Friday, July 19, 2013

#584 (7/19) "Beating Abortion: Killing the Industry's Lifeline"

REMINDER: Check out this week's "Truth That Transforms" broadcast at www.truthinaction.org). This week’s program is Part 2 of a special program entitled “One Nation Under God” that looks at the Christian roots of America. Incredible program;  Don’t miss it

PRAISES AND PRAYER REQUESTS:

PRAISE! July 18 -" Planned Parenthood Closes Down Abortion Clinic Abby Johnson Managed "-  The Planned Parenthood abortion business announced today that it is closing three of its facilities following Gov. Rick Perry’s signature on a bill to ban late-term abortions and hold abortion clinics accountable to higher safety standards.
Apparently the abortion clinic Abby Johnson once managed can’t meet those standards expected of legitimate medical centers, and it is closing.http://www.lifenews.com/2013/07/18/planned-parenthood-closes-down-abortion-clinic-abby-johnson-managed/
PRAISE! July 18 - "Baby [in Brazil]Who Doctors Declared Dead Comes to Life After Placing Her on Church Altar" - A little girl who doctors declared dead after she was born prematurely has come back to life after she was placed on a church altar. http://www.lifenews.com/2013/07/18/baby-who-doctors-declared-dead-comes-to-life-after-placing-her-on-church-altar/

ATTENTION: TODAY is the 10th day of the 30 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (see link below for resource material you can download.) Please join me in focusing your prayers EVERY DAY for these over one billion people who need to hear the gospel of Jesus.[NOTE: 1) You can download a  page of helpful basic information about Islam and Ramadan at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/Islam_reference_guide-1.pdf ; and 2) The following is from a 30-day prayer guide you can download at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/2013-ramadan-prayer-calendar-1.pdf (The following is from that prayer guide.)July 18 – 10th Day of Muslim Month of Ramadan - EVERLASTING FATHER (Ethiopia)“For to us a child is born…and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called… Everlasting Father.” (Isaiah 9:6) Ethiopia’s population is two-thirds Christian, and yet persecution exists, from within! Ecclesiastical arrogance from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has, for years, persecuted believers who left to join non-traditional Protestant churches, or joined renewal movements. As the threat of Islam is on the rise, pray in the name of Jesus for our Everlasting Father to bring unity to His church so that Muslims, who are seeking God during Ramadan, will find Him through the unified body of Christ Jesus.

"Egypt Facing Civil War? "Some Fear Civil War As Violence Spreads In Egypt," http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1605 -- PRAY for the nation of Egypt, as it faces a crucial  moment, that the recent events would result in its becoming a true democracy and NOT an Islamic state. PRAY esp. that the peoples' freedoms, in particular the religious freedom of its minorities (specifically its oppressed Christians) would be protected.PRAY also: 1) For peace and stability in Egypt after the government overthrow, 2) That the U.S. will effectively reach out to the new government, and 3) For safety for Americans living in Egypt

"Angry Islamists Turn Wrath on Egypt's Christians,"  By George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/July/Angry-Islamists-Turn-Wrath-on-Egypts-Christians/  Friday, July 12, 201 - "Egyptian Christians are facing growing retaliation by angry Islamists for opposing ousted President Moham3med Morsi. His supporters say Christian leaders were behind his removal from office....On Thursday, the body of a Christian merchant was found decapitated in a cemetery. Last Saturday, a Coptic Christian priest was shot by gunmen in an outdoor market. Also, days after the military coup that removed Morsi from office, Muslim extremists in southern Egypt burned dozens of Christian homes and stabbed four believers to death. "It's part of the Brotherhood's mobilization that they are targeting Christians, that they are renouncing them as behind this. If the Brotherhood is able to portray what happened as a Christian-dominated or Christian-driven protest, then they get to gain massive support in the streets," Tadros explained.

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.org

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"Beating Abortion: Killing the Industry's Lifeline," - by Paul Strand, July 17, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/July/Beating-Abortion-Killing-the-Industrys-Lifeline/[PRAISE GOD for the efforts of pro-life groups like the two mentioned in this article. May God continue to grant them the strategies and resources to fight the good fight of faith. - Stan]

DENTON, Texas -- For decades, the fight against abortion has focused on protests, prayer, and elections. Now the strategy is to go after the lifeline of the abortion industry -- its money and its workers. And the new strategy is getting results.

"Since 1992, two-thirds of the abortion clinics in America have shut down permanently," Mark Crutcher, founder and president of Life Dynamics Inc., said. Crutcher and his organization, headquartered in Denton, Texas, have been fighting hard against the abortion industry for the past three decades. In 1992, there were more than 2,100 clinics open. Today, there are fewer than 650. It was a recent Life Dynamics video in which three former workers describe the horrors at a Houston abortion clinic performing late-term abortions that helped inspire the Texas legislature and Texas Gov. Rick Perry to pass tough, new regulations on clinics in July.

Another tactic of the group is to present information about hundreds of women who've died from botched abortions in recent years. The fact that the procedure sometimes leads to the death of the mother surprises many people who've assumed since abortion is legal, it must be safe. One grieving mother actually pushed Crutcher and Life Dynamics to spread photos of her deceased daughter, a victim of a botched abortion. [Go to  http://safeandlegal.com/  Warning: these are graphic, autopsy photos ] "This is what it looks like when a girl walks in to exercise her so-called constitutional right to have an abortion and climbs up on an abortionist's table, and two hours later is on a coroner's table," Crutcher pointed out about the photos.

Crippling the Abortion Industry - Life Dynamics' latest strategy could cost the industry billions of dollars, possibly crippling it. It involves shining a light on a rarely reported crime: many females seeking abortions are underage girls made pregnant by grown men."Sixty to 80 percent of them were impregnated by adult men. So it's statutory rape and sexual abuse and aggravated sexual abuse of minors," Crutcher explained. By law, abortion clinics must report such crimes when an underage victim comes to them. But Life Dynamics' undercover investigations found otherwise.

Many clinics "are openly flaunting their state mandatory laws," Crutcher said. "They're not reporting these situations. They're protecting the predators." On the website ChildPredators.com, Life Dynamics posted transcripts and voice recordings from a sting it launched against abortion clinics.In them, a young woman posing as a pregnant teen is advised by clinic after clinic how to protect the man who impregnated her from the law.In one such recording, the young woman asks a worker at a New Jersey clinic, "Would you have to tell anybody?" The worker replies, "Here? No. We don't tell anybody anything."

A Colorado clinic worker advises the same young woman after hearing she's 13 and her boyfriend 22."What you need to do is you need to call completely anonymously and talk to someone on our appointment line. And don't tell us anything about your partner," the worker advises.

Suing Abortion Clinics - Crutcher's group has reached out to more than 53,000 personal injury lawyers in this country to let them know there's money to be made by suing abortion clinics over their failure to report sexual crimes involving adult males and minor females."You're talking about thousands of new victims every day," Crutcher said. "So you're looking at something that could easily be $25 or $30 billion before it's all over."

Life Dynamics is offering lawyers and law firms a free television ad to help them reach these underage victims. In part it says, "If you are one of these children or the parents of one of these children, your legal rights might have been violated." It then recommends calling a number that each lawyer or law firm can have superimposed on the free ad.Since beginning this campaign to go after the abortion industry, Crutcher said lawyers have been ringing his phone off the hook.

Helping Workers Quit - Hundreds of miles away in the Austin suburb of Round Rock, Texas, one of the pro-life movement's more controversial figures pursues a different tactic. Abby Johnson, herself a former director of a Planned Parenthood facility, wants to convince abortion clinic employees to quit. She started an organization last summer to help them do so.

"There are probably about 3,200 abortion clinic workers in the United States and we've already reached 50," Johnson said of workers who've quit after contact with her group. "So we've almost reached two percent of that population in a year." Johnson worked for Planned Parenthood for eight years, the last of those as a director at their Bryan, Texas, clinic. But she suddenly quit in 2009 and began working with the pro-life group, 40 Days for Life.

Other pro-abortion defectors in the past have made a good living doing speeches and appearances before pro-life groups, which is pretty much what Johnson is doing full-time now. But she insists her goal is much bigger than making money. She said she has a vision to help kill off the very abortion industry she once worked for.

Witness to Death - Johnson tells in her autobiographical book, Unplanned, how her pro-choice outlook changed when a visiting abortionist to her clinic asked her to do something unexpected during a day in September 2009 -- help with an ultrasound during an abortion. "I was holding the ultrasound probe," Johnson told CBN News. "And I stood there and watched as a 13-week-old unborn child fought and struggled for his life during that abortion." Johnson related how Planned Parenthood told its people to inform clients that young fetuses couldn't feel pain. But that didn't fit with what Johnson saw as she watched the abortion.

In Unplanned, she describes what happened as the tube used to suction out the unborn baby approached him. "As the cannula pressed in, the baby began struggling to turn and twist away. It seemed clear to me that the fetus could feel the cannula and did not like the feeling," she writes. A few seconds later Johnson saw "the cannula was already being rotated by the doctor, and now I could see the tiny body violently twisting with it." "For the briefest moment, it looked as if the baby were being wrung like a dishcloth, twirled and squeezed," she said. "And then the little body crumpled and began disappearing into the cannula before my eyes."

Starving Abortion Clinics - Johnson told CBN News she knew at that moment she'd been lied to by Planned Parenthood. "But then I, in turn, had lied to thousands of women," she admitted. She said the question she'd most been asked by women planning to get abortions was, "Will my baby feel this?" 
Around the same time Johnson witnessed that abortion, she had come to realize Planned Parenthood's goal was not to make the procedure safe and rare, but to sell abortion.

"To Planned Parenthood, abortion always is the best thing for a woman," Johnson stated. "Ninety-eight percent of women who are pregnant that go into a Planned Parenthood clinic will get an abortion." And she's come to believe one of the best ways to stop this is to starve the clinics of their employees.
And Then There Were None - Which was the reason to start the group And Then There Were None. It offers abortion clinic workers who will quit up to three months of financial support while they look for another job. One of Johnson's allies in this fight is nurse Angie Andino, also a former worker at Planned Parenthood. She offered a challenge to those still at the clinics. "Listen to your heart. Pray about it. Let God show you the truth," she said. Andino fell into deep depression after her Planned Parenthood work. But she told CBN News that it lifted after God woke her up late one night and whispered, "Save the babies." "And I thought, 'Wow, God. Save the babies. Okay. I don't know what that means right now, but I'm sure you're going to let me know,'" she recalled.

Then a job opened providentially at a nearby pro-life pregnancy center where Andino began a career saving and delivering thousands of babies. It was a turn-around she believes could happen for any abortion worker who flees the industry."Their stories can be just like that," Andino said. And if they all fled the abortion industry, that would fulfill the vision statement of Johnson's group.As she says: "No abortion clinic workers -- no abortion clinics -- no abortions.

[bold, italics, and underline emphasis mine]

Thursday, July 18, 2013

#583 (7/18) Environmental Stories That May Surprise You

REMINDER: Check out this week's "Truth That Transforms" broadcast at www.truthinaction.org). This week’s program is Part 2 of a special program entitled “One Nation Under God” that looks at the Christian roots of America. Incredible program;  Don’t miss it

PRAISES AND PRAYER REQUESTS:

ATTENTION: TODAY is the 10th day of the 30 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (see link below for resource material you can download.) Please join me in focusing your prayers EVERY DAY for these over one billion people who need to hear the gospel of Jesus.[NOTE: 1) You can download a  page of helpful basic information about Islam and Ramadan at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/Islam_reference_guide-1.pdf ; and 2) The following is from a 30-day prayer guide you can download at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/2013-ramadan-prayer-calendar-1.pdf (The following is from that prayer guide.)July 18 – 10th Day of Muslim Month of Ramadan - EVERLASTING FATHER (Ethiopia)“For to us a child is born…and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called… Everlasting Father.” (Isaiah 9:6) Ethiopia’s population is two-thirds Christian, and yet persecution exists, from within! Ecclesiastical arrogance from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has, for years, persecuted believers who left to join non-traditional Protestant churches, or joined renewal movements. As the threat of Islam is on the rise, pray in the name of Jesus for our Everlasting Father to bring unity to His church so that Muslims, who are seeking God during Ramadan, will find Him through the unified body of Christ Jesus.

"Egypt Facing Civil War? "Some Fear Civil War As Violence Spreads In Egypt," http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1605 -- PRAY for the nation of Egypt, as it faces a crucial  moment, that the recent events would result in its becoming a true democracy and NOT an Islamic state. PRAY esp. that the peoples' freedoms, in particular the religious freedom of its minorities (specifically its oppressed Christians) would be protected.PRAY also: 1) For peace and stability in Egypt after the government overthrow, 2) That the U.S. will effectively reach out to the new government, and 3) For safety for Americans living in Egypt

"Angry Islamists Turn Wrath on Egypt's Christians,"  By George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/July/Angry-Islamists-Turn-Wrath-on-Egypts-Christians/  Friday, July 12, 201 - "Egyptian Christians are facing growing retaliation by angry Islamists for opposing ousted President Moham3med Morsi. His supporters say Christian leaders were behind his removal from office....On Thursday, the body of a Christian merchant was found decapitated in a cemetery. Last Saturday, a Coptic Christian priest was shot by gunmen in an outdoor market. Also, days after the military coup that removed Morsi from office, Muslim extremists in southern Egypt burned dozens of Christian homes and stabbed four believers to death. "It's part of the Brotherhood's mobilization that they are targeting Christians, that they are renouncing them as behind this. If the Brotherhood is able to portray what happened as a Christian-dominated or Christian-driven protest, then they get to gain massive support in the streets," Tadros explained.

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.org

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"Climate Change Science Is Biased," June 5, 2013 http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=23246&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

"The majority of developed nations fund research scientists and rely on them for policy guidance. It is in the best interest of these government-funded scientists to ensure their fields, and therefore their jobs, are deemed of great importance, says Patrick J. Michaels, the director of the Center for the Study of Science at the Cato Institute.

This is a problem, however, when it comes to environmental science.
  • In the United States, government-funded scientists are required to produce a National Climate Assessment every four years.
  • The assessment is produced by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, a 13-agency behemoth with multibillion-dollar annual funding.
  • Under its empowering legislation, the assessments are "for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in the formulation of a coordinated national policy on global climate change."
The research program and the individuals who write such reports are the largest consumers of federal largesse on climate science. Would they ever produce a report saying that their issue is of diminishing importance, so that EPA regulations of greenhouse gases are simply not needed? No, not unless they are tired of first-class travel and the praise of their universities, which are hopelessly addicted to the 50 percent "overhead" they charge on science grants..."

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

Source: Patrick J. Michaels, "'My Scientists Made Me Shrink Your Car': How Government Scientists Plunder the Till in the Name of Science," Washington Times, May 28, 2013.


"Sorry Global Warmists, But Extreme Weather Events Are Becoming Less Extreme," - May 30, 2013  http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=23226&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

Just about every type of extreme weather event is becoming less frequent and less severe in recent years as our planet continues its modest warming in the wake of the Little Ice Age. While global warming activists attempt to spin a narrative of ever-worsening weather, the objective facts tell a completely different story, says James Taylor in Forbes.

Hurricane inactivity is setting all-time records.
  • The United States is undergoing its longest stretch in recorded history without a major hurricane strike, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.
  • It has been more than 2,750 days since a major hurricane struck the United States.
  • This easily smashes the prior record of less than 2,300 days between major hurricane strikes. The number of tornadoes is also at an all-time low, even with enhanced detection capability.
Pretty much all other extreme weather events are also becoming less frequent and less severe.
  • Soil moisture is in long-term improvement at nearly all sites in the Global Soil Moisture Data Bank.
  • Droughts are less frequent and less severe than in prior, colder centuries.
  • The number of wildfires is in long-term decline, despite a recent change in wildfire policy that no longer actively suppresses wildfires.

Just about any way you measure it, extreme weather events are becoming quite rare.

[ALL emphasis mine]

Source: James Taylor, "Sorry Global Warmists, But Extreme Weather Events Are Becoming Less Extreme," Forbes, May 8, 2013.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

#582 (7/17) Christians and the Zimmerman Trial Aftermath

REMINDER: Check out this week's "Truth That Transforms" broadcast at www.truthinaction.org). This week’s program is Part 2 of a special program entitled “One Nation Under God” that looks at the Christian roots of America. Incredible program;  Don’t miss it

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

PRAISE!: 'Virginia's Busiest Abortion Clinic Shuts Down,' - CBNNews.com, July 16, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/July/Virginias-Busiest-Abortion-Clinic-Shuts-Down/ - "In another win for pro-lifers, Virginia's busiest abortion clinic is closing. Stricter state and city abortion regulations put into place this year forced the Northern Virginia Women's Healthcare of Fairfax County to shut its doors. Open since 2006, the clinic performed more abortions than any other clinic in the state. NOVA is one of many clinics affected by new abortion guidelines sweeping across the country.NOVA's closing makes it one of 30 clinics to close this year - more than double from last year." [NOTE: As I pray daily about the American Holocaust of abortion, I've started to pray specifically that God would finally close these killing centers - as well as bring the abortionists and their supporters to repentance in Jesus. May God bless us with more good news like this! - Stan]

ATTENTION: TODAY is the 9th day of the 30 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (see link below for resource material you can download.) Please join me in focusing your prayers EVERY DAY for these over one billion people who need to hear the gospel of Jesus.[NOTE: 1) You can download a  page of helpful basic information about Islam and Ramadan at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/Islam_reference_guide-1.pdf ; and 2) The following is from a 30-day prayer guide you can download at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/2013-ramadan-prayer-calendar-1.pdf (The following is from that prayer guide.)July 17 – 9th Day of Muslim Month of Ramadan - DELIVERER (Iraq) “…and in this way all Israel will be saved… ‘The deliverer will come from Zion.’” (Romans 11:26) After years of Saddam Hussein’s cruelty, wars and sectarian violence, almost every individual in Iraq is traumatized in some way. The impact of this on the population is disastrous; for Christians, it’s even worse. Violence by extremists has forced many to leave. Since the 1990s, more than half of the Christian population has either left the country or been displaced. Pray today for Iraqi Christian children who have grown up surrounded by violence. Pray that Jesus will Deliver them from pain and fill them with His peace

"Egypt Facing Civil War? "Some Fear Civil War As Violence Spreads In Egypt," http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1605 -- PRAY for the nation of Egypt, as it faces a crucial  moment, that the recent events would result in its becoming a true democracy and NOT an Islamic state. PRAY esp. that the peoples' freedoms, in particular the religious freedom of its minorities (specifically its oppressed Christians) would be protected.PRAY also: 1) For peace and stability in Egypt after the government overthrow, 2) That the U.S. will effectively reach out to the new government, and 3) For safety for Americans living in Egypt

"Angry Islamists Turn Wrath on Egypt's Christians,"  By George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/July/Angry-Islamists-Turn-Wrath-on-Egypts-Christians/  Friday, July 12, 201 - "Egyptian Christians are facing growing retaliation by angry Islamists for opposing ousted President Moham3med Morsi. His supporters say Christian leaders were behind his removal from office....On Thursday, the body of a Christian merchant was found decapitated in a cemetery. Last Saturday, a Coptic Christian priest was shot by gunmen in an outdoor market. Also, days after the military coup that removed Morsi from office, Muslim extremists in southern Egypt burned dozens of Christian homes and stabbed four believers to death. "It's part of the Brotherhood's mobilization that they are targeting Christians, that they are renouncing them as behind this. If the Brotherhood is able to portray what happened as a Christian-dominated or Christian-driven protest, then they get to gain massive support in the streets," Tadros explained.

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.org

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"An Ecumenical Hope Post Zimmerman Trial." - by: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  July 15th, 2013 http://www.redstate.com/2013/07/15/an-ecumenical-hope-post-zimmerman-trial/ [NOTE - Here is an  interesting perspective on the turmoil that has resulted from the end of the trial of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin. It's one for Christians in particular should consider that I have yet heard expressed. Most insightful! - Stan][

The death of Trayvon Martin and the Zimmerman trial show there are deep wounds and grievances in this country and too many people who profit from fanning the flames. Too many in the white community see violence in the black community and think, “That’s their problem. Blacks killing blacks, we’ll let them figure it out.” But it is not their problem. It is all of our problem. No one wants to be a victim of crime. Besides, much of the crime is not related to race, but related truly to income and only superficially related to skin color. This is a problem that will continue to fester unless there is more dialogue. White and black America more and more speak in different language and, more and more, upper income white America speaks in a language completely different from the poor and middle class regardless of race.

From my vantage point, the best dialogue to transcend the divide is that of the saving Gospel that heals all wounds. Much of the societal decay we have now stems from decades of government trying and failing to feed the body with liberals trying and failing to feed the soul. There is, however, only one lasting food the soul can truly digest and only God can provide it. We will continue to have these problems unless evangelical, Bible believing churches, start building lasting relationships across racial lines in their own communities. There won’t be uniform doctrine, but there is one Jesus who churches can share — the Jesus who is, not the Jesus some create.

Want to see evangelical, Bible believers together at a rally regardless of race? Go to a pro-life rally. More and more white pastors have convinced their black brethren that abortion is a blight on the black community. They are right. The number of abortions in the black community is astronomical.

Sadly, when black preachers rally against violence in their own community, too often the rallies consist of just the black preachers and a few white preachers sprinkled about. All too typically, these white preachers are the social justice liberals who are more interested in the social gospel and not the actual Gospel.

This has been an ecumenical failure among Bible believing, evangelical churches. The nation really does have some deep divides along race. Churches are often pretty heavily one race or another. Congregants go where they live or where their families went to church. Likewise, because of many post-Civil War historic reasons, many black churches are instilled with a culture white churches do not have.

Many white, evangelical churches see their counterparts in the black community as if they are in a whole separate country. They hear the rhetoric and the theology of some, which sounds a lot like liberal social gospel, and don’t make eye contact instead of finding common ground in the Word.

To be fair, many evangelical churches have been burned by ecumenicalism. From the World Council on Churches to this latest evangelical group for immigration, much of ecumenicalism is a launching pad for liberal abandonment of the Gospel of Christ in favor of the gospel of liberalism. Many of the more well known black churches are, for a variety of reasons, seen as being tied to that theologically weak liberalism interested in the here and now instead of the hereafter. So the white evangelicals are skittish and prefer these matters be worked out under their roofs where they control the theology.

But whether on their own or as groups, evangelical, Bible believing churches, whether free-will or reformed, need to start building bridges to the black community of Bible believing churches.

If the left and the social gospel crowd remain the only ones building bridges, we will never heal what truly divides us. Focused on feeding bodies that will be hungry again tomorrow and feeding senses of grievance that also will be hungry tomorrow, the left and social gospel crowd will not feed the soul.

Evangelical churches are varied, many, and all over the map. The congregants come from different backgrounds, different skin colors, and different accents. But they all share a common tongue — the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He can mend all fences and build all bridges.

The problems the black community faces are too easily dismissed as their problem. In truth, they are our problem because the black community is as much a part of the American community as you and me. But in greater truth, they are our problem because Christ is for all and he tells us all to go forth, baptize, and teach. Perhaps it is time for relationship building in our backyards instead of on beaches in far off countries. Too often there, well off white Christian kids work on their tans, hammer nails, and speak Jesusese to strangers totally unaware of spiritual hunger just down the street. It’s time they find out.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

#581 (7/16) "U.S. Economy Close to Stall Speed"

REMINDER: Check out this week's "Truth That Transforms" broadcast at www.truthinaction.org). This week’s program is Part 2 of a special program entitled “One Nation Under God” that looks at the Christian roots of America. Incredible program;  Don’t miss it

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

ATTENTION: TODAY is the 8th day of the 30 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (see link below for resource material you can download.) Please join me in focusing your prayers EVERY DAY for these over one billion people who need to hear the gospel of Jesus.[NOTE: 1) You can download a  page of helpful basic information about Islam and Ramadan at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/Islam_reference_guide-1.pdf ; and 2) The following is from a 30-day prayer guide you can download at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/2013-ramadan-prayer-calendar-1.pdf (The following is from that prayer guide.)July 16 – 8th Day of Muslim Month of Ramadan  CREATOR (Iran)“Through him all things were made.” (John 1:3) Iran has been inhabited since near the creation of man. Scientist date the habitation of the land to 4,000 BC. Scripture tells us of kings and rulers who God placed in power to govern this ancient land. Today it is ruled by Islamic clerics who seek to oppress not only its citizens, but in particular, the Christian community. Pray during Ramadan that Iranian Christians will find solace in Jesus; that through the power of His name, many will be drawn to the Creator of all things.

"Egypt Facing Civil War? "Some Fear Civil War As Violence Spreads In Egypt," http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1605 -- PRAY for the nation of Egypt, as it faces a crucial  moment, that the recent events would result in its becoming a true democracy and NOT an Islamic state. PRAY esp. that the peoples' freedoms, in particular the religious freedom of its minorities (specifically its oppressed Christians) would be protected.PRAY also: 1) For peace and stability in Egypt after the government overthrow, 2) That the U.S. will effectively reach out to the new government, and 3) For safety for Americans living in Egypt

"Angry Islamists Turn Wrath on Egypt's Christians,"  By George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/July/Angry-Islamists-Turn-Wrath-on-Egypts-Christians/  Friday, July 12, 201 - "Egyptian Christians are facing growing retaliation by angry Islamists for opposing ousted President Moham3med Morsi. His supporters say Christian leaders were behind his removal from office....On Thursday, the body of a Christian merchant was found decapitated in a cemetery. Last Saturday, a Coptic Christian priest was shot by gunmen in an outdoor market. Also, days after the military coup that removed Morsi from office, Muslim extremists in southern Egypt burned dozens of Christian homes and stabbed four believers to death. "It's part of the Brotherhood's mobilization that they are targeting Christians, that they are renouncing them as behind this. If the Brotherhood is able to portray what happened as a Christian-dominated or Christian-driven protest, then they get to gain massive support in the streets," Tadros explained.

Sat. July 13th -" Texas GOP Passes Abortion Bill, Dems Vow Fight," By Chris Tomlinson, Associated Press, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2013/July/Texas-GOP-Passes-Abortion-Bill-Dems-Vow-Fight/ PRAISE GOD for the final passage of the bill that will, among other things, make illegal abortions before the 20th week (when babies are discovered to first feel pain) and which  will regulate abortion clinics just as any other medical facilities are required . And praise God that Gov. Perry will sign the bill. PRAY that 1) the bill survive ALL court challenges, and 2) that the passage of this law will spur other such laws throughout the country and eventually be made into a federal law. 

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.org

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"U.S. Economy Close to Stall Speed," July 15, 2013  http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=23382&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

Stall speed is the airspeed at which an aircraft stops producing lift. Unless immediate corrective action is taken, such as reducing the wing's angle of attack or the weight of the aircraft, the results are not likely to be good. An economy can hit "stall speed" when it becomes burdened with too much dead-weight loss, says Richard Rahn, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth.

The eurozone economies have hit stall speed, with France, Germany, Italy and Spain, as well as most of the smaller economies, having negative growth. The United Kingdom and Japan are barely above stall speed with an annual growth rate of less than 1 percent.

The United States, Canada, Russia and Brazil are in the danger zone, all with annual rates of less than 2 percent growth.

When government grows as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), economic expansion and job creation begin to slow beyond a certain point. This occurs as the portion of government spending that is used to provide for protection of person, property and liberty (court systems and defense) diminishes, and the portion used for transfer payments (often explicit payments for not working) and nonproductive, bureaucratic programs increases.

Studies show that government spending above 25 percent of GDP tends to become increasingly counterproductive. Government spending in France is now above 50 percent of GDP, more than 40 percent in the other euro countries and nearly that much in the United States.

The United States has slightly reduced government spending as a percentage of GDP (sequestration), but has increased taxes and regulatory burdens, which result in a dead-weight loss to the economy. Entrepreneurs are the main sources of economic growth and jobs, yet government policies in Europe and the United States have become increasingly hostile to entrepreneurs.

Those who forecast a return to real growth, well above stall speed, are actually forecasting that the political actors in Europe and America suddenly will become more rational and responsible. This is a prime example of hope over experience.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]

Source: Richard Rahn, "Approaching Economic Stall Speed," Washington Times, July 9, 2013.

"Most European Countries Haven't Implemented Austerity Measures," - July 15, 2013  http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=23378&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

"European governments that have cut both spending and taxes as part of their austerity programs have higher rates of economic growth than their neighbors. ... European countries have reacted in different ways to the economic crisis that began in 2008. Those that have reduced the economic footprint of their public sectors have more prosperous economies. Curbing inefficiencies and getting government out of the way of businesses and entrepreneurs have allowed for greater productive economic activity to flourish. That is the real story of "austerity" in Europe...." [italics emphasis mine]

Monday, July 15, 2013

#580 (7/15) "Evangelist Arrested Curbside [In London] for Condemning Homosexuality,"

REMINDER: Check out this week's "Truth That Transforms" broadcast (Cen. FL - Sun., 5 pm, ch. 55.1; Mon., 7 pm, ch. 52.2, and at www.truthinaction.org).This week’s program is Part 2 of a special program entitled “One Nation Under God” that looks at the Christian roots of America. Incredible program;  Don’t miss it!

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

ATTENTION: TODAY is the 7th day of the 30 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (see link below for resource material you can download.) Please join me in focusing your prayers EVERY DAY for these over one billion people who need to hear the gospel of Jesus.[NOTE: 1) You can download a  page of helpful basic information about Islam and Ramadan at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/Islam_reference_guide-1.pdf ; and 2) The following is from a 30-day prayer guide you can download at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/2013-ramadan-prayer-calendar-1.pdf (The following is from that prayer guide.) July 15 – Month of Ramadan Day #7 - WONDERFUL COUNSELOR (Egypt) “For to us a child is born…And he will be called Wonderful  Counselor.” (Isaiah 9:6) The Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt, founded in the first  century, is considered to be one of the oldest churches in the world. Egypt was once a safe haven for Jesus, and has been  a safe haven for Christians for almost 2,000 years. But, since  the Arab Spring revolutionary demonstrations and with the arrival of a government determined to impose Islamic law, the Christian community has seen both their freedom and security slip away. Pray that Egyptian Christians will rely on His wisdom as they reach out to their neighbors…in the name of Jesus…during Ramadan.

"Egypt Facing Civil War? "Some Fear Civil War As Violence Spreads In Egypt," http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1605 -- PRAY for the nation of Egypt, as it faces a crucial  moment, that the recent events would result in its becoming a true democracy and NOT an Islamic state. PRAY esp. that the peoples' freedoms, in particular the religious freedom of its minorities (specifically its oppressed Christians) would be protected.PRAY also: 1) For peace and stability in Egypt after the government overthrow, 2) That the U.S. will effectively reach out to the new government, and 3) For safety for Americans living in Egypt

"Angry Islamists Turn Wrath on Egypt's Christians,"  By George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/July/Angry-Islamists-Turn-Wrath-on-Egypts-Christians/  Friday, July 12, 201 - "Egyptian Christians are facing growing retaliation by angry Islamists for opposing ousted President Moham3med Morsi. His supporters say Christian leaders were behind his removal from office....On Thursday, the body of a Christian merchant was found decapitated in a cemetery. Last Saturday, a Coptic Christian priest was shot by gunmen in an outdoor market. Also, days after the military coup that removed Morsi from office, Muslim extremists in southern Egypt burned dozens of Christian homes and stabbed four believers to death. "It's part of the Brotherhood's mobilization that they are targeting Christians, that they are renouncing them as behind this. If the Brotherhood is able to portray what happened as a Christian-dominated or Christian-driven protest, then they get to gain massive support in the streets," Tadros explained.

Sat. July 13th -" Texas GOP Passes Abortion Bill, Dems Vow Fight," By Chris Tomlinson, Associated Press, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2013/July/Texas-GOP-Passes-Abortion-Bill-Dems-Vow-Fight/ PRAISE GOD for the final passage of the bill that will, among other things, make illegal abortions before the 20th week (when babies are discovered to first feel pain) and which  will regulate abortion clinics just as any other medical facilities are required . And praise God that Gov. Perry will sign the bill. PRAY that 1) the bill survive ALL court challenges, and 2) that the passage of this law will spur other such laws throughout the country and eventually be made into a federal law. 

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.org

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"Evangelist Arrested Curbside for Condemning Homosexuality," - By Aisha Bascom, CBN Internet News and Social Media Producer, Friday, July 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/July/Evangelist-Arrested-Curbside-for-Calling-Homosexuality-a-Sin/ [See Note At End]

A former Los Angeles police officer-turned evangelist was arrested in London on Monday for publicly calling homosexuality a sin, according to Christian Newswire. Retired Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff Tony Miano had traveled to the United Kingdom with Sports Fan Outreach International on a mission to bring the Gospel to England.

During the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, he preached about immoral living as he stood in front of the Centre Court Complex. Click play to watch CBN News UK Correspondent Peter Wooding's report. Miano cited homosexuality and fornication as examples of lifestyle choices that go against God's law, quoting 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, which mentions "sexual immorality." A passerby heard his comments and reported to the police that his statements offended her. The result: Miano was fingerprinted, DNA samples were taken, and he was later interrogated about his what he believed.

"As the questioning started it became apparent that the interrogation was about more than the incident that took place in the street, but what I believed and how I think," Miano told The Telegraph online. "I was being interrogated about my thoughts...that is the basic definition of thought police." "It was surreal because I was interrogated about my faith in Jesus Christ," Miano said. "I was asked if I believe that homosexuality is a sin. I was asked what portion of the Bible I was reading. I was asked if a homosexual was hungry and walked up to me, would I give them something to eat."

When asked if he would continue to same the same thing the next day, the evangelist contended that he did nothing unlawful and, if led by the Holy Spirit, he'd publicly preach the same message.
The arresting officer said Miano's affirmative reponses left him no choice but to seek prosecution. Miano was later released by another officer with no further charge, after seven hours in custody, according to the Huffington Post.

"The language I used was not homophobic, as I was not promoting fear or hatred of homosexuals," Miano said after the arrest. "I began my message by assuring the people that mine was not a message of hate but of love. I was simply explaining a passage in the Bible which speaks of sexual immorality and that people should abstain from it." "I did not speak solely about homosexuality as a form of sexual immorality, but also about any kind of sex outside of marriage between one man and one woman, as well as lustful thoughts," he said. "All of these are considered mainstream Christian positions and have been taught and believed by Christians for thousands of years," he argued.

Miano said the experience was disturbing. "It was very distressing to be arrested and interrogated for openly expressing my deeply held Christian beliefs," he said. He warned that Britain and other countries with similar laws are on a "slippery slope" toward the dissipation of free speech.

Meanwhile, Andrea Minichiello Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, echoed Miano's prediction. "If we continue on the current trajectory, Tony's arrest will simply be the first of many," he said. "It's clear that there is already a clampdown on freedom of speech where people publicly express mainstream Christian views on sexual ethics."

[italics emphasis mine]  [AS I SEE IT: With America already beset by so-called hate-crime legislation, and with thought police apparent on many university campuses, how far are Americans from experiencing such as what Mr. Miano experienced in what has never been thought of as an oppressive society. And yet, as yesterday's post (#579) shared, believers in Christ are still called to boldly proclaim God's truth, though always with compassion. The day we back away in our pulpits let alone in the public square is the day we finally surrender our nation to those whose actions will only bring about this country so long blessed by God as no other nation in history. Let's PRAY that the Church in America experiences a true revival soon, that it become the Church God called it to be, one that stands boldly against the tide of darkness that is threatening to sweep our society.- Stan]]


Prison for Preachers? - The future of Christian free speech - By Jim Ray,http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/morality-in-america

Sunday, July 14, 2013

#579 (7/14) SUNDAY SPECIAL "Speak Truth, Show Compassion ..".

REMINDER: Check out this week's "Truth That Transforms" broadcast (Cen. FL - Sun., 5 pm, ch. 55.1; Mon., 7 pm, ch. 52.2, and at www.truthinaction.org).This week’s program is Part 2 of a special program entitled “One Nation Under God” that looks at the Christian roots of America. Incredible program;  Don’t miss it!

URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:

ATTENTION: TODAY is the 6th day of the 30 days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (see link below for resource material you can download.) Please join me in focusing your prayers EVERY DAY for these over one billion people who need to hear the gospel of Jesus.[NOTE: 1) You can download a  page of helpful basic information about Islam and Ramadan at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/Islam_reference_guide-1.pdf ; and 2) The following is from a 30-day prayer guide you can download at: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/downloads/pdf-downloads/2013-ramadan-prayer-calendar-1.pdf (The following is from that prayer guide.) July 14 -Month of Ramadan Day #6 - CORNERSTONE (Turkey) “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone …” (Psalm 118:22) Turkey’s landscape is dotted with battlegrounds, ruined castles and palaces of great empires. It is where Achilles battled the Trojans; Ottomans built empires and Constantine established the center of Roman government and the emerging Christian church. Today, Turkey is a bridge between nations in the Middle East, Central Asia and the West. Once a hope of the Christian world, it is now 99.6% Muslim. Pray today for the name of Jesus, the Cornerstone of His Church, to be reestablished, and glorified in Turkey.

"Egypt Facing Civil War? "Some Fear Civil War As Violence Spreads In Egypt," http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/Prayerwatch?pw=1605 -- PRAY for the nation of Egypt, as it faces a crucial  moment, that the recent events would result in its becoming a true democracy and NOT an Islamic state. PRAY esp. that the peoples' freedoms, in particular the religious freedom of its minorities (specifically its oppressed Christians) would be protected.PRAY also: 1) For peace and stability in Egypt after the government overthrow, 2) That the U.S. will effectively reach out to the new government, and 3) For safety for Americans living in Egypt

"Angry Islamists Turn Wrath on Egypt's Christians,"  By George Thomas, CBN News Sr. Reporter http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/July/Angry-Islamists-Turn-Wrath-on-Egypts-Christians/  Friday, July 12, 201 - "Egyptian Christians are facing growing retaliation by angry Islamists for opposing ousted President Moham3med Morsi. His supporters say Christian leaders were behind his removal from office....On Thursday, the body of a Christian merchant was found decapitated in a cemetery. Last Saturday, a Coptic Christian priest was shot by gunmen in an outdoor market. Also, days after the military coup that removed Morsi from office, Muslim extremists in southern Egypt burned dozens of Christian homes and stabbed four believers to death. "It's part of the Brotherhood's mobilization that they are targeting Christians, that they are renouncing them as behind this. If the Brotherhood is able to portray what happened as a Christian-dominated or Christian-driven protest, then they get to gain massive support in the streets," Tadros explained.

Sat. July 13th -" Texas GOP Passes Abortion Bill, Dems Vow Fight," By Chris Tomlinson, Associated Press, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2013/July/Texas-GOP-Passes-Abortion-Bill-Dems-Vow-Fight/ PRAISE GOD for the final passage of the bill that will, among other things, make illegal abortions before the 20th week (when babies are discovered to first feel pain) and which  will regulate abortion clinics just as any other medical facilities are required . And praise God that Gov. Perry will sign the bill. PRAY that 1) the bill survive ALL court challenges, and 2) that the passage of this law will spur other such laws throughout the country and eventually be made into a federal law. 

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.org

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"Speak Truth, Show Compassion - Christians and Sexuality," - by: Eric Metaxas| Breakpoint.org: June 11, 2013  http://www.breakpoint.org/bpcommentaries/breakpoint-commentaries-archive/entry/13/22451?spMailingID=6323259&spUserID=MTMyMjM2ODE5OQS2&spJobID=75634233&spReportId=NzU2MzQyMzMS1

Can you truly love the sinner if you ignore the sin? It’s an old question, but in today’s culture it’s more important than ever that we get the right answer.

AN ARTICLE IN THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY DESCRIBES HOW CHURCHES AFFILIATED WITH UNITARIAN/UNIVERSALIST AND EPISCOPAL DENOMINATIONS HAVE EMBRACED SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS. BUT THE EMBRACE ISN’T LIMITED TO LIBERAL CHURCHES. FOR MANY YOUNGER EVANGELICALS, “YOU CAN BELIEVE HOMOSEXUALITY IS A SIN AND STILL BELIEVE THAT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE SHOULD BE LEGAL.” OTHERS TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER AND SAY THINGS LIKE “IS HOMOSEXUALITY A SIN? I. DO. NOT. CARE.”

As Erick Erickson of Red State.org put it, younger evangelicals “want the world to like them and to think them a part of the world.” For them, remaining silent about these issues is part of what it means to love your neighbor. Well, Al Mohler begs to differ. (Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr. serves as president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the largest seminaries in the world.)

In a recent piece on his website, Mohler asked “can we count on evangelicals to remain steadfastly biblical on [the issue of homosexuality?” His reply: “Not hardly.” He noted survey data showing “a significant loss of conviction among youth and young adults” on the issue.

It’s hard not to understand what’s behind the loss of conviction. Outside of the church, the cultural signals all point in the same direction. Whether it’s schools, mass media or peers, the message is the same: “homosexuality [is] a fully valid lifestyle,” and anyone who insists otherwise is a bigot and not entitled to respectful consideration of their views. Thus, says Mohler, it is imperative that churches “teach the basics of biblical morality to Christians who will otherwise never know that the Bible prescribes a model for sexual relationships.”

Doing this requires the courage to swim against a very strong and unjust cultural tide. As Mohler writes, “Christian leaders must set an agenda for biblical confrontation, and not shrink from dealing with the full range of issues related to homosexuality.” I agree. Of course, doing this will almost certainly result in being called out for lack of compassion. But as Mohler rightly points out, “true compassion demands speaking the truth in love.”

The problem is that just as those seeking to be compassionate often lack the courage to speak the truth, those willing to speak the truth often lack compassion. According to Mohler, we must reach out to [gay people] with “a sincerity that makes that love tangible.” Well, what would such a sincerity look like? For starters, it would make it clear that same-sex attraction itself is not a sin—acting on that attraction is what is sin. By and large, we cannot help to whom we’re attracted, but we can help what we do about the attraction.

Which raises another point: We need to embrace, in both word and deed, the truth that all Christians, regardless of sexual orientation and regardless of marital status, are called to practice chastity.

Chastity is not the renunciation of sexuality but “the right or reasonable use of it.” It is just as possible for married people to be unchaste as for unmarried people. Think about divorce and remarriage, which Jesus called adultery, or about flirtatious behavior, or the use of pornography. While our persistent failure with regard to chastity doesn’t give us license to ignore the issues of same-sex marriage and homosexuality, it helps explain why people think we’re motivated by something besides a love for the truth.

Of course, presenting the whole truth about unchastity, heterosexual or homosexual, requires even more courage than merely speaking out about homosexual behavior. But both are sins and we should care.
[bold and italics emphasis mine]