Revive In 2005 Pt. 2 Series

Revive In 2005 ¡V Part 2

Thesis: The Body of Christ in America needs to be revived in the New Year of 2005. They need to follow the example of King Hezekiah and learn how to be revived in 2005.

To many people just want to survive in 2005 but the Lord wants us revived in 2005.

Introduction:

We have entered into a New Year with the chance at a new start or a new beginning. It¡¦s a new chapter in our book of life. So what are you going to write about in this new chapter? You hold the pen to this chapter in your life it is yours to write. Will it be a chapter filled with hopelessness and despair? Will it be a chapter filled with repentance and revival? Will it be a chapter filled with the same ho hum life of the previous chapter? Will it be an exciting chapter in your life or a sleeper chapter? Will people get excited when they read this chapter about your life or will they think this is boring!

Summary of Sermon #1:

Last week we started exploring the topic of Revival because our new theme is Revive in 2005. We heard about the father of America¡¦s modern revival in the 1800¡¦s Charles Finney. We also read and learned about King Hezekiah who brought revival to the nation of Judah. We saw that Hezekiah did some prominent actions when he became king of Judah. 1st he went and repaired the Temple because it had been abandoned and left barren for years under the evil reign of his father. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord by repairing the temple doors and then having the temple cleaned up and cleaned out of anything that was defiled. He then proceeded to reinstitute the sacrificial worship service set up and established by the Lord in Leviticus. He made a new covenant with the Lord and the nation of Judah repented and made a new covenant and revival broke out across the country. We today need this same kind of revival in the United States.

Listen to this recent article I received this week on America¡¦s spiritual condition from the American Family Association:

PENNSYLVANIA CHRISTIANS FACE 47 YEARS IN PRISON FOR READING THE BIBLE IN PUBLIC

Philadelphia charges Christians with hate crimes, inciting a riot, and using a deadly weapon.

Bill O’Reilly reported on the situation on Fox News Channel.

Dear Michael,

What we have been saying has now happened. You cannot quote what the Bible has to say about homosexuality in public or you will be charged with a "hate crime." Philadelphia is only the beginning. If we fail to take a stand here, this "crime" will soon be applied across America.

In the 27 years of this ministry, I have never witnessed a more outrageous miscarriage of justice than what is happening in Philadelphia. Four Christians are facing up to 47-years in prison and $90,000 in fines for preaching the Gospel on a public sidewalk, a right fully protected by the First Amendment.

On October 10, 2004, the four Christians were arrested in Philadelphia. They are part of Repent America. Along with founder Michael Marcavage, members of Repent America¡Xwith police approval--were preaching near Outfest, a homosexual event, handing out Gospel literature and carrying banners with Biblical messages.

When they tried to speak, they were surrounded by a group of radical homosexual activists dubbed the Pink Angels. A videotape of the incident shows the Pink Angels interfering with the Christians¡¦ movement on the street, holding up large pink symbols of angels to cover up the Christians’ messages and blowing high pitched whistles to drown out their preaching.

Rather than arrest the homosexual activists and allow the Christians to exercise their First Amendment rights, the Philadelphia police arrested and jailed the Christians!

They were charged with eight crimes, including three felonies: possession of instruments of crime (a bullhorn), ethnic intimidation (saying that homosexuality is a sin), and inciting a riot (reading from the Bible some passages relating to homosexuality) despite the fact that no riot occurred.

You may think I am exaggerating. I’m not. Our AFA Center for Law and Policy is representing these four individuals at no cost. We will take this case all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary to get justice.

There is so much more about this case I don’t have room for it in this letter. We have prepared a 25-minute VHS/DVD in which two AFA-CLP attorneys discuss the case in detail.

Please help us with our expenses in representing these committed Christians. With your tax-deductible gift of $15, less than the cost of a cup of coffee once a month for the next year, we will send your choice of either the VHS or DVD. Watch the VHS/DVD, then share it with your Sunday school class and church. This VHS/DVD should be required viewing in every church in America.