Faith

Emergency Call to Prayer – Nigeria Elections and Christian Persecution

I received a emergency message from my friend, Gabriel, in Nigeria, requesting prayer. Gabriel and I are on a Zoom call each Saturday with a group of guys from around the world, who come together in the name of Jesus, for prayer and encouraging fellowship.

Nigeria is having its presidential election on Saturday. The current president, Muhammadu Buhari, is a muslim who has allowed the widespread, deadly persecution of Christians.  In fact, when President Donald Trump met with Buhari in 2018, he told Buhari, “We are deeply concerned by religious violence in Nigeria including the burning of churches and the killing and persecution of Christians. It’s a horrible story,”

Buhari must go, and in his place a leader who will stop the horrid violence against Christians must be elected.

Now, here’s the message from Gabriel:

“… the Nigerian presidential elections come up this Saturday, the 25th February. Which means we may not be in attendance on the call. There are very valid fears of uprisings whichever way the elections go. If the Christian and most qualified candidate wins, ‘wild fires from the Islamic north may sweep through the south’. If any of the other Muslim candidates win, Nigeria may erupt in religious crisis. Already, panic buying to stock up supplies are currently ongoing as we speak. Even churches, from the pulpits, encouraged members to be prepared this past Sunday. However, I propose a day of fasting and prayer before that day…”

It is very difficult for us in the West to grasp the tension in Nigeria. Nevertheless, please take some time to pray for our brothers and sisters in the country.

 

Sign of the Times: Persecuted Friends

Each Saturday I host an online Bible study made up of men from all over the world. Some are pastors, some missionaries, but most are just regular guys working forty to fifty hours a week.  What we share in common is a desire to follow Jesus better, every day.

This past Saturday, I asked two brothers to join us from Eastern Europe. Telli is originally from Iran, Marti is from Afghanistan (for security purposes, not their real names).  Both of these men became Christians in their home countries and were forced to leave, or face certain death. They each have some very specific prayer needs, and I wanted our Saturday guys to meet them, and pray.

I met Telli and Marti at a church in Eastern Europe, where I spoke in November 2022. Their pastor is my good friend, Luci, who is also part of our Saturday fellowship.

Brother Telli is the older of the two. He has a delightful smile, happy eyes, an a gregarious personality. He is Persian and from Iran.

“I was born a Muslim,” he told me, when we first met, “But I was not a believer in anything.  I am an engineer and religion made no sense to me.”

Though Bibles are illegal to distribute in Iran, Telli came across a one, which he curiously perused.  “It was a red letter Bible. The words of Jesus were all in red and it was very easy to understand.”

Telli was amazed.  He thought Christianity was a religion created man and, like the religion he had been surrounded by his entire life,  assumed it was void of love. “I was not reading anything that could have been written by a human.  Jesus, in the red letters, said, ‘Love your enemy.’  I was told Christians were full of hate and evil. This is not what I was reading.”

Telli made a decision to follow Jesus and was filled with a joy he had never before experienced. His engaging personality naturally led him to tell others about his faith, but his outspokenness soon created a target and he became wanted by Iranian religious police.

“I WAS NOT GOING TO BE SILENT”

“You cannot tell others about Jesus in my country, and I was not going to be silent. If I stayed I would have to publicly renounce Jesus or be imprisoned and then killed.”

Sensing imminent danger, Telli quickly gathered his identification documents and cash.  There would be no suitcase, only the clothes on his back and a small backpack.  His sister, who was pregnant, and his brother in law decided to leave Iran with him.

“The sun sets in the west, and that is where Europe is. We could be free there. We followed the sun.” It was a journey of some 2,000 miles, much of which was carried out on foot. “We were often very cold. I was beaten by robbers and my papers and money were  stolen. My nose was smashed and my skull was broken. I felt responsible for my sister. This was not going well.”

In his moment of need, Telli cried out to the Lord. “I accept you, I go with your words. Are you real or not?  Help me. I am in a bad situation. Please help me and I will serve you.”

Marti is a handsome man in his early thirties. He is a bit more reserved than his friend Telli, but his countenance radiates Jesus.

Marti first became curious about Jesus through viewing the animated Christian cartoon series, Veggie Tales, which he came across on the Internet.  The episodes he discovered were in a soundtrack he understood, Arabic.

“I was told Christians were of the devil. But these characters in the cartoon were very nice and full of love,” he explained to me.  “Then I thought of the Christian people who come to Afghanistan to deliver food and clothing. They were always very nice and seemed like they had love in their hearts. They were not evil like I had been taught.”

Marti made a decision that Jesus was indeed Lord.

“YOU MUST LEAVE IMMEDIATELY”

His family soon learned of his interest in Christianity and Jesus. Fearing the ruling authorities they decided to take matters into their own hands, placing Marti under house arrest. For two years they tried to physically beat Jesus out of him. “I was not going to stop believing. It was the Lord who kept me alive,” he said.

Finally, the family’s patience with Marti had grown thin.

“My grandmother talked to me in secret. She said, ‘They are going to kill you. You must leave immediately.’”

Honor killings are quite common in certain sectors of the Middle East and allowed by law, and Marti was on the family’s hit list. He rapidly collected his identification and money, and escaped. Like Telli, he told me, “I followed the sun setting in the west.”

His long journey to a refugee camp along the Turkish border with Europe took over two months, during which time he was beaten by and robbed by thieves. He would later learn that his grandmother had been brutally murdered by the family as a religious traitor.

“HE ANSWERED ALL MY PRAYERS”

During the Bible study, yesterday, we asked these two saints, “Did persecution sharpen your faith in Jesus?”

Both of them resolutely stated, “No.”

Telli elaborated, “The reality of Jesus makes me stronger. I accept whatever he has for me. We do not fear men.”

Marti agreed, adding, “He answered all my prayers.”

“All of them,” Telli underscored.

Now that you know a bit about Telli and Marti, here is what they asked we pray about.

Marti has another court date to get approval to permanently remain in Eastern Europe. Because all of his papers were stolen, he has no proof of identity. Though he is not considered a threat, and currently has a job as an engineer, he has not been able to produce the documents required to become a legal permanent resident. The court has the power to send him back to Afghanistan where the laws of darkness await.

Telli’s identity was proven to the courts, so he is a permanent resident; his prayer request was first and foremost for Marti.  Additionally, he asked us to pray that someday he will be reunited with his wife and daughter.

“BE ON YOUR GUARD,” A WARNING FROM JESUS

2000 years ago, when describing societal conditions in the End Times (prior to His return as Messiah and judge of the earth), Jesus seems to have been speaking of Telli and Marti’s plight,

“But be on your guard; for they will hand you over to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.  And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.  And when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you at that time; for you are not the ones speaking, but it is the Holy Spirit. And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by everyone because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved,” (Mark 13:9-13).

Telli and Marti are examples of the world in which we live. Millions and millions of Christians are being violently persecuted today, in China, the Middle East, and Africa.

As a member of our Saturday group told me yesterday after meeting Telli and Marti, “There story is the real world of Christianity.”

Please pray for Telli and Marti.

Secret No More: Satanic Temple’s Ritual Abortion

Many years ago I was involved in the production of a documentary film entitled, America’s Best Kept Secret. The film unveiled a modern day look at satanism, including ritual child abuse. We spoke with survivors of such crimes, former members of the occult, and police officers who dealt with satanic crimes. The film was eventually used as a law enforcement training tool.

Unlike many, I have always recognized the reality of authentic occultists, witches, warlocks, and satanists at large. Not all of them sport “Blessed Be” bumper stickers,  have pentagram tattoos, are men brandishing long skirts with Marylin Manson t-shirts, or are gray haired women who have a thing for incense, candles and black cats. Most satan worshippers look just like the neighbor next door.

So, when I heard the news story about the satanic temple in New Mexico that is conducting ritual abortions, I was hardly surprised they had finally taken advantage of the advancing progressive norms and come out of the closet on a practice that was conducted in Old Testament times.

Here are the details.

The Satanic Temple (TST), generally known for recently protesting religious symbolism in public spaces, has announced that it will be opening a free abortion clinic in New Mexico which will offer prescriptions for drugs that induce abortion. The procedure will be carried out over the Internet so the pregnant woman can speak chants and incantations.

“TST is proud to expand reproductive options for our members. This is just the beginning,” said Erin Helian, executive director of campaign operations for TST, told Catholic News Agency.  “We will remain steadfast as we continue the fight to uphold reproductive justice in the United States.”

New Mexico’s abortion laws are disgusting, allowing for legal abortion up to the point of birth, except in the cities of Clovis and Hobbs, which passed laws banning abortion following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

The New Mexico abortion clinic will be called “The Samuel Alito’s Mom’s Satanic Abortion Clinic,” according to TST’s website.

Alito is the U.S. Supreme Court justice who wrote the majority opinion for the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case in June 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade. TST’s website says,  “In 1950, Samuel Alito’s mother did not have options. The clinic’s name serves to remind people just how important it is to have the right to control one’s body and the potential ramifications of losing that right.”

They said they will provide 24/7 virtual appointments, where patients in New Mexico can then receive abortion medication.

A TST spokesperson told KOB-TV in New Mexico, abortion is an “essential part of a religious practice.”

In Matthew 16:3, Jesus asks, “…are you unable to discern the signs of the times?”

We have entered a day of delusion. Boys can be girls, girls can be boys, educated people believe men can have babies, intolerance is being used as the weapon of choice to cancel the free speech rights of Christians, and now, once again, abortion is being ritualized.

As Jonathan Cahn, author of the new book Return of the Gods, would say, we are witnessing a return of the demonic gods who for hundreds of years were not able to find popular places to reside and do business. The ancient abortion demon is Molech, and he/she/it is back and ready to devour the flesh of the babies, just like back  in the days of old.

The Satanic Temple is planning to start offering virtual “telehealth” appointments on Valentines Day.

Pray. Pray. Pray.

And don’t forget to preach the good news that Jesus is Lord of all.

 

Really? Jesus a “Refugee?”

With a $100-million budget and television ads ready to roll in the upcoming Super Bowl, the He Gets Us campaign is introducing a Jesus to America that is, well, relevant.

The expertly produced, compelling commercials contend, among other things, that Jesus was bullied and judged; they also state Jesus was an immigrant and a refugee. While these things might be inferred from Scripture, He Get Us has employed slick Madison Avenue marketing techniques to present us with a greatly nuanced Jesus they hope will be relevant to a certain sector of the American public.

I’ll talk about being bullied, judged and having immigrant/refugee status in a moment, but first I would like to point out that there is nothing in the Bible  that would lead us to be concerned with relevance.  Too often Christians who are trying to be relevant to non-believers are attempting to be liked, or they are embarrassed by the actions and statements of certain other Christians (i.e., conservative political activists, pro-lifers, those who callout sexual sin and others who believe there is a literal Great White Seat of Judgement for non-believers).

Relevancy has produced too many congregations that steer so clear of the moral issues of our day it would appear they are tolerant of everything. Many of these same churches are quick to ask newbies to “Say, yes” to Jesus, but incapable of quoting Jesus’ explanation of what one is actually  saying “yes” to:

“The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned,” (Mark 16:16).

Truth is, followers of Jesus are told that being a Christian is hardly like winning a popularity contest. In fact, Jesus warns, “And you will be hated by all because of My name,” (Matthew 10:22). He even goes further saying, “…they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name,” (Matthew 24:9).

In an interview with the Catholic News Service, He Gets Us spokesman Jason Vanderground said he and his team found that while many people remain unconvinced about the benefits of Christianity, they still like Jesus. Vanderground is hoping these ads can reflect the relevance of what Jesus said and how he lived for modern viewers.

“The skeptic told us are three main things they see within the Church and Christianity. One is judgmentalism. That’s great, because we don’t have to judge. That’s totally God’s job to figure out. The other would be hypocrisy; that we just say one thing, but we do another. That’s human behavior. That happens. And then third is the discrimination that Christianity has become known for being against women, against minorities, etc. And certainly God said everybody is welcome to come to me, and I think that’s how we’re trying to reframe things.”

On the surface, Vanderground sounds reasonable, but it would seem the rhetoric his campaign has chosen is dancing on a razor thin edge of error, or even apostasy.

Merriam-Webster defines refugee as “a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution.” Refugees are typically forced to leave their country or suffer dire consequences. Under that broad definition, it may seem that Jesus and His parents might have been refugees, however, the term refugee has taken on political status these days.

Jesus was not a “refugee” in any sense meaningful to today’s world. Jesus and His parents left Israel and moved to Egypt in order to escape King Herod’s intention to kill him.  Joseph and Mary had a plan and support; their trip was entirely self-funded due to the gifts of the magi. Their time in Egypt, which was still within the Roman Empire (it would be like traveling to a different state in the U.S.)  was short.  The family remained there until the death of Herod, at which time they returned home. Given these facts, there is no parallel to today’s indigent refugee who asks permission to enter a new country to avoid danger back home.

In the interest of truth, Jesus was not a “refugee,” either then or now (and, by the way, this is not to say we should turn a cold shoulder to refugees).

As for bullied and judged, these two terms also are loaded. These days “bullied” commonly describes actions and behavior aimed at attacking those of a particular sexual orientation and members of certain ethnic/racial groups. “Judged” implies criticizing someone from a moral standpoint that is rooted in Biblical righteousness.  Certainly Jesus was viciously beaten and killed, and he was judged by a kangaroo court, but I think the language in the He Gets Us ads is clever rhetoric designed to attract eyeballs to their website.

As my friends at GotQuestions.com wrote, “There are many positive aspects to the He Gets Us campaign. Uncomfortable implications fit the pattern of Jesus’ earthly ministry. The chosen topics are likely to challenge those inclined to dismiss—or embrace—stereotypical Christianity. Christ’s own pattern for evangelism started with relationship and worked up to formal doctrine. However, the campaign itself doesn’t anchor into specific beliefs or truths.”

 

Liberal Religious Leaders Sue Missouri Over Abortion Ban

They are dead wrong.

Thirteen clergy from six faith traditions filed a lawsuit against the State of Missouri on January 19, claiming that the state’s ban on abortion constitutes an imposition of a Christian belief and thus violates the separation of church and state. The clergy members also stressed that the abortion ban violates their religious beliefs.

I will get to a couple quotes from these religious leaders in a moment, but here is what the Missouri ban, House Bill 126, says:

“In recognition that God is the author of life and that Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution of Missouri provides that all persons have a natural right to life, it is the intention of the general assembly of the state of Missouri to [grant]: (1) Defend the right to life [to] of all humans, born and unborn [and to]; (2) Declare that the state and all of its political subdivisions are a ‘sanctuary of life’ that protects pregnant women and their unborn children….”

The bill goes on to state that, “no abortion shall be performed or induced upon a woman, except in cases of medical emergency.”

God bless the people of Missouri and their stand for righteousness.

By enacting the abortion ban, the lawsuit claims that legislators “imposed their preferred religious doctrine on everyone, forcing the citizens and taxpayers of this State to fund the establishment of that doctrine and to obey it regardless of their own faith and beliefs, and irrespective of the resulting grave harms to those seeking abortion care.”

As for the “religious leaders,” they clearly showed their willful ignorance of the Bible.

Rabbi Jim Bennett, head of Congregation Shaare Emerth, Creve Coeur, said, “Deeply rooted in Jewish scripture and tradition is the understanding that the life, safety, and well-being of a mother have priority over that of an unborn fetus. Missouri’s state-sponsored bans on abortion are based on one narrow Christian view of abortion, which is wholly inconsistent with Reform Judaism.”

Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, also with Congregation Shaare Emeth, said, “My faith demands safe, equitable access to all forms of reproductive care, including abortions.”

The Rt. Rev. Deon K. Johnson, Eleventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, said, “I believe that abortion, which is based in reason and science, is not incompatible with scripture and is supported by my faith.

Rev. Jan Barnes, with the United Church of Christ, said, “Missouri’s abortion bans legislate a religious view of abortion that is entirely at odds with my religious beliefs and the reproductive counseling I’ve offered as a United Church of Christ minister.”

The Bible does teach that life begins at conception.

Bible aside, the science is clear,  human life begins at the time of conception. From the moment fertilization takes place, a baby’s genetic makeup is already complete. Its gender has already been determined, along with its height and hair, eye and skin color. The only thing the embryo needs to become a fully-functioning being is time in the womb to grow and develop.

God reveals to us in His Word that not only does life begin at conception, but He knows who we are even before then. The Jewish scriptures (Old Testament)  state, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you (Jeremiah 1:5).

In a prayer, King David said this about God’s role in our conception: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb . . . your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be,’ (Psalm 139:13, 16).

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, but when churches and synagogues spout religious nonsense that is contrary to their own founding documents (the Bible), someone needs to call them out.