Praying the Lord’s Prayer!

 The Bible is not so much to be read – as it is to be prayed! You learn to pray, by praying. But most of us need structure, a track for our thoughts to run on, a check-list of things that constitute good, balanced praying.

And Jesus gave us such a list in the so-called ‘Lord’s Prayer!’ Actually, a better title would be the ‘Disciple’s Prayer.’ “Teach us to pray,” they had asked him. So he gave a simple ‘template’ for prayer. Not something to be repeated in a hurried way, as we often do. But something to simmer with, to savor, to think through.

Pray it …

 

 

1.       Our Father – God, you are my Father. I am your child. I am not a cosmic orphan. I was created by you, to look and act like you; and then redeemed, to be restored by you, and again resemble you. Thank you for being such a patient and loving father.
 

2.      Who art in heaven – I affirm your existence. I affirm heaven’s existence. You are not of this world. You are above it. Sovereign. Overlooking all – omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. And it was from heaven, that I was created, and it was heaven that planted humans on this earth with mission in view. We have bodies, fashioned to identify with the planet, but our spirits and our souls belong to heaven.

3.      Hallowed by Thy Name – Let me remind myself of your holiness. Your sacred name, and let me carry it with dignity and respect. You have given me the use of the sacred name – ‘in the name of Jesus’ I have authority here on earth in the spiritual realm, and the right to approach heaven’s throne as if I were Christ, Himself. What a privilege. The name above all names. I bow this morning to the sacred and sovereign name.

4.      Thy Kingdom come – You are a King, ruling in exile. You are the rightful heir to Adam’s fallen kingdom, the true human, and yet God. You came to declare, “The Kingdom of God is among you!” Men missed the chance to crown you, to recognize your right to the earth’s throne. But today, we declare that you are King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. And we commit to be your subjects, to be your kingdom agents, working at the edge of the darkness, declaring your soon return, working wonders by your hand to prove that you are not dead, that you are alive. “May your Kingdom come!”

5.      Thy will be done – Today, let me do your will. Rule in my life so thoroughly, that I become an extension of your will in the earth. Let my will become your will. Let me know what you would do in and through my life if you had complete control. I cancel my will. I invite your desires into my life.

6.      On earth as in heaven – Let the alignment start with me, today. Let me give expression to the invisible kingdom and will of God, in what I say and do. Bring heaven to earth in me and through me. Touch through my touching. Act through my acting. Love through my loving.

7.      Give us this day our daily bread – I declare my dependence on you for daily needs. Feed not only my body, but my spirit as well. Let me meditate on the things of God. Feed my emotions with bread of joy and peace. Satisfy the inner yearnings of my heart.

8.     Forgive us – O God, if I only knew how often I offended your holiness, acted contrary to your humble grace, harbored attitudes so contrary to your nature – I would overwhelmed with grief and sadness. I fashion myself as being like Christ, but I know my righteousness remains a dingy gray. Forgive me. Shower me with grace – not to remain the same, but grace to change. Don’t let me stay the same.

9.      As we forgive – Don’t let me be a mere static recipient of grace. Let it not only flow to me, but through me. Make me a forgiving person, a loving person, a Christ-like person. Help me to understand that the offenses of others to me, no matter how grievous, don’t compare to may offenses against you. You have forgiven me of so much – and given me so much. A sinner, declared a saint. In judgment, not only no longer condemned, but rewarded. A slave, now a son. How can I not be gracious to others who have offended me? I am rich, indeed. Why should such small things affect me?

10.  Lead us – O God, be involved in my life. Lead me. Guide me. Direct me. Stop me from turning astray. Order my steps. Let angels be about me to accomplish noble things for your glory.

11.   Lead us  not – Close doors, and open others. Let me rest when an opportunity seems missed, in your sovereignty. Let me learn, in the rhythm of life, sweet surrender to your schedule changes, to divine surprises and so-called interruptions. Missed flights. Lost baggage. Seemingly closed doors. Connections that lack magic. Disappointing appointments. You have the right to close doors! Give me peace when you do.    

 

12.  Deliver us– I trust your power in moments when I am in danger from things natural and supernatural. Hide me. Protect me. At times, put a warrior spirit in me to push back at the darkness. Don’t let me fall into the hands of evil. Give me discernment when I face evil. Let me make wise and holy decisions. Praying for bread – give me no stone. Praying for fish – give me no serpent. Praying for an egg – protect me from the sting of a scorpion.

13.  From the Evil One – I know that I have an enemy, one that is formidable. One I cannot face or fight alone. I fall on my face in dependence on you, and declare, “Great is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.” I declare that in my weak and dependent state, I am strong in you. I declare that I am an overcomer by your word. I declare that “having done all to stand” I can stand victorious.

 

14.  For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory -  I agree with the Psalmist, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof and all that dwell therein.” All power is belongs to You, God, and to your son who declared, “All authority is given unto me” and he called us to “disciple the nations.” This is power over the dark kingdom. For this season, it is priestly power – to love and heal, to minister and to serve, to be great by being the least, to live by dying, to gain by losing. To you alone belongs the glory. May I today join heaven’s chorus celebrating your triumph as the crucified and risen lamb, the lion of the tribe of Judah.

15.   Amen – Yes, we agree. You have the final word. The final ‘Amen.’ May it be so. We agree.

Consider Jesus!

This morning, during my prayer time, I found myself considering the conversions of significant people - Wesley, Livingston, John Newton, and more. One story stood out. The conversion of Lin Yutang. He was raised in China by Christian parents. Once out of the small valley, enrolled in college to prepare for ministry, his little world exploded. The sheltered innocent world was invaded by Chinese Folk Religion, Humanism, Buddihism and more. Overwhelmed, he abandoned his faith. Perhaps influenced by Confucianism, he developed a rather self-sufficient, the 'human-can-do' view of life.

In 1937, he published a groundbreaking book, "The Importance of Living!" It was an instant best-seller, particularly in the West. It is often considered the grand-daddy to self-help books and a seed-bed for humanistic philosophy. He studied at Harvard, and became a internationally known atheist - a prize who had been a believer, but had "come to his senses."'

Then, accommodating his wife to the Madison Avenue Presyterian Church one Sunday, he heard a message that changed it all. His wife had encouraged him to come along, declaring that though he might not agree, the speaker was stimulating and inspiring. Eternal Life, the pastor said was not merely an extension of this life, it was not purely quantity. It was a kind of life that could be grasped here, one that was both full of meaning and noble, a quality of life that should not die, that was worth being continued for eternity! Such life deserves to be eternal. And that life, the pastor said, was evidenced in the kind of life lived by Jesus Christ.

I did not see the Bill Mayer, Bill O'Reilly exchange last night. I am sure it was more of the same. I am becoming convinced that we are arguing over the wrong thing, noble things - evolution, the nature of sin, homosexuality, the nature of marriage, nuclear proliferation, should a Christian be green? But the real question, the bottom line is - Consider Jesus! What will you do with Jesus? Put him up on the stage - and he inspires, convicts, proves incomparable!

Revival Happening in Algeria

Revival Happening in Algeria

Darwin's Sad Legacy

PETERSBURG, Ky. (Baptist Press Release)--Most people, when asked what they consider to be Charles Darwin's legacy, would quickly say "evolution." Indeed, evolution and Darwin are virtually synonymous, especially this year, as evolutionists worldwide have been celebrating his 200th birthday, plus the 150th anniversary this month of the publication of his book "On the Origin of Species."

But what is not so commonly known is that there have been adverse parts of Darwin's legacy that many of his followers have either denied or kept from public knowledge.

Ideas, it is said, have consequences. What people believe about their origins and the purpose and meaning of life affects their entire worldview. It molds how they view themselves ... and others.

Darwin's ideas concerning "molecules-to-man" evolution have left a significant negative legacy on society. For many secularists, his ideas were ammunition to eliminate any consideration of the supernatural. For example, in Darwin's house (now a museum) in England, which I have visited, there is an exhibit which comments on our Creator:

"[E]very living creature looked the way it did because God had designed it that way. Darwin's theory made nonsense of all of this."

The exhibit declares there is no God connected to why and how life exists. This idea dominates America's science classrooms. God has been outlawed there. "Science" is now defined as "naturalism" (really atheism) -- it's the only explanation for the origin of life currently allowed. Any hint of the supernatural is not permitted.

The situation in public schools has only gotten worse in recent decades. If we continue to have generations of students going through a public education system that largely teaches them they are just animals and the result of natural processes (e.g., a Scientific American article stated, "we are all animals, descendants of a vast lineage of replicators sprung from primordial pond scum"), we will continue to see a growing moral collapse in society.

The horrible school shooting in Finland in 2007 is a prime example. The killer stated: "I am prepared to fight and die for my cause, ... I, as a natural selector, will eliminate all who I see unfit, disgraces of human race and failures of natural selection. ... I am just an animal, a human, an individual, a dissident. ... It's time to put natural selection & survival of the fittest back on tracks!"

This student was only carrying out in practice what he had been taught concerning origins, as well as the lack of purpose and meaning he found in life.

We should not be shocked when we see students only becoming more consistent in carrying out evolutionary beliefs. After all, they are acting out what they have been taught they are -- animals.

Indeed, in almost all public schools today, children are being told that fallible humans are the authority, not God. As a result, even Christian children in this system can graduate and come out thinking like humanists -- and when they get into positions of authority, they won't make decisions based on God's Word, the Bible.

Herein lies the terrible legacy of Darwin and his "Origin of Species" book, which has affected all modern cultures.

Consider the continuing problem of racism. Darwin wrote that within the human kind, some people groups were closer to their supposed ape-like ancestors than others. No wonder the late evolutionist Stephen J. Gould stated: "Biological arguments for racism may have been common before 1850, but they increased by orders of magnitude following the acceptance of evolutionary theory." We have an entire exhibit in our Creation Museum on the connection between evolution and racism. (Though we don't state that evolution causes racism; evolution can fuel racist ideas, however.)

An increase in abortion has gone hand in hand with the growing acceptance of evolution. Over the years, some women have told us that people at abortion clinics told them that when they get rid of their "unwanted" baby, it's OK because it's just an animal. Some have been told that the baby as it develops in the womb retraces its evolutionary ancestry (e.g., saying that at a certain stage, they would just be getting rid of a "fetus" in its "reptile" stage).

Also, as Genesis is attacked by evolutionists, marriage -- instituted by God in Genesis -- is redefined in society. "Gay marriage" -- not one man for one woman as ordained by God -- is now more acceptable as Genesis and the Judeo-Christian ethic are removed in society.

In addition, this humanistic teaching has helped lead to a mass exodus of young people from our churches. Research conducted by America's Research Group, headed by the highly respected market researcher Britt Beamer, which we put into our new book "Already Gone," showed that, contrary to what most of us may have believed, we are actually losing them by the end of middle school or high school. Over 80 percent were "already gone" from the church in their hearts and minds before they even started college.

The "big picture" reason for their departure was their beliefs concerning Scripture. These young adults were not taught the Bible as a true book of history, nor were they taught how to defend the Scriptures against the faith-shattering attacks of this age (e.g., Darwinian evolution/millions of years, etc.).

What an awesome and serious responsibility God requires of us as parents (and church leaders) to train our children. The family is the educational unit that God created to transmit the knowledge of godly, biblical teachings to the next generation. I trust each one of us might be able to say of our children as the Apostle Paul did of Timothy: "And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15).

By Ken Ham
Posted on Nov 24, 2009

Editor's note: Today, Nov. 24, is the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species."

Ken Ham is President of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum, online at www.answersingenesis.org and www.creationmuseum.org

Miracle of Healing

In 2008, Shirley Moir was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The doctor said it was Parkinson's with a capital "P." We had watched her lose control of her arm and tremors begin in her leg.

In her words, "The medication that was prescribed was worse than the symptoms."
Her church was participated in the "Great Days of Prayer!" sponsored by the Church of God. During that Prayer Sunday, God moved in a great way and spoke to Shirley and told her that she would be healed.

The church was studying the book "Prayer the Heartbeat of the Church." Shirley was reading the account in the book of the testimony of Sister Tull's healing of crippling arthritis. In that moment, God spoke to her again and assured her that she would be healed.

On the first Sunday of February, Rick Lairsey preached on "Suddenly" - and God showed up suddenly. The Holy Spirit moved on Shirley in a powerful way. On the way out of church, Shirley said she was healed and announced that she was stopping her medication.

It has been six weeks that she has been without medication and is feeling better than she has in years, as she is walking in her healing!

We have adopted Doug Small's saying "There might just be something about this thing called prayer!"

Prayer Study Generates Revival

Three years ago, Pastor Nelson Foster went to Ankeny, Iowa, just outside of Des Moines. For a year, he used the Chapel on the nearby Military Base in planting his new church. The security measures at the base presented problems for visitors, so growth was slow.

After the church had grown to about fifty in attendance, Pastor Nelson noted that his somewhat traditional congregation was going through the motions, faithfully showing up for church three times a week, but not emotionally or spiritual engaged.

How It Began

Just before the General Assembly last year, he showed the first three segments of the "Transforming Your Church into a House of Prayer" DVD series put out by Alive Ministries: PROJECT PRAY. He recalls, "Something happened. The people began to see prayer in a new way."

Then in January of 2009, he announced that he was changing the format of the Sunday night service from a preaching service to a prayer service. He met with some opposition at first, but he persisted. On that first evening, at the 5 pm prayer time, he showed the bonus segment out of the "Prayer - the Heartbeat of the Church" DVD series on the birth of the Church of God. He challenged his church to give themselves to prayer. It was as if some fountain opened up. Indifferent prayer became passionate. The first prayer service lasted two-and-a-half hours. Some prayer services are now lasting four hours, not by design, but by demand. "The people at times, refuse to leave. They are basking in the quiet presence of God."

How It is Progressing

Following the prayer times, members have been making their way to Pastor Nelson and confessing their sins. Brokenness before God is occurring. A new sensitivity to His holiness is taking place. Following the confessions, the pastor is noticing a new freedom in worship. And not only that, miracles and answers to prayer are now abounding. Before prayer requests were plentiful and answers seemed rare.

A widow, the mother of one of the elders tested positive to breast cancer. She did not attend the church, but the church interceded for her. Pastor Nelson recalled, "We prayed for her after the general prayer time on Sunday evening as we gathered around the altar and mentioned needs. It was between 6:30 and 7:00 pm, well into the prayer meeting. Simultaneously, she was sitting at home. She reported to her family later that night that she had a strange and very physical experience, as if someone reached inside her body and began to rotate the golf-ball sized malignant tumor. And then it was as if the tumor began to unravel like a ball of string, like it was being pulled out of her." She is now cancer free!

More than 100 prayer cloths have been carried away from the prayer meetings to people in the community, and answers to prayer are multiplying. Pastor Nelson exclaimed, "I have never seen anything like this!" On one evening, the Holy Spirit spoke to the congregation and declared, "I am here because you want me to be here!" God is working in the lives to people and things the pastor had attempting to get people motivated to do are happening naturally now. Some are carrying food to the poor. Two ladies out of the women's ministry have started a ministry at the YWCA. Ministries are being birthed spontaneously, out of these prayer experiences.

Pastor Foster says, without any desire to be bizarre, that the small bottle of oil used for anointing cloths and people should have run dry weeks ago, but every week there appears to be a bit more oil in the vial - a sign?

The Impact

A visitor showed up last week just to report that four prayer clothes she had received from people in the church had resulted in answered prayer. She is not the only visitor. The small church is beginning to experience a steady stream of visitors. Five teens have been saved. One has parents who are not saved. The mother of that teen announced to her daughter in the last few weeks, that she and the teen's dad were going to stop drinking. The teen came home and found her Bible missing. When she located it, her Mom had been reading it. One of the fathers in the church family needed a job. They prayed. Two days later, he had the job. Another man, not a Pentecostal, had been diagnosed as terminally ill, with six months to live. The church prayed and sent him a prayer cloth. He didn't completely understand. Soon thereafter, he ended up in the Emergency Room. The doctors found both his liver and pancreas to be clear - a miracle. They treated his blood pressure and sugar, and released him. He is claiming a miracle. One woman, who had complications as a result of a previous surgery found herself in unbearable pain. She was deathly sick. She was nauseous, her body reacting violently, without a remedy. Her husband said her illness persisted for almost five hours. He cried out to God and that is when he heard - by the spirit - another woman, an intercessor in the church, praying in the spirit. The sick spell was immediately broken.

Pastor Foster says, "People get lost in the Spirit. Much of the prayer time is simply music playing softly. Some walk. Some kneel. Some lay before the Lord. Some pray aloud, some softly. There is no rush." The whole congregation seems to be moving from "having church services" to "experiencing God." Indeed, the pastor reports that the prayer service is now affecting all other services. Teens are attending along with children. "I don't want our children to be entertained. I want them to experience God - and that is happening." Pastor Foster's own daughter had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit.

The Prayer Service Format

As people gather for the prayer times, Pastor Foster calls them to order. He shares briefly, including any emergency needs or offering a focus for prayer. There is no long litany of typical prayer requests. Then, the people are released to pray. Most stay in the sanctuary. Some may fan out to an annex or Sunday School rooms. Praise music plays softly. Then Pastor Foster, after an hour or so of prayer, calls the people back together. They pray for specific needs. They anoint with oil. They pray over prayer cloths. Recently, some prayer times have gone for four hours. "The people don't want to leave. They are hungry for the presence of God. Prayer has changed them. It has changed our church." At the close of every gathering, Pastor Foster quotes Hebrews 13:20-21 (nlt), "Now may the God of peace who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with His blood, May he equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen."

Pastor Foster says that the prayer gathering has changed him as well. He drives a School Bus. And that is no longer a job, it is a mission. He admits, "At times I have to fight to control myself to keep from breaking out in prayer for these kids and their families, or even weeping for them." The church is praying over the city of Des Moines, asking for a city-wide revival.

There could be something to this thing called prayer!

Over 1000 Attend Schools of Prayer

Over 1000 participated in two regionwide Power Prayer Days in the Delmarva Region!

The partnership between the Delmarva State office and Project Pray was intended to be a day-long training session in prayer. As registrations came in for the first training event, scheduled for Saturday, January 31, it became clear that the venue which had been reserved for the event would not be adequate. The state scrambled to get the word out that the event was being moved, 48 hours before the training. Anticipating a few hundred, almost 500 turned out on a very cold, brisk morning to attend the western shore Power Prayer Day with facilitator P. Douglas Small at the Heritage Community Church in Severn, Maryland.

The material shared was from the seminar, "Enriching Your Personal Prayer Life," developed Doug Small. The heart of the seminar is learing to structure time with God, developing prayer disciplines, learning to prayer scripture - and more.

Three weeks later, on another very cold and brisk Saturday morning, in an area in which the state had hoped for an attendance of 150-200, almost 575 people responded to the Power Prayer Day at the Church of God at Easton.

The word had spread. Scores of individuals have now responded to pastors and to the state office about the marked difference these days have already made in their prayer life. Pastors from across the region are reporting a tremendous move of the Holy Spirit in their churches that they directly attribute to the Power Prayer Days and the increase to a new level of prayer in their local churches.

To God be the glory!

Terrorist Need Sensitivity Training and More Education!

WorldNet Daily is reporting that a little circulated article on the remarks of Barack Obama eight days after the 9-11 attack is finally getting some attention. In the article, the Senator expressed a belief that al-Qaida lacked "empathy" for the suffering of others'. His suggestion that terrorist ideology "grows out of a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair" is reminiscent of the same old liberal mantra – environment and educational reforms change everything.

Obama went on to imply the September 11th attacks were also in part a result of U.S. policy. He lectured the American military to minimize civilian casualties in the Middle East and urged action opposing "bigotry or discrimination directed against neighbors and friends of Middle-Eastern descent."
"Even as I hope for some measure of peace and comfort to the bereaved families, I must also hope that we, as a nation, draw some measure of wisdom from this tragedy." This notion that we are to blame, and all should come to the table of learning and repair our world views together is appallingly naïve. The article was published on Sept. 19, 2001, and circulated in Chicago's Hyde Park Herald, an area known for Muslim support and sympathy.

"The essence of this tragedy, it seems to me, derives from a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers: an inability to imagine, or connect with, the humanity or suffering of others. Such a failure of empathy … is (not) unique to a particular culture, religion or ethnicity … it grows out a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair.”

Obama placed the burden of responsibility on the US which he said, had to “be unwavering in opposing bigotry or discrimination directed against neighbors and friends of Middle-Eastern descent.” If hope could be raised in the children, it would solve the problem, he suggested.

At the time, Obama's piece gained little notice outside his senatorial district, which is heavily influenced by the Nation of Islam. After republication, the remarks have picked up traction. Robert Spencer, director of the Jihad Watch website, noted that Obama completely ignored Islam itself. He found the roots for Muslim terrorism not in Islam but in 'a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair.' The conditions that created 9-11, are social and educational deficits, not world-view differences. Not Islam.

"What Obama could not, and apparently cannot, allow himself to do is to investigate the nature of Islam, to find out what it teaches about Believers and Infidels. I can help out a bit. I can tell him, right now, right here, that Islam is based on a clear division of the universe between Believers and Infidels."

Abe Greenwald, responded to Obama's belief that terrorists act out of despair. "'[P]overty and ignorance, helplessness and despair.' Strange, considering our attackers were wealthy and educated, connected and ecstatic.”

The media, in line with Obama, also tends to characterize suicide bombers as acting in response to occupation or poor living conditions. The suicide bombers themselves call such media claims "lies" and "propaganda."

Adapted from a report by Aaron Klein of WorldNetDaily

Under Influence of Harry Potter, Kids are Being Drawn into the "Language and Mechanics" of the Occult

Hilary White of LifeSiteNews says that the influence of Harry Potter is now changing the spiritual climate and preferences among teens. They are being drawn into the language and mechanics of occult practices. One book that gives instructions to teenage girls on witchcraft has sold 150,000 copies. Films and television shows about teenagers and young people involved in witchcraft and the occult are now proliferating. Bookstores have large sections on "esoterica" next to the religion and philosophy sections. And of course, Harry Potter is the best selling children's book of all time. It is, a primer on witchcraft. More than 400 million copies have been translated into 67 languages. The whole world is being indoctrinated into the occult.

British author, J.K. Rowling, is the highest-earning novelist in history. Three years after Harry Potter, Harvey writes, a review of television programs, major children's book publishers, and popular youth websites, "should more than confirm our initial warnings."
"Sorcery and witchcraft have become the hottest themes in youth culture and education for the first time in modern Western civilization."

An unprecedented amount of the occult material is aimed directly at children and teenagers. An entire generation has been disconnected from the faith of their fathers – or at least, their grandfathers – without objection. Anyone who dares to object is treated as irrationally reactive. "Children are being lovingly primed to embrace paganism by movies, games, TV, the internet and countless sorcery-friendly books." An entire book publishing sub-industry has emerged focused on occult materials aimed at teens. Large chain bookshops like Indigo in Canada and Borders in the US, and WHSmith and Blackwell's in the UK, routinely feature large sections on the occult with plenty of practical how-to manuals.

The number of self-professed young witches and occult practitioners has grown markedly in the last ten years in America. The kids are taking a cue from the homosexual activist handbook, equating any criticism of their interests as "hate."

Television and media add to the charm of the witchcraft for teens with such wildly successful shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer series. Too many parents are dismissive of the tongue-in-cheek nature of the shows. Buffy, features a lesbian witch as a main character. Sabrina is a Teenage Witch. All the characters are hip, well-dressed teens with special powers that set them apart, and above, their peers.

Christians who express concerns are treated as "unenlightened dullards."

For more information see - http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/nov/07110611.html

Homosexual Sues Bible Publisher

Bradley LaShawn Fowler of Canton, Michigan is homosexual. He does not like the fact that Bibles convey God's prohibition against homosexual behavior. So he is suing Zondervan and Thomas Nelson Publishers. He is seeking $10 million from Thomas Nelson and $60 million from Zondervan.

Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, says Bible-believing Christians had better get ready for more of this type of sniping. "Obviously, this is a frivolous publicity stunt, but this is a portent of things to come," he warns.

The homosexual community now feels that it has public sentiment on its side, and it is flexing its muscle by targeting, essentially, born-again Christians who oppose their agenda. “They're out to re-write the Bible, to say that the Bible really does not condemn homosexual practice, which it obviously does," says LaBarbera. "Ultimately, we believe they'll be doing more and more of these lawsuits against Christians and Christian companies."

The judge in the case has denied Fowler's request for a court-appointed attorney, saying the court had "very genuine concerns" about the legitimacy of the claims in the lawsuit.

Hate Crimes Legislation Overturned in Pennsylvania

While the church sleeps, the political and legal noose tightens around our necks. But some folks are speaking out – and paying a price.

A group called, Repent America, attended a homosexual Outfest in Pennsylvania. They read Scripture and sang hymns to an audience that wasn’t likely to be receptive. While such “in your face” tactics don’t always denote wisdom, the group was reacting to the actions of its own state legislature which had added “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to Pennsylvania’s “ethnic intimidation” law.

Eleven members were arrested. It seems that singing hymns and reading Scripture was all that was necessary to constitute “ethic intimidation.” The case against them was dropped, but Repent America did not drop the cause. They filed legal action in 2005 against the legislative act itself.

On Wednesday, in a rare reversal, the court - the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania – stood down the legislature. The earlier decision of Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania had been that the state legislature violated the Pennsylvania Constitution when it added "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to Pennsylvania's "ethnic intimidation" law. On appeal the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania sided with the Commonwealth Court, saying on Wednesday: "The order of the Commonwealth Court is AFFIRMED for the reasons ably set forth in the opinion of the Honorable James Gardner Colins, which opinion is adopted as that of the Supreme Court."

The bill had started as a measure against agricultural vandalism. It was changed by the state legislature into a hate crimes bill designed to make it illegal for anybody to protest public homosexual activities and celebrations. The law was used to persecute anybody who stood in the way of the homosexual agenda, redefining peaceful protest by Christians as hate crime.

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore along with attorneys from the Foundation for Moral Law, represented the Christians. Judge Roy Moore remarked, "We are very happy that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled in our favor to stop the Governor and a group of corrupt politicians from sneaking a 'hate crimes' bill through the Pennsylvania legislature. Preaching to homosexuals about the sin of sodomy should not be made a 'thought crime' in Pennsylvania or any other state."

Michael Marcavage, director of Repent America, said, "Having been arrested, jailed and charged with a 'hate crime' for preaching the Gospel, I am elated that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the lower court's ruling in striking down Pennsylvania's expanded 'hate crimes' law."

It was observed, that the methods used by the Pennsylvania legislature in passing the 'hate crimes' bill were extremely devious. They provide yet another chilling example as to how far liberal politicians are willing to go to silence Christian speech. In doing so, they are willing to violate their own state Constitution.

Pennsylvania is not an anomaly. Across the nation, a rising level of increasing hostility is being aimed at Biblical Christianity.

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage: Pennsylvania Court Overturns Hate Crimes Expansion Tacked Onto Agricultural Bill
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/nov/07111605.html

New Muslim Student Study Alarming!

We are constantly told by the “balanced and well-informed” media of our nation that Islam is a “peaceful religion” which should not be besmirched by the few radical extremists.

Such a message, consistently given to the American public, is a form of brainwashing. After a season, one is supposed to repeat the mantra, and thereby establish the new way of thinking as the majority opinion. Then, anyone who dissents, is sternly reprimanded. After all, we have heard the mantra so often, how could we believe anything else.

Thank God for some who dare to challenge such conformists efforts.

In a study by John Thorne and Hannah Stuart from the Centre for Social Cohesion, they focused on Islamic students, not in the middle east, but in the United Kingdom. Islam on Campus is the most comprehensive survey ever undertaken of Muslim student opinion in Britain. The poll was specially commissioned by YouGov and involved 1400 students, fieldwork and interviews. The majority of Muslim students’ appear to support secularism and democratic values. They mouth tolerance towards other groups. And they even reject violence in the name of their faith. But probing deeper, different values emerged.

About one-third of the Muslim students (32%) justified killing in the name of religion. The reasons included violence to protect the faith if it was under attack. One out of 25 (4%) said that killing was justified in order to promote or further the cause of the Muslim religion.

Muslim students who were active members of campus-based Islamic societies were more inclined to violent attitudes. Sixty percent (60%) of them said killing in the name of the faith was justified. While academics champion freedom of thought, half (50%) of Muslim students would not be supportive of a friend’s decision to abandon Islamic faith and practice.

One of four do not see men and women was equal in the eyes of Allah. Females more than males sense inequity in treatment. Nearly three fifths (59%) of Muslim students felt that Muslim women wear the hijab.

Forty-percent want Sharia law introduced as an alternative to British law for Muslims. One-third support a worldwide Caliphate based on Sharia law. Those active in campus Islamic societies were more radical, there the number supporting sharia law rose to 58%.

Twenty-five percent of the students in campus Islamic societies believed that Islam as a religion and a political ideology were the same thing. Over half of Muslim students favored (54%) an Islamic political party to represent the views of Muslims at Parliament. Yet, not even half believe that Islam can ever be compatible with secularism.

Fifty-seven percent said that Muslims should be allowed to opt out of taking part in military operations if they involved a Muslim country.

"These findings are deeply alarming," said one of the authors of the report, researcher Hanna Stuart. "Students in higher education are the future leaders of their communities." The study notes the striking difference between in those who join on-campus Islamic groups. In such circles "opinions are significantly more extreme. "

The implications of the study are sadly marginal - encourage democratic Muslim voices and sideline intolerant voices. In a harder line, "the study suggest that University authorities need to urgently take steps to reduce Islamist influence on campus," said Center director Murray. One of the researchers conceded, significant numbers of Islamic students "appear to hold beliefs which contravene liberal, democratic values. In addition, there are signs of growing religious segregation on campus. These results are deeply embarrassing for those who have said there is no extremism in British universities."

You decide. With these values, can any nation expect social cohesion?

In God We Trust Posters Available

The American Family Association has found a way to say “God!” in public places. Actually, to say “In God We Trust!” It is incredible that such language is now disputed, resisted, considered illegal.

They have produced a colorful piece of art-work consisting of the American Flag with the words, “In God We Trust!” in gold letters over the flag. At the bottom of the decorative and declarative piece are the words, “The national motto of the United States of America – Adopted by Congress July 30, 1956”

They are offering these for 3/$10; 10/$25; or 100 or more at a dollar each. Their hope is that individuals will locate these in public places. Some 250,000 have already been hung in classrooms and public offices.

For more information call 662-844-5035, ext. 4. Or, visist www.afa.net/resources/poster.asp