John 15:18-15:25 JOHN 15:18"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember the words I spoke to you: ’No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ’They hated me without reason.’
What a perilous time we live in. Persecution of Christians is on the rise. The world hates us. Simple as that.....if you proclaim Christ, you are reviled and hated. These days we are now being called bigots and accused of prejudice. Some even call us "haters" (even though God is love) and are trying to pass legislation to silence the voice of the Christian. What is a born-again Christian to do? We are scoffed and and ridiculed at every turn. Paul said in 2 COR 4:8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. It sure seems hard to believe that, doesn’t it. Allow me to give you a few examples.
A big issue for Christians today is the homosexual agenda. Man, these guys are relentless! I often wonder how there can be such a low percentage of Americans that claim to be homosexual, yet they seem to be pushing their agenda at every turn. The pro-gay activists have been trying to convince us that 10% of America is homosexual for years. However, there are studies that have that number down to 1.1%. They would have you to believe that this is an accepted lifestyle and lots of Americans do it....but they don’t and the numbers bear it out...in spite of what they and the media would have you believe! Here are some examples of the strong influence of the homosexual agenda.... (Source Onenews Now.com) Sept 15th
There are now more than two dozen — over 30 public and private — universities/colleges in America that are offering full-fledged minors in gay studies. These disciplines are even offered at Ivy League institutions such as Yale, Cornell and even DePaul University in Chicago, one of the nation’s largest Catholic schools. Students may choose from classes such as "Homophobia and Coming Out," "Gay Love in Literature," "Queer Art History," or even an anthropology course on "Queerness in Advertising." John G. Younger, a University of Kansas professor who travels the country advising professors on how to gain approval for gay studies programs, said he has stopped counting the number of schools that offer classes in lesbian literature or gay history.
In a marathon session Tuesday, in California, two companion bills were passed which would force homosexual education and promotion in schools (through textbooks, instructional materials, school activities and teachers’ attitudes) and monitor against any alleged harassment of homosexuality (by teachers, parents or students). The second of these (SB 777), which passed the Assembly on a 43-23 vote, could be used to ban the use of words like "mom," "dad," "husband" and "wife" in favor of "partner 1" and "partner 2." It could also lead to male students who "consistently assert" themselves as female being granted access to female restrooms and locker rooms. These bills are headed to the governor. Hopefully, he will veto them.
Also in California, the California Senate voted 22-15 last Friday to redefine marriage as between any "two persons." AB 43 now goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has until Sept. 30 to sign it or veto it. This represents the second time in two years the state legislature has attempted to overturn Proposition 22, which defined the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Many legal experts say the new bill is unconstitutional since any initiative passed by the people — such as Proposition 22 — can only be repealed by a vote of the people. The outrageous measure is among seven bills that soon could be headed to the governor, who has thus far promised to uphold the line on traditional marriage. The legislative session ends today.
This is not the only state to take this action...in direct conflict with what the voters already voted on! Judges are now making law rather than interpreting law as they should be doing. You already know about the ministers in Canada and abroad that were imprisoned and fined for preaching against homosexuality. Do you know about the bill that Nanci Pelosi is championing?
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), or HR 2015 says that you may not discriminate based on sexual gender. That sounds alright, doesn’t it? What doesn’t sound alright is the fact that a church was sued because it fired an employee of their private school and day-care facility because they found out he was a homosexual and was against the message that the church was teaching! If this bill becomes law, churches will be forced to hire known homosexuals for all positions in the church except for leadership or teaching positions. How would you like for the church secretary to be a known homosexual? Get ready.
Some churches are not only condemn the gay lifestyle, but are ordaining ministers with same-sex partners. My Bible says it is an abomination for a man to lay with a man. As a matter of fact, it equate it with bestiality...LEVITICUS 18:22 " ’Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. 23 " ’Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion. How perverse is our Nation?
We could spend a lot of time here, but let’s move on....Islamic extremists are on the rise..and Christians are on the run! I am not saying that we, as followers of Christ, should take the same venue as they do and try to destroy those who don’t accept Christ. They believe that you must convert....or die. And to those who would say that only extremists believe that, I would have you look at the Qor’an and understand that this is a basic teaching of Islam, just like a basic teaching of Christianity is "love one another." What I am saying is that we must resist. We must stand firm. Think of standing in a river with a strong current. You can either stand there, try to go against the current, or be swept downstream. All I’m saying is stand firm. I shall not be moved! Right now, we are being pushed backwards and being swept away!
An airport in Kansas City, Mo. now has built "foot baths" so that Muslims can pray. Schools are allowing "prayer time" for Muslim students. In New York City, taxpayers have funded a special school for "Arabic-speaking" students only...we know what that really is, don’t we? Some colleges even pay for their prayer mats and Qor’ans. Not long ago, a session of congress was opened up in prayer...which is not unusual, we’ve done it since the inception of America..only this one was by an Imam of Muslim faith! All of this at a time whenever Christians are being persecuted and our prayer is defined by "separation of church and state" and dis-allowed at every turn. One valedictorian at a high school wanted to pray before her speech. She was disciplined and told that if she did, she would not receive her diploma.
I could go on and on. Look at what’s happening on TV. Shows depicting homosexuals as a "normal" couple are on the rise. The comedian Kathy Griffin won an Emmy award this past week and literally "spit" in the face of Jesus....her remarks were so vulgar about our Saviour that I can’t even repeat what she said here. She said that her "statue" is now her God. And have you listened to the music that our young people are listening to today? It’ll burn your ears off! Have you heard them talk? Foul, foul, foul! Let me show you something in case you didn’t know. EPH 5:3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Still want to cuss and tell dirty stories? Refuse to give up listening to filthy music and watching dirty movies? It’s a sure-fire ticket to hell!
But here’s some good news, Christians! I want to set this up for you...in 2 KINGS 6, the Aramean King was after Elijah. He had a great army and had Elijah and his servant surrounded. Things looked bleak, and the servant was afraid! He saw what was happening with his eyes and trusted his own eyes only. Look here at vs15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. 16 "Don’t be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Strike these people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
I want to tell you that even when it looks the darkest, even whenever you seem outnumbered, even when your eyes can only see doom and gloom, my God is still on the throne! He is still in control! His Will is gonna be done! I’ve read the end of the Book, Praise God! We serve a living God who has a plan...and we are a part of it! It may seem that we are out numbered, and maybe we are.....but we have the sovereign God of Abraham on our side, not the hateful one that the Muslims have that wants you to die for him, but the loving God of the Hebrews that wants you to live for Him! And He has a plan for you, too! Here it comes again...JER 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Aren’t you glad God loves you enough to send His best so that you and I might live everlasting life? For Muslims, 70 virgins is heaven. For Christians, eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has in store for us. Praise God, He is alive and He is victorious. Our God reigns! I want to close with this in JOHN 3:19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Do you live by truth? Come into the light.
