#558 (6/22) "Speak Out Boldly! - Standing Firm in Your Faith"

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:
Same -Sex "Marriage"- PLEASE PRAY WITH ME (every day untill the decision is revealed sometime THIS month.) THAT THE SUPREME COURT WILL VOTE TO UPHOLD THE 2 LAWS REVIEWED SUPPORTING A TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE.. PRAY that the Court will resist any pressure to MAKE new law based on "cultural trends." PRAY as though the very future of the institution of the family is at stake because it is. PRAY for the sake of possibly millions of children, and for our country if it is to continue to be shown any more favor by our Heavenly Father, who I promise you will be very displeased if homosexual marriage is legalized; "GOD IS NOT [TO BE] MOCKED..." - (Gal. 6:7)  - Stan [Be sure to check out my brief essay at post #478.]

American Pastor Saeed Held Prisoner in Iran - June 5th Update - "Saeed's Wife Uses UN Speech to 'Plant Gospel'," by George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter, June 05, 2013, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Saeeds-Wife-Uses-UN-Speech-to-Plant-Gospel/?cpid=EU_CBNNEWSPM_2013_156"Prayers from Prison: American Pastor Held in Iran Releases Letter," May 22, 2013; http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1458"...Abedini has been held at the brutal prison for 238 days, enduring long stints in solitary confinement, and, according to his supporters, beatings and torture at the hands of his jailers and fellow inmates. For months, he has been suffering from serious injuries, including internal bleeding from beatings with no proper medical attention, according to his family and attorneys."(Sources: Fox News, Assemblies of God website) Please PRAY:1) For the imprisoned Pastor Abedini, and for those Iranians who tend to his needs in prison to treat him more humanely. 2) For his family in Boise, Idaho. and their efforts to involve the U.S. State Department in securing Pastor Abedini’s release. And 3) For the impact of his witness upon believers and non-believers, in America and across the world. And if you have not yet, join the over 600,000 worldwide who have signed the petition asking for his release at www.SaveSaeed.orgUPDATE

: June 21 - "Pastor Saeed in Good Spirits as Threats Increase," CBNNews.com;   http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Pastor-Saeed-in-Good-Spirits-as-Threats-Increase/The family of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini visited him in Iran's Evin Prison this week. They say he was in good spirits...According to the American Center for Law and Justice, the 33-year-old pastor told his family his health appears to have improved. The ACLJ also said that since Iran's presidential election last week, Abedini reported Iranian prison guards have threatened to move him to a more remote prison. Such a move would make it nearly impossible for his family to visit him.

Prayer Alert: Pastor Irani Imprisoned with Saeed," CBNNews.com; Friday, June 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/June/Prayer-Alert-Pastor-Irani-Imprisoned-with-Saeed/?cpid=EU_CWN_2013_165 According to Truth Ministries, Pastor Saeed Abedini is not alone in Iran's infamous Evin Prison. Officials say Benham Irani has been in jail longer than Pastor Saeed and is also in need of urgent prayer. Irani was convicted for committing crimes against Iran's national security after holding house church services and leading many Iranian Muslims to Christ. He was arrested and tried twice: first in December 2006 and again April 2010. Now Truth Ministries reports that "in the past year he has been beaten by prisoners under the watchful eye of prison authorities. As a result he is beginning to lose his eyesight, has what seems to be untreated Inflammatory Bowel Disease, is barely able to speak and has trouble walking." He's also suffering from internal bleeding and a painful skin condition. PRAY for Pastor Irani to be healed AND to be released very soon  To find out how you can help Pastor Abedini, please sign the petition at : https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/take-steps-our-allies-and-un-put-pressure-iranian-government-release-pastor-behnam-irani/7px5JR82

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 "Speak Out Boldly! - Standing Firm in Your Faith" - By Linda Gilden  http://presidentialprayerteam.com/morality-in-america

When James Madison drafted the Bill of Rights in the late eighteenth century he had no idea that hundreds of years later, freedom of speech would be a frequent topic of debate in schools, businesses, and universities. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives all Americans the freedom to express themselves through speech, in writing, or through the arts.

Recently, during high school and university graduation ceremonies, several young Americans exercised their First Amendment freedoms by challenging school prohibitions on what can and can’t be said during graduation speeches. As graduates stepped to the microphone – ready to proudly declare their faith in a country that was founded on religious freedom – they were chastised by school officials.
Liberty High School valedictorian, Richard Costner spoke at the Pickens County, South Carolina, graduation ceremony and told his classmates that although he had a speech that had been approved, he was choosing to recite the Lord’s Prayer instead. He began with the words, “Those that we look up to, they have helped carve and mold us into the young adults we are today. I’m so glad that both of my parents led me to the Lord at a young age.” There were cheers and applause from the crowd as Costner delivered his revised graduation speech. Why? Costner’s actions came in response to the school district in question recently changing their policy and banning prayer from school functions. His defiant choice to recite the Lord’s Prayer stirred many comments from onlookers but didn’t lead to any disciplinary action.

Meanwhile, at a high school in Joshua, Texas valedictorian Remington Reimer’s microphone was cut off after he deviated from his preapproved speech to instead talk about the Constitution. A fellow graduate, Colin Radford, noted that the day before, Reimer had talked about getting his Constitutional Right to free speech taken away from him. The Joshua Independent School District had already released a statement that if any student began to speak about anything that was not preapproved, he or she would have their microphone silenced. Both Costner and Reimer were willing to take a stance for what they believed in. Both had strong convictions that prompted them to ignore the rules of their respective school boards, knowing that deviating from their approved speeches could have consequences.

America’s founding fathers set forth biblical principles in drafting both the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. One of those principles was freedom of speech. Of course, this liberty was never meant to include obscenity, defamation and similar expression, but does protect speeches such as those given by Costner and Reimer. In John 8:32 Jesus says “and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” True freedom comes in knowing the truth. For Costner and Reimer, freedom was only available if they spoke the truth at their graduations. And the truth they embraced reflected strong biblical values and serve as a strong example to adults of all ages, who are sometimes silent when they should speak up.

But what about you? You may be far beyond your college graduation years. You may not be involved with schools or other government agencies. Do you still have problems with those who don’t agree with your views becoming critical or mocking you? At a young age, you were most likely taught to be considerate and respectful of others, which is a good thing. But the byproduct of that consideration and respect is that you may sometimes hesitate to speak up when you disagree, even in matters pertaining to biblical truth. When you feel that hesitation in your heart:

• Ask God to remove the fear and give you the boldness to speak up. Pray first before speaking
• Ask God to fill your heart with love for the person you are speaking to. Let them see the freedom of Christ in you
• Stand with Paul as he wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong”   

 [bold, italics, and underline emphasis mine]

Linda Gilden is director of writing programs for CLASSEMINARS, Inc. She holds degrees in French and Religious Education and not only writes full time but also directs the Carolina Christian Writers Conference and CLASS Christian Writers Conference.

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