America's Only Hope

Yesterday's blog was heavy and depressing.  It does not take a theological degree or a great deal of discernment to see that America has offended the Almighty God.  I heard one preacher say that if God does not severely judge America soon, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.  Surely God's mighty hand of judgment is raised and ready to level a devastating blow to the USA.

At this point many Evangelicals rally around various political movements to try and save America.  Now to be sure, we are stewards of our votes and we will have to answer for every person we support who stands for the slaughter of the innocent, but political intervention will not save America.  Wearing WWJD bracelets will not save America.  Gathering at the flag pole will not save America.  Throwing every compromiser and pervert out of office will not save America.  (It would be a good start.)  Look at this verse and see America's only home.


2 Chronicles 7:14 (AV)

¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The answer lies with the people of God.  We are going under as a country because Christians are not living out loud like Christians.  We must humble ourselves.  We must confess our own sins.  We must become broken over our own worldliness.  Friends, it is much easier to blame the heathen in congress than it is to face our own sin.  We must learn what it is again to pray, to seek God through fasting.  We must replace our casual "now I lay me down to sleep" kind of prayer with gut wrenching, repentance and pleading with God for mercy on our own lives first, then on the nation.

We must be willing to turn from the wickedness we have allowed to creep into our homes.  We must clean house and get right.  If we do, God will hear, will forgive, and will heal our land.  Yes, I understand that this passage was written to Solomon and the people of Israel.  The promise though is to all who call upon his name, not just Jews.  Friends, if you are a born again believer, take heed, you are America's only hope.

America's Hidden Holocaust

One of the most talked about human tragedies of history was the slaughter of 6 million Jews by Adolph Hitler and Nazi Germany. How could a civilized country allow the construction and operation of Nazi death camps? Sociologists tell us that only 10% of Germans fully backed Hitler’s radical views. Analyses reveal that Hitler came to power because he promised German prosperity. People were willing to overlook Hitler’s hatred as long as he could empower their beleaguered country. This morning we are going to look at a Holocaust taking place right here, right now in our own country.

Abortion in the United States – Statistics

·     There have been over 43 million abortions since 1973.

·     The annual number of abortions went from 744,600 in the   first year of legalization, to a high of over 1.6 million in 1990. In 1997, there were 1,312,990. 

·     There were nearly 3,600 abortions per day in 2000, 149 per hour, about one every 24 seconds. 

·     For every 1,000 live births, there were 306 abortions in 1997. 

·     There were more that 140,000 second and third trimester abortions in 2000. 

·     In 2000, more children died from abortion than Americans died in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World Wars I  and II, the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf Wars combined. 

·     A survey of women seeking abortions indicated that only 7%  of women cited typical “hard cases” (rape, incest, or some  health concern with either the baby or the mother) as the  primary reason they were seeking abortion.   

·     A June, 1999 Wirthlin Poll found that 62% of respondents  support legal abortion in only three or fewer circumstances:  when the pregnancy results from rape or incest, or when it  threatens the life of the mother.  

·     At an average cost of $372, the abortion business is a $400  million a year industry. 

·     Nearly half of all abortions are obtained by women who  have already had at least one abortion. In 1994 and 1995,   women who had already had 3 or more abortions obtained
7%, or nearly 100,000, abortions each year.  

            The center for disease control estimated that there will be 1,312,990 little babies murdered in abortion clinics this year. This means that 25,250 unborn babies are killed every week in the U.S.A. during our one hour worship service, 150 children will lose their lives at the hand of abortionists. There is a hidden holocaust in America.

            Our passage today refers to the practice of child sacrifice. As an Illinois state senator, Obama opposed a bill to define as a "person" a fully born baby who survived an abortion. In 2001, three bills were proposed to help babies who survived induced labor abortions. One, like the federal Born Alive Infants bill, simply said a living "homo sapiens" wholly emerged from his mother should be treated as a "'person,' 'human being, ''child' and 'individual.'" On all these bills Obama voted present (He was present but those babies were missing in operation kill the baby action”). Jeremiah warns of impending judgment because as little babies would die, the people did nothing to end this horrible practice. It is time for us as Christians and as human beings to do what it takes to end this hidden holocaust!

Jeremiah’s warnings echo throughout time.  He saw a horrible practice and warned that God would not let this kind of slaughter continue forever.  Judgment was on its way.  

Jeremiah 32:26-29 

26 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? 28 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it: 29 And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.  

            It is important for us to examine the cause of this impending doom.  You see, the people had turned away from the One true God. 

Jeremiah 32:30-33

30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD. 31 For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,  32 Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.   

             Now at this point, I am sure that some wild eyed liberal will accuse this blogger of wanting to set up some kind of Theocracy.  Let us continue to read.  What was God so upset about.  Yes, the people of God should have remained true to Him in worship, but they had also began some hideous practices that could not be ignored by a Just God. 

Jeremiah 32:34-35

34 But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it. 35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

            These folks moved by the promise of prosperity and easier lives would put their little babies on the metal hands of the idol to Molech or Chemosh.  They would kindle a fire under these hands and place the infant on these red hot hands in sacrifice.  What in the world would possess human beings to do such a thing?  They were told that this sacrifice would bring happiness and better crops.  They were moved by sensuous sexual rituals.  This is not much different than the motives for abortion today.  The couple had the baby because of an impure relationship and they seek to destroy its evidence.  A woman would rather kill her own offspring than to sacrifice her financial and career goals. Things were not all that different than the times of infant sacrifice.

Leviticus 18:21

21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. 

Ezekiel 16:21

21 That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?

Ezekiel 20:26

26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD. 

Abortion is a crime against humanity because the Bible teaches that life begins at conception.

Jeremiah 1:5

5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 

Luke 1:15

15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

Luke 1:41-42

41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Science shows us that life begins at conception

 Diary of an Unborn Baby

• Day 1 – fertilization: all human chromosomes are present; unique human life begins

• Day 6 – embryo begins implanting in the uterus

• Day 22 – heart begins to beat with the child’s own blood, often a different type than the mother’s

• Week 5 – eyes, legs, hands begin to develop

• Week 6 – brain waves detectable; mouth, lips present; fingernails forming

• Week 7 – eyelids, toes form; nose distinct, baby kicking and swimming

• Week 8 – every organ in place; bones begin to replace cartilage, fingerprints begin to form;

• Weeks 9 and 10 - teeth begin to form, fingernails develop; baby can turn head, frown

• Week 11 – baby can grasp objects placed in hand; all organ systems functioning; the baby has fingerprints, a skeletal structure, nerves, and circulation

• Week 12 – the baby has all of the part necessary to experience pain, including the nerves, spinal cord and thalamus; the baby is nearing the end of the first trimester

• Week 17 - baby can have dream (REM) sleep

• Week 20 – the earliest stage at which partial birth abortions are performed


    "Probably nothing has been as damaging to our cause as the advances in technology which have allowed pictures of the developing fetus, because people now talk about the fetus in much different terms than they did 15 years ago. They talk about it as a human being, which is not something that I have an easy answer on how to cure.”

-- Harrison Hickman, pollster for the National Abortion and Reproductive
   Rights  Action League 

Now let us get some perspective on the slaughter of American children through abortion.

1.     Revolutionary war= 4,435 deaths

2.     Civil war (both sides) 498,332 deaths

3.     WWI 116,708 deaths

4.     WWII 407,316 deaths

5.     Korea 25,604 deaths

6.     Vietnam 58, 168 deaths

7.     Abortion deaths since 1973  4have reached over 52 million!

Let us consider now the reasons for this kind of carnage:

·       25.5% of women deciding to have an abortion want to postpone childbearing

·       21.3% of women cannot afford a baby

·       14.1% of women have a relationship issue or their partner does not want a child

·       12.2% of women are too young or their parents object to the pregnancy

·       10.8% of women feel a child will disrupt their education or career.

·       All of these are similar to reasons for sacrificing to Molech!

 God will hold every American adult responsible for what is done on Election Day.  This post is not designed to support a particular candidate,  it is designed to get every believer to realize his or her responsibility before God to be a good steward of the vote you still can cast.  Find out what the candidate believes about when human life begins.  Find out if there is room in their opinion for rationalizing the murder of an unborn child.  Find out about where they stand on partial birth abortions.  Find out how they have voted in the past.  This issue to way too important to ignore or to trust simple rhetoric.   

Brenda Pratt Shafer, a registered nurse from Dayton, Ohio, assisted Dr. Haskell in a Partial Birth Abortion on a 26-1/2 week (over 6 months) pre-born baby boy. She testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee (on 11/17/95) about what she witnessed. According to nurse Shafer, the baby was alive and moving as the abortionist “delivered the baby’s body and arms - everything but the head. The doctor kept the baby’s head just inside the uterus. The baby’s little fingers were clasping and unclasping, his feet were kicking. Then the doctor stuck the scissors through the back of his head, and the baby’s arms jerked out in a flinch, a startle reaction, like a baby does when he thinks he might fall. The doctor opened up the scissors, stuck a high-powered suction tube into the opening and sucked the baby’s brains out. Now the baby was completely limp.”

	With forceps, the doctor turns the baby around in the womb to be positioned feet first. The baby’s legs are pulled out into the birth canal. The baby is alive at this point. .
	The abortionist delivers the baby’s entire body, except for the head, which remains inside the birth canal. The baby’s hands and feet move
	The abortionist stabs the scissors into the base of the baby’s skull. The scissors are spread to enlarge the opening. The suction catheter is then inserted and the brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The head slides out easily.

ARE THE BABIES ALIVE DURING THE ABORTION?

Yes! On July 11, 1995, American Medical News (AMA’s official journal) submitted the transcript of a tape-recorded interview with abortionist Dr. Martin Haskell to the House Judiciary Committee in which he admitted: “...the majority of fetuses aborted this way (partial birth abortion) are alive until the end of the procedure.”

IS THIS TYPE OF ABORTION RARE?

When this type of procedure first became public knowledge, those defending it said it was only done a few hundred times a year. Then Ron Fitzsimmons, the executive director of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers admitted on ABC’s “Nightline” (11/95) that he had lied when he asserted the procedure was used rarely and only on women whose lives were in danger. The reality is, this gruesome method of killing partially born babies is done many thousands of times a year. Abortionist, Dr. McMahon, admitted in 1995 to performing over 2000 partial birth abortions.

ARE THEY PERFORMED ONLY ON SEVERELY DEFORMED BABIES?

That is what the abortion industry would like you to believe. But Dr. Haskell said in a tape recorded interview with the AMA’s American Medical News: “...and I’ll be quite frank: most of my abortions are elective (not medically necessary) in that 20-24 week range ... In my particular case, probably 20% are for genetic reasons. And the other 80% are purely elective.” An article in the L.A. Times (8/28/96) listed some of the medical reasons for this type of abortion. They included cleft palates, cystic hygroma, (both easily corrected problems) and cystic fibrosis. The medical conditions present in the mother that warranted this type of abortion were, “depression, chicken pox, diabetes, vomiting ...” In other words, even those partial birth abortions that are done for the “health of the mother” or because of a “defective fetus” are often performed for minor, easily correctable conditions. Dr. C. Everett Coop, former U.S. Surgeon General, stated, “... in no way can I twist my mind to see that the late-term abortion as described is a medical necessity for the mother. It certainly can’t be a necessity for the baby.”

IS THIS TYPE OF ABORTION EVER DONE ON THIRD TRIMESTER BABIES?

Yes. While most babies are in their 20th to 24th week when aborted in this manner, babies are aborted as late as the ninth month! This was admitted to by abortionist Dr. McMahon who, in 1995, submitted to the House Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee a graph and explanation that showed he aborted healthy babies even in the third trimester!

As disturbing as this sounds, these are the facts. In this country medical doctors are partially delivering babies and then killing them. These babies are inches from being born. Many could be born and placed directly in the loving arms of childless couples for adoption. Instead, they are cruelly killed. Some call this abortion. No matter what you call it, you cannot alter the reality - 4 more inches out of the womb and this act would be called murder.

Brothers and sisters, we are stewards of our vote.  I believe that God will judge our apathy if we do not vote.  I believe that every believer who knowingly votes for an abortionist will answer to God some day for the blood of the innocent.  I am amazed that God has with held His fierce judgment on our nation to this point.  I do not believe that He will keep us safe from destruction much longer.  We cannot afford to be ignorant or apathetic. 

Conclusion:

            James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

An Abortion Survivor's Story

In September of 1975, a woman discovered that she was pregnant. Things were very difficult for her, as she was raising two sons, six and 15 years old. Their father had walked out on them and refused to help care for the boys financially, or in any other way. The only alternative for this woman, it seemed, was to abort this unexpected baby. After all, she could barely afford to feed the children she already had.

Between the months of September 1975 and January 1976, this woman had three therapeutic abortions in an attempt to rid herself of the unborn baby. These abortions, also known as a "salting out procedure" are performed by injecting a very large syringe into the woman's abdomen, removing a certain amount of amniotic fluid out of the womb, and then injecting three times the amount of saline back in, thus "burning" the baby out. For reasons only God knows, these abortions did not take and on April 21, 1976, two months premature, her baby was born. The child was perfect and healthy, weighing four pounds, five ounces.

Unfortunately on March 16, 1977, the mother passed away, less than a year after her baby girl was born. After the woman's death, the infant's father and paternal grandmother took custody of the baby and her two brothers. As this baby girl grew up, her father told her about the three abortions she had undergone in her mother's womb but this little girl never believed him, as she assumed that if a baby is aborted, he or she could not possibly survive.

The truth only came to this girl when she was eighteen years old, married, and approximately five months pregnant with her first child. This girl needed and soon obtained her mother's medical records from the hospital that had treated her. Imagine her utter shock as she read about how her mother tried to terminate her unborn child three times. As the young girl read the medical documents, the new life inside of her was stirring and kicking as if to say "Mommy please don't get any ideas."

Today this young woman is 27 years old and is raising a family of her own. She is healthy and normal in every way, with no physical deformities of any kind.

I am the child that I have been writing about. My mother had no right to try and abort me, no matter what the circumstances were, no matter how inconvenient her pregnancy was. And if she was here with us today, I'm sure she would agree. Life is too precious to simply throw away. Now I can speak out against abortion from the baby's perspective. Any baby would choose life.

Amy

 During the time it took to post this blog 150 little babies were murdered in the USA. What are you going to do about it?

Defeating The Enemy

Christian bookstores are full of books about spiritual warfare. We read about the forces of darkness and the power that they can demonstrate against fallen man. Sometimes believers can feel overwhelmed and powerless. We become terrified when we hear of demonic possession, witchcraft, and occultic activities.

          John tells us about future events in the book of Revelation. Our passage tells us of people who faced the devil and demons during Daniel’s 70^th week. These verses hold the secret of their success against the Dark Forces.

          The Enemy is Fierce

         
          Revelation 12:9

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

          Some Christians underestimate the power and tactics that are used by our enemy. Tragically, believers unaware of the danger face temptations and accusations only with the dedicated energy of their own fleshly, only to suffer deflate.

          Verse 9 is clear. Our enemy is a dragon, or a great serpent. We are told of his subtle and deadly ways in Genesis 3.

          Genesis 3:1,4,13-15

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

           Our enemy is also referred to as the Devil, or the accuser, and slanderer. We see how he works in the story of Job.

Job 1:9

9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

 Job 2:5

5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

           The final word for our enemy is Satan which means “adversary”. This is public enemy number 1!         

          1 Peter 5:8

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

          Satan employs deception and deceivers to seduce those unsuspecting victims into his traps.

        

          John 8:44

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.   

          I am so glad the story does not end with verse 9! As we continue to read, we see that the enemy is finally cast down! 

          Revelation 12:10

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  

          Satan is powerful, but Jesus has taken that power away from him by paying for sins on the cross.

John 16:33

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  

1 Corinthians 15:57

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  

1 John 5:4-5

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?  

          The enemy was overcome!  

Revelation 12:11

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

           Here is great news! Theses tribulation saints will overcome the dark one! Here is the secret to their success:

           They overcame Satan through the blood of Jesus!

 Exodus 12:13

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 

 Hebrews 9:11-12

11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

 Hebrews 9:24-28

24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 Colossians 2:13-17

13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:   17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

           Jesus’ blood covers our sin! In heaven there on the mercy seat, Jesus’ very blood is sprinkled as a testimony that the price for sin has been paid.

          They also overcame Satan by the word of their testimony! Our works and words come together to provide irrefutable evidence that Jesus really does save sinners.

Matthew 5:16

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 Daniel 12:3

3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 

 Romans 10:9-10,13-14,17

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  

          Satan is a vicious enemy, but Jesus already defeated him through his work on the cross. We can overcome his attacks by the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood, and the saving power of our testimony.

Our Most Powerful Weapon

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 

 Hebrews 4:12

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

          There are many discussions and philosophies among born again Christians regarding how we can best see unbelievers become believers.  Millions of dollars are made by marketing groups who promise great results to churches because they finally have discovered the secret that will reach droves of people.  Some folks try to bend and twist scriptures in order to make it “relevant” for today.  Some have gone far away from the old fashioned method of preaching the Word to concerts, cantatas, and dramas.  Personal and specific soul winning has been replaced with “lifestyle evangelism” where we simply live right and wait to be asked why we are different.  Of course the poor soul that doesn’t notice our piety will go to Hell unwarned, but that is the new trend.

          My dear friends let me be real simple today.  There is nothing more powerful to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ than the perfectly inspired and preserved Word of God!  Do not get caught up in human reasoning and arguments in order to reach the lost and bring wayward Christians back home.  In this war that is raging between the forces of darkness and the forces of light, do not neglect God’s Word, your most powerful weapon. 

The word of God is quick, or, alive and constantly active.

No one can be saved without the word of God.  Do not allow the Devil to get you to trade your Bible for a songbook!  Look at what Scriptures say about this subject:

1 Peter 1:23

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

It is time that we understand that the Bible is incorruptible seed!  Memorize it! Quote it!  Use it!  Learn it!  I love to reach Christian books, but none of them alone can save a soul.  We need to use the sword!  

          Some are afraid to quote scripture for fear that it will offend some.  They are content to live a quiet life, never offering the Words of Life to those lost and dying souls that surround them every day.  Look God’s promise regarding His perfect Word:

Isaiah 55:11

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

 1 Corinthians 1:21

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

          My friends, the Word of God is alive!  It will always accomplish God’s will when it goes forth!  Preach, teach, memorize, and proclaim the Word!

The Word of God is Powerful.

 Jeremiah 23:29

29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

 Proverbs 25:4

4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

          God’s Word is a fire!  It heats up our lives and burns off all of the filth of this world.  Silver is purified as it is heated.  Dross comes to the surface with increased heat.  We must have God’s Word applied to our lives in the same way.  You say, yes, but some hearts are hard, like stones, and they do not believe.  I find it comforting that Hebrews 4:12 does not put any conditions out there.  The Word IS sharp and it cuts whether you believe it will or not!  It is also powerful enough to break a stony heart or tear down the strong holds that the Devil has erected in one’s life.

 
2 Corinthians 10:4-5

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 

           Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory used God’s Word when He took on Satan and his vile temptations face to face.  We have that same powerful Word at our fingertips!

 Matthew 4:4,7,10

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

 The Word of God is Sharper than any twoedged sword!

          The wording here speaks of a deep penetration!  God’s Word goes deeper than one’s excuses.  It plunges deeper than one’s tradition.  It penetrates past emotion and finds its mark in the innermost and secret places of one’s being.  Once the Word of God goes forth, there is no more neutral ground, one either accepts it, and repents, or rejects it and continues in their sin, miserable and condemned.

Acts 2:37,41

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

           The Word of God is also a discerner, or judge of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  You see, we can deceive ourselves into thinking that we are O.K. but the Scriptures do not change, and they give an accurate assessment of our spiritual condition.

Jeremiah 17:9-10

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

 Psalm 139:1-2

1  O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

 
         So, rejoice my friend!  You are not without a weapon in this spiritual war.  Christian books are great, and songs are OK, the opinions of men have some benefit, but there is no sword as sharp and effective as the perfectly inspired and preserved Word of God!

The Corruptors

We certainly are living during some interesting times is American culture today. There seems to be two paradoxical stories dominating much of the media’s attention. On the one hand there is the renewed awareness, zeal, and debate surrounding the movie “The Passion of the Christ”; on the other hand there is the civil disobedience of many who seek to redefine marriage and family. There are many so called religious experts who are weighting in on both sides of this gay marriage debate. In the next few minutes we will seek to discover the biblical view of this whole issue. Secular education, the media, and various forms of popular entertainment has had much to do with the forming of opinions and the shaping of our culture. Let us come away from our human pre-conceptions and discover what God’s word has to say about the corrupters.  

I.            Corrupters call evil good and good evil. Corrupters change what is morally right 

Isaiah 5:20

20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 

The prophet Isaiah cries out an exclamation of warning: WOE! God’s wrath is directly aimed at those who take God’s absolute standard of truth and change it. Let us read what God says about homosexuality in the Bible, God’s unchanging standard of absolute truth. 

Leviticus 18:22-30

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. 23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. 24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. 26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) 28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. 29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.  

          The homosexual crowd would have us believe that same sex marriage is just as pure as heterosexual marriage. God’s word calls it an abomination- that means that it makes God sick. As you continue to read the passage, it is clear God will stand against a land, people, nation, or culture that embraces such  vile and wicked sins. We as Christians do not even feel like we used to. Thirty years ago a T.V. show like Will and Grace, that promotes homosexuality as a quirky and funny matter of fact, would shock most of us into outrage! The corrupters have successfully called evil good. 

          If one has the biblical opinion that homosexuality is a sin, he is branded a bigot. The corrupters have successfully called good evil in the eyes of many Americans. As we will see in a moment, homosexuality is a behavior that is a result of one’s conscious choice. It is an insult to the millions of African-Americans and other minorities, who fought for freedom and equality, to have their cry against racism compared to the homosexual’s cry for social normalcy. The corruptors have called good evil. 

II.           Corrupters put darkness for light and light for darkness. Absolute truth is rejected. 

As we consider the matter, it is important that we understand the reason for homosexual behavior. What would cause human beings to change a powerful, natural desire for sexual relations and procreation to a relationship for which our bodies are not even designed? We will find the answer in Romans 1. 

Romans 1:18,24,26-28

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;    

Notice in verse 18, God’s wrath is revealed against a certain group of people, these are those who “hold the truth in unrighteousness.” This literally means those who hold down and suppress the truth. God’s absolute truth is revealed in God’s perfect word, the Bible. There are men and women who reject God’s truth and replace it with their own corrupt ideas. They have successfully put darkness for light and light for darkness. 

Let us see how God’s judgment shows up in these truth suppressors. Verse 24 tells us that God “…gave them up to uncleanness through lusts of their own hearts…”. God simply steps out of the way and lets our corrupt ideas completely take over our lives. One sign of this judgment is complete sexual deviation from heterosexual marital fidelity. 

Verse 26 shows us the next step of judgment against truth suppressers. “God gave them up to vice affections…” God allowed truth suppressers to go as far as to twist the very function of sex and love into a corruption that turns against the very design of our bodies. Homosexuality is a judgment against truth suppressers. 

Now I want you to notice the end of verse 27. I am not trying to be mean, but the truth must be proclaimed in this age of lies. The men receive in their bodies the recompense or pay back for their error. This seems to indicate that God will judge this sin by disease. In the light of the epidemic of STD’s out there, this should cause some to be very sober about this behavior.

III.        Corrupters put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. True love has been redefined.

 John 8:34

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

It must be understood that all sin brings slavery to that sin. Homosexuals have called themselves “Gay”- or happy. The truth is that many suffer from deep depression, guilt, and suicidal tendencies. Certainly what should be a sweet, a love relationship, has become bitter.

So how are we as born-again Christians to react to those who are enslaved to the homosexual lifestyles?

 1.    Love them as Christ loved them!

 John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

To love a sinner is not to condone the sin! Jesus loved the woman at the well in John 4, but he exposed her sin and her need for the savior.

2.    Win them to Jesus Christ

Proverbs 11:30

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. 

 John 4:35

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

2 Corinthians 5:11

11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

Homosexuals first need salvation. Just as we must reach heterosexual sinners with the good news of salvation, so must gays be reached. The blood of Jesus Christ can wash away the vilest of sins and the Holy Spirit can transform anyone who believes into a child of the king.

3.    Stand for the sanctity of Biblical marriage.

 Hebrews 13:4

4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

1 Corinthians 4:1-4

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.  4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. 

We are stewards of God’s perfect truth, the Bible. We are also stewards of the freedom we can enjoy in America. The freedom to proclaim and embrace our beliefs was purchased with the blood of our American soldiers over the past 200 years. Do not allow the lies of  the corrupters to go unchallenged. Let us reach out in love to a fallen world and reach people for Jesus, one soul at a time.