| Editor: David E Marlett Th.D. | |
| November 27, 2001 | Vol II, #37 |
[ A Baptist Bible Trumpet Editorial ]
I must say if the terrorists who bombed the WTC and the Pentagon had known that they would be causing an all-time high in pride in the American flag, they might not have done what they did. If they had thought that they were going to cause "God Bless America" to be sung more in one month than it had been sung in several decades, they might not have done what they did. If they had known that they were going to cause our ever-secularizing country to become more religious than it's been in a long time, they might not have done what they did. But what does this all mean?
Has a religious awakening been started in the last month since the terrorist attacks? Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral had a Muslim cleric in his church on Sept. 16th the first Sunday after the terrorist attacks. The Muslim addressed the crowd as "my brothers and my sisters", and considering the place he said it he was probably right. Dr. Schuller's congregation gave the visiting Muslim cleric a standing ovation. Imagine if some Christian being tortured in a Muslim jail had been forced to watch that sight! Are evangelical, born-again, Bible-believing Christians being invited to Mosques? Not on your life!
On Friday, Sept. 14, 2001, a service was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. In the opening comments, Hindus and Sikhs were referred to respectfully, along with Christians and others - implying the pluralistic "we-all-worship-the-same-God" theme. Listen to how they closed in prayer: "in the name of Allah, the God of Abraham and Jesus".
0n Sunday afternoon, Sept. 23, 2001, Yankee Stadium hosted "A Prayer for America." Thousands gathered. But Jesus' name was never mentioned once at Yankee stadium. Not once! Why? Jesus was left out because some "Christians" don't want to offend the Muslims. In the largest gathering of its type - at the epicenter of the tragedy (New York City)-no one said the name of Jesus.
We have offended the Father by our unwillingness to mention His Son's Name.
The founding fathers of this country would have raised arms at such trash!
The facts are 86% of the people in America say they are Christian. Two percent say they are Jewish. One and a half to two percent say they are Muslim. One third of a percent say they are Hindu. Even less are Sikhs. Basically, nine out of ten Americans say they are Christian YET we give equal billing to every other imaginable religion - and, on top of that - don't mention the name of Jesus.
Folks, we had better get hold of something! We are not going to be ashamed of the Name that is above EVERY NAME and then sing "GOD BLESS AMERICA" and expect it to mean anything! We aren't having a religious awakening; we are getting ourselves in trouble with God!
[ From Liberty Counsel ]
For the past 15 years, the Nehemiah Institute has conducted the so-called PEERS test for Christian young people. The test measures the students' understanding of politics, economics, education, religion and social issues. This test was designed with input from Christian scholars, and testing norms were developed from the results of more than 10,000 participants over a 13-year period. The test is administered primarily to high school students. The most recent test indicated that students were sliding on the scale toward a humanist world view. Home schoolers scored the best, followed by students in Christian schools. The lowest scores went to Christian students in public schools. According to the test, students in Christian schools are scoring where public school students scored 4 years ago. According to the trend of the test over the last 15 years, the world view of most students will slide further down the scale from the humanist to the socialist category by the year 2014. We should be deeply concerned about educating our children in biblical principles and in a biblical world view. Call Liberty Counsel at 1-800-671-1776 for resources that can assist you.
By Pastor Steven Mays
A few weeks ago Jerry Falwell apologized for the comments he made while Pat Robertson was interviewing him. What did Jerry Falwell say that was so awful?
Based on the response he's received you would think that he had blasphemed God, or denied the virgin birth, or burned the American flag publicly. After all, Pat Robertson, Cal Thomas, Rush Limbaugh, even President Bush vehemently condemned what he said. Whatever he said must have really been awful because he came out quickly and apologized. What did he say? He said that the sins and wickedness of people in our nation are causing God to remove His hand of protection from our nation. He specifically mentioned homosexuals, lesbians, feminists, abortion and a few other sins. This "horrible" statement brought the wrath of so-called "Christian" leaders, not to mention the White House, down upon him. That's it, folks.
Since he has retracted his statement and apologized for it, I want to go on record today as saying, "The sins and wickedness of people in America are causing God to remove His hand of protection from our nation. Specifically, I believe several national sins such as the homosexual and lesbian lifestyle, the home wrecking, God-denying, feminist movement, the millions of abortions performed annually, as well as the compromising, worldly churches are causing God to remove His hand of protection from our nation."
I was taught to believe that righteousness exalts a nation and sin brings reproach to any nation. Therefore I do not expect to make any apologies for the statements I have just made.
If George Washington were alive today I don't think he would be apologizing for Jerry's statements. He once said, "Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens."
I don't think Thomas Jefferson would be apologizing. He once said, "Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever."
I wrote last month that our nation's political leaders are just a reflection of our nation's pulpits' leaders. Mr. Falwell's apology just proves my point. Politicians as a rule don't seem to have a backbone, but neither do most preachers.
Remember the words of Isaiah 5:20, "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!" We won't apologize for God's Truth and then expect God to bless America. Mr. Falwell, you had it right-you had no business apologizing.
[ From Liberty Counsel ]
The United States Department of Justice issued an opinion that an abortion facility in Overland Park, Kansas, did not violate any federal law when it profited from the sale of fetal tissue. The clinic is associated with Planned Parenthood. The opinion states that there is no federal law prohibiting an abortion clinic from selling fetal tissue to universities and drug companies for research purposes. In March 2000, federal authorities began investigating Dr. Miles Jones, a Missouri pathologist who made statements on ABC's "20/20" about profiting from the sale of fetal tissue. Jones failed to appear when subpoenaed by a Congressional Subcommittee. Now based upon this opinion by the Department of Justice, abortion clinics cannot only profit from the abortion, but can now sell the aborted babies for research. Planned Parenthood calls it freedom of choice. I call it barbarism. The founders who penned the Declaration of Independence stated that government must stand up for life and protect life, not participate in its destruction. Join with us at Liberty Counsel to pray for this country. Become a voice in your community for the unborn. This insanity must stop.
[ © 2001 WorldNetDaily.com ]
After my plea to Americans last week to buy firearms as a first step to fighting terrorism, a number of Christians wrote challenging my prescription as unbiblical, unscriptural and ungodly. Wrong.
The Bible couldn't be clearer on the right - even the duty - we have as believers to self-defense.
Let's start in the Old Testament.
"If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him," we are told in Exodus 22:2. The next verse says, "If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft."
In other words, it was perfectly OK to kill a thief breaking into your house. That's the ultimate expression of self-defense. It doesn't matter whether the thief is threatening your life or not. You have the right to protect your home, your family and your property, the Bible says.
The Israelites were expected to have their own personal weapons. Every man would be summoned to arms when the nation confronted an enemy. They didn't send in the Marines. The people defended themselves.
In 1 Samuel 25:13, we read: "And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff."
Every man had a sword and every man picked it up when it was required.
Judges 5:8 reminds us of what happens to a foolish nation that chooses to disarm: "They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?"
The answer to the rhetorical question is clear: No. The people had rebelled against God and put away their weapons of self-defense.
"Blessed be the LORD my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight," David writes in Psalms 144:1.
Clearly, this is not a pacifist God we serve. It's God who teaches our hands to war and our fingers to fight. Over and over again throughout the Old Testament, His people are commanded to fight with the best weapons available to them at that time.
And what were those weapons? Swords.
They didn't have firearms, but they had sidearms. In fact, in the New Testament, Jesus commanded His disciples to buy them and strap them on. Don't believe me? Check it out.
Luke 22:36: "Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
I know. I know. You biblically literate skeptics are going to cite Matthew 26:52-54 - how Jesus responded when Peter used his sword to cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest: "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"
Read those verses in context and they support my position. Jesus told Peter he would be committing suicide to choose a fight in this situation - as well as undermining God's plan to allow Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection.
Jesus told Peter to put his sword in its place - at his side. He didn't say throw it away. After all, He had just ordered the disciples to arm themselves. The reason for the arms was obviously to protect the lives of the disciples, not the life of the Son of God. What Jesus was saying was: "Peter, this is not the right time for a fight."
In the context of America's current battle - as we make plans to rebuild after the devastation of Sept. 11 and defend ourselves at the same time - we should recall Nehemiah, who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.
"They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon," we're told in Nehemiah 4:17-18. "For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded."
Any more questions skeptics?
To be removed from this mailing list you can unsubscribe
through the homepage
or send your request to
Unsub-tccn@wilderness-cry.net
If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you would like a free subscription simply send an e-mail to subscribe-tccn@wilderness-cry.net