How do most American churches differ
from the despised (and often secret) church gatherings in Muslim and
Communist countries?
All too often, the "positive"
messages heard in today's popular churches dismiss the main truths
of the gospel. Words like sin and judgment are often taboo. Warnings about
Satan, temptations and hell are ignored. And those who refuse to
share in the world's latest delights may face the reproach suffered
by pilgrims and separatists in 17th century England. But if that's
your challenge today, be glad, not sad:
"...rejoice
to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that
when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding
joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed
are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." 1
Peter 4:12-14
Since the gospel has been polished to
appeal to American masses, few understand the true meaning of the
cross: an object that brings death -- death to our love for the
world system, death to our corrupt desires, death to the shackles
that bind us to our old and sinful human nature. In other words, the
cross actually frees us free from the world's ways and from our own
corrupt cravings.
That new freedom opens the door to a
glorious new reality: oneness with Jesus Christ our Lord. Set free
from bondage to sin and guilt, we are called to follow in His steps
and demonstrate His love wherever He leads us -- even if it brings
insults, hostility and physical death. After all, the prize at the
end of a Spirit-led journey is our new life in Christ!
A recent email message from Voice of
the Martyrs illustrates the heavy cost and eternal triumphs of
following that call:
"The widow stood near the body of
her martyred husband, holding the hands of two of her four
children. Her husband had died in prison, and the marks on his
body made it clear that death had come slowly and painfully.
"The other believers knew this
could be their fate too, yet hundreds came to his funeral. He
had died for his faith only three months after his conversion,
and now they mourned him.
"The people crowded around the
house where the funeral was being held, and many were inspired
by his example. Eighty people publicly accepted Christ that day,
including many young people who had been part of the Communist
Youth Organization.
"The Christians walked the length
of the city to the river, where they baptized the new believers.
The crowd had now grown to over fifteen hundred people.
"Soon, carloads of police
arrived. They set out to arrest the leaders of the service, for
they couldn’t arrest everyone there. The Christians immediately
knelt in prayer, asking God to allow them to finish the service.
Then they stood, shoulder to shoulder, blocking the police from
coming forward as the baptism service went on. The crowd
dispersed only after all the new believers had been baptized,
allowing the police to come forward.
"One thousand people were
inspired by the sacrificial example of one new believer."
Do we have the courage to take such a
stand?
By His life in us, we are given the needed courage!. Consider these
examples:
Seed of Persecution.
Charge for seeking Christian
roommate dismissed:
"A single woman cited for unfair discrimination by the Michigan Department
of Civil Rights for posting a note on her church bulletin board that sought
a 'Christian roommate' has had her case dismissed by the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development....The woman, 31-year-old nursing student
Tricia Rowe, was alleged to have violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating
against people of other faiths.....
"This complaint should have
never been brought...It is borderline frivolous to suggest that a single
lady can be fined by the government simply for seeking a Christian female
roommate to share her 900-square-foot house.'...The complaint alleged
the woman's statement, I am looking for a Christian roommate, prevents people
of other faithsfrom contacting the woman and making arrangements to share
her home with her." See
Why "Hate crime" laws would
ban Biblical Christianity
Education?
How to Raise Boys Who Read --
Hint: Not with gross-out books and video-game bribes:
"When I was a young boy, America's elite schools and universities were almost
entirely reserved for males. That seems incredible now, in an era when headlines
suggest that boys are largely unfit for the classroom. In particular, they
can't read....
"...in
some states the percentage of boys proficient in reading is now more than
ten points below that of girls. The male-female reading gap is found in
every socio-economic and ethnic category.... One obvious problem with the
["gross-out"] philosophy of education is that it is more suited to producing
a generation of barbarians and morons than to raising the sort of men who
make good husbands, fathers and professionals. If you keep meeting a boy
where he is, he doesn't go very far....
"My
own experience with six sons is that even the squirmiest boy does not require
lurid or vulgar material to sustain his interest in a book....Could the
reading gap have more to do with competition for boys' attention than with
their supposed inability to focus on anything other than outhouse humor?
...I offer a final piece of evidence that is perhaps unanswerable: There
is no literacy gap between home-schooled boys and girls. How many
of these families, do you suppose, have thrown grossology parties?"
See
Brainwashing in America
'ACLU-crafted
court order criminalizes Christianity':
"...teachers are always considered to be acting in their 'official capacity'
whenever a student is present, even at private functions off campus.
Teachers cannot pray, bow their heads, or fold their hands to show agreement
with anyone who does pray. Teachers and staff cannot 'Reply' to an e-mail
sent by a parent if the parent's e-mail refers to God or Scripture. Teachers
either have to delete such references from the original e-mail or reply
by initiating a new e-mail. Teachers and staff are also required to stop
students from praying in their own private club meetings."
See
Spiritual Warfare
Christians in Captivity:
"So you can freely offend 'people of faith' -- but only people of faith.
Offending anybody else is hate speech....
" New York
gubernatorial candidate Carl Palladino recently touched off a firestorm
by saying he wouldn’t take children to a 'gay pride' parade. It has become
controversial not to expose children to a lot of semi-nude men.... But
the thought police declared the remarks 'controversial' and 'hateful,' and
Palladino immediately backed off....
"...the
expression 'people of faith' is not quite honest. If your 'art' abused Buddha,
or the Hindu pantheon... you would be smeared all over the country as a
'hater'.... Our civil government, courts, media, schools and universities,
and major corporations -- we surrendered them all to the enemies of Christ
our King."
See
Why "Hate crime" laws would
ban Biblical Christianity
Bakery
displays morals, now faces eviction:
"An Indianapolis cookie shop could be evicted from its longtime location
for refusing a special order from a college homosexual group."
See
Why "Hate crime" laws would
ban Biblical Christianity
Principal threatens to fire
teachers who help Christian club:
"A principal who reportedly threatened to fire any teacher who helped with
the organization of a campus Fellowship of Christian Athletes club is
getting a warning letter from a civil rights organization."
Christianity not accepted here:
"Expelled for being Christian. That’s the fate of two college graduate school
students at separate universities.... Julea Ward lost her lawsuit against
Eastern Michigan University July 26. ...she was dismissed from a counseling
program in March, 2009, for not affirming homosexual behavior as morally
acceptable....
"...at Augusta State University...Jennifer Keeton was told her Christian
beliefs are unethical and incompatible with the prevailing views of
the counseling profession. She must stop sharing her beliefs with
others and change her beliefs if she’s to graduate from the program,
the school has told her."
"Therefore Jesus also, that He
might 3sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered
outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside
the camp, bearing jHis reproach." Heb 13:12-13
"He said to me, “My grace is
sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore most gladly jI will rather boast in my
infirmities, kthat the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10
Therefore lI take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. mFor
when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Co 12:9-10
To be entirely safe from the devil's snares the man of God
must be completely obedient to the Word of the Lord. The driver
on the highway is safe, not when he reads the signs but when he
obeys them.
That Incredible Christian, 51.
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November 12
Spiritual Warfare and Sin: Be Ye Holy
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying "Speak to all the
congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You
shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.'" --Leviticus
19:1-2
No one whose senses have been exercised to know good and evil
but must grieve over the sight of zealous souls seeking to be
filled with the Holy Spirit while they are yet living in a state
of moral carelessness or borderline sin. Such a thing is a moral
contradiction. Whoever would be filled and indwelt by the Spirit
should first judge his life for any hidden iniquities; he should
courageously expel from his heart everything which is out of
accord with the character of God as revealed by the Holy
Scriptures.
At the base of all true Christian experience must lie a sound
and sane morality. No joys are valid, no delights legitimate
where sin is allowed to live in life or conduct. No
transgression of pure righteousness dare excuse itself on the
ground of superior religious experience. To seek high emotional
states while living in sin is to throw our whole life open to
self deception and the judgment of God. "Be ye holy" is not a
mere motto to be framed and hung on the wall. It is a serious
commandment from the Lord of the whole earth. The Pursuit of
Man, 102.
"Father, deliver me from 'moral carelessness and borderline
sin.' I commit myself today, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to
a holiness of life that will be pleasing to You. Amen."
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Today's "Insight for Leaders" is taken by permission from the
book, Tozer on Christian Leadership, published by WingSpread
Publishers
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This Insight for Leaders devotional is also available in a
print-friendly format here on the LMI web site.
Countless other martyrs
have died without an earthly crowd of witnesses. Hebr. 13
