More Bad News for America

I am getting more concerned with each passing day. Hillary is turning against Israel and now our nation is supporting forced abortions. In fact, our country is increasing our financial support for these atrocities. At a time of economic concern, this Congress finds more money to kill babies in foreign countries. Things are going to worsen until somebody in authority recognizes that abortion is murder. The report from www.lifenews.com reveals the grim realities:

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Democratic Party leaders in the House of Representatives shut down an attempt by a leading pro-life congressman to fix a budget bill that authorizes funding to a group that has supported forced abortions in China. Rep. Chris Smith hoped to amend the omnibus budget bill to strip UNFPA funding.

As LifeNews.com has reported, the appropriations bill Congressional Democrats put forward to fund the federal government through the end of the years restores funding to the United Nations Population Fund.

Not only is UNFPA funding approved, Democrats increased it from $40 million to $50 million for the year and went further by weakening the Kemp-Kasten law that prevents forcing taxpayers to fund groups that back forced abortions.

Every year during his presidency, President Bush withheld tens of millions in taxpayer funds from the UNFPA, but Congressional Democrats, with a friend in Barack Obama in the White House, have restored the funds.

The omnibus bill adds language that makes it so the president or his administration is not required to sign off on the funding and make sure the UNFPA is not violating the Kemp-Kasten law which forbids funding groups involved in forced abortions.

The language causes a concern for pro-life advocates because it ties the hands of future presidents who want to limit UNFPA funding because of its involvement in China's forced abortion population control program. As a result, pro-life advocates may have to approve new language in a future bill for a future pro-life president to withhold the money in the manner Bush did.

The new language also goes much further than merely exempting the UNFPA from the Kemp-Kasten law. It is so broadly worded that the UNFPA will receive funding notwithstanding the operation of any provision of law.

As a result, even if the UNFPA were to violate provisions of law unrelated to abortion, it would still receive funding.

America beginning the turn on Israel

Subsequent to the election of Barack Obama, one of the keys I suggested that we watch was America's treatment of Israel. The below article shows the beginning of a change in policy toward Israel. This is very dangerous; we are close to an economic collapse with the dollar losing value internationally. We are going into massive debt from which there may be no recovery. Our politicians are using tax dollars to fund abortions world wide and now we are turning on Israel. God will not be mocked; He will and is bringing judgment to our nation. The church needs to pray and repent before it is to late.

"In a swift about face from her views as New York's senator, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is now hammering Israel over its treatment of Palestinians in Gaza.

As First Lady, Clinton raised eyebrows when she kissed Suha Arafat.

Since she was then seeking a Senate seat the resulting brouhaha caused her to "re-think" her positions.

"I'm a very strong supporter of Israel," Clinton said back in February 2000.

On Thursday, as Secretary of State she had yet another about face in the form of angry messages demanding Israel speed up aid to Gaza. Jewish leaders are furious.

"I am very surprised, frankly, at this statement from the United States government and from the secretary of state," said Mortimer Zuckerman, publisher of the New York Daily News and member of the NYC Jewish Community Relations Council."

Churchgoers turn the other cheek in the boxing ring

This article was published on the USA Today website on February 2, 2009. It shows once again how far away we are from the Hebraic model of the early church that was based on personal discipleship. If gimmicks are necessary, you may rest assured that true followers of Jesus Christ are not being made.

By Steve Young, Argus Leader
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Jerry James took a right to the chops for Jesus the other night.
Clad in sweats, boxing gloves and headgear, the former standout amateur boxer stood inside the ropes during the homily Saturday night at New Life Church in Sioux Falls.

The church bulletin referred to it as "Saturday Night Slam." But Pastor Alex Klimchuk's intent in turning his altar into a boxing ring was more enticement than entertainment. "We try to reach out to those who aren't already going, who think church is boring," says Klimchuk, 30. "The truth is, the church is having problems getting young men inside them. So we ask, 'What will reach the guys?' This seems like a perfect answer."

For three weeks last month, the church used a fight ring as a parable for the spiritual battles of mankind. New Life staged a tae kwon do bout and submission matches. James and four other pugilists went through a half-dozen two-minute rounds of sparring in front of 75 to 100 mostly young males. It is putting on a self-defense program.

Each round was followed by a message from Klimchuk.

In the past 10 to 20 years, many of Sioux Falls' mainline churches have created "contemporary" services where members show up in blue jeans and with coffee cups. Guitars have become a staple. So have big screens used for presentations.

Judy Shaw, pastor of the non-denominational Center of Life Church, said she sees nothing unusual in turning altars into boxing rings.

"I travel throughout the United States, and I travel abroad, and what Pastor Alex is doing is not out of the ordinary for churches that are very progressive," Shaw said. "A lot of youth will not go to the traditional churches they were raised in. They say it's not relevant, not reaching them and they're bored."

In Dacula, Ga., an Atlanta suburb, minister Ron Brent helps train about 200 people in martial arts at Hebron Baptist Church. The classes hold many opportunities for sharing the Gospel, he says.

"If somebody is scared, I'll stop and share that they're not alone, that God is here with them, that they are here among Christians," Brent says. Even the pads used for protection are ministry opportunities for Brent, who tells his students "you should be putting your spiritual pads on every day."

Across the nation, karate classes have gained popularity.

"The idea that would be going on within a church context doesn't surprise me at all," says Robert Thompson of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. He acknowledges that some folks might disapprove.

"Some say it's a wonderful art form," Thompson says. "Others, though, begin to think the sport itself represents a certain kind of behavior that should be frowned upon — namely, hitting one another."

Klimchuk's effort at New Life resonates with Audri Vargas, 17, who started attending the church three years ago.

"Before, church wasn't that fun. It was something I went to because I had to," Vargas said. "But here, I get into the message."

Desperate For God

Do you try to put Jesus in a religious box? In this sermon, you will see how extreme Jesus really is; He spits on people, has money come from a fish, curses a tree, and throws people out of the Temple. Then specific Biblical examples of desperate people show how God responds to them. The explanation for why Lazarus had to be dead 4 days before Jesus raised him is a must hear.

More Great Quotes

These were sent to me and I thought I would pass them along to you.

"Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the
Bible loose. It will defend itself." - Charles Spurgeon

"Everything which relates to God is infinite. We must therefore,
while we keep our hearts humble, keep our aims high. Our highest
services are indeed but finite, imperfect. But as God is unlimited in
goodness, He should have our unlimited love." - Hannah More

"We have the truth and we need not be afraid to say so." - J C. Ryle

"Having a full life is not necessarily a long life." - unknown

"The world isn't reading the Bible; they're reading Christians like
you. And if they don't like what they see in you, they're not going
to want what you've got -- Jesus." - Christnotes.org

"Only one life will soon be past;
only what's done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I'll be,
if the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee."
- Charles T. Studd

"Inner purity results in outer power." - Christnotes.org

"With complete consecration comes perfect peace." - Watchman Nee

"No one ever became, or can become truly eloquent without being
a reader of the Bible, and an admirer of the purity and sublimity of
its language." - Fisher Ame

"It's not the parts of the Bible I don't know that worries me...it's
the parts that I do." - Mark Twain

"Abandon the world,
Burden our hearts with the lost,
Invest our lives in the cross,
Die to ourselves, then will we
Emerge fruitful--as Jesus desires in John 15."
- D.E. Gifford

"One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is losing interest
in what is familiar." - Brad Lambert

"Tell me what you do with your time and money and I will tell you
where your heart is." - Xavier

"The Church is an organism that grows best in an alien society."
- C. Stacey Woods

"We can have no power from Christ unless we live in a persuasion
that we have none of our own." - John Owen

An Explanation of the "Shot Glass" Outreach

This is an explanation of the "shot glass" outreach where the "church people" go into the bars and give them a shot glass with the church name on it with an invite to church. The rationale is that Jesus hung out with sinners and drunks, so they should also. The problem is that Jesus didn't use gimmicks; He invited people to deny themselves, take up their cross, and to follow Him. Below the video explanation is a message I preached about taking the yoke of Jesus. I urge you to listen to both and then compare. Ask yourself, which one follows the Biblical approach to discipleship?

The Church that Stays Open All Night

With our nation in the financial down spiral that it is in (that I believe is part of a Divine judgment because of breaking God's command against idolatry), I thought the following story might encourage us to stay about the Master's business. This group is reaching out in a novel way and the fruits demonstrate its validity. Perhaps it is time for us to pray about what God is directing us to do.


It all began with an all night prayer meeting held in a former bank
building. Lichfield Diocese's mission priest Gordon Crowther and
his team were asking God how they could engage with the local
community when the local community began to drop in.

At first it was a group of girls out clubbing who began to peer
through the window; then a group of five lads, one of whom wanted
to talk. The others wanted to move on to their next venue - a strip club.

Eventually all five went in - one dressed as batman; four waiting for
their friend as he talked about his life and God. And as the night
went on several others wandered in, curious to know what was
going on.

And there and then Gordon and the team realised they had their
answer: open the doors and the people would come - and that has
been their tactic for Night Church ever since.

"The idea was to engage people who did not traditionally come to
church as we know it," explained Gordon. "Initially we used to
meet on Sunday afternoons for a worship service, but we still felt
we were missing a group who would not engage on that level. So
when the five lads interrupted that prayer meeting we knew that
the way to go was a night-time project that targeted people who
were usually out at that time.

"At first we started off opening the doors monthly on a Friday night
from 10.30pm to 2am, but the response and the needs were so
huge that we had to go weekly and stay open until 4am."

Hospitality is key to the initiative, with all kinds of people being
made welcome - asylum seekers, people sleeping rough, clubbers
and older people who are in the city at night just wanting
something to do or someone to talk to.

"It has been marvellous to see what God has been doing in
people's lives," said Gordon. "We have had great conversations
and meetings with people. We once had a young man from the
Royal Marines who had been to Afghanistan. He had witnessed
three of his friends get killed and on the night we met him he was
out to get drunk. He came in and stayed for hours and we had the
opportunity to pray with him.

"I remember too the 17-year-old girl who came in and knelt in front
of the cross and just started praying aloud about some trouble her
friend was in. We went and prayed with her. She wanted to talk
with us about some strange spiritual experiences she had
encountered and it ended up as a deliverance session. Afterwards
she told us that she felt free.

"... It has been great to see groups who would not normally work
together now working together for the good of the community."