Prayer On Wall Street?

Christian Today Australia reports the following:

Wall Street Turns To Prayer in Midst of Financial Crisis
Posted: Monday, September 29, 2008, 9:14 (EST)

The turmoil in New York's financial markets has triggered a spiritual response among Christian leaders. Cell phone text messages quickly spread calls to prayer. Christians on Wall Street set up special prayer meetings for the week. Extraordinary prayer meetings were scheduled at Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, and elsewhere. Pastors began planning to gather for sidewalk prayer meetings outside of the stock exchange.

The emotional impact of the current crisis on Wall Streeters is amplified by a prevailing attitude of many of almost being invincible. This crisis has pulled the rug out from under them. This may be the first dislocation of their lives. For many their savings have disappeared in 15 minutes. Bishop Roderick Caesar of New York City's Bethel Gospel Tabernacle, says that the crisis is so fundamental to our world that "the church has to be poised for the moment and be prepared to work together."

Some Christians in New York City hope that God can use the crisis for good. Mike Faulkner, pastor of New Horizon Church, says, "Honestly, I am praying God will bring healing and revival." He recalls how during the 1930s Wall Street crash, Central Baptist Church on Manhattan housed people who had lost their homes. "The church should be available in every way for people on Wall Street who maybe didn't think much about God before. One should be comforted that righteousness will prevail.

Some Christians working on Wall Street see it as working on "the dark side," with an environment that is "absurdly secular," "out of balance," and "egoistic." One trader says, "Some of the times when I get on the train, it's like I go to the dark side." Nowadays the trips are especially bleak. One chief operating officer says that maybe Christian faith can stand out as a light of compassion and truth. "We should not be intimidated by the magnitude of the darkness of the times, but should realize how quickly the light stands out in all that darkness.

Australian Prayer Network

They just don't get it. God is NOT going to bring His blessing on people because all of a sudden they have money problems and they began to ask His help. God responds to prayers from a broken and contrite heart; a heart that is repenting and confessing their sin. They can pray all day on Wall Street but as long as they have sin in their heart, God is not going to hear them. Psalm 66:18 says: "If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened."(NLT) That's right, the Bible says that while there is sin in the heart, the Lord God is not going to listen. They can cry all they want about the economy and money, but it is in vain. We need to tell the people of our nation to repent and seek God. It is our only hope.

The Harvest of Humanism Has Arrived!

For about 50 years, there has been a consistent attempt to promote secular humanism as an answer to all of societies problems. Secular humanism is a humanist philosophy that upholds reason, ethics and justice, and specifically rejects the supernatural and the spiritual as the basis of moral reflection and decision-making. Humanism rejects God, specifically the Christian God. We have seen prayer removed from schools, a right established to murder babies in the womb and God's institution of marriage mocked by the attempted inclusion of homosexuals. The seeds of godliness have been planted, watered and allowed to come to harvest. The question today is: how do you like the harvest? We, as a nation, have rejected God and He has now rejected us. Our economy is on the verge of collapse and no "humanism" will prevent it. It may slow down the judgment, but it cannot stop it. Over a year ago I said that our country was going to be judged in the area of our money. Americans have made money their god and the true God is now allowing the harvest of that idolatry to come about. The only answer is in National prayer and repentance. Also, we must vote from office those godless representatives who are in charge of bringing a remedy. One look at Rep. Barney Frank and his godless life will demonstrate the danger of putting an unrepentant sinner in charge of anything to do with our National finances. Who is Frank and what has he to do with the financial mess our country is in?

According to Wikipedia:
"The United States House Committee on Financial Services (or House Banking Committee) oversees the entire financial services industry, including the securities, insurance, banking, and housing industries. The Committee also oversees the work of the Federal Reserve, the United States Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and other financial services regulators. It is chaired by Barney Frank (D-MA) and the ranking Republican is Spencer Bachus (R-AL).

In 1998, Frank founded the National Stonewall Democrats, the national gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Democratic organization. In 2004 and again in 2006, a survey of Capitol Hill staffers published in Washingtonian gave Frank the title of the "brainiest", "funniest", and "most eloquent" member of the House.[9] As of May 2007, Frank is one of two openly gay members of Congress, the other being Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin."

It is time to take our nation back; and for those that disagree with this antiquated thinking, go ahead, it will not be long until the judgment of the God you have mocked becomes more severe. Only the true disciple of Jesus Christ will be preserved in the end.

UPDATE: Churches Challenge IRS

On August 21, 2008, I alerted readers that churches were going to challenge the IRS on the issue of political endorsements. Yesterday, it occurred. Pastors in certain churches and from the pulpit explained what issues should be important to Christians and then they endorsed a candidate. I received a phone call from a friend that attends one of these churches. He told me that his pastor said that there were three issues important to Christians in this election: abortion, marriage and the appointment of Supreme Court Justices. The pastor then explained that it was his opinion that if Christians follow their Bible based beliefs, they could NOT vote for Obama. Then he endorsed John McCain and Sarah Palin for President and Vice-President respectfully. I agree!

I applaud the courage of these pastors and their congregations. They have much to loose in the natural but in the eternal they are gaining the smile of heaven as they stand for truth. The challenge is to the Johnson Amendment that restricted the freedom of speech of churches and their ministers. As I have repeatedly said, Christians are not second class citizens and should have the same rights as others. I thank God for these brave ministers and churches standing for truth. Let us remember them in prayer and support them. They are doing God's work.

GOD IS STILL KING of THE FLOODS by David Wilkerson

David Wilkerson is not afraid to speak truth from his heart even if it runs counter to the prosperity and purpose-driven messages from Joel Osteen and Rick Warren. Please read this short article as it contains some very good advice:

The Psalmist writes, "The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods
have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves" (Psalm 93:3).
The floods represent the rising waters of afflictions, the overwhelming
crises that are coming on the earth affecting multitudes. This is
the flood of unemployment, housing nightmares, ever-growing
financial difficulties. We now face a great flood of fear and confusion
about what to do to survive the storm.

It tears my heart to have a single mother stop me on the street
weeping, "Pastor, what am I going to do? I lost my job, and I may
lose my apartment. I have nothing to live on. Where will I go?"
Top-level executives are being laid off with no warning. Workers
tell me they see bosses crying at their desks, asking, "What will
I do? I'm broke. What about my mortgage? I have no benefits."

Some terrible things are happening, even to some of the godliest
believers. I ask God, "Lord, what do I tell them? They are in the
flood." I know these saintly people pray and read God's Word.
Indeed, they have learned to trust the Lord. But now their faith is
being tested to the limit. I get calls from some who are soon to
lose everything. I can't just give these people a pep talk and a
few Scriptures and ask them to cheer up. I am not suffering the
way they are. I still get paid, and I am not in danger of losing my
home.

I ask you, please, hear my heart as I say this: The time is not far
away before we all will be deeply affected by the economic flood
coming to the whole world. Great trials are ahead for all of us who
deeply love the Lord. Here is what I am led to do by the Holy Spirit.
I ask it of my family, all of whom work with the church body. I urge
you to pray to see if the Lord is leading you to do the same: No
more buying of luxuries. Cut all spending except absolute
necessities. Sell every unneeded item. Turn it to cash and give it
to ministries to the poor and needy. Downsize as much as possible.
Be willing to let it all come to this: "Having food and raiment
[covering], let us be therewith content" (1 Timothy 6:8).

Build up your faith by reminding the Lord daily of his promises:
"The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for
ever" (Psalm 29:10). "In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me
never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness" (Psalm 31:1).

In Christ,

David Wilkerson

A Must See Video

You need to see this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6-K7JwwV0U

If you know anyone who is undecided in this Presidential election, this may help them see the truth about Obama.

Our Current Economic Crisis

It is no secret that our country is in a severe financial crisis. Over a year ago, I said that God's judgment was coming on our nation and God knows how to get our attention. We are a country that is motivated by money and the things it will provide. Now we see that our precious financial security is about to collapse. No "bail-out" package will save us from the judgment of God. It may delay the inevitable, but it will not stop His judgment. The only thing that MIGHT stop His judgment is national repentance and fasting. However, the difficult times are bringing to light how far away from God our country really is. The attacks, smears and mocking of Gov. Palin's faith is evidence of the moral state of this country. Our nation is not only not a Christian nation anymore, it is actually anti-Christian. Some of the nasty comments I have received for standing for Biblical truth on this blog also evidence that America is now being run by godless unrepentant sinners who are bringing us under an awful judgment that is just beginning. In one of my doctoral classes, we discussed defending the faith. Dr. Arthur Moen made the ultimate argument: "so, how is it working out for you?" So godless secular America, "how is it working out for you?" As your financial markets collapse, depression comes, and your borders remain unprotected, I wonder when you will realize that your real problem is rebellion against God. You did not evolve from monkeys; you were created by God. You owe God your total allegiance. As godless America continues to allow abortion and gay marriage, watch the walls crumble. We, the true church, must cry "repent and turn to the living and true God!" It will bring persecution and mocking, but take courage, it will only last a little longer.

Four Abortion Scenarios

Something to think about when discussing abortion:

Four Situations

1. There's a preacher and wife who are very, very poor. They already have 14 children. Now she finds out she's pregnant with their 15Th! They're living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you recommend that she have an abortion?

2. The father is sick with sniffles, the mother has TB. They have four children. The first child is blind, the second is dead. The third child is deaf, the fourth has TB. She finds she's pregnant again. Given the extreme situation, would you consider recommending abortion?

3. A white man raped a 13 year old black girl and she became pregnant. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending abortion?

4. A teenage girl is pregnant. She's not married. Her fiance is not the father of the baby, and he's very upset. Would you consider recommending abortion?

If you would have recommended abortion in any of these situations: then, in the first case, you recommended killing John Wesley; in the second case, you recommended killing Ludwig Von Beethoven; in the third case, you recommended killing the famous gospel singer Ethel Waters; and in the fourth case, you have just recommended killing Jesus Christ.

Author Unknown

A Feel Good Story

If you watched last year's Super Bowl, you no doubt remember an incredible catch by David Tyree where he caught a pass against his helmet. It was a critical catch that helped the New York Giants defeat heavily favored New England. There is so much more to David Tyree than his famous catch. He has written a book that tells his story. Here are his own words:
"More Than Just The Catch tells my story. It includes the good, the bad, and the ugly. When you finish it, you will know that its message is about more than a game. It is about a life changed and the One who changed it. God allowed me to be a part of what some people have called the greatest play in Super Bowl history to provide a platform so that He would get the glory. I believe that many lives will be touched by the truth of this.My motive for sharing my life story is to encourage others to put their trust in God. I want people to know that Jesus is real. I pray that my testimony will release miracles to every person who reads it. I especially want to shout out this promise to the young people who think it is boring to serve God: miracles are never boring!I also pray that my story will touch the lives of professional athletes who have been distracted and separated from the reality of what success is. When the cameras' flashing lights dim and go out, I cannot be a hero to the world and not be a hero to my children. Success in the eyes of men means nothing to me if I am not successful in the eyes of my wife. There is no great career in the spotlight without a great family life behind the scenes. True happiness extends past the winning touchdown or the greatest catch. Great moments like these mean nothing if there is no peace in your heart."

We would all do well to give God the glory for the good things in our lives. We may not have a national platform, but we do have family and friends that need to know what God has done for us. It is far more than "hell insurance." If God has saved you, then your salvation has in some respects begun now. We need to tell the world our story so that God will receive the glory.

Get Alone With God

Here are some more great quotes to consider as we head into the weekend. With all the fighting in this election and dirty politics, it is good to focus on the things of God and separate every now and then from the battle. Get alone with God, your Bible and consider some of these quotes from these men and women of God:

"Elisha had more of the Holy Spirit, dead, than most Christians
have of Him, alive." - Steve Wilburn

"God doesn't answer prayer, He answers desperate prayer!"
- Leonard Ravenhill

"I don't want to preach GOOD, I want to preach GOD!"
- G.A. Jarquin

"We sometimes talk about the price of revival, and we need to be
very careful as to what we mean when we speak like this. We may
place that price so high that we put revival right beyond the reach
of the ordinary run of mortals. Maybe that is our way of attempting
to justify God, that He has not yet, apparently, given the revival
His people need.But that is a wrong done to God and a cruelty done to his church. There is without doubt a price to be paid for revival, but it is not of
necessity the long nights of prayer or excruciating sacrifices, but
of simply humbling pride to repent of sin." - Roy Hession

"Put off a sin or a piece of a sin every day."—Rutherford.

"Truth must be spoken, however it be taken."—John Trapp

"You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot
do more than pray until you have prayed." - A. J. Gordon

"Playing marbles with diamonds, thats what we are doing in the
church today." - Vance Havner

"When the church and the world can jog comfortably along together, you can be sure something is wrong. The world has not compromised - its spirit is exactly the same as it ever was. If Christians were equally as faithful to the Lord, separated from the world, and living so that their lives were a reproof to all ungodliness,the world would hate them as much as it ever did. It is the church that has compromised, not the world." - Catherine Booth

"I'm not an erudite man, but I only have one message. Repent.
That's it. Now I can sit down." - Ray Greenley

"I bet you there will be people in hell saying, 'I thought there was
no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.'" - G.A. Jarquin

"The devil is a better theologian than any of us and is a devil still."
- A.W. Tozer

"When Jesus said 'The Kingdom of God is within you,' He meant
that kingdom that governs and controls the heart and mind and
outlook." - Martin Lloyd Jones

"Where there have been mighty deeds, there need be no multitude
of words to tell of them. Many words are required only where the
deeds have been too feeble to speak for themselves." - A.W. Tozer

"They will pay $15 for a Christian concert to hear a Christian singer and for free they won't come into the presence of God and call upon the name of the Lord." - Jim Cymbala

"The Lord came not to destroy, but to save. Everything is safe
which we commit to Him and nothing is really safe which is not so
committed." - A.W. Tozer

"No praying.. no holiness." - Greg Gordon

"Know praying...Know holiness." - MB

We Should Pray Without Ceasing

The news is not good concerning our economy. The government is buying private businesses to keep them from failure. There is a famine in the land just like in the days of Egypt where the government ended up owning every thing. God's people, those that believe in, cling to and trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation, must pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 says: "Pray without ceasing." The word "pray" is in the imperative mood which means that it is a command and not an option. It is in the present tense which means that it is to be a continuous action and not a single event. We need to pray for repentance for our nation. We are a country that sacrifices children through abortion just like the children of Israel burned their children to the pagan god Molech. Just like Sodom and Gomorrah, we permit homosexuality which mocks God's plan for the family. Secularists believe that if they can get the right man into office as President then he will fix the problems. It is not going to happen, no matter who is elected unless there is repentance from our national sins, our country is doomed. There is much to pray for and about.

E.M. Bounds wrote the following concerning praying without ceasing:
"Here are some of the comprehensive, and exhaustive statements of the Word of God about prayer, the things to be taken in by prayer, the strong promise made in answer to prayer:
'Pray without ceasing;' 'continue in prayer;' 'continuing instant in prayer;' 'in everything by prayer, let your request be made known unto God;' 'pray always, pray and not faint;' 'men should pray everywhere;' 'praying always, with all prayer and supplication.'
What clear and strong statements are those which are put in the Divine record, to furnish us with a sure basis of faith, and to urge, constrain and encourage us to pray! How wide the range of prayer, as given us, in the Divine Revelation! How these Scriptures incite us to seek the God of prayer, with all our wants, with all our burdens!"

Let us stop criticizing and start praying; let us not worry but pray; and finally, let us cry unto God in faith believing that He will hear and answer. America needs prayer and lots of it.

Our Need To Live A Life Of Consecration

In A Living Sacrifice by G.A. McCLaughlin the author wrote:
"Consecration is what we would do if it were the last day of our lives. If you knew positively that before tomorrow morning you would be in eternity, you would as a true Christian resign yourself wholly to the will of God. The language of your heart if not of your lips would be, 'Into thy hands, Lord, I resign my spirit. I let go my grasp upon everything in this world.' All those who get to heaven will have to be thus resigned to the will of God the last day of life. Now what a person ought to be the last day of life, he ought to be every day. Will any one then maintain that we ought to be anything else every day? Who knows that he will live all of any one day? If sudden death would be sudden glory, it will take place only in the experience of those wholly given to God. There is no excuse then for failing to be entirely consecrated to God every moment. Whatever we ought to be we can be. We ought to be wholly the Lord's every moment, and as we ought to be, we can be. Impossibilities are not required."

This thought, if remembered by the believer, would end most strife and confusion. The Christian's conscience is renewed and is very capable to guide us when the Scriptures do not speak directly to a subject. We are to live every day as our last; when we do so, there will be no regrets, no willful sin and no church splits. Let us endeavor to stay fully surrendered to Jesus Christ and serve Him completely as if our Judgment Day was tomorrow. When we do, the world will see the Gospel and that is generally preferable to hearing the Gospel. People hear the Gospel best when they see it operating in our lives.

Do you really love the homosexual?

Do you really love the homosexual? If so, you should tell them what Paul said in Romans 1:24-32: "Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves.
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is blessed forever.Amen. This is why God delivered them over to degrading passions. For even their females exchanged natural sexual intercourse for what is unnatural. The males in the same way also left natural sexual intercourse with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty for their perversion.And because they did not think it worthwhile to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong. They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, disputes, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful. Although they know full well God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them."

When you honestly consider these verses, do they describe someone in right relationship with God? No; they have been abandoned by God and left to their evil ways. Their final end is destruction. The ones that truly care for the "gay" are those that tell them the truth. Jesus said, "repent or perish." Luke 13:3 The only message of love to the gay community is "repent or perish."

This week singer Ray Boltz announced he is a practicing homosexual. Articlesofinfo.com reported:

There is shock and sadness in the Christian community over word that famed Christian music singer Ray Boltz has publicly announced he's living a homosexual lifestyle.
"If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I'm going to live...I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself." Those were the words of Ray Boltz in an interview with the Washington Blade about his decision to engage in homosexuality. Boltz, a father of four who was married for 33 years before officially divorcing his wife this year, is well-known for his widely acclaimed songs "Thank You" and "I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb."

God did not make Ray Boltz homosexual. Ray Boltz has chosen to mock God and walk in disobedience. If he doesn't repent, he is going to spend eternity in the flames of hell. This goes for all other homosexuals and those that "tolerant" them; and, it takes true love to tell them. Let us pray for these lost folks. We are not to criticize them; we are to tell them the truth in love. We are not to harm them in any way nor are we to belittle them. We are to earnestly pray for them. Let us be faithful to the cause of Jesus Christ and labor for the salvation of their souls.

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO ON ABORTION

This link was sent to me regarding abortion: http://www.abortionno.org/

It is the most graphic I have seen. If you or someone you know thinks that abortion is acceptable before God take a few minutes and watch this poor defenseless child being destroyed. I repeat: there are no pro-choice (actually "pro-death")Christians. If you support Obama for President, you support what takes place in the video. May God have mercy on your soul.

Don't Give These Companies Your Money

Before you spend your money, check the list below and if possible try to avoid them. Why? They are companies scoring a perfect 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign's 2009 Corporate Equality Index, with policies beneficial toward homosexuals. Send a message with your money. Let them know why you don't want to do business with them. The homosexual voice is loud but ours should be louder!

3M Co.;AAA Northern California,Nevada and Uta;Abercrombie & Fitch;Accenture Ltd.;Aetna;Agilent Technologies; Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld;Alaska Airlines; Alcatel-Lucent;Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North America;Allstate Corp.;Alston & Bird;American Express;Ameriprise Financial;American Airlines;Anheuser-Busch Companies;Aon Corp.;Apple;Arent Fox LLP;Arnold & Porter;AT&T;Bain & Co.;Baker & Daniels LLP;Bank of America;Bank of New York Mellon Corp.;Barnes & Noble;BASF; Bausch & Lomb;Best Buy;Bingham McCutchen;BMC Software;Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals;Boeing;Borders;Boston Consulting Group;BP America;Bright Horizons Family Solutions;Brinker International;Bristol-Myers Squibb Co;Brown Rudnick;Bryan Cave;Campbell Soup Co.;Capital One;Cardinal Health;Cargill;Carlson Companies;Carmax; Charles Schwab; Chevron; ChoicePoint;Chrysler;Chubb;Cisco Systems;Citigroup;Clear Channel Communications;Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton;Clifford Chance US LLP; Clorox;CNA Insurance;Coca-Cola;Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.;Constellation Energy Group Inc.;Continental Airlines;Coors;Corning;Covington & Burling LLP;Cox Enterprises; Cravath,Swaine&MooreLLP; CreditSuisse; Cummins;Debevoise & Plimpton LLP;Dell; Deloitte & Touche;Deutsche Bank;Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP;Diageo North America;Dickstein Shapiro;DLA Piper; Dorsey & Whitney;Dow Chemical;DuPont;Eastman Kodak;eBay Inc.; Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP;Electronic Arts;Eli Lilly & Co.;Ernst & Young; Estee Lauder;Esurance;Faegre & Benson;Fannie Mae;Foley & Lardner;Foley Hoag;Ford;Freescale Semiconductor;Fried, Frank, Haris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP;GameStop; Gap;Genentech;General Motors;Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP;GlaxoSmithKline;Hyatt; Goldman Sachs;Google;Harrah's;Hartford Financial Services;Harvard Pilgrim Health Care;Haynes and Boone LLP;Heller Ehrman;Herman Miller;Hewitt Associates;Hewlett-Packard;Hoffman-La Roche Inc.;Holland & Knight;Honeywell International;Hospira; Howrey LLP;HSBC USA;Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP;IndyMac Bancorp;ING North America Insurance;Intel;IBM;Intuit;J.C. Penney;J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.;Jenner & Block; Johnson & Johnson;Kaiser Permanente; KeyCorp; Kimberly Clark Corp.;Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group;Kirkland & Ellis;KPMG;Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel;Latham & Watkins;Lehman Brothers;Levi Strauss;Lexmark International;Littler Mendelson PC;Liz Claiborne;Lockheed Martin Corp.;Macy;Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP;Marriott International;Marsh & McLennan Cos.;Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance;MasterCard; McDermott Will & Emery; McKinsey & Co.;Merck & Co;Merrill Lynch & Co.;MetLife; Microsoft;Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo;Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; Morgan Stanley;Morrison & Foerster;Motorola; National Grid USA;Nationwide;NCR;New York Life Insurance Co.;New York Times;Newell Rubbermaid;Nielsen Co.;Nike;Nixon Peabody; Nordstrom; Northern Trust; Northrop Grumman; Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp.; O'Melveny & Myers;Oracle;Orbitz;Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe;Owens Corning; Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP;Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP;Pepsi Bottling Group Inc.;PepsiCo; Perkins Coie;Pfizer; PG&E;Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman;Powell Goldstein; PricewaterhouseCoopers;Progressive Corp.;Proskauer Rose LLP;Prudential Financial;Raymond James Financial;Raytheon;Recreational Equipment Inc.;Replacements Ltd.;Reynolds American Inc.;Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP; Ropes & Gray LLP;Sabre Holdings;Schering-Plough;Sears;Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold LLP;Sempra Energy;Seyfarth Shaw LLP;Shell Oil;Sidley Austin;Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP;Sodexho;Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal;Southern California Edison;Sprint Nextel;Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP;Starbucks;Starcom MediaVest; Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide;State Street Corp.;Subaru of America;Sullivan & Cromwell LLP;Sun Life Financial Inc.;Sun Microsystems;SunTrust Banks; Supervalu;Symantec Corp.;Target;Tech Data;Texas Instruments;Thompson Coburn;Time Warner;TJX Cos.;Toyota Financial Services;Toyota Motor Sales USA ;Travelport; Troutman Sanders;U.S. Bancorp;UBS AG;Unilever;United Business Media;United Parcel Service;US Airways Group;Viacom;Vinson & Elkins;Visa;Visteon Corp.;Volkswagen of America;Wachovia Corp.;Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz;Walgreens;Walt Disney; Washington Mutual;Weil, Gotshal and Manges;Wells Fargo & Co. Whirlpool;White & Case; Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr;Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati;Winston & Strawn;Wyndham Worldwide;Xerox;Yahoo!

Two Court Cases Yesterday: One Good and One Very Bad

Yesterday, two court cases were reported that are of interest to Christians. One result was a cause of rejoicing and the other is a cause of great concern. The good news was reported by Jay Sekulow:
"In a sweeping decision that culminated a two-day jury trial in Nashville's U.S. District Court, a federal district court jury awarded damages to Teen Challenge totaling $967,995 and found that government officials violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, the Fair Housing Act, and the Americans With Disabilities Act.
The jury verdict sends a powerful message that religious discrimination by government officials simply won't be tolerated. The size of the jury award also sends a message that there's a hefty price to pay for those who discriminate against religious organizations. We're delighted with the outcome of this case and are pleased that the mission and work of Teen Challenge can now move forward."

The bad news and it is a cause of great concern was a ruling by a Federal Judge in Virginia:
"A federal judge dealt a blow Thursday to the advertising plans of a conservative group that purports to tell "the real truth" about Barack Obama's abortion views.
U.S. District Judge James Spencer denied a preliminary injunction sought by The Real Truth About Obama Inc. against the Federal Election Commission. The injunction would have barred the FEC from enforcing its fundraising and advertising regulations against the Richmond-based group, which was formed by anti-abortion activists.
The organization claimed in court papers that its "issue advocacy" amounts to constitutionally protected free speech that does not expressly advocate the election or defeat of a candidate.
In a brief order, Spencer said the constitutional claim lacked merit and that an injunction would harm the public. He did not elaborate but said a written explanation of his ruling will be issued later."

In essence, the Court ruled that an independent group's free speech could be regulated by the Federal Election Commission. The group supports neither party; it merely makes their respective positions known. To expose Obama's extreme abortion views could cause one to vote for him or against him. The facts are the facts; they are neutral. However, the evil powers behind Obama know that if the truth is known about his desire to kill children, it WILL cost him votes. This is a spiritual battle being played out in the real world. Pray for this appeal and for the truth to come out about Obama the infanticide candidate for President.

The Silent Scream

Last Sunday while preaching, I mentioned a film I saw years ago that showed an actual abortion. I explained that the watching of the video had a profound effect upon me. I have found the video on YouTube. It is called The Silent Scream because at one point the child opens his or her mouth as if to scream when the murderers suction is inserted in the womb threatening the child's existence. Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjNo_0cW-ek&feature=related

You may copy and paste the link in your browser window. I want to warn you that the 27 minute clip is graphic. However, if you watch the clip you will understand why some of us see this issue as the central issue in this campaign and for the United States of America. We cannot expect God's blessing on us while we permit the murder of approximately 3000+ children a day. It is not "abortion," it is MURDER! The web site for more information is www.silentscream.org.

Here is a testimony taken from the site:
"Dear Silent Scream Website,
I just wanted to write a quick note to say thank you. I was supposed to have an abortion today and I was up all last night researching abortions on the internet. I came upon your site and couldn't stop thinking about it. It had a profound effect on me.
I still went to the clinic and went through the blood testing and watched their video....then came the ultrasound; I begged the nurse to let me see my baby; I felt that I had to see. As soon as I saw my child on the ultrasound I knew I couldn't do it.
The clinic can absolutely NOT convince me that that living child inside me wasn't going to feel anything. I saw the heart beating, and he moved his little hands (almost like a wave). I think god intervened and sent me a message that I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life.
My nurse was very compassionate (which I thought was odd) I asked her for a picture of my baby and she explained that she wasn't allowed to do that. She also explained that she wasn't supposed to show me the ultrasound screen either. Well, she broke the rules and gave me a picture anyway.
Thanks to the nurse at the clinic and to your video I made the right decision. I'll be having the baby in 7 months and am looking forward to meeting my little miracle in person.
Thank you a million times over,
Erica"

The Duty To Be Holy

The Scriptures command us to be holy. 1 Peter 1:15-16 says: "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." The Bible commands us to be holy in every aspect of our lives. We are to have no secret compartments or doors exempt from His control. Samuel L. Brengle wrote in Heart Talks on Holiness the following:

"Finally holiness is a state of conformity to the divine nature. God is love and there is a sense in which a holy man can be said to be love. He is like God, not in God's natural perfection of power and wisdom and knowledge and omnipresence, but in patience, humility, self-control, purity of heart and love. As the drop out of the ocean is like the ocean not in its bigness but in it's essence so is the holy soul like God. As the branch is like the vine, not in its self-sufficiency, but in its nature its sap, it's fruitfulness, its beauty, so is he that is holy like God.

This is unspeakable blessing is provided for us by our compassionate Heavenly Father through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and is received through a complete renunciation of all sin, an uttermost consecration to all the known will of God, importunate prayer, and child-like faith. Fifteen years ago I obtained this crowning blessing of the gospel through the conscious incoming of the Holy Spirit when I believed, after weeks of earnest seeking. Bless God! He still abides with me and my peace and joy increase and abound. Many have been my afflictions, and fierce and perplexing and prolonged have been my temptations, but with a daredevil faith I have pressed on, claiming victory through the Blood, testifying to what I claimed by faith, and proving day by day this grace to be sufficient while the path shines more and more unto the perfect day. Glory be to God for ever!"

We are to seek holiness the way we would look for our lost car keys. If we lost our car keys, the finding of them would be a top priority. We would not make excuses or delay. We would seek until we were successful in obtaining what was lost. Through Adam we lost our holiness in the Garden of Eden; through the blood of Jesus at Calvary we may find holiness again. Seek holiness until you have obtained the blessing of being perfect in love for both God and your fellow man.

Faith Under Fire: Pray For These Christians

WorldNetDaily reported the following yesterday:
Despite brutal and horrifying persecution that has left countless dead and an estimated 50,000 homeless, Christians in India's Orissa state are determined that God will have the victory in their violence-torn homeland.

Since the assassination of anti-Christian Hindu leader Swami Laxamanananda Saraswat on Aug. 22, mobs of Hindu fanatics that blame Christians for the leader's death have been roving the Orissa state on the eastern shore of India, torching churches and homes, brutalizing Christians and burning the bodies of those they kill.

Reports from missions organization Gospel for Asia (GFA), however, tell of courage and determination in the face of violence.

One story reported on Christian Newswire told of a missionary beaten multiple times by a Hindu mob demanding he leave a village where he had been working.

"Even if you kill me, I will not make a vow that I will never come back," the missionary is reported to have answered. "That depends not on me but on the Lord. If he wants to send me here, then I will come," he told his attackers.

Simon John, a GFA regional leader in India, said, "Christians will stand together in this nation, in love and to lift up the people, even if persecution or death comes. We will not stop doing good for the people."

Persecution and death, however, have come, and they have come by horrifying means.

United Kingdom newspaper The Times reports several cases of brutality over the last two weeks alone: a nun was gang-raped; a worker at a church-run orphanage was burned alive; and a woman seven months pregnant was cut to pieces along with her one-year-old son when she refused to denounce Christianity and convert to Hinduism.

Ravindra Nath Prahan, 45, told the Times he and 113 others, warned by a text message, fled to the jungle, living off rainwater and foraging food for a week. His paralyzed brother, however, couldn't take to flight.

"They doused him with petrol and taunted him; we could hear him screaming," Prahan told The Times. His brother was burned alive.

"I could have tried to save him. But we had to save ourselves," Prahan said.

An estimated 50,000 Christians have been forced to run for their lives, while the Hindu radicals have torched more than 3,000 homes and over 100 churches. The Vatican records 36 deaths, but warns an accurate account is impossible since the mobs are burning their victims.

Orissa made headlines last Christmas when 95 churches were razed and at least five people were murdered, The Times reports, but the current massacre reflects the country's worst persecution of Christians since gaining its independence in 1947.

"It's a national shame," India's prime minister, Manmohan Singh, has reportedly said.

As WND reported earlier, the Indian Supreme Court last week ordered additional police forces into the Kandhamal district, the worst region of violence, and also ordered state officials in Orissa to do more to protect Christians. Reports had come from the region that the police were permitting the attacks.

Citizens have petitioned India's president and rallied in the country's capital city to seek a stop to the violence.

GFA reports, however, that even though 24 of their missionaries have been attacked and 27 GFA-related churches have been destroyed, the Indian Christians still believe God will have victory.

"The encouraging thing is that the attackers themselves acknowledge that Orissa used to be only 2 percent Christian, and now it's 28 percent Christian," reports Juria Bardhan, GFA's state leader in Orissa. Pointing to Christianity's historical growth during times of persecution and the dramatic rise of Christianity among India's lowest, despised caste of people, Juria added, "They don't understand that by doing this, the church will grow by leaps and bounds, and this will cause thousands to come to Christ."

While the American church debates useless issues and tries to make every one rich, these brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering for their faith. We must not forget them. We must pray for them and help in any way we can. God help us if we do not. We will be required one day to account for our actions.

Pray Away The Gay

The below article is a great idea. Let us all commit in our local churches to "pray away the gay." God's grace is sufficient to change the most hardened sinner. According to www.articlesofinfo.com:
"Gov. Sarah Palin's church is promoting a conference that promises to convert gays into heterosexuals through the power of prayer.
"You'll be encouraged by the power of God's love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality," according to the insert in the bulletin of the Wasilla Bible Church, where Palin has prayed for about six years.
Palin's conservative Christian views have energized that part of the GOP electorate, which was lukewarm to John McCain's candidacy before he named her as his vice presidential choice. She is staunchly anti-abortion, opposing exceptions for rape and incest, and opposes gay marriage and spousal rights for gay couples.
Focus on the Family, a national Christian fundamentalist organization, is conducting the "Love Won Out" Conference in Anchorage, about 30 miles from Wasilla.
Palin, campaigning with McCain in the Midwest on Friday, has not publicly expressed a view on the so-called "pray away the gay" movement. Larry Kroon, senior pastor at Palin's church, was not available to discuss the matter Friday, said a church worker who declined to give her name.
Gay activists in Alaska said Palin has not worked actively against their interests, but early in her administration she supported a bill to overrule a court decision to block state benefits for gay partners of public employees. At the time, less than one-half of 1 percent of state employees had applied for the benefits, which were ordered by a 2005 ruling by the Alaska Supreme Court.
Palin reversed her position and vetoed the bill after the state attorney general said it was unconstitutional. But her reluctant support didn't win fans among Alaska's gay population, said Scott Turner, a gay activist in Anchorage.
"Less than 1 percent of state employees would even apply for benefits, so why make a big deal out of such a small number?" he said.
"I think gay Republicans are going to run away" if Palin supports efforts like the prayers to convert gays, said Wayne Besen, founder of the New York-based Truth Wins Out, a gay rights advocacy group. Besen called on Palin to publicly express her views now that she's a vice presidential nominee.
"People are looking at Sarah Palin as someone who might feasibly be in the White House," he said.

Great Quotes To Inspire You

I think these quotes are a great way to inspire you as you begin your weekend.

"God is not looking for brilliant men, is not depending upon
eloquent men, is not shut up to the use of talented men in sending
His gospel out in the world. God is looking for broken men who
have judged themselves in the light of the cross of Christ. When
He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to the
end of themselves, whose confidence is not in themselves, but in God."
- H.A. Ironside

"Being broken is both God's work and ours. He brings His
pressure to bear, but we have to make the choice...All day long
the choice will be before us in a thousand ways." - Roy Hession.

"Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision."
-Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions.

"When we become too glib in prayer we are most surely talking to
ourselves." - A. W. Tozer

"When filled with holy truth the mind rests."— C.H. Spurgeon

"If you want to be the first among your brothers and sisters, then
you have to be a bond-slave, not only to Christ, but to your
brothers and sisters." - Stephen Kaung

"Some people read their Bible in Hebrew, some in Greek; I like to
read mine in the Holy Ghost." - Smith Wigglesworth

"I am convinced that many evangelicals are not truly and soundly
converted. Among the evangelicals it is entirely possible to come
into membership, to ooze in by osmosis, to leak through the cells
of the church and never know what it means to be born of the
Spirit and washed in the blood. A great deal that passes for the
deeper life is nothing more or less than basic Christianity. There is
nothing deeper about it, and it is where we should have been from
the start...
What we need is what the old Methodists called a sound
conversion. There is a difference between conversion and a sound
conversion. People who have never been soundly converted do not
have the Spirit to enlighten them. When they read the Sermon on
the Mount or the teaching passages of the epistles that tell them
how to live or the doctrinal passages that tell how they can live,
they are unaffected. The Spirit who wrote them is not witnessing
in their hearts because they have not been born of the Spirit. That
often happens." - A W Tozer.

"No Task will be so sordid and base, provided you obey your
calling in it, that it will not shine and be reckoned very precious in
God's sight." - John Calvin

"With all your getting get unction." - Leonard Ravenhill

"When the Lord reveals His will to us and we obey, our mission
will be a success regardless of the results." - Chinese house
church leaders, Back to Jerusalem movement

"Those who are God's true witnesses are firmly anchored in Him,
in love or in suffering, no matter what God may give or take away.
They do not set much store by their own methods; if they prove
helpful to their spiritual life, well and good. But God, in his loving
foresight, often shatters their foundations and thus they frequently
find themselves thwarted.
If they want to keep vigil, they are obliged to sleep; if they like to
fast, they are made to eat; if they would like to keep silence and
be at rest, they have to do otherwise. In this way, everything they
cleave to crumbles, and they are brought face-to-face with their
bare nothingness. Thus they are shown how total is their
dependence on God, and they learn to confess Him with a pure
and simple faith, with no other support to sustain them."
- Johannes Tauler.

"Worship renews the spirit as sleep renews the body."
- Richard Clarke Cabot

"It is simply absurd to say you believe, or even want to believe, in
Him, if you do not do anything He tells you." - George Macdonald

"The saintly Andrew Bonar used to soak his pillow with tears every
Saturday night in Scotland as people below trampled the streets
returning from the taverns and shows. He would cry from the
depths of his agonizing heart, "Oh! They perish, they perish!""

We Are To Separate From Sin

Charles Spurgeon wrote these words:
"The Christian's reason for leaving the camp of the world's sin and religion is not because he loves to be singular, but because Jesus did so; and the disciple must follow his Master. Christ was "not of the world:" His life and His testimony were a constant protest against conformity with the world. Never was such overflowing affection for men as you find in Him; but still He was separate from sinners. In like manner Christ's people must "go forth unto Him." They must take their position "without the camp," as witness-bearers for the truth. They must be prepared to tread the straight and narrow path. They must have bold, unflinching, lion-like hearts, loving Christ first, and His truth next, and Christ and His truth beyond all the world. Jesus would have His people "go forth without the camp" for their own sanctification. You cannot grow in grace to any high degree while you are conformed to the world. The life of separation may be a path of sorrow, but it is the highway of safety; and though the separated life may cost you many pangs, and make every day a battle, yet it is a happy life after all. No joy can excel that of the soldier of Christ: Jesus reveals Himself so graciously, and gives such sweet refreshment, that the warrior feels more calm and peace in his daily strife than others in their hours of rest. The highway of holiness is the highway of communion. It is thus we shall hope to win the crown if we are enabled by divine grace faithfully to follow Christ "without the camp." The crown of glory will follow the cross of separation.—Morning and Evening"

We must for the sake of the Gospel separate from sin and sinners. This does not require us to separate physically; however, it does require us to separate from the influence and presence of sin. This includes those that are unrepentant sinners as well as those that profess faith in Jesus Christ but live lives contrary to the Gospel. For example, those in the emergent church and "new age" Christianity are to be publicly rebuked and all fellowship broken. We are to pray for their souls but not sit at the table of fellowship with them. Also, those that profess faith in Jesus Christ but support those candidates that advocate abortion rights under any circumstances, are to be treated in the same manner. Again, there are no "pro-choice" Christians. If you or someone you know believe that it is acceptable to murder an innocent child, you are a child of Satan and have no part in the Kingdom of God. No matter what you say, the Spirit of God does not reside inside you. It is time to separate from all evil and that includes the evil inside the physical church.