AMERICA...GONE WILD, PART 3

Can the soul of America get any darker? In an era of social media excess... cyber-bullying...teenage America seeking their 4 minutes of fame (via a viral YouTube video) come such real outrageous conduct involving our young people that one wonders how much longer God will put up with this!

ITEM 1: MILEY CYRUS - AGAIN!

Need we say anymore? The daughter of the 'achy breaky" absentee-father Billy Ray Cyrus

is not just satisfied to corrupt every youngster out there with her filthy lifestyle and antics, but this past weekend - right in front of the entire world, she lit up marijuana after performing a lewd act with a female dwarf.  God alone knows how many young people she introduced to this "gateway drug" by her infantile, illegal and immoral conduct. Not even Madonna did this kind of thing, in her own era of debauchery.  

This kind of thing makes one wish that Miley's father was Keith Perry, the Pentecostal Preacher father of pop singer Katy Perry! Pastor Perry refused to remain silent about his own daughter's life style and asked for prayer for her back in May 2013! When is Billy Ray going to "man up" and do something? As one who grew up in the Bible Belt, surely Cyrus remembers Ephesians 6:4 "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" 

ITEM 2: MIDDLE SCHOOL OUTRAGE IN OREGON

Coach Randy Burbach

Corbett Middle School football coach Randy Burbach was fired for promising to take this team of 12-14 year old boys to a Hooters "restaurant" at Jantzen Beach near Portland, Oregon. Coach was fired by the school after his plans were made public and some families complained. Still, he went through with this incredible plan last Saturday night (November 9); rented a huge stretch limo and took most of the Middle School team of gawking young boys to the restaurant. Hooters footed the bill and ended up donating $1000 to the high school booster club and 20% of the sales. 

The unrepentant coach, not only defended this "party" but used it to promote some twisted philosophy of "playing under pressure" and "stand up for one's belief"! It used to be that Coaches taught young men the value of respecting women; honor and integrity. But I guess those things are now considered too Christian and old-fashioned for America in the 21st Century. 

This coach and others like him, if they could recognize what a Bible looks like, would do well to look into this warning of the Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Universe (JESUS) when He said in Matthew 18:6 "but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea"! 

ITEM 3: CHRISTIAN CHAPLAINS' PERSECUTED FOR JESUS' NAME!

In a year when the misleadingly named "MIlitary Religious Freedom Foundation" and its

president Mickey Weinstein are on a roll to usurp the constitutional religious freedoms of US Servicemen, Servicewomen and their chaplains, comes a new development which is heading straight for a showdown in the courts. Two Baptists chaplains have filed a major Federal lawsuit against the United States Veterans Affairs agency and its Secretary Eric Shinseki. 

Navy Chaplain Lt. Dan Klender and Retired Army Chaplain Steven Firtko were in the VA's Clinical Pastoral Education Center Training program from VA Chaplains (a one year program) when they were "allegedly" victimized by the trainer, who is a VA employee herself - Nancy Dietsch. 

According to reports, Ms. Dietsch has a history of anti-evangelical attitudes and was very critical of Christians.  Even worse, she told these long time chaplains that they were not allowed to PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS! Then during a classroom discussion on Faith, she also told the evangelical chaplains they were NOT allowed to quote the Bible. At a session a year ago, Dietsch also angrily pounded her fist on the desk when someone mentioned the Lord's Prayer, demanding they not quote Scripture. This was one of many incidents in the Federal Lawsuit against Dietsch, Shinseki and the VA for Religious Discrimination. 

Chaplain Firtko was kicked out of the Training Program and Chaplain Klender withdrew under the intense harassment. These are just the latest in a string of anti-Christian actions in the Military which the US Congress has brought to the attention of those at the top of the Pentagon. These brave men of God should be encouraged because our own Lord and Savior, Whom we all serve had this to say in John 15:18-25 - 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 

21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 

25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause."

SIMILAR ARTICLES ON THIS BLOG: 

READ THE FOLLOWING:

1. America Gone Wild, Part 1

2. America Gone Wild, Part 2

3. America's Gone Nuts!
4. The Other Shoe drops.

DAY 17 - CAN PRAYER SAVE AMERICA?

I know exactly what some folks are thinking - "Is this a workshop on prayer? Aren't we supposed to be praying to stop the decline of the dollar, or to stop abortion in America or this or that candidate? Why all of this, day after day?" Good question!!!

For me, being many years as an intercessor and moving "onward" as a Christian soldier, marching as to war, with the Cross of Jesus, moving on before, I know exactly what it takes for my prayer to be heard by the Lord. It is not running out there, without the proper foundation, "binding up this or that demon" or "casting those five demons" into the pit or wishing evil on those with whom we disagree. That is a recipe for personal disaster, especially if that kind of intercessor is not walking in the Light and/or leaves his/her family's flank exposed to hits from the enemy!!! I have seen that too many times in the prayer movement. The result is that many of our saints burn out after a few quixotic forays into spiritual warfare, as I just described.

The only way, is to know to Whom we're praying; why we are praying and what sort of weapon, with which to show up on the battlefield! We last looked into claiming the inheritance and power (from John 1:12 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name"). We claim this by praying in Faith. This is important for Heaven to hear. Faith crowns our relationship with Jesus, the God Man Who is our Savior. So therefore, starting this week, we get into the heat of the battle. 

Starting tomorrow, we address the issue of Religious Liberty, and the war against it, here in the US and elsewhere. So Father, in the Name of Jesus, thank You for giving us this Day which You have made and we completely rejoice in the Fact that You have empowered us with Your Authority, as children of God, to represent You, to worship You and to come to You with our petitions and requests for any issue on our earth. Our desire is to glorify Your Name by helping others through our actions, good works and prayers and to pray for Your intervention in these things which have been corrupting our nation or Your work - whether it is some politician telling a church body in America they have to pay for abortive pills or some murderous outfit like Marie Stopes starting abortion clinics in Belfast or the decadence on our TV screens - Lord we live to serve and obey You and thank You that You hear us, when we approach the Throne of Grace in the Spirit of Holiness, Faith and Trust and we ask this in the Strong and Mighty Name of Jesus, amen and amen.

FOR GREATER GLORY - A MUST SEE!

"I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV)
This is the opening weekend for a brand new action movie of the Cristero War in Mexico, less than 100 years ago. FOR GREATER GLORY opened in selected theaters nationwide on June 1. While it may not sell as many tickets as fictional pap like Men in Black or some such thing, this true account of a well-hidden event in western history should shock many.

The timeless war of Good versus Evil is evident in this movie about Faith and the Fall of man. The stunning fact about this incident in Mexican history is that it was wiped clean from their history books by successive governments, who did not want their citizens to know of the Socialist government attempt to eliminate both God and the Church from Mexico from 1924-1929! It was not until 1992, when things were fully corrected and the draconian marxist mandates and laws were removed from the laws of Mexico!

Briefly, the story revolves around Leftist dictator Plutarco Calles (Ruben Blades) and his government's edict to shut down ALL church services; deport all foreign born priests, pastors, missionaries and ministers and allow NO MORE religious expression in Mexico! He succeeded for many years because his "Federales" troops systematically set about seizing church property; killing priests and worshipers and burning down churches! This sparked a rebellion among the common people, whose very lives and existence were affected and led to the CRISTERO war. 

Civil war broken out when a rogue priest named Father Vega and his sidekick general "Catorce" began successfully raiding government outposts. They then enlisted the services of a military genius - General Gorostieta (actor Andy Garcia) - an atheist, to train a ragtag army who, while he initially did not believe in God, soon got fully sold out to the timeless concept of Religious Freedom! Gorostieta died a believer with a big smile on his face!

This was the time of the Communists taking power in Russia and Bolsheviks/Marxists' attempt to conquer a lot of the depressed world! America was the only prosperous nation back in these Roaring 1920's!
You will see many themes in this more than 2 hour movie. The following struck me: 
-  With men of conviction, freedom is either absolute, or it means nothing.
-  You can not compromise with the beliefs of the world or it will slowly devour you.
-  Whenever possible, at all times, live in peace and forgiveness in your heart.
-  God is sovereign and determines the destiny of each individual man and woman.
-  Though many martyrs have lost their lives, and many more will (before the Return of Christ), this world is not our home. Happy and eternal life await all true believers and God will destroy those who persecute His saints. Fiery judgments are not just for people like Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Chavez and Castro but for any whose sins are not confessed and forgiven by the Pure and Cleansing Blood of the Lamb of God - Jesus Christ.

Verdict on "FOR GREATER GLORY" - Two thumbs up and 4 and 1/2 stars!

FOR GREATER GLORY was directed by big name Hollywood Director Dean Wright, who worked on huge blockbuster movies like Titanic; Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia! Prepare to be shocked and dismayed by what you see. RATED R for violence only, this is not a movie for the week. 

This is a movie for those of us who believe in Religious Liberty and the Freedom to Live for Christ here daily, in the United States, and to practice openly in the market square, the absolute rights given by God and the US Constitution, which guarantees the Free Exercise of Religion!