Category politics

Sep 7 2013

Supreme Court to Tackle “In the Name of Jesus”

The town board in Greece, N.Y.

The name of Jesus is without a doubt the most controversial name in human history.

The US Supreme Court, which seems to be the moral compass of a secular, mostly anti-Christian country, will now look at the case of Town of Greece v. Galloway/Stephens.

The court will decide whether it is constitutional for someone to open a public meeting with a prayer addressed to the God of the Bible, and whether this constitutes the endorsement of Christianity by government.

A couple in Greece, NY, have made it a 5-year fight to stop public prayers, especially in the name of Jesus.  Even though the town has brought in non-Christian clergy to perform opening prayers, the plaintiffs are still upset that non believers have to hear the name of Jesus mentioned at the start of a city-council meeting when a Christian prays.

They hate God and therefore they hate Jesus.  They cannot bear to hear to hear the name of Jesus uttered in their presence.  They are rabidly fighting in this spiritual conflict on the side of darkness.

As Gospel-believing Christians we are not surprised nor shocked at this development.  In fact there is a good possibility that the Supreme Court will give in and ban the prayer in the name of Jesus at public meetings throughout the US.

Jesus foretold us about these things.  He said:

“And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Mark 13:13

He also told us about “bringing you before kings and governors for my names’ sake” Luke 21:12

But no matter how hard the anti-Christian sentiment becomes, the Bible tells us that there will come a point when “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…” Phil 2:10

In the mean time, when  you mention the name of Jesus in a public declaration be aware that you are engaging in spiritual warfare.  Assume the entire spiritual armor found in Ephesians 6, and be prepared for controversy and attacks.

You are not alone in this.  The Holy Spirit is with you to deliver you to victory.

image credit Heather Ainsworth
Sep 3 2013

Children: Between Life and Death

Moloch With Child

As a father of three young children I shutter when I read things like this in the Bible.

“They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.”  Jer 7:31

“And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your whorings so small a matter that you slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering by fire to them?”  Ez 16:20-21

“And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.”  2 Kings 17:17

So great was the idolatry of Israel that they have resorted to child sacrifices to appease Molek and other gods of the nations surrounding Israel. How can a parent bring themselves to the point of placing their small child on the outstretched arms of a white-hot bronze statue of Molek that has been pre-heated in fire?  The child would be roasted alive, perhaps catching fire immediately upon contact with the white-hot metal.

Some say these claim are an invention of Jewish and Christian imagination and that there is no concrete evidence for child sacrifice in the ancient Middle East.

Wrong!

Archeological discoveries of cremated bodies of hundreds of children, baby lambs and goats at a Carthaginian burial site provides substantial evidence for child sacrifice by fire.  The Phoenicians have been known to worship deities who demanded child sacrifice in exchange for future fertility.

Dear readers, Molek continues to demand payment even today.  The US has aborted in excess of 50 million unborn babies since 1973 and just last week, Iowa Democrats lifted up prayers to Molek in this video:

The abomination of abominations is continuing today in the slaughter of the unborn.  They are a helpless third-party with no representation as two other parties (mother and abortionist) independently make a decision for their demise.

As Christians, we must continue to point to this injustice and pray that the Holy Spirit would open eyes and minds to see the priceless beauty of life.

Apr 26 2013

Intolerance by Progressives in American Schools

Picture this.

You are a 14-year-old honor student in your German high school class.

Through circumstances beyond your control the class discussion turns to the issue of religion and homosexuality.

You are a gospel and Bible-believing Christian, and during the course of the discussion you state your view that homosexuality is wrong.

As a result of your statement you receive a three-day suspension.  Because you are intolerant.

This is exactly what happened at Western Hills High School in Texas.  Student Dakota Ary was suspended for stating his view on a subject that perhaps should not even have been discussed in a German class.

He faced the possibility of missing lectures, tests, and a football game.

What would you do?

His family reached out to the Liberty Counsel for legal representation, and after a meeting with the lawyer, the school district rescinded the suspension. The school had no comment when contacted by the Christian Post.

This story paints a disturbing picture in our schools.  We know that our colleges are infiltrated by anti-Christian, anti-American, atheistic faculty, but now it appears that our high schools are following suit.

The Liberty Counsel said that they are seeing this happening across the country, as the progressives pushing the gay agenda are becoming increasingly intolerant toward people who do not agree with their lifestyle.

The very people who preach tolerance are the most intolerant when it comes to differences based on morality, or when the name of Jesus is mentioned.  They are perfectly okay with mentioning “god.”  No one is upset with a generic “god.”  But watch out if you bring to the table Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible…

Delight in Truth has previously pointed out that with respect to homosexuality and gay marriage the battle in society has been lost, but Christians must continue to be a voice for the truth.  We must also continue to stand up for our constitutional rights to practice our faith, and hold to our opinions which are grounded in the Bible.

This is how can continue to shine a light in dark world.

Jan 26 2013

The Pro Life Movement as a Civil Rights Movement

The Pro Life movement has been invigorated in recent years like never before.  It is now moving in the direction of the Civil Rights movement, that is a Right to Life cause, despite the fact that abortion legality is here to stay.

The line has been drawn in the sand 40 years ago, but as the Bible tells us, in the last days we are seeing an increasing separation between good and evil.  The contrast has never been greater on the issue of the unborn, primarily because many young people are beginning to see the evil of abortion that their parents ignored.

Many of the staunched feminists of the Roe v Wade era have passed, and the new wave of abortionist feminism is not nearly as dedicated to their cause as the previous generation.  The recent TIME Magazine article on this topic explains the reasons for it.

But the mainstream media will not let you hear of it.

At the superficially covered ‘March for Life’ event in Washington this week where 500,000 pro lifers participated, there was a higher percentage of young people compared to previous marches.  These Christians have made their stand for the fundamental right to life.  And all the pro-life websites are taking notice.

So are the politicians.

Senator Rand Paul (Presbyterian) spoke at the rally and said:

“I have a question for those who don’t respect and won’t protect life: Can a nation long endure that does not respect the sanctity of life?”

“Can a nation conceived in liberty carry its head high if it denies protection to the youngest and most vulnerable of its citizens? Can a country founded on God-given rights continue to thrive without understanding that life is a precious gift from our Creator?”

He called for this new generation to be part of a great “revival” for the country centered on justice and compassion, seeing the present state of the nation as being in moral peril.

I have seen this polarization in my medical career.  I have NEVER met a doctor in my generation who specializes in abortion.  All the abortion doctors I know are from the previous generation, and they are about to retire.  In fact many of them are way past the retiring age because the system NEEDS them and will not let them retire.

New doctors coming out of med school do not want to do abortions.  Many find it morally wrong, but most find it absolutely hideous.  The idea is absolutely physically repulsive and is in stark contrast with our committment to healing.  We will not become a tool of the abortionist activist movement.

There is a song by Jesus Culture ( 😉 ) called ‘Break Every Chain’ that talks about an army rising up in the name of Jesus to proclaim the power that is in the name of Jesus.  This young generation of believers may be the ones to finally match the abortionist’s activism… but do it in the name of Jesus.

Roe v Wade will not be overturned.  But the fight to limit it at the state and federal level is intensifying.  On the spiritual front the fight is the fiercest it has ever been.

Could we be seeing the beginning of a new spiritual revival… possibly the last one before Christ’s return?

image credit: Drew Angerer/The New York Times

Jan 14 2013

Religious Intolerance in America

We have arrived here no matter how tolerant we claim to be as a nation.

The first amendment to the US Constitution states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

In light of pastor Louie Giglio’s force-out from giving the benediction at Obama’s second inauguration because he holds (or held) to orthodox biblical teaching like millions of Americans do, I ask, what happened to our intrinsic constitutional right to hold differing religious beliefs and opinions?

Why is Giglio who holds (or held 15 years ago) the belief that homosexuality is sin being forced from the public square?

This has nothing to do with separation of Church and State.  They are separate entities and we do not dispute that, therefore that argument goes out the window.  This has to do with the fact that many Christians view alternative life styles as sin based on Scripture.

The very people who preach tolerance to conservative Christians are the ones guilty of intolerance now.

Obama needs to stand up to his left-wing supporters and outline the fact that the Constitution’s vision is one of pluralism.  They ask us to “coexist” on bumper stickers, and now we ask the same.

But I am afraid this situation developed because of truth.  A commentator called me mr. Truth probably because I hold tight to Biblical truth.  Truth does one of two things: it either convicts the sinner toward repentance or it hardens him/her.  In the case of gay activists it is obviously the latter.

They have gone as far as twisting Scripture to declassify homosexual relationships as sin.  I believe that deep down, nature is revealing to them the sinful aspect of such relations, and they are trying to gain the approval of Christians who hold to historical and correct interpretation of the Bible, as if such approval would make things right.

As born-again Christians led by the Holy Spirit are become a shrinking minority in the US, it is imperative that our constitutional rights are preserved and we are not forced out of the public square.  But it probably is too late for that.  Endorsing biblical views on sin and depravity got us labeled as bigots, even though we do not try to force our views on anyone.  It is a matter of personal faith, and we evangelize to those who are willing to listen.

So I ask again, who are the intolerant ones if not the ‘activists of tolerance’ who led to a forced withdrawal by Giglio?

Jan 12 2013

Less Americans Believe Alternative Life Styles are a Sin

In just 14 months there was 7 point drop in the percent of Americans who believe that homosexuality is a sin from 44% to 37%.

LifeWay Research conducted these studies, and their president commented that the country is rapidly shifting position on this issue, partly due to president Obama’s “evolving” view on gay marriage.

“There is little doubt that the President’s evolution on homosexuality probably impacted the evolution of cultural values.  This is a real and substantive shift, surprisingly large for a one-year time frame – though this was hardly a normal year on this issue’

These findings are revealed in the wake of pastor Louie Giglio’s withdrawal from the presidential inauguration prayer.  The White House has already announced that Giglio will be replaced by a pro-gay pastor as a means to not alienate anyone.

Christians believers who hold to the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible will now be a rapidly shrinking minority in the US.

I am writing this to warn the body of Christ of our status in modern society.  Even though the Constitution gives us the right to believe the Bible as it is written, without taking Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, and many other pages out, we will be labeled as bigots, anti-social retros, and obstacles to progress.

Will this lead to religious persecution?  I believe yes.  Especially if Congress working with this Administration takes up “hate-speech” legislation which will prevent preaching from church pulpits from the above mentioned Bible passages.

At this point I do not envision pastors being put in jail for preaching against homosexuality.  But there is a real possibility of other legal methods being used to curtail religious freedom and free speech if such legislation is used.  Canada has already experimented with “hate-speech” legislation, and pastors there have confessed they are being pressured to not expose anti-sin views from the pulpit.

The world is changing.  Views are evolving.  A constant and confusing flux of public opinion is inundating us everyday.

Despite this we must remain anchored in the Word of God.  Anchored in Truth.

Jan 11 2013

Louie Giglio Withdraws from the Inauguration and… the Gay Debate

In another half-meant attempt to extend an “olive branch” to evangelicals, Obama asked Passion City Church pastor Louie Giglio to give the prayer at his 2nd inauguration as a reward for Giglio’s social work to end modern slavery.

After initially accepting with enthusiasm, the pastor released this somewhat apologetic and confusing statement:

“Due to a message of mine that has surfaced from 15-20 years ago, it is likely that my participation, and the prayer I would offer, will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration.  Clearly, speaking on this issue has not been in the range of my priorities in the past fifteen years. Instead, my aim has been to call people to ultimate significance as we make much of Jesus Christ.”

He was referring to a sermon from what he wants to make it seem like a long, long time ago, when he used to preach against the sin of homosexuality.

He now wants to withdraw from the spotlight.  A reasonable conclusion is that he does not wish to defend or debate the biblical truth he once proclaimed in the public square.

On one of the hottest issues threatening to split churches and spread false teaching, Giglio, one of the most recognizable faces of the American Christianity, wishes to remain silent.

Historic Christianity demonstrates that men of God have not been silent on issues of sin.  Jesus Himself did not withdraw from the debate on sexual immorality in Matthew 19.  Paul did not shy away from labeling homosexual relations as unnatural and idolatrous in Romans 1.  Peter was bold in addressing immorality and false teaching in 2 Peter 2.

Even Rick Warren did not withdraw himself from the debate, he actually craves it making the rounds an all the popular talk shows exposing a lukewarm position on the nature of homosexual relations.

Why is Louie Giglio backing down?  Why won’t he deliver a firm inaugural Christian prayer to God in the name of Jesus (not in the name of Islamic prophet Isa like Rick Warren did in his inaugural prayer) and let the storm rage around him?

I love the Casting Crowns song lyrics which highlight the storm around us:

And I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am

This was the opportunity of a life time for Giglio to stand up for God and for biblical truth in front of an audience of hundreds of millions, and he blew it!  It would have been an eternal testimony… I am so disappointed…

image credit

Jan 10 2013

Face to Face With the Reality of Abortion

 

I had passed many times by this door.

My naive mind always wondered why a door in the middle section of a hospital ward would have a “NOT AN EXIT” sign on it.

“It should be obvious this is not an exit… it is right in the middle of a large a building… “ I thought.

It was next to one of the elevators of a large level-1 trauma county hospital and very close to the obstetrics ward.  Dozens of happy new mothers would pass by this door every week on the way home with a beautiful newborn baby in their arms.

It was the summer of 2000, and I was a 24-year-old newbie medical student on the surgical clerkship when the issue of abortion finally became as real as it gets.  It was time to rotate through the anesthesiology service as part of the surgical experience, and I was spending some time with a 2nd year anesthesia resident.  We were on our way to prepare the obstetrics operating rooms for scheduled C-sections that day.

“Hey, I’ll show you a neat short cut to the operating room…” he says.

He headed straight for the mysterious door with the puzzling sign on it, and we entered.

To my amazement it felt like I stepped into another world.  I just went from a noisy environment of sick patients, infections, trauma, alcoholism and other plagues associated with county hospitals, into a large pre-operative waiting room filled with a dozen young and healthy looking women dressed in hospital gowns.

The room was filled with a silence as thick as death itself.

“They are waiting to get their abortions done” he whispered to me as we hurried on our way.

My heart sank as I saw the nervous, worried and guilty looks on their faces.

A horrific big picture fell into place for me that morning.  A picture that is replicated thousands of times across America in slaughter houses called “family planning clinics.”

A few months later I returned to the “county” for my 2 month OB-Gyn clerkship, and during orientation the coordinator of the slaughter-house showed up.  To this day I remember her first and last name, her face, and the air of feminist liberation in her voice.

“We are excited you will spend a week with us in the abortion clinic where you will participate in these procedures which stand for freedom of choice for women” she said.

“God, how am I going to make it through a week of this…? God, help me exercise the faith You put in me… I don’t care if I fail this clerkship, but I know You will not let me participate in shedding innocent blood”

I raised my hand and I said:

“My faith in God precludes me from participating in abortion. I hope this will not interfere with my OB-Gyn clinicals…”

There were 5 med students on that rotation, and to my surprise a female student echoed my sentiment.  If I remember correctly she was a Catholic.

Imagine the shock on the abortion coordinator’s face when light (the mention of faith in God) penetrated the darkness in her heart.  She was hardened to the point where she could not understand why we did not accept the “greatest” achievement that has ever occurred in the feminist movement, the holy grail of their agenda- a woman’s right to terminate her baby.

“Why are you even here? Why are you wasting your talents and your education? Why can’t you have an open mind and accept what we deem right as a society?”

Thank God for another reasonable clerkship director who honored our request.  Not all Christians are quite so fortunate.  There are reports in the media of nurses who lost their job because they refused to participate in termination of pregnancy.  They underwent legal recourse and lost that too.

By the grace of God I spend one week there without participating in the murder of the unborn.  I spoke to many teen girls who were about to undergo abortion.  I even tried secretly, yet unsuccessfully, to show them other options.

Ultimately, God taught me a lesson as He turned an anxiety provoking situation into a blessing.  In the end I earned an “honors” grade in Ob-Gyn.

It was a lesson that God wanted to teach me.  To put my trust in Him, and He would deliver me against evil.

Psalm 84:12 “O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusts in you.”

Jan 9 2013

TIME Magazine Misses the Mark… Again

Image of a doctor's surgical bed with stirrups

Well, TIME magazine has a predisposition to exaggerate, and add shock value to their covers.  It started in 1966 when they claimed in big bold letters on their cover: “GOD IS DEAD.”  That title was laughable.  This one is NOT.

“GOD IS DEAD” was laughable because we know that God is exactly where Isaiah saw him “high and lifted up,” and where John saw him in Revelation chapters 4 and 5 receiving the worship of angels, elders and heavenly creatures.

This title however, is built on the 55 million babies who were slaughtered in their mothers wombs since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion.  55 million murders of tiny persons was not enough for the abortion platform to declare victory.

TIME has declared itself as an abortion platform by lamenting the so-called “losing ever since” war. Wow…

The article is only available to subscribers but here are the top complaints of the pro-choice activists:

  • abortion has been regulated at the state level and abortion has become too restrictive
  • 4 states have only one abortion clinic in operation
  • there was a significant drop in abortion doctors in the last 20 years
  • only 41% of the American public identify themselves as pro-choice
  • in-fighting among feminists (young vs. old)
  • defending the status-quo is always harder than fighting to change it
  • ultrasound technology makes the babies look… human

These abortion activists must be living in a parallel universe!

Here are the numbers again: 55 million aborted, that is 1,375,000 million abortions per year! Almost 40% of the US female population has had at least one abortion!

If this was a physical war, the casualties are all one-sided.  This is not a losing war for the abortionists, its is a hands down epic slaughter of tiny innocent lives…

There is one point in the article which is true.  As a physician in a metropolitan area, I know hundreds of other physicians, and there are thousands of physicians in my city.  Among all doctors, there are only two who provide abortions.  One is in his 80’s and another is probably in his 70’s.  The new generation of physicians are grossed out by abortion and they do not want to do it.  We view it as a creepy field to specialize in, and therefore we now have a dramatic reduction in those willing to provide abortions.

For those who are bewildered as to why Christians are so vehemently pro-life, we go to Luke chapter 1 where we read the following about a certain baby who later became the greatest prophet prior to Jesus, John the Baptist:

“he [John] will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”

“And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.  And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit… …For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy”

An unborn baby exhibits the qualities of a PERSON.  He is filled with the Holy Spirit.  He is able to experience the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), joy.  He leaped for joy!  How can any Christian ignore such strong language?

Many Christians will only read about abortion.  They will never encounter abortion other than being aware of the statistics.

On the other hand, as a young medical student I came face to face with harsh reality of abortion…

It was an early morning in an old county hospital in July, 2000…

to be continued… (here)

Jan 8 2013

Supreme Court to Rule on Gay Marriage

And for Christians, the Supreme Court decisions on this issue will not be surprising, whatever the outcome is.  The social battle on moral issues like the sanctity of marriage has been lost as predicted multiple times in the Bible when it talks about the depravity of the end times.

State and national legislatures, governors, the White House, and possibly the Supreme Court have succumbed to Hollywood and media pressure on issues advanced by the gay agenda.  Also for the first time ever, the American public now supports the idea of same-sex marriage by a majority.

Two of the cases that the Court is planning to review in March include Hollingsworth v. Perry, which will examine whether gay and lesbian Americans have a fundamental right to marriage, and Windsor v. United States will examine the federal law that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

The first case is a result of Prop 8 in California, and the Court will analyze whether denying a licence for marriage to a gay couple is unconstitutional.  The second is more important fundamentally and morally only because a group of 9 people will decide or re-decide something that us as Christians believe God has already ordained: the definition of marriage being between a man and a woman.

Who would have thought at any point in history up until about 10 years ago that we will have to potentially re-define marriage? The concept was so absurd that such thing was never brought up in the age of the Church including the Enlightenment, Reformation, and Great Awakenings, until society decided to have a sexual revolution in the recent past.

The Church tried to speak out against the inclusionary definition of marriage, but its voice was not loud enough, and even if its voice would have been loud enough, the biblical message is so antithetical to modern society that it would have just hardened so much more the ones pushing the same-sex agenda.

We live in an age where truth is relative.  Morality is relative.  People want and need to define their own morals.  The Word of God however claims absolute truth status, and this does not go well with moral relativism.

The redefinition of marriage, although morally devastating for society, will not affect our faith or our walk with God.  What society does apart from God should not affect us unless it results in persecution against our biblical views.

Let’s not forget the teaching of Peter and Paul who warn us about moral decay in the last days…

2 Peter 3: 3 “…you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.”

2 Tim 3: 1“There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

This is why I believe that from a moral standpoint I think things will go from bad to worse.  I believe Christians will be hated for their views which are grounded in the Bible, even though we do not wish to force them upon anyone.

Society will continue its course of choice.  The Church however, the true body of Christ, will stay on its own eternal predestined course to glorification.