URGENT PRAYERS/PETITIONS:
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
UPDATE: 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "God, Not Anthony Kennedy Writes The Majority Opinion On Marriage," David Brody,CBN News Chief Political Correspondent, The Brody File, June 27, 2013, http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2013/06/27/god-not-anthony-kennedy-writes-the-majority-opinion-on-marriage.aspx
There are two things that have not changed despite the fact that the Supreme Court ruled DOMA unconstitutional: First of all, in their 5-4 opinion, the SUPCO Justices did not declare Gay Marriage legal in America and secondly, the biblical definition of marriage is still the same. Put another way, Anthony Kennedy and his cohorts may have decided that DOMA is unconstitutional and no longer the law of the land but by a 1-0 margin God decided a long time ago that traditional marriage is the law of the World. God wins. Remember, God, not Anthony Kennedy wrote the ultimate “Majority Opinion.” See Genesis 1:27-31,Matthew 19:4-6, Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27 and 1 Corinthian 6:9-10 (Just for starters).
The Brody File won’t take up any more space documenting the biblical case for traditional marriage not to mention all the empirical evidence as to why traditional marriage has benefited society throughout the years so let’s move on to the political ramifications. Excuse the pun but the GOP is about to have a “Come To Jesus Moment.”
Look, Republican politicians are going to be faced with a political dilemma. The Brody File calls it a, “Judeo-Christian Backbone Moment.” Will they run away from the issue of traditional marriage or embrace it? Polls suggest more Americans (especially younger voters) are accepting of gay marriage so does that mean these “pro-family” politicians will modify their views? Does it mean they will change their views (Hello Rob Portman)? Or will they simply stop defending traditional marriage and run away from it like the plague? After all, unless they live in a super secure congressional district or a very conservative state, they may believe that one of the options above may keep them afloat politically. The American people are about to find out who the pretenders are. Will these GOP Congressman choose political survival or Judeo-Christian Statesmanship?
You can be sure that GOP House leadership has no appetite for a fight over gay marriage. Boehner and company may technically believe in traditional marriage and their words on a press release will sound nice but what about their actions? Lip service is one thing. Actions are quite another. Congressman Tim Huelskamp has introduced a Federal Marriage Amendment. Will this get any serious traction in the Republican-controlled House? For now, Speaker Boehner says he has no plans to press forward with anything to replace DOMA. Does anybody really believe GOP Establishment politicians are going to touch this marriage issue at all? They’re going to need more than a ten-foot poll. Don’t hold your breath. It’s a social issue! Run for the hills! I can hear the Political Consultants screaming, “We can’t win on the marriage issue. Abandon ship!”
And what about the upcoming 2016 GOP presidential candidates? The safe play is to say that this marriage issue is a “states rights issue.” You’re going to hear that talk quite a bit in the GOP Primaries but that’s a default position. Which candidate is going to really stand up for traditional marriage and make it a bully pulpit issue? Which candidate is going to go out on a limb and defend traditional marriage knowing in this day and age of political correctness it might cost them something politically? Good luck if you find one.
All of this will leave evangelicals with some choices. They can wallow in their misery, feel defeated on this issue of gay marriage, stay home and watch reruns of Little House On The Prairie and continue to head to church on Sunday and attend their weekly Bible studies. OR….They can get engaged. They can educate themselves. They can vote. They can get serious about what’s happening in America. Simply put, will the church be listless or lively? Will they become politically involved or uncommitted?
Ultimately, the fight to save traditional marriage isn’t about politics or political parties. The GOP is just a faulty vessel, full of people who will disappoint their followers along the way. This really comes down to evangelicals getting off the couch and proclaiming enough is enough. This will be done precinct-by-precinct, county-by-county, state-by-state. It’s hard work but you know what? Homosexual activists have put in the hard work and don’t give up because they believe in their cause. Will evangelicals match that fervor? Conservative Christians outnumber the gay activists so the numbers are on their side but apathy is lethal.
"Tony Perkins: Gay Rulings Will Open 'Pandora's Box'," CBNNews.com; Monday, July 01, 2013 http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/July/Tony-Perkins-Gay-Rulings-Will-Open-Pandoras-Box/
The president of the Family Research Council predicts that many Americans who are tolerant of same-sex marriage will be shocked to see how it cuts back on religious freedom.
"I think Americans will begin to see that with same-sex marriage does not come a hope chest; rather it's a Pandora's box," FRC President Tony Perkins told CBS' "Face the Nation."
Perkins predicted Christian business owners will increasingly face prosecution if they won't take part in gay weddings."It's already happening," FRC President Tony Perkins told CBS' "Face the Nation." "We're already seeing bakers and florists and photographers forced to participate in same-sex marriages under the threat of law and even jail. I can't think of anything that's more un-American than that."
Perkins also said parents may soon find their children's public schools promote the acceptance of same- sex marriage.
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