They’ll Be Dead by Morning (What Difference Will it Make?)

Tags

Christianity, faith, freedom, Kim Jong Un, martyrdom, modern-day martyrs, North Korea, persecution, playboy, the persecuted churches

**Warning: This post may make you feel bad.

**Warning: That feeling may be appropriate.

There are moments in life that feel like a swift slap in the face.

No one courts that.

No one wants to feel that pain.

But, if it’s a slap that rearranges your priorities to align with God’s heart,
then you will thank God even for that bracing offense.

I received that slap today
when I read the Washington Times news item that Kim Jong-un

has ordered the execution of 33 Christians

reported to have been part of planting over 500 underground churches in North Korea.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/6/kim-jong-un-calls-execution-33-christians/

I imagined thirty-three of my Christian friends executed for leading people to Christ, facilitating worship, praying, or offering praise to God.

I would be horrified, sad, and angry

devastated

but I would also know that God has the last word on their lives not Kim Jong-un or the evil power behind him.

Still, I would want their deaths to motivate the church of Christ.

I would want their deaths to galvanize other believers to put feet to their own faith,

To fuel their passion for Christ,

To remember to pray for those who suffer,

To spread God’s word with more zeal, persistence, and creativity than ever before.

While we in the West argue over worship styles,

sleep in when there’s a visiting preacher,

bemoan having to endure a boring prayer request or off-key soloist,

serve up the pastor’s sermon over lunch,

or sit home and judge the church unworthy of our attendance altogether

there are other brothers and sisters

gasping their way to every precious moment

when they can gather, in hiding, with other precious believers

and hear a whispered message from God,

bathe in the reading of His word,

and pray with passion and tears for strength to endure

and the courage to continue speaking the truth under threat of death.

God placed us all where we are.
He assigned us to our stations.
There is no guilt in being born in the land of the free as opposed to a country under harsh rule.

But there is guilt if we use our freedom to indulge our petty preferences,

to pad our comfort,

to drift through this dark world basking in our own light

rather than using it

to serve those who waste away in prison cells wondering if they’ve been forgotten

or their families left to struggle alone with hunger, fear, and lonliness,

or those serving the Lord in dark, dark places who need our prayers for their protection, deliverance, courage, and strength.

This blog is just a bunch of words. It costs me absolutely nothing to write. I am free here to say whatever I want without fear that it will cost me or my loved ones their lives.

But the words I speak on my knees have the power to move forces in the heavenly realm

and make a difference for those who know the names and faces of those 33 facing execution,

to comfort those who know their touch, their dreams, the plans they had for this life that will end any minute now

and to strengthen those who pick up the bloody batons these 33 will be forced to release

and continue to build the kingdom of Christ in lands where the enemy of God rules.

Worship will be different for me this week, with the report of 33 gunshots bouncing around the inner chamber of my soul

reminding me that we aren’t home yet.

***This article is reblogged from “Deeper with Jesus in Rhode Island” Thank you!

Kim Jong Un Channels Hugh Hefner Whilst Executing Christians [Video]

North Korea’s young leader Kim Jong Un seems to be acting like a regular playboy these days, according to recent press coverage. The very young dictator, who is 31-years-old, was seen cavorting around with a group of blushing female pilots during a series of drills at a North Korean air strip – practically reenacting a scene from the popular TV series The Girls Next Door, which featured “Hef” and his Playboy Bunny girlfriends. Although Jong Un almost channels an odd version of Hugh Hefner during the event, outside of that fun-loving image stands a man who plans on executing a group of 33 Christians, suspected of “no good”.

On Friday, North Korea’s Workers party released a few choice pictures to Korean Central News Agency. These very cheerful photos show Jong Un smiling, laughing, and happily posing alongside a gang of seemingly smitten female pilots at an air force based. The imagery harkens back to a time of Hugh Hefner, sitting in his mansion, surrounded by admiring women, looking on in awe of his success and manhood. The 1940’s style uniforms worn by the North Korean ladies certainly helped to round out the strangeness of the scene. More HERE

I wonder how many American churches will even pray …

Will you pray?

Jesus said, “I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world.”
John 16:33 (NCV)

It’s Not Complicated!!!

Tags

America, boundless love, extravagant love, Father's Love, fear, imperfections, love, not complicated, outrageously loved, shame, simple, sin, sinfulness, unconditional love

It really is simple! For thousands of years, men of education, and assumed intelligence, have sought to explain what is elementary enough for the youngest, most simple-minded among us to grasp. We complicate it with sophistication, assuming we can improve the experience of history: HIS-STORY! We complicate it with lofty knowledge’s elaborate words trying to impress … whom? God? or man?

From before Creation was spoken into existence until the time of His-story’s culmination, GOD is LOVE. That’s it! Every thought, every word, and every action of God is motivated, directed, and empowered by LOVE. Unconditional Love. A Perfect Father’s Love.

Problem: Burdened by inexplicable (and unaccepted in our society) guilt, we hate our Self. And because we hate our Self, we are unable to fully love any one or anything. We can’t give real love or receive it. We Fear instead. We fear alone-ness. We fear one another. We fear our differences. We fear our sin. We fear our Self. And we blame God.

Our imperfections, our sinfulness, cloud our understanding of God, of Love, so we distrust Him. This causes a separation resulting in loneliness, which is not about people, but about missing our closeness with Father God. In our loneliness, our vision (still clouded,) we see the brokenness and imperfections in others and feel repelled and rejected.

NEWSFLASH: GOD IS LOVE!!!!! Not just ambiguous, unfocused, vague, and random, but person, intimate, accepting and individual love. Every minute of every day, GOD is literally moving heaven and earth to LOVE YOU. He will not quit until your life’s last breath is gone.

Just a few of the hundreds of promises that are yours and mine!

What’s more … Every promise, every promise, every promise contained in His book … between Genesis 1 and Revelation 22 is a personal promise for YOU (and me.) But to see these promises fulfilled, though some again make it complicated, the only requirement is that you RECEIVE them. Of course, to do that, you must first have some belief that God can and will actually come through.

From the beginning of time, God knew we would fall, we would not always do the right thing. God knew, and because He didn’t want us to be estranged from Him indefinitely, so He set up a plan to reconcile us. It meant sending Himself in human form, Jesus, to live as a sin-free man. This enabled Jesus to choose to pay the price of my sinfulness, suffer and die on the cross, then walk out of the tomb, conquering death. Why? because He loves us and wants to hang out with us. Everything he says, everything He does, and everything He speaks comes from that Love … Everything!!!! He wants to love us outrageously, lavishly, happily, boundlessly forever! It’s really that simple!

Ray Comfort: Here is a rule of thumb when reading the Bible: “With God, nothing shall be impossible.”

Now you can believe that seas can open, food can fall from the heavens, the sun can stop, whales swallow people, animals can fit on a boat, arks float, walls tumble, and fish can multiply. It’s really quite simple.

Nothing is impossible in your personal life. Nothing is impossible in your family. No thing is impossible in this nation, if we return to God, receive His love and pass it on to one another freely, as He commands! God can fix what is broken in America, but first, we have to ask Him!

Do you Love Me?

Tags

acceptance, Body of Christ, challenge, Christianity, church, drugs, gangs, God's people, hypocricy, love, obedience, pre-marital sex, rejection

Rejection

Written by David Benrexi

Have you ever been rejected? Have you ever wanted to talk to someone and had them say, “Leave me alone!”? Has anyone ever told you, “I hate you!”? Do you ever call and leave a message, and your call is not returned? Do you ever want affection and your spouse has a headache?

Rejection, it’s part of living. Does anyone like it? I sure don’t. Why does one person reject another? I think it’s because we’re selfish. We don’t want to be bothered. We want to be left alone. We don’t want to deal with situations we’re not comfortable with. We don’t see the other person as a human being precious to God, Who loves that person totally and commands us to love him as well. We only see that it is not advantageous to us to love that person, so we don’t.

Has anyone besides me noticed that there’s a shortage of real love among God’s people? I think everyone is looking for love, and it’s not easy to find. If we, the children of God, would begin to truly love one another, love wouldn’t be so hard to find. The kids wouldn’t be turning to drugs and pre-marital sex. The bars would be empty. I am amazed at how preoccupied most Christians are with their own little soap operas while the people around them are dying and starving for love.

Command, not request!

This thing called rejection, How sad it is! If you like this brother’s teaching, another brother regards you as an enemy. If you play this style of music, you can’t play at that church. If you dress this way, speak in tongues, or don’t speak in tongues, you believe in divine healing or in modern medicine, it’s all a big deal to most Christians. “What church do you attend?” they ask. You answer, and they get a funny look on their face.

The question I have for everyone I meet in the Body of Christ is, “Do you love me?” Most believers feel like it’s up to me to be “loveable.” If I believe the same way they do and conform to their code of conduct, they might love me just a little after a while. If I don’t conform, they’ll avoid me. Of course, at a church meeting, they’ll shake my hand or even hug me and say, “How’s it going?” They want to “appear” to be righteous for their audience, but the dirty truth is, they find me objectionable. They don’t love me. Now, there is no possibility whatsoever that a person who rejects me will call me at my home later and say, “Brother David, I perceive there is strife between us, and it grieves me. Can we get together and talk?” That will never happen because the other person feels justified in not loving me. It’s my fault. I didn’t satisfy his requirements. Something about me isn’t right. If only I would change.

Continue reading HERE

From a Distance …

Tags

alarm, America, Bride of Christ, call to arms, choice, church, decision, poetry, shofar, trumpet, WARNING

From a distance, I can hear the rumbles,
As the earth-ball quakes under the strain,
As the nature of man betrays its sorrowful ambition:
To be sovereign and powerful, to be God.

From a distance, I can hear the cries,
For ease, for comfort, for wealth;
No wisdom, No discerning the needs of Neighbors;
Only rest, relaxation, and recreation.

From a distance, I can hear Earth groan,
As her Leaders twist and turn the Truth
To secure and increase their own wealth and power,
Yet they call themselves “Public Servants!”

From a distance, I can hear the unrest,
As Nature recalls her wondrous Creator,
Yet bows in submission to the abused and the abuser,
Man: he could be so much more.

From a distance, I can hear a trumpet call;
A warning, a reminder, an alarm;
Search the scrolls, the history of man
And see his path of self-destruction, and turn.

From a distance, I can hear a mighty roar,
The roar of the eternal King,
Waiting, watching, working to restore
All that has been stolen & destroyed.

Sometimes, God is … GOD!

Tags

blessings, challenges, difficult life, faith, God, GOD’s love, hardships, Laura Story, life, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Omniscience, purpose, trials and tribulations, trust

Many people quote this verse at various times and sundry situations in their lives. It is a vital truth! “Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Is 55:9 CEV) God’s priorities in our life are different than ours. He uses anything and everything we ALLOW Him to use as teaching tools for our growth in Him. That means He uses our prayers and answers them as He sees fit. It means he uses Nature to teach us His Ways. He uses other people, knowingly or unknowingly, to work His purpose deeper into us. There is nothing God cannot or will not use, as we pay attention. But it is His purpose He is working out in us, not our own!

We generally seek our own comfort, ease, or wealth. God, on the other hand, is changing us (with our cooperation) into the likeness and image of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor 3: 17-18 CEV) Our Spirit is regenerated and new, but we live in corrupt bodies with unhealthy and unholy desires and habits. We all want our own way! We pray for healing, for smooth roads through the “wilderness,” for easy answers to life’s deepest questions, and we panic or revolt when we don’t see the responses we seek. Right?

There are times when God gives us exactly what we want or need. There are also times when, thankfully, God doesn’t give us what we ask for because He knows where He is taking us and what He is building into us. We seldom know.

Remember Paul’s story? He was a passionately religious man raised in the height of the traditional Jewish knowledge and traditions. So fervent was he that he chased down and murdered new Believers until God confronted him personally, like He does each of us. In that moment, Paul saw Jesus as his Messiah, and he never looked back. ACTS 9: 1-22 CEV Some believe Paul was visually disabled for the rest of his life. Paul gained a deeper revelation of God’s grace. “My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.” (2 Cor 12: 1-10 NCV)

Years ago, I was a single soldier stationed in Alaska. It happened that I was the ONLY single girl in the small Christian fellowship on the base. I remember fervently praying for a Godly husband. A single man began to show interest, and we dated a few times. One night while praying again for “my husband,” thinking of this young man, I felt God say to me, “You can have this man if you wish, but He is not my BEST for you.” WHOA! The ball was in my court! Reluctantly, I yielded! I wept for days after I explained my feelings to the guy. We continued to be friends, and a few months later, he reunited with his fiance. Last I heard, they were living happily ever after!

We can pout and throw our tantrums, but if we are truly surrendered to Christ, we must acknowledge that He knows best. His ways are best. His plan is best. When we are securely nestled under the shadow of His wing, we can hear His heartbeat of devastating love for us and know that everything … EVERYTHING that we encounter comes through His fingers and is laced with His love to accomplish the purpose He intends. Even the traumas and tragedies that we each face at times, will produce good fruit as God redeems the situation.

Don’t hear me saying that God creates bad or difficult situations for us. That is not what I’m saying. He permits them for His purpose. Some difficulties are simply a result of our own unhealthy attitudes or behaviors, and we are simply “reaping” what we “sowed.” Some hardships are simply part of living in this corrupt world. We also have a very real enemy but, GOD is in CONTROL, right?

Do you love God? Are you “called according to His purpose?” If so, then trust that even the most painful and challenging situations that face us are meant to build the character of Christ into us, and for that, we can be eternally thankful!

MEDITATE on THIS: Psalm 139

Are the Washington D.C. Scandals an Answer to Our Prayers?

Tags

call to prayer, prayer, Presidential Prayer Team, scandals, storms

from The Presidential Prayer Team website

God asks us – and commands us – in I Timothy 2:1-2 and Romans 13 to pray for our nation and its leaders. This boldness in prayer isn’t just about asking God for big things, but stepping out and trusting Him in faith, despite how impossible circumstances may seem. We can make a difference in America by praying bold prayers…prayers with answers that are only possible by God.

It’s our purpose as a ministry to use all of our available resources to mobilize an army of prayer warriors, people – like you – who unashamedly proclaim: “We Pray For America.”

In keeping with this purpose, we’re introducing a new BOLD (Beside Our Leaders Daily) prayer initiative for impacting America’s leaders. “We the People” will be the largest and most valiant prayer campaign we’ve ever undertaken as the largest fulltime prayer movement for our nation. During the final six months of 2013, we’ll be giving you focused and specific prayer direction and information on the highest positions within our government. Each day we’ll move office-by-office and department-by-department — from the Administration, Congress, the judiciary, and our military — praying for those individuals within our government who shape the course of this great nation.

As part of this “boots-on-the-ground” approach, we’ll also let each leader know that hundreds of thousands of people will be praying for them as they work and possibly make important decisions about our country’s future.

Your bold prayers and faith represent the same kind of courage that launched our great nation 237 years ago and that has sustained us through wars, economic downturns and terrorist attacks.

This bold plan to inspire millions of Americans to pray for their leaders has received some significant financial help by several friends of this ministry. But, they recognize that their giving alone is not enough to underwrite the entire cost of this intensive six month campaign. So, we are asking for your prayerful, bold financial help. They have graciously offered to match dollar-for-dollar any gift of $25 or more given now, or promised through December 31. But, we must know of your faith-giving plans before midnight on July 4.

That’s right – ALL your financial gifts of $25 or more for the rest of this year will be doubled. Starting NOW … any gift received by July 4th and your monthly faith commitments will be doubled as you give each month until the end of the year. The deadline to give now or indicate your faith promise is midnight on July 4th.

In I Samuel 2:30, God promises to honor a people and nation that honor him, so let’s keep praying. We believe that the recent scandals coming out of our nation’s capital are just one way God is answering the prayers of our members to “bring to light” the wrongs and deceptions in our government. We thank you for your generous support and for being among those who boldly proclaim: “We Pray For America.”

Your Prayer Team

BREAKING: JESUS, the CHRIST, is ALIVE!!!

Tags

ALIVE FOREVERMORE, Bread of Life, Great Man, Great Prophet, Great Teacher, He is ALIVE, I AM, JESUS IS ALIVE, Living Water, my Source and my Goal, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the DOOR, the GOOD SHEPHERD, the LIFE, the LIVING WATER, the Messiah, the Resurrection, the TRUTH, the Way

JERUSALEM: After all the terror brought on by this wandering Jew, and to His own people, it seemed we were done with him. But somehow, he has managed to stir up even more excitement. Some of his devotees went this morning to tend his body, but they found the tomb EMPTY! Graveclothes on the ground, but no sign of the body of this “King of the Jews!” We will have more from the sight on the evening broadcast.

Most Americans, most Westerners are well aware of the story of Jesus’ capture, beatings, crucifixion, and subsequent resurrection. For many, it’s a case of “familiarity breeds contempt!” – something we know but would rather not be reminded of year after year. For a few, it is something so preposterous, it insults our intelligence. Yet, it persists, year after year … song after song … tale after tale of “miraculous” events attributed to this man, Jesus.

That is he lived once, is fact. That he taught a simple, yet difficult morality, fact! That many “wonders” are assigned to his ministry, hearsay. What are the most “unbelievable” issues surrounding this man and his claim of being the Son of God? What’s the problem of belief?

• his virgin birth?
• his un-detailed childhood?
• his various miracles?
• his character?
• his resurrection?

Most people, it seems, even within other faiths, think of Jesus as a “great man”, a “great teacher”, a great “philosopher.” I have a problem with these claims. While much of his “teachings” are in parable form, there are some rather monumental statements or claims made by this very man.

For example,

• Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)




• “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” ; “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6:35-41 NIV)




• “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10: 11 NIV)






• Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9 NKJV)




• Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30 CJB)




• Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (REV 1:8) NIV ; “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.” (REV 21:6 NIV) ; “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (REV 22:13)




• “25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

  27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (John 11:25-27 NIV)

He made several additional statements about himself, many in the book of John … all of which expand the image of exactly WHO Jesus said he was, but … these claims don’t really fit in with the program. I mean, Either Jesus is exactly who and what He claims, OR He’s the greatest con-man EVER!!! There really isn’t any room in the middle. One cannot be a “Great Teacher” is half of what is said is a lie. One cannot be a “Great Prophet” is the words spoken are not dependable. So, either He is who and what He claims, or he is nothing.

If a man is known for speaking falsehoods, lies, and deceptions, even if he occasionally does good deeds, is he the kind of man that could revolutionize the world even 2000 years after he was reportedly crucified? Why are there people who insist he is alive today? Will there be people 2000 years from now who claim I am alive? I doubt it. I will live and die in my time as will you, dear Reader, and, but for those who remember us, that will be all that is known here. So why, if Jesus was just a man, is he still celebrated the world over at his birth, death, and Resurrection? Oh yea … the Resurrection! HE IS ALIVE!!!

This is the ONLY logical explanation. He is ALIVE. He is still changing lives. He is still healing broken bodies and broken hearts. He is still freeing people from the weight of our sinfulness. He is still freeing people from addictions. He is still providing for those who call on Him for help. He is still rescuing us from ourselves. HE IS ALIVE!!! The TOMB IS EMPTY, but my heart is FULL!!! Is YOURS?

Jesus is alive!!!

The Future of the CHURCH

Tags

Body of Christ, Catholic Church, Christians, Jesus, Pope Francis I

Newly Elected Pope Francis I — Chosen 3/13/13

♫♫ I hear the Sound of a Mighty Army ♫♫

I hear the sound of a mighty army,
I hear the roar of an angry Lion,
I hear the sound, it’s a long way off,
But I hear the sound, I hear the sound.

I feel the beat of a mighty army,
I feel the mountains tremble and quake,
I feel all nations taking their places,
I feel the beat stronger everyday.

Darkness gathers
Twisting Truth to lies,
But there’s an Army gathering together,
One body, one Bride, one Lord.

Let those who have ears, hear …

©2013 Eaglesong
All Rights Reserved

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

“I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.” John 17: 20-21 CEV

It’s true. I hear the sound of God’s Church coming together from various denominations, creeds, nations, and purposes. I hear the sound … We are not all the same. We are not all given the same purpose. There are theological, philosophical, and practical things we disagree on, but … But all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus are His Church. We do not need to compromise our beliefs to come together in Christ.

This may come as a shock to some. It may seem sacrilegious, but though we are not all of the Roman Catholic faith, we, as believers, are a part of Christ’s Church. As this new Pope assumes his role as Christ’s preeminent ambassador on earth, it strikes me that we ought to support him as best we can and pray for his to lead the Church with God’s wisdom. It is the Godly thing to do!

“We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.” EPH 6: 12 CEV

Some have the opinion that the anti-Christ will come from the Roman Church. Some non-Catholics have skeptical views of the Catholic church. Jesus, however, ordained the Church, and for many centuries there was only one Church. Imperfect, unjust, politically swayed at times, yes, but still an instrument of God. Like the men and women of the Bible, even those well known like Abraham, Moses, and David, each of us is flawed, so any group or organization we put together will also be flawed and imperfect. The Church is no different.

What am I saying? I’m saying to LOVE one another! It’s a command, after all! We have to grow up,get beyond our differences are learn to love one another, appreciate our differences instead of beating each other with them. Then, and only then, will the world see JESUS!

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” JOHN 13: 34-35

The world really needs Jesus … the REAL JESUS, not some fabricated, comfortable religion! But we each have to do our part.

If You Were Accused …

Tags

Christian Church, church, freedom, hippie Christians, JESUS MOVEMENT, Keith Green, Larry Norman, Love Song, William Tyndale

“I repent of ever having recorded one single song and ever having performed one concert if my music, and more importantly — my life — has not provoked you into godly jealousy, or to sell out more completely to Jesus!”
Keith Green

If you were accused … of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you in a court of Law? In the 1970’s, this was a question made popular within the “Jesus Movement!” Yes, there was actually, a movement among young people in high schools and colleges that swept across the country proclaiming JESUS CHRIST is LORD. Some were even labeled “Jesus Freaks!” They looked and dressed very similar to the Hippies of the time, but there was a marked difference in their behavior. They read their Bibles often, in public, out loud. They laughed and talked about how to LOVE one another the way Jesus loves us. They created a new genre of music that incorporated Christian values and even Bible verses into the lyrics. They weren’t perfect, of course, but they tried to live what they read in the Bible.

The JESUS MOVEMENT spawned a new genre of music that was a hybrid of rock & roll sound, but with Gospel friendly lyrics.

“In order to proclaim the message of the gospel, hippie Christianssimply adopted existing forms of communication. Mirroring the development of underground newspapers such as the Berkeley Barb, in 1969 evangelist Duane Pederson began publishing the Hollywood Free Paper as an evangelistic tool. Jesus papers with names like Right On!, The Fish, Street Level, and Cornerstone became a fundamental component of each street Christian community.

“Another development was Jesus Music, the controversial combination of rock music and the gospel as one of the most effective (and subsequently lasting) institutions of the revival. Artists and groups such as Ron Moore, Love Song, John Fischer, Larry Norman, Randy Matthews, Agape, and the All Saved Freak Band are just a few of the performers that felt the need to communicate spiritual truths through a popular medium. Christian coffeehouses and Jesus rock festivals emerged as the music gained momentum as a popular alternative to the mainstream industry. Contemporary Christian radio shows sprang up as did magazines devoted solely to monitoring the fledgling Jesus Music scene. While many conservative church-goers lamented that Jesus Music was a spiritual compromise, these pioneers maintained that they were combating the negative influence of mainstream rock music. In an attempt to develop an apologetic for their evangelistic efforts they echoed the sentiments of reformer Martin Luther when he asked “why should the devil have all the best tunes.”

Larry Norman – Waves of Grace – [with Lyrics] from Greg Murray on Vimeo.

Perhaps the most radical idea of the JESUS MOVEMENT was that following Jesus was more than just going to church on Sundays. In fact, another thing Keith Green (and others) said often was that “going to church on Sundays doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger!” He’s right! In fact, Jesus said, ““If you love me, you will obey my commands.” (John 14:15) How do we know what Jesus/God commands? We must become well acquainted with the WORD of GOD – the Bible. This is true whether we are Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, or 7th Day Adventist. If we WANT to serve God, if we want to be found pleasing in HIS sight, we must acquaint ourselves with who HE is. Right? Even if it’s … uncomfortable? Even if it’s not politically correct?

The JESUS MOVEMENT was also about FREEDOM. For too long, the organized Church had kept God locked up inside the building, the local brick and mortar assembly. While hippies and militant radicals protested society’s ills and the Vietnam war, the JESUS MOVEMENT broke down the walls of the established Christian church and took it to the streets. What William Tyndale did for the Bible, the JESUS MOVEMENT did for the people, for the CHURCH of Christ. It took Jesus from the closed doors of the religious, organized Church to the everyday lives of everyday people. It helped strip away the false piety and religious pretense so common among church-going people. We were given permission to be REAL, to be imperfect followers of Jesus.

“But now you know the true God. Really, it is God who knows you. So why do you turn back to those weak and useless rules you followed before? Do you want to be slaves to those things again?”
Galatians 4:9

This brings us back to the title question: If you were accused … of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you in a court of Law?

I don’t know the originator of the title question, but I first heard it from a man named Keith Green, who became a popular singer during the 1970’s until his death in a plane crash. He was 28. His life message can be seen in the title of one of his albums, “No Compromise!” – released in 1978.

“In a world where following Christ is decreed to be a subversive and illegal activity you have been accused of being a believer, arrested, and dragged before a court.

“You have been under clandestine surveillance for some time now, and so the prosecution has been able to build up quite a case against you. They begin the trial by offering the judge dozens of photographs that show you attending church meetings, speaking at religious events, and participating in various prayer and worship services. After this, they present a selection of items that have been confiscated from your home: religious books that you own, worship CDs, and other Christian artifacts. Then they step up the pace by displaying your many poems, pieces of prose, and journal entries that you had lovingly written concerning your faith. Finally, in closing, the prosecution offers your Bible to the judge. This is a well-worn book with scribbles, notes, drawings, and underlings throughout, evidence, if it were needed, that you had read and re-read this sacred text many times.

“Throughout the case you have been sitting silently in fear and trembling. You know deep in your heart that with the large body of evidence that has been amassed by the prosecution you face the possibility of long imprisonment or even execution. At various times throughout the proceedings you have lost all confidence and been on the verge of standing up and denying Christ. But while this thought has plagued your mind throughout the trial, you resist the temptation and remain focused.” READ MORE

So the question becomes what evidence ought be present to condemn me as a Christian? What is God after? How do we LIVE to please God? To answer these questions, I will simply post some verses from the Bible. YOU DECIDE!

• “If you love me, you will obey my commands.” John 14:15
• “I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. 35 All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.” John 13: 34-35
• “The Lord God has told us what is right and what he demands: “See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.” Micah 6:8
• This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
  So do you think you can build a house for me? Do I need a place to rest? My hand made all things. All things are here because I made them,” says the Lord. “These are the people I am pleased with: those who are not proud or stubborn and who fear my word. Isaiah 66: 1-2
• “All that the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself.” Galatians 5:14
• A third time he said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” Peter said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!”
  He said to him, “Feed my sheep. John 21: 15-17
• “Don’t judge others, or you will be judged. 2 You will be judged in the same way that you judge others, and the amount you give to others will be given to you. Matthew 7: 1-2

The bottom line is, to “reflect” the One we love, Jesus, we need cultivate a relationship with Him. We must spend TIME with Him. Familiarize ourselves not only with His WORD, but with His character as revealed throughout His WORD, Old and New Covenants!

The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 Our faces, then, are not covered. We all show the Lord’s glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings ever greater glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 CORINTHIANS 3:17-18

“If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be sufficient evidence to convict you?”

Similarly, if you were accused of being an AMERICAN, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Do you know our Founding documents: the Declaration of Independence? The Bill of Rights or the Constitution? Can you name a handful of the Signers?
Do you know America’s form of government? Democracy, you say? NO! We are a CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC!!! Do we understand the VALUES behind the CONSTITUTION? Well … is there enough evidence to convict you? American? Christian? Person of independent faith?

What story does your life tell?

NEXT STEP, AMERICA … ?

Tags

2013, celebrations, Chanukah, Christmas, family, Looking ahead, Muslim Brotherhood, patriots, unemployment, US Constitution

It’s Christmastime, and life is busy. I find myself unwilling to even think about the sad … disgusting direction our nation has chosen. Our President is on record professing his desire to “improve” the US Constitution that has stood for 236 years. He speaks pleasant sounding words of “fair distribution” and “equality,” but his ideas are far from fair and just as far from equal. Especially in this spiritual season, how empty and pathetic it is to eliminate GOD from every facet of public life and call it … the Constitutional separation of Church and State! HOGWASH!

If only Americans understood the Constitution. If only the TRUTH was taught instead of the radical progressive doctrine of the left or even alongside the left’s interpretation. If only we refused to permit the “sterilization” of American culture and tradition in light of the deterioration of “quality of life” in our culture. Incidents of increased violence, increased drug & alcohol use and abuse, increased promiscuity and unwanted pregnancy fill our tabloids and newspapers, and still GOD is pushed further and further out of the picture.

It is really hard for me to embrace the “new” ideas of this administration when I consider the results:

• Unemployment continues to grow as thousands are laid off because of the staggering costs of “The Affordable Care Act,” – Obamacare; and because of continued Union demands that price American-made goods out of the market with unreasonable benefit packages and pensions subsidized with PUBLIC funds.
• Look at the storm raging in the Middle East, supported and financially subsidized by American funds. The media would have us believe that “Democracy” is the goal of those rioting to overthrow the brutal governments. DEMOCRACY is nothing more than majority rule, and not necessarily an improvement, and certainly not AMERICA. (American government is structured as a Constitutional Republic, NOT a Democracy!) The Muslim Brotherhood is just the political cover arm of al Qaeda/Hamas that has their own agenda – global jihad to impose Islam, via Shariah law, on an unsuspecting, naive West. Look at London!  Look at Dearborn, Michigan, and Detroit, for pete’s sake!

The bottom line, my friends, is that the Obama administration and the liberal leftist agenda offers no hope – NO HOPE – to those MILLIONS of Americans out of work and struggling to make it. No hope of recovery! No hope to help them stand again in the dignity of satisfying work. President Obama only offers more of the same, so it is up to us- neighbors & friends – to reach beyond our own needs & issues to those in need.

Oh fellow Patriots, enjoy your Christmas (or Chanukah,) your family, and faithful friends by helping others as you are able! I encourage you to celebrate the reality of Christ as fully and as thoroughly as you wish. Who knows if by next year, Christmas may be illegal.

Afterwards, as 2013 begins, may we unite in humility &  repentance as we muster to develop a plan to bring about the ReBirth of a stronger, moral AMERICA.

NO HOPE … without men and women of FAITH giving of their faith.
Not religion, but FAITH!
Not tradition or dogma, but HOPE!
Not rules and regulations, but genuine no-strings compassion!
LIVE IT!