one of my favorite devotional books that evening and read the passage for that day (June 10), look how the Lord ministered to me:


We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

What a tremendous claim Paul makes in this verse! He does not say, “We know that in some things,” “most things,” or even “joyful things” but in “ALL things.” This promise spans from the very smallest detail of life to the most important, and from the most humbling of daily tasks to God’s greatest works of grace performed during a crisis.

Paul states this in the present tense: “God works.” He does not say, “worked” or “will work.” It is a continuing operation.

We also know from Scripture that God’s “justice (is) like the great deep” (Ps.36:6); at this very moment the angels in heaven, as they watch with folded wings the development of God’s great plan, are undoubtedly proclaiming, “The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made” (Ps. 145:17).

Then when God orchestrates “all things…for the good,” it is a beautiful blending. He requires many different colors, which individually may be quite drab, to weave into the harmonious pattern.

Separate tones, notes, and even discords are required to compose melodious musical anthems; a piece of machinery requires many separate wheels, parts, and connections. One part from a machine may be useless, or one note from an anthem may never be considered beautiful, but taken together, combined, and completed, they lead to a perfect balance and harmony.

We can learn a lesson of faith from this: “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (John 13:7) J.R. Macduff

In a thousand trials, it is not just five hundred of them that work “for the good” of the believer, but nine hundred and ninety-nine, plus one. George Mueller

God Meant It unto Good (Gen. 50:20 KJV)

“God meant it unto good” –O blest assurance,
Falling like sunshine all across life’s way,
Touching with Heaven’s gold, earth’s darkest storm clouds,
Bringing fresh peace and comfort day by day.

‘Twas not by chance the hands of faithless brothers
Sold Joseph captive to a foreign land;
Nor was it chance that, after years of suffering,
Brought him before the pharaoh’s throne to stand.

One Eye all-seeing saw the need of thousands,
And planned to meet it through that one lone soul;
And through the weary days of prison bondage
Was working toward the great and glorious goal.

As yet the end was hidden from the captive,
The iron entered even to his soul;
His eye could scan the present path of sorrow,
Not yet his gaze might rest upon the whole.

Faith failed not through those long, dark days of waiting,
His trust in God was reimbursed at last,
The moment came when God led forth his servant
To comfort many, all his sufferings past.

“It was not you but God, that led me to here,”
Witnessed triumphant faith in later days;
“God meant it unto good,” no other reason
Mingled their discord with his song of praise.

“God means it unto good” for you, beloved,
The God of Joseph is the same today;
His love permits afflictions strange and bitter,
His hand is guiding through the unknown way.

Your Lord, who sees the end from the beginning,
Has purposes for you of love untold.
Then place your hand in His and follow fearless,
Till you the riches of His grace behold.

There, when you stand firm in the Home of Glory,
And all life’s path lies open to your gaze,
Your eyes will SEE the hand that you’re now trusting,
And magnify His love through endless days.
Freda Hanbury Allen

Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, Streams in the Desert, June 10

More Americans are Pro-Life, Report Says

Some more positive news was recently reported, our friends at Focus on the Family provide this story:

Americans are more pro-life than pro-abortion, according to a new Gallup poll.

The poll reveals that 51 percent of Americans call themselves pro-life while 42 percent are pro-abortion. Seven percent of respondents had no opinion on the topic.

This is the first time the pendulum has swung to the pro-life side since Gallup began conducting the poll in 1995. Last year, 50 percent considered themselves pro-abortion and 44 percent pro-life.

Twenty-three percent of respondents said abortion should be illegal in all circumstances. Only 22 percent said it should be legal at all times.

Clarke Forsythe, senior counsel with Americans United for Life, said pro-lifers should use this data to benefit the cause.

"The bottom line is we should be encouraged to persevere," he said. "It's important to be educating. It's important to be involved in politics. It's important to be involved in public policy."

At One High School, a Test of Tolerance

Here's an interesting follow-up to my last blog post, some good news from our friends at the Family Research Council:

At Mission Viejo High School in California, the biggest bully in class was the one leading it. James Corbett, a teacher with over 20 years experience in Capistrano, refused to keep his hostility toward religion a secret. As other students would attest, it was not at all uncommon for him to lash out at students who supported creationism, calling it "religious superstitious nonsense."

By 2007, sophomore Chad Farnan, a student in Corbett's Advanced Placement European history class, decided he'd had enough. After gathering enough tape-recorded evidence, Farnan filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, determined to force his teacher's bigotry out of the classroom. During the suit, he cited over 20 examples of Corbett's rants, which ranged from equating God to "a spaghetti monster" to declaring that religion was "invented when the first con man met the first fool."

In an overwhelming vindication of students' rights, Judge James Selna declared that every child deserved an education "free of a government that directly expresses disapproval of religion." For too long, objectivity and the free exchange of ideas have given way to an American classroom that is nothing more than a platform for the liberal social agenda. When Corbett expressed his personal religious opinions, he was crossing a legal line that few students realize exists. As Judge Selna ruled, every teacher has a constitutional duty to foster free and open debate even if they personally don't agree. Because of Chad's courage, kids across the country have an opportunity to learn a meaningful lesson that right does still prevail.

Although he won the suit, Chad hasn't asked for a single cent. His biggest reward will be paving the way for kids like him to protest the intimidation tactics of liberal teachers. His was a teacher who once said, "When you put on your Jesus glasses, you can't see the truth." But as even the court confirmed, Corbett is the one who was short-sighted.

If your child has been the target of religious discrimination at school, we can help. Call us at 1-800-225-4008 and we'll put you in touch with attorneys at the Alliance Defense Fund who can explain your constitutional rights.

Additional Resources
Watch Chad talk about his experience on Fox News

Religious Discrimination

My friends at the Center for Arizona Policy have informed me of a growing number of incidents of religious discrimination in schools all over Arizona. This is part of a growing trend to undermine Christian culture, views and practice in the mainstream, secular culture.

The church in America seems to have adopted the standard of success that the world uses; how well we are received by the world and culture around us. It seems that over time we have shifted our focus to the question “do they like us?” instead of “are we living like Christ?”

We have to decide whether we’re going to measure God’s church by the world’s standards or step outside of the box and live out our faith boldly as Jesus did.

Change has come to America and we have to decide where we stand. If we are going to take a committed stand for moral absolutes and the truth that Jesus is the only Savior of the world, we are going to be liked less and less by our culture. Our identity must not be found in the world’s approval. Hebrews 11 tells us that real faith-walkers don’t expect or rely on the world’s endorsement. We need to be the men and women who boldly live their faith.

I'm proud of Christian students who are taking a stand for their faith in the public educational systems. There isn't anything much more intimidating than knowing that your academic success is in the hands of a science professor or English teacher who has moved well beyond their role as an "educator" and moved on to take the role of an "indoctrinator" of secular humanism.

Some of our university students have had to pay their universities to sit through courses referred to as "Women's Studies" or “Diversity Training” that do nothing more than expose them to perversion and embarrassment. One student told me of how her professor and classmates took delight in her red-faced embarrassment as they talked about perverted lifestyles with the casual attitude that you would have if you were ordering a pizza. Yet, she stood firm, and is a true hero of the faith by Heaven’s standard!

I'm proud of our students who have had the courage to write term papers on topics that are not politically correct to mention, even when they face the inescapable prejudice of their teachers and professors. I'm so proud of them. They are modern Daniel’s and Esther’s and deserve our respect and support.

The Challenge of Change

Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, California is holding a conference all day tomorrow called "The Challenge of Change" that will address the current issues facing Christians in America.

They plan to webcast the conference through their website from 8:30AM-4:30PM.

Dr. James Dobson has recorded a brief video for the conference which you can view here.

For more info and details, view a PDF of here on Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa's website.

The live webcast can be found here under the Live Broadcast section.

Children's Safe House in Tiberias, Israel

When we were in Israel a few weeks ago, we shared about a Children's Safe House in Tiberias that Tisha Michelle helps with much needed support. Since I shared about these children, people at Calvary have donated $8,000 to this work!

I'm re-posting our visit to the Children's Center below along with the address to make a donation if you are led. You can also make your donation through Calvary and just earmark your check with "Tiberias Children's Safe House" and we will make sure it gets to them.

From March 18, 2009 visit:
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At the end of the day Tisha took us to a Children's Center that her charity supports in Tiberias for underprivileged children. This place broke our hearts. They take in the 15 worst cases of children that social services approves for the program. These kids come from terrible homes, mostly with one parent, and they often don't get fed or get proper sleep at home, among other deplorable conditions. After school they come to the center for several hours, are fed 2 hot meals, shower, clean-up and have fun playing with the other children doing various activities. Their ministry supports 6 of these centers at this time.



Leslie and I with 2 of the ladies who run the center.



Not all of the children are picked up at the end of the day. These 2 had to walk home on the dark streets of Tiberias all by themselves. We followed them for a little while.




Tisha, her sister, and her mother run a ministry called Exodus Limited. Her mother lives in the U.S. and helps coordinate things in the states. I truly support this ministry and encourage you to check it out online and support it if you are led. The website is: www.exodusltd.org and their mailing address is: Exodus, Ltd., PO Box 1387, Redondo Beach, CA 90278. 100% of donations received go directly to cause you specify, and they are involved in many, see the website.