Archive for October 16, 2011


“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20)

 

The unthinkable has happened for all Christian couples that have not been desensitized by the liberal media: the war on traditional marriage is climaxing to an almost unstoppable, destructive momentum – at least with mainstream media.

CBS and NBC have declared an all-out war on traditional marriage and have begun the all-out assault on everything we stand for and are as Christians.

As Newsbusters.com published on Oct. 14, NBC’s “Today” and CBS’s “Early Show” celebrated the “end of traditional marriage” in America. With pride, arrogance and ungodly hatred, CBS’s relationship expert Matt Titus spouted that “marriage is an artificial institution. I mean, it’s basically a morality cage for men.” He also called marriage “unnatural!” And to further deepen the vicious venom in the wounds they have made, he said we don’t need marriage and men anymore, “men are expendable,” no family is needed anymore.
(http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/paul-wilson/2011/10/14/cbs-jumps-anti-marriage-bandwagon )

Did you catch this? Are you actually absorbing that the impact that this article and national media coverage means we have reached a level of utter warfare on all that Christians believe about traditional marriage?

It is real and it is happening, as one Christian young woman told me, “exponentially.”

 

In essence, a growing majority of this world is as the Bible clearly tells us, “Calling good evil, and evil good.”

They have said in essence that marriage is unnatural and a social construct, that it doesn’t apply to everyone.

“Only women stuck in the Dark Ages need marriage for financial support. Liberated modern women don’t need it anymore,” Newsbusters’ Paul Wilson summarized what CBS’s Erica Hill said.

Marriage is and will always be our foundation for family, relationship and the fundamental structure to which all peoples far and near stem from. And not only marriage, but traditional, godly marriage – between a man and woman.

We’re Still In a War

I remember being a new convert many moons ago, hearing the preached Word of God saying, “We’re in a war!” I always believed that, but naively relegated this to merely a “spiritual war.” I heard it preached and memorized the verses that substantiated this perspective.

Scriptures such as Ephesians 6:12 say, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (NIV)

As well as 2 Corinthians 10:4, “For the weapons of our warfare are not those of the world. Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear down arguments.” (ISV Version)

Moreover, while this is true, within very recent years, it has permeated through the spiritual realm and has visibly overtaken the physical world.

Should we continue to “war in the spirit”? Absolutely, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that too many of us are so wrapped up in pursuing the “blessings of life” that we don’t even want to be bothered by what’s happening around us – as long as we can live our lives.

Sitting Still No Longer An Option

Four lepers were rotting away on the side of the road just yards outside a gate that held life, answers and salvation as found in 2 Kings 7:4. They were at the very entrance to a city which flourished, so it seemed, with food, sustenance, and life-giving supplies, yet they were not allowed to enter. When someone had leprosy at that time, they could not live within city limits for fear of contaminating others as well as it being the law.

However, they could not take any more of the decaying situation in which they knew that if they did nothing, they would simply die on the side of the road. They did not allow the stupefying effect of complacency and apathy to drag them to a grave only yards from their salvation. Instead, they did something about it! The got up from sitting and dying on the side of the road.

The four Lepers said, “If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ then the famine is in the city and we will die there; and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, we will but die… They arose…” (2 Kings 7:4-5 NASB)

Making a Difference

Just recently, a real-life superhero has emerged in the media – Phoenix Jones Crime Fighter!

As reported by the Seattle Times and KIROTV, Benjamin John Francis, AKA Crime Fighter Phoenix Jones, is reported to be a real-life superhero. Unlike Spiderman or other crime fighters who have supernatural powers, this crime fighter, as he stated, is “just like everyone else.”

This man has done what every one of us is commanded to do by the Lord.

After taking his Hero mask off to present himself to those who wanted to know just who this masked-man was, Phoenix courageously says, “I’m Phoenix Jones. I’m also Ben Fodor. I’m a father. I’m also a brother. I’m just like everyone else. The only difference is, I decided to make a difference and stop crime in my neighborhood and my area.”
(http://www.kirotv.com/news/29473242/detail.html )

What are WE doing about the crimes against marriage that is being spread like butter across this great nation? Are we just sitting idly by, soaking in the blessings, hiding behind spiritual bushes, hoping – and praying – that we do not have to become active, involved and engaging the enemy?

The End Is Not Near – It’s Here

Everywhere you look, traditional marriage and Christianity is one step shy of complete, biblical persecution.

Boycotts, political posturing, bully-pulpits, church under-the-table provisions, out-and-out gay churches and ministers flourishing, and our very own Obama administration that has promised to advance the anti-Christian marriage stance and push ahead every LGBT agenda that would not simply “co-exist” alongside traditional marriage, but would completely wipe out marriage altogether.

It is happening all around, including infiltrating many large churches and their doctrinal teaching and perspectives – the allowance and “tolerance” of anti-Christian elements.

We’re not talking about style and theological differences here – we’re talking directly about the very things that God Himself abhors and disdains which are being introduced, allowed and spread within a growing faction of Christian churches, ministries and churches all across America.

National Organization for Marriage (NOM) has reported, “SSM proponents are actively persuading legislators in ‘blue’ states that there is no real political risk in voting for gay marriage, despite what the polls say. And they will push the battle where pro-family forces are weakest: the Northeast and West Coast. Legislators in several of these states have already adopted marriage-like civil unions or domestic partnerships, with little or no political fallout.”

The group continues, “An openly gay councilman from Queens asked the city’s Department of Education to buy new textbooks. The curriculum would be similar to one that will be taught in California beginning next year, where a new law mandates instruction on the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people to the social sciences. A petition drive to repeal the law failed to gather a significant number of signatures by today’s deadline.”

NOM also reported how our nation is out of control in its attack of our marriages:

“For over a decade, Rose Marie has been a widely-respected Town Clerk in Ledyard, New York. She loves her job and goes out of her way to ensure that local government works well for the citizens of her small town.

But when New York legalized same-sex marriage, Rose Marie realized that if she had to certify those marriages, it would conflict with her Christian beliefs. She asked if a deputy could perform any same-sex marriages should the situation arise, and she was denied.

And now, Rose Marie’s job is being threatened, all because, as she tells it, ‘I just want to respect the God I worship.’”

Conclusion:

Whenever God’s people have been pressured, beaten, and had their backs against the wall, it’s always been the ripe opportunity for God to display His handiwork by showing His power through His people.

As the dark gets darker, the brightness will always get brighter.

We cannot overemphasize the need to stand up, stand out and fight back against the tides of evil. Not just simply by praying, but actually getting involved, speak up, and speak out for what is right.

Our voice really can be heard, but we must unite in our stance for marriage and as our bible tells us, not to be “afraid of what man can do.”

Our summation of our plea for Christians, leaders, couples, and all those who hold dear the values of marriage – traditional marriage – is wrapped up by NOM’s last words in an article, “We need to fight back! Because this is just the beginning – there are literally dozens and possibly hundreds of outrageous stories to tell!” And creating “a community of Americans who adhere to the core Gospel value: “Be not afraid!”

http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-end-of-marriage-declaring-war-on-traditional-marriage-58265/


Lawsuit another example of Government intrusion (OneNewsNow.com).


Billy Graham’s regrets (OneNewsNow.com).


PP’s reputation keeps getting worse (OneNewsNow.com).


What About Struggling? · Max Lucado.

The Wooden Rule

Posted: October 16, 2011 in Our Daily Bread

The Wooden Rule.


Working Out What God Works In You

The Holy Spirit in this passage is saying two things: God works in you to will, but you are to work with God in working it out. God works in you–that is, God is always previous. God is the aggressor. God saw you in the rut and wanted you to get out it. He thought of it first, not you. The impuse to know God came from Him and not from you. God works first, and because God works we are to work with Him. We are therefore to dismiss all doubts and all morbid humility. It is entirely possible to be so humble, in a sick kind of way, that you paralyze yourself and get nowhere. For instance, you say to yourself, “That man has been preaching about getting out of the religious rut. While I haven”t agreed with everything, I have been feeling that I am in a rut and that I ought to get out. This circular grave is getting deeper every year of my life, and I can hardly see out of it. Give me four or five more years and you”ll look right over me and not know I”m here. I need help. But I wonder if God will help me.” That is morbid humility. . . . The very fact that you want out is proof that God has been working in you to will to get out. And if God worked in you to want to get out, then when you ask Him to get you out, do you suppose He would not help you out? Would God put an impulse in your heart and then refuse to accept your prayer when you came in answer to that impulse? . . .

http://www.cmalliance.org/devotions/tozer?id=338


The+Key+to+the+Master%E2%80%99s+Orders.


Over the course of the decades and years that have passed between the infamous Roe v. Wade decision (1973) and now, the demarcation between proponents of life and proponents of abortion has clearly proven to be a respect for life itself: an acknowledgement of the dignity of the human being, the human spirit, and the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” granted to all, regardless of age or date of conception.

On one side of this battle, we see individuals and organizations fighting to be sure human beings are protected from assault both inside and outside of the womb. This is certainly indicative of a culture of life.

On the other side, we see individuals and organizations fighting to be sure human life can be extinguished in a time and place of their choosing: whether in the womb via abortion or out of the womb via infanticide or euthanasia. This is certainly indicative of a culture of death, a culture that stands ready to swallow up all those who embrace it.

We received a vivid reminder of this last month, when a Canadian court allowed a young mother to walk away without jail-time after strangling her son to death and throwing his body over a neighbor’s fence.

The details – the mother became pregnant in April 2005 at 19 years of age. She hid the pregnancy from her parents and secretly gave birth to a son in her parents’ basement. Immediately thereafter, she strangled the child to death so he wouldn’t make any noise. Afterward, she went outside and threw the body over the fence and into her neighbor’s yard, where it was later discovered.

On September 9, 2011, after five years of court proceedings, a Canadian court found her guilty of “infanticide,” which carries a maximum sentence of five years. The judge in the case, Justice Joanne Veit, then justified the verdict by describing the mother as someone “who was alone and unsupported.”

Veit gave the mother a suspended sentence based on time-served during the past five years. Although this suspended sentence is three years in length, and carries stipulations requiring the mother to “tell a probation officer if she gets pregnant,” it’s accepted as fact that the mother was basically allowed to walk away a free woman even though she’d been found guilty of killing her child.

By the way, the actual time she had served in custody during the five years before her sentencing was “almost eight months.” And although Justice Veit didn’t say it, such a meaningless sentence communicates the idea that a child’s life is worth about eight months in custody (or ¾ of a year).

Although the crime was heinous, Justice Veit had no qualms about allowing the young mother to walk: “Naturally, Canadians are grieved by an infant’s death, especially at the hands of the infant’s mother, but Canadians also grieve for the mother.”

This inversion of our worldview, this narcissistic self-loathing that exalts any anguish the mother felt about the violent murder of a child is the outworking of a culture of death. And it is indicative of how our acceptance of death as an option for convenience has affected us.

Our efforts in fighting for life include not only fighting for the lives of preborn humans and recently born humans, but also of humans who walk the same streets we do, shop in the same malls, ride the same trains, etc. And while that doesn’t in any way dismiss the repugnancy and brutality of the act this young mother committed, it does mean we will especially pray for her, that even she will escape the culture of death in which she’s currently engulfed.

 
 
Alan Sears

Alan Sears

 

Alan Sears, a former federal prosecutor in the Reagan Administration, is president and CEO of the Alliance Defense Fund, a legal alliance employing a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family.

Be the first to read Alan Sears’ column. Sign up today and receive Townhall.com delivered each morning to your inbox.

http://townhall.com/columnists/alansears/2011/10/16/a_grisly_tragedy_in_the_culture_of_death/page/full/

 


This past week I saw a sad sight. No, it wasn’t Eric Holder trying to convince us that he’s now a terror exposing hero instead of the perpetrator of a deadly Mexican gunrunning op that had its sights set on ultimately getting our Second Amendment rights revoked—though that was pretty sad, as that dog wag had all the subtleties of a Chaz Bono rumba.

What eclipsed that miserable moment (sorta) and caused me grief this week was watching a young mom at Starbucks ignoring her beautiful, little one-year-old girl while said moron giggled and texted for 30 plus minutes.

Yep, with her head buried in the phone, nose two inches off the cancer screen, mommy dearest didn’t have a clue what her kid was doing as she crawled around on a high traffic, grime-laden cement floor between the feet of strangers who held 16- ounce cups of 180 degree liquid above the kid’s tender flesh as they high stepped over her.

Hey, parents, here’s a freebie from Dr. Doug: Why not put the cell phone and gadgets down for awhile when your babies are around and pay attention to them, all right, jackass? There’ll be plenty of time later in life to ignore them—like in college, when they pierce their nipples and become whiny liberal drips, but now, when they are very young, is not the time.

FYI to Y-O-U, mom … dad: You’ve got one shot at raising that baby, and if you want to make certain your spawn doesn’t:

1. Recite hate poems about you at Barnes & Noble’s open mic night regarding how they’d like to stab you in your sleep for ignoring them for the last sixteen years.

2. Show up high as a kite at a NYC Flea Party Rally, bitching and moaning about hard work and shouting up Che Guevara’s weltanschauung as they roast a fatty …

… then you might wanna give junior some TLC while he’s a T-O-T. You dig?

As I watched this neglect go down at Starbucks, I kept thinking that this daft dame could have cooed and cuddled with her little bambina and had 1,800 seconds of parental bliss that lovely morning.

The Starbucks I visited was on beautiful Miami Beach. Mom could have pointed out to baby the seagulls, the palm trees, the gorgeous skies, the warm sun, the six-foot three-inch trannie with a five o’clock shadow, the rats rummaging through the trash eating discarded ham and cheese paninis, and the ubiquitous metrosexuals with over-tweaked eyebrows who use seven words to order their special cup of Joe. It could’ve been both a bonding and educational familial exchange in one warm whack. But no. The bird had to text.

Here’s a challenge for the parental units: If you think I’m full of crap in regard to the ramifications of blowing your kids off as you obsess with texts and/or social media then let’s do an experiment: For the next 13 years abandon the developmental stages of that genetic concoction of yours, and we’ll see how they turn out as you snub them for Twitter. Are you ready? Okay. On your mark. Get set. Go, Slingblade!

Oh and by the way, conservatives and evangelicals … you, too, can be dilatory dillweeds as this sin knows no party or religious affiliation. I know stacks of family values blowhards out there yapping about the importance of family who haven’t talked to their own family in the last few weeks. Hey, dork, save your house first … then talk to us about ours. I know way too many ministers who strode forth to save the world and lost their kids in the process. Didn’t the apostle Paul say something to the effect that if you can’t govern your own house then you need to shut the hell up?

And finally, if my exhortation to selfless and sacrificial love for your kids versus your gadgets has failed to convince you to change your behavior toward your toddlers, perhaps a selfish plea will. Soon, parents, in the not too distant future, you will return to the dependent state from whence you came, and I’m a guessin’ that the child you ignored while he or she was in diapers will more than likely return the favor when you are sporting Depends.

For the greatest book ever written on raising righteous and rowdy kids, click here.

 
 
Doug Giles

Doug Giles

Doug Giles’ new book “Raising Righteous & Rowdy Girls” is now available! Pat Caddell, Fox News Contributor, says of Giles’ book, “This is THE BOOK that I will be giving the father of my two precious granddaughters. Tiger Mother, meet Lion Dad!” Doug’s talk show and video blog can be seen and heard at www.ClashRadio.com.
 
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