Sudan: Death to Christians & Freedom

I have received several e-mails like the one posted below from the ACLJ:

Meriam Ibrahim faces death. Martin, her American toddler, is imprisoned and sick.

He could lose his mother and be turned over to the very radical Islamists who hung her.

A judge in Sudan ordered Meriam to renounce her Christian faith or die. She's refused, saying, "I will remain a Christian."

She's pregnant, and once her American baby is born, she'll be flogged and then executed.

Prayer and public pressure are Meriam and her American children's only hope.

Already over 200,000 have signed our petition for her freedom.

We're working directly at the U.N. and with Members of Congress to save her life.

This is a death penalty case. Your voice can make the difference, but time is of the essence. Tomorrow is the last day to sign before we send our letter to Sudan.

The ACLJ is petitioning Sudan concerning this matter.  To join in signing their petition go to Be Heard Project.

Fox News reports on this at Sudanese Christian shackled while awaiting death sentence, husband says.

MailOnline also reports at EXCLUSIVE: The REAL reason pregnant mother was sentenced to death in Sudan? Jealous family got her charged to STEAL her successful business claims her American husband's legal team.

Below are some videos telling more about this situaton:







If speaking out against this flogging and death sentence seems appropriate and desirable, the ACLJ offers the very simple and easy opportunity to sign their petition on-line at Be Heard Project.

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Confusing Propaganda in Christendom

This morning as I was preparing for my day with prayer and hymns alongside of contemplating planning for my workday and responsibilities, after checking a weather forecast I also visited a Christian/Lutheran site and was reminded that today is the anniversary of the 09-11-2001 events.  I occasionally visit this blog to see what is presented.  Here is a snapshot of today’s posting and the previous post.

As I observed this my heart felt distressed.  I wondered which of the two is really what is being practiced during this Fifteenth Week after Trinity by those professing to be Christians.

I do realize that with this particular choice of images that the blogger’s motives and intended conveyance could be that Christians should remember those who suffered from this incidence of worldly violence and wickedness so as to be moved to pray for those who suffered as well as for those who committed this great wickedness.  Certainly this is to put the best construction on the intentions behind the use of this image.

But is this in any way indicated by the blogger?  Is this at all what is commonly understood by “Never Forget”?

A Google Internet search produced this compilation of images.  There appears to be a plethora of images produced concerning the sentiments and beliefs of people regarding the 9-11-01 events and the information disseminated by the government and media agencies.

Ultimately, however, what real advantage lies in remembrance of this day?  Who truly benefits from it?

If we stand back and divorce ourselves from the emotional impact of whatever is perceived regarding 9-11-01, what has been the result of propagating remembrance of this?  What things have been pursued in connection with “remembering”?



The bottom line is the point of concern.  With this image is expressed a great and horrible world-view, one that perpetuates itself and brings endless abuse, suffering, and grief.

“I learned on 9/11/01. Never Forget!!
Never Forgive!! Enough Said.”


Is this not the prevailing mindset and sentiment of those who say: “Never Forget”?

I certainly am not a defender of the religion of Islam.  I believe it to be a great evil in the world.  I believe that it enslaves people to a false god who hides his true identity, demanding to be called “the merciful” without any example of mercy demonstrated.  He demands to be embraced as the one who “oft forgives” without showing forgiveness.  He does not redeem but demands sacrifice.  He demands war against all of mankind, not in defense but to conquer by brute force.

This is the way of sinful mankind.  This is the way taught by their father, who has promoted disruption and deception and murder from the beginning.  This is the way of the sinful nature in which all men are conceived and born.

But this is not the way of the Lord.  This is not what He espouses or commands.  This is not the way of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church.

His way is the way of forgiveness from the heart.  His way is to pray for one’s enemies.  His way is the way of the cross, bearing the shame of sinful mankind, offering forgiveness and life in exchange.

The Lord is merciful.  His command to His people is that they should not act vengefully.

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  (Hebrews 10:30)


Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.  (Deuteronomy 32:34-36)


Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.  (Romans 12:16-21)

This concept is entirely foreign to the sinful nature.  Sadly, very few who profess to be Christian truly understand this either.

Thus, the vengeance of the Lord is often preached to the opposite end of what He Himself declares.  His judgment is turned upside down and inside out.  He Himself explains it very plainly.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:   That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.  (John 3:14-21)

   

What is the Lord’s recompense for evil?  What does the Lord mean by saying that vengeance belongs to Him?

He shows us from the cross.  On the cross He punishes wickedness in His own body and soul.  Having taken the flesh of humanity, having taken the sin of the world into Himself, He took vengeance for all of the wickedness and evil of all time.  He paid the vengeance price with His own suffering and death, His own rejection by the authorities and the religious leaders and the people and mankind.  He took the world’s condemnation and cried out in His suffering: FORGIVE!

We find this as His declared will already in Genesis.  He reiterates it endlessly throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, again in the New Testament Scriptures.

Yet the Lord is not blind to the daily struggles that mankind faces in this world of sin.  As a true Father, He does provide measures to help curb these so that evil does not completely obliterate His creation, especially for the sake of Man.  Thus He does speak of various temporal forms of punishment against wickedness in the world.  He does provide rulers, all of whom are sinful and therefore do not follow His will fully, often even with great wickedness of their own.  Yet through them He does limit and curb overall chaos.  This also is referred to as vengeance, which finds its ultimate display in the suffering and death of Jesus as well.

For the Lord and His household of faith, the continual cry of the heralds is: FORGIVENESS!

Forgiveness for all!

Sadly, most refuse this forgiveness and continue in their unbelief or self-defined beliefs.  Either way the result is the same, they turn the Lord’s forgiveness into something else.  They hinder themselves and others from rightly perceiving the will of the Lord.  Thus many view Christendom as nothing more than another worldly abuse, as a house of hypocrites and hate.

But that is not the way of Christendom.  The true Church of Christ is all about forgiveness and restoration and the love of God in Christ.

The Remembrance of the true Church is that proclaimed with the eating and drinking of the body and blood of the Lord, where it is His Remembrance that is shown and taught and proclaimed till He comes.  It is as with the Old Testament Passover, where the Lord says that the blood is a sign unto Himself so that He Passes Over His redeemed.  He made the same declaration concerning the rainbow, that it was sign to Himself never again to destroy the world by a flood.¹  His signs then also serve us, as we see that He is true to His promises to do as He has promised.  In His Church of the New Testament He has replaced circumcision with Baptism, the Passover with His Supper, and the various sacrifices with the divine liturgy and Confession and Absolution.

Those who receive and practice these as He has ordained them, without reinterpreting them, without redefining them, without adulterating and compromising them, they are the true Church.  Within this true Church forgiveness, mercy, grace, and peace reign.  These are what the true Church teaches the saints to hear and to remember so that they may continue in the new life into which they have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

The true Church has always been a tiny remnant.  False representatives and false churches have filled the earth so that very few ever know the joys of God’s Holy Communion.  But where the pure means of grace are administered, there the true saints are congregated by the Lord to Himself and they are continually renewed in Him.  Thus they are moved to act in conformity with what He restores in them.  As He forgives, so they also forgive.  As He remembers His promise not to call to His remembrance their sins and wickedness, so they demonstrate to those who do them wrong.

So, if Christians are moved to Remembrance on this day of great calamity twelve years ago, let this be their remembrance, their preaching, their teaching, their confession, and their practice.

The peace of God to all in Christ Jesus!




__________

¹ The flood was used to save Noah and his family from obliteration from those who had turned from fearing the Lord to their own ways.  The promised Seed and Salvation was to come through Noah.  As the last believer and preacher of faith in the Lord on earth, he and his family would have faced the same persecution as is being demonstrated today.  They would have been killed and Jesus would not have been born to save the world.  After the flood, God declared that this means of preventing the extinction of His people would not be repeated.  We see the fulfillment of this when unbelievers began to organize at the tower of Babel to establish a one-world-order by which they intended to raise themselves over mankind.  At Babel the Lord disrupted their wicked intentions by means of the confusion of their languages so that they dispersed and desisted their works of establishing themselves as gods over the rest mankind.  Although they continued in their unbelief and wickedness, nevertheless they were halted from their united efforts against the Lord and His plan of salvation.

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Youcef Nadarkhani Released From Jail

At Iran Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani Acquitted of Apostasy, Released From Jail it is reported that after three years this poor man and his family are finally reunited.  The man whom the Muslims wanted to murder for the false accusation of apostasy, has been spared this hateful action.  They have not killed him.  He was accused of converting from Islam to Christianity.  He never professed to believe in Allah.  Nevertheless, those who hate Christ wanted to kill this man.  So far, his three year imprisonment has been counted as enough hatred displayed, along with changing his sentence:

Though acquitted of apostasy, the Iranian pastor was found guilty of evangelizing Muslims. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment but was released because he already served this time.

Such is the way of peace practiced by those who bow down to Allah.  Many who call themselves Muslims will argue that this is not truly the way of Islam.  Yet their writings from their one true prophet of Allah do teach this as their way.  Moreover, those who practice Islam regularly support Jihad with their money.  And finally, they do not denounce those who do this as condemned by their God.  They may say that this is not truly the way of Islam, but they do not actually condemn it, either.  Some exceptions may be found, but they do not count themselves as truly separate from their Muslim brothers who do these things.  So what is to be concluded?

Sadly, Christianity has been abused so that many imagine that the Bible and the faith taught in the Bible can be likened to this religion of Muhammad.  Sadly, it is true, that many who have professed to be of Christ and of His Church have acted shamefully, inhumanely, and against all that Christ has ordained for those who are His disciples.  Horrible atrocities have been committed in the name of Jesus.

So is there a difference?

The Bible teaches that those who are of Christ love their enemies and pray for them.

The Bible teaches that the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Christ, is not of this world but is a spiritual kingdom and that the disciples of Jesus are not to seek to establish a kingdom by any force other than the means of grace, that is, the pure preaching of the Gospel and the right administration of the Sacraments.  No one is to be coerced to believe.  No one is to be threatened beyond the warning of the self-condemnation of rejecting God’s Word and grace, which finally result in the very thing that the person has chosen for oneself, everlastingly to be cut off from the life in God’s Holy Communion, to be everlastingly confined instead to the ways of those who reject life in God’s Communion.

The Bible teaches that God’s governance of His Church is through Word and water and bread and wine, which administered as He has ordained provide limitless grace, mercy, and peace through forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration, renewal, and healing.  Through these it is taught that God gives His very own body and blood, mind and spirit, to His Church, the communion of His saints on earth.  These saints count themselves as subjected to one another in the love of Christ, bound together not by their act of submission, but by the love and peace of God.

Much more can be said, but even with this much, does the Church of Christ and the faith of this Christian Church sound at all like what is openly professed and practiced within Islam?

Sadly, however, it must be admitted that this Church of Christ is very small and hard to find, so that Christians are perceived to be what is commonly observed in the world.  If a person is open to seek the Church that the Bible declares to be truly of God, where will this person find this Church?

Will Christ be found in the big cathedrals?  Will He be found in the Mega churches?  Will He be found in the many little churches?  Where will He be found?

Where does He say that He is to be found?

It is a shame that such hate crimes have been and continue to be committed as Youcef Nadarkhani and his family have experienced.  It is horrible to know that such hate crimes happen in all parts of the world, even by those professing to be disciples of Christ.  One example is reported again at Church says military funeral protests will continue despite new restrictions.  This truly is a hate crime.  I’m not sure that under the Constitution of the United States that it should be illegal, but it certainly is a crime motivated by hatred.  And this is really very small compared to the atrocities committed that have been recorded throughout history.

What hope is there?  Will the hatred ever end?  Will these terrible acts ever stop?

For some, they already have.  For those whom the Holy Spirit gathers into the name of Jesus through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit so that they confess their sins together and receive God’s absolution and then humbly receive God’s body and blood at His Table of forgiveness and life, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding does guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Gathered into His name they begin to experience the end of the hatred and begin to enjoy the life of God’s love together which overflows to everyone whom they encounter.

But for others, those who choose for themselves another way, who reject the pure means of grace that God has ordained for our salvation and healing, they shall continue forevermore in the ways in which they now continue.  Mankind, according to his corrupted nature, always resorts to the ways that we observe all around us.  It is as the Epistle reading for this week declares:

     Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness,revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

The contrast is stark.  The former is not a choice.  It is what has been inherited according to the sinful nature.  One can even say that this propensity is genetic, as it inheres to the flesh.

The latter is not a choice either.  It is what is inherited in connection with the rebirth through water and spirit.  It is a new life that accompanies the baptismal gift of the indwelling of the Spirit of God.  The Word, Jesus, is in the consecrated water.  He gives the promised Spirit.  The Spirit generates the new life of faith.  This faith then rules the heart and mind and spirit of the newly generated saint.  This faith is nurtured through the continual gathering for the feast of Word and Sacrament.

But the flesh and the spirit are at war.  This is true even within the newborn saint, so that the flesh continually needs to be crucified through confession and absolution and feasting at the Supper of Everlasting Life in God’s Communion.

In the world this war is manifested openly with persecutions against the saints.  The true saints are sometimes tolerated by the world, but eventually the world rises up again against the saints.  The true Church is seen as the enemy because the saints stand apart from the world even though they live in the world.  The true Church even stands apart from the so-called visible church, the church that makes so much noise about how much they love God and how much they love Jesus and how hard they try to be “good” Christians and to conquer the world for Jesus and to conform the world to the good ways.  Often the most severe persecution of the saints is instigated by this so-called visible church.

And so the war continues.  It appears to be very one sided, since the only weapons that the true saints use in defending the Church and the Faith are the pure Word and Sacraments.  To everyone but these saints this seems like utter futility.  But to all the believing it is the power of God into salvation.  (Rom. 1:16)

The release from jail of Youcef Nadarkhani is cause for rejoicing, even from a secular perspective.  It is always a cause for rejoicing when those who are acting hatefully are turned from their evil ways.  And of course, for Youcef and for all of the people, there is a respite from these acts against them.  Surely all of the people in Iran can sigh at least a brief sigh of relief.

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Reaction to Government Imposed Religion

The article Meltdown! Student goes berserk in class shares the account of an incident that occurred in college Evolution class. Some of the students made video recordings of the outburst that ended with the young lady being taken away to a government religious center, the South County Mental Health Center in Delray Beach, Fla.

Yes, Evolution and Psychology are part of the government’s religion, and it is being forcibly imposed upon the populace. This young lady cried out violently against what continually bombards her, but she does not fully understand.

Some of the people who commented on this article made comments about how this young lady is a racist and a product of welfare, etc. One lady spoke against the other students who displayed the laughter of dismay, as if they were without compassion, when they were actually victims who laughed rather than to respond in other ways.

This type of incident is becoming more and more common in our society. It will become even more prevalent in the future.

Why? Why is this happening? Why are we seeing people suddenly go berserk and act out violently? Why are there people suddenly “Going Postal”?

In this young lady’s case, did she perhaps know of the racial eugenics of Evolutionism? Did she know that the early promotion of Evolutionism was to dehumanize certain groups of people? Did she know that in America the religion of evolution was propagated to “prove” the inferiority of the African peoples?

It is hard to say. Perhaps she simply listened to too many racial hatemongers like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and the Obama. There is no question that many people have been victims of such propaganda, being continually taught that reacting with anger and outrage is the proper and perhaps only response to various observable inequities.

Mix in perhaps a few psychiatric drugs prescribed to manipulate her emotions rather than to deal with them, consider also whatever family dysfunction she may daily encounter, add also the collapsing economy and the personal and community impact, pile on the growing threat of the governmental denial of Constitutional protections (through the NDAA, TSA, NSA, CIA, etc.), finally add in the forced continual exposure to the denigrating and intellectually insulting false doctrine of Evolutionism, and eventually all of this pent up confusion breaks through to those around her.

Outbursts like this young lady’s are not without cause. While these causes may not justify or excuse her actions, they do help to put things into a more understandable perspective, and perhaps also lead to a certain degree of sympathy and empathy. Maybe we should actually invest the energy to listen and hear such people.

After all, we are such people.

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Is Racism Ever Accidental?

In a recent conversation with a local businessman I heard the comment, “I’ve never had dealings with a nigger who didn’t do me wrong.”

I was shocked and responded: “I have. Assuming that you are using this term with reference to a person’s skin color. I have known many very fine black people.”

His response was, “Well then, you’ve been fortunate. I never have.”

I did not press the matter, but it disturbed me greatly. This occurred before the Trayvon media out-lashes. This was before the NBC deliberate falsification of the 911 recording. This was before the racist so-called reverends began their campaigns of hatred and violence.

While it is a tragedy that Trayvon was killed, is not the greater tragedy the deliberate falsification of the event that the media and hatemongers have perpetrated?

NBC even went so far as to edit the 911 recording so as to present an entirely false account. This is reported at NBC to do ‘internal investigation’ on Zimmerman segment and THE TRAYVON MARTIN OPERATION.

Here is what the NBC Today show presented of the dispatcher call:

Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.

Here is the transcript of the actual flow of this part of the call:

Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.

Dispatcher: OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?

Zimmerman: He looks black.

The two articles proceed to demonstrate the deliberate attempt by NBC to present a false scenario that would move racial tensions to explode in Sanford and throughout the country.

Does this sort of thing happen by accident?

During my one year residency in Detroit I had the wonderful opportunity to be with people who had lived in that city for many years. I was very naive and some of these dear folk looked after me. My neighborhood was quite rough. There were crack houses on our block. Gun shots could be heard every night. At least two drive-by shootings occurred during my time there. At least one elderly man was knifed to death for drug money. But the neighbors, especially the next-door neighbors looked after me. I think that they figured I was a very naive white fellow. Regardless, they were very kind and they did look after me.

From the people with whom I had regular daily dealings, love was the primary interaction. Of course, most of my dealings were in the congregation and its school. Certainly many very bad things were being done all around me everyday, but not by my brothers and sisters.

Some of them shared stories about how racism was deliberately promoted in the city, especially by real estate profiteers. They shared how the media and fire department and police colluded to make the riots appear much worse than they actually had been. My understanding of the deliberate promotion of racism in our nation was greatly expanded by their testimonies. They educated me regarding many issues.

My point in sharing this is that racism is not accidental.

Dictionary.com has these as the two primary definitions of accidental:

1. happening by chance or accident; not planned; unexpected: an accidental meeting.
   
2. nonessential; incidental; subsidiary: accidental benefits.
   

From both perspectives, racism is not accidental. Racism is both planned and essential, meaning that it is taught and that it has deliberate influences and effects upon those who experience it. Racism is ugly. Racism is evil. It is shameful that we even find it necessary to have such a word in our vocabulary. There is only ONE race. All humans are of this same race. We share the same Father. He is a loving Father. His will is that we live together in His love. Why do people imagine that this is a difficult thing? Why do people follow frauds who teach that racism is something that must be overcome and that must be controlled through various laws? The only law that has the power to eliminate racism is the law of love.

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)

Racism is not accidental. It is a choice, a choice that is taught and propagated. People are reactionary. They react to various differences and misunderstandings, often with fear and distrust. When people both react to one another in this way, and when they teach this to others through rumors and other slanderous talk, it becomes amplified. Yes, people often do wicked and evil things, sinful things against others.

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

If we want to have peaceful relations, we need to understand that they begin with the forgiveness that flows from charity, that is agape, Love.

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Why Are Christians So Hateful?

One of the questions that I sometimes encounter is the question of why Christians are so hateful. Have you encountered that question? Have you asked that question yourself?

The answer to this question may surprise you.

The answer is that they are not. Christians are not hateful.

If in your perception Christians are hateful, consider the following possible explanations.

• Those whom you are judging as hateful are not really Christians.
  
• Those whom you are judging as hateful are being judged according to your own prejudices and hatefulness.
  
• You do not understand as clearly as you imagine the actions of those whom you are judging.
  
• You do not understand the reasons for the actions that you judge as hateful.
  
• The hatefulness that you observed was indeed hateful, but something from which that person or persons would repent if confronted in the name of the Lord and with His Word.
  
• Those you judge as hateful are unaware of how their actions affect you or others.
  
• Your perception of hatefulness is one that views everyone as hateful, with one possible exception, namely yourself.
  
• You hate everyone, including yourself.
  
• You have experienced so much hurt in your life that everything and everyone is viewed with fearfulness of being hurt.
  
• You really don’t have a clear definition of love.
  
• Your definition of love is skewed.
  
• You simply don’t like Christians and refuse to admit that they show love in their lives and actions.
  
• You have adopted a religious or philosophical or world view that does not allow you to see Christians as loving.
  
• You are a hypocrite.
  
• You are simply a moron.
  
• Various combinations of the above.
  

The fact is that Christians are not hateful. Many who claim to be Christians are hateful. But Christians are not hateful. Christians are, however, sinners whose lives do have sinful actions. Some of these sinful actions may indeed be hateful actions. But one who is truly a Christian will acknowledge such actions as sinful and wrong and be turned from them through honest confrontation. While a Christian may indeed display a sinful and hateful action, such cannot continue in a Christian. It is not possible. The Epistle of 1 John makes this as plain as it is possible to state the matter. Read it and see.

Thus, if you honestly believe one who professes to be a Christian to be acting contrary to true love, as the Lord Himself defines it through His own sacrificial life and through His Scriptures, kindly address this matter of concern with that person. But don’t make an everlasting fool of yourself by insisting that Christians are hateful or unloving, because the facts are against you.

If you are one who professes to be a Christian and you persistently hear that you are unloving or hateful, consider the source of the accusation. Then examine yourself in the light of the accusation and in the light of God’s Word. Hear the concern for what it is. If it proves to be false, then simply walk away from it and leave it behind. If it is true, then trust the one whom you confess as your God and receive the change of heart and mind that He promises to work in you through His means of grace. Receive His forgiveness and love for yourself, live in it for yourself, and let it pour forth to all whom you encounter in your walk of faith.

Finally, remember that this is a continual event in the life of a Christian. Hearing the Word of the Lord so as to be turned from that which is false and wrong to that which is true and good, namely, Christ and His means of grace in His Church, this is the life of a Christian. True Christians are a rare find. It has always been so. Thus rejoice when you do find one and embrace that one as a brother or sister.

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The Insane Lust for War and Fighting

Today I received notice of a statement made by the man who has been touted as the “crown prince” of the Tea Party movement. That title in itself causes me to recoil. But his statement is horrifying to me. He said:

“. . . the idea of a nuclear Iran is so catastrophic that there’s virtually no price too high to pay to avoid it.”

This is quoted from Rubio: No Price Too High to Avoid Nuclear Iran.

At CPAC kicks off with Marco Rubio the following is reported:

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), widely considered to be a contender for the vice presidential nomination, drew loud applause when he spoke of “the American example” and the need to spread American values globally.

“What happens if we diminish? What happens if we retreat? … That space will be filled by someone else [and] the only nations capable of filling that void are totalitarian nations like Russia and China. … the greatest thing we can do for the world is be America,” said Rubio, to thunderous applause.

This is what people are applauding? Have people completely lost their sense of what is right?

Like most of these people, Rubio purports to be a Christian. Have these people never read:

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:17-18)

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; (Hebrews 12:14-15)

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (Matthew 5:43-46)

Love your enemies. Pray for them. Where are the prayers begging God for peace so that advancement of war would be unnecessary?

St. Paul admonishes: “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

Does this “crown prince” sound as though he has even the slightest desire to avoid war? When he says “. . . there’s virtually no price too high to pay . . .” is there no one who realizes what this means?

How many lives will be sacrificed? And without even trying to prevent it?

And these people imagine themselves to be listening to the Holy Spirit? These people imagine themselves to be followers of the same Lord who says, “Pray for them”?

Does no one even ask why such warmongering is being pushed by the establishment? Iran does not even have any nuclear weapons. All that has been reported is that they may be developing the capability of making such weapons.

And what is the result here in America from this frenzy of hatred? Our future prosperity is being obliterated. Our protection from abuses of our own government is being obliterated by the Patriot Act, the TSA, Homeland Security, the National Defense Authorization Act, and countless others. On and on the list grows as the people look elsewhere with hateful eyes, blinded to the destruction of our own nation and society.

Hatred and vengeance and war are powerfully destructive. They carry very high costs.

The saddest part is that those who seem to be the most hateful and vengeful and lustful for blood and war are those who make the most noise about being lovers of peace and liberty and forgiveness.

The Lord Jesus said over and over that the false ones would be known by their fruits.

If Christians spent as much time contemplating their own sinfulness and need for God’s forgiveness, grace, mercy, peace, restoration, and reconciliation as they say others have need of correction and salvation, how much time would be left for blood lust and hatred?

Sadly, when these Christians have brought judgment back upon us all so that unimaginable hard times strike the land, I know whom they will blame and upon whom they will lash out in vengeful wrath. It has been that way since Cain slew Abel. It will continue until the Lord comes again to bring such things finally to an end.

In the meantime, the Gospel is still available for all who desire to hear it and receive it. God’s means of grace still flow freely wherever even two or three have been gathered into Christ’s name. God’s love is still in the world and will be until the very end of this age. For this I only know to say, “Thanks be to God!”

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From Whence Come Wars

     From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (James 4:1-3)

More on Pastor Nadarkhani

The Washington Post has an article, Clearing up the facts on Pastor Nadarkhani’s fate.

It includes a link to this translation of the Iranian Supreme Court verdict against Nadarkhani.

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Petition on behalf of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has been in the news as a man sentenced to death in Iran for his refusal to repent of his conversion (apostasy) from Islam to Christianity. International pressure has helped to forestall at least temporarily the Iranian government’s plans to execute him. Additionally, the Iranian government has circulated propaganda claiming that the charges in the court documentation are not the real crime for which he is sentenced to death.

More information is available at Youcef Nadarkhani Still in Danger: Ayatollah Khamenei to be his Final Judge . As this article reports, the matter has been carried to its highest level in Iran, to the Ayatollah Khamenei.

The ACLJ, the American Center for Law and Justice, is preparing a petition to present to Secretary of State Clinton urging her to “call for Iran to overturn Pastor Youcef’s death sentence and demand his full and unconditional release from prison.” The petition is available at Petition to Secretary of State Clinton - Call on Iran to save Christian pastor. A form is provided at this link for having your name added to the petition if you would like to join the outcry on behalf of this man’s life. Alternatively, you can call the PETITION LINE at 1-877-989-2255.

If you know of people without Internet access who would like to have their names added to the petition, this phone number gives easy access to do so. It is again: 1-877-989-2255.

Here is the petition that is to be presented to Secretary Clinton:

To: Secretary of State Clinton

We cannot allow this atrocity to be carried out. Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani faces imminent execution in Iran for his Christian faith. In July, your office stated that it was “dismayed over reports that the Iranian courts are requiring Youcef Nadarkhani to recant his Christian faith or face the death penalty for apostasy.” Now, Pastor Youcef faces execution that could be carried out at any time.

It is absolutely critical that you call for Iran to overturn Pastor Youcef’s death sentence and demand his full and unconditional release from prison. As other world leaders denounce Iran’s condemning this man to death just for being a Christian, it is critical that America – the land of liberty – take a stand and pressure Iran to release Pastor Youcef.

I urge you to take immediate action to call on Iran to stop this ultimate human rights abuse, and free Pastor Youcef before it’s too late.

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Sharia Law & Islam - Extremist or Radical

How many times have the media, our governmental leaders, even so-called Christian leaders referred to the hateful and murderous acts of Islamic followers as “radical” or “extremist”? How many times have these terms been falsely equated? Extremist means: advocating or resorting to measures beyond the norm, especially in politics. Radical means: from the root.

According to what is being done to this man in Iran, under Sharia Law, are the acts that have been perpetrated in the name of Allah throughout the world extremist or are they radical, that is, are they beyond the norm or do they truly represent the religion of Islam?



This man has been tried and convicted of professing to be a Christian. Actually, he is accused of converting to the Christian faith from Islam. He says that he never was a Muslim. Regardless, he has been convicted of the crime of converting to the profession of believing in Christ and has been sentenced to death.

Is this the way of Islam? It is according to the Quran. It is according to centuries of Islamic law and practice.

If this is extremism, why are not the Muslims of the world screaming in outrage? Have I missed it? Has there been such an outcry from the so-called moderate Muslims? Are they denouncing this ruling of the Iranian courts as being against the will of their Allah and their religion of Islam?

While my search has not been extensive, I have found nothing of such an outcry being reported. One search was: “Are Muslims defending Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani?” Google produced only articles regarding what others are saying against this crime against humanity. Nothing appeared that answered the actual query. No examples were produced of any Muslim speaking out on behalf of this man being persecuted and sentenced to death for his profession of faith. (Nota bene: I only checked the first five pages of articles or fifty articles.)

However, Google did produce this article in which Nadarkhani’s attorney speaks out.

Nadarkhani Refuses to Repent; Awaiting Final Ruling on Apostasy Death Sentence

The article does not say whether or not the attorney is Muslim, although some of the statements of the attorney would seem to indicate that he is not.

But returning to the issue of whether these actions are extremist and going beyond the norm of Islam or is actually radical and following the very root or foundation of Islam, what does this action of the Iranian courts reveal?

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Yousef Nadarkhani Needs International Support

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Letter from Youcef Nadarkhani

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Why do they do it?

My wife rented some movies for us to watch. Two of the movies, “The Road” and “Shrink” were based upon suicide and the question: “Why do they do it?” The question was left unanswered, with only the pain for the survivors on display.

Why do they do it?

The answer is actually contained within the nomenclature. The two parts of the word mean self - kill.

Suicide is all about self. Another way of saying this is selfish. Suicide is selfishness manifested in its fullest measure.

Suicide seems senseless until one becomes completely preoccupied with self. Once a person’s thoughts are purely selfish, suicide becomes the only action that seems reasonable.

The reason behind this is what a person encounters through selfishness. When a person is concerned only about self, what does the person find? What the person finds is disappointing beyond what can be borne. The person finds endless weakness and failure. The person finds helplessness and becomes entirely without hope. The person finds no purpose. This leads to terrible frustration. Frustration becomes anger. Anger becomes deep-felt resentment, often first concerning the unfair and uncaring actions of others, and eventually the self-loathing of honest self-examination. The person becomes more and more aware of the inescapable facts of self-awareness. “I hate myself!” becomes the prevailing mindset.

People find various alternative forms of suicide. While it seems to be more and more common in today’s materialistic and hedonistic and immoral as well as amoral society to kill oneself outright, there are many other forms of getting rid of oneself, at least temporarily. Most forms of addiction are just this. Whether it be alcohol, drugs, food, junk food, work, exercise, gambling or sex or pornography, these all are often used as forms of temporarily escaping oneself, or at least of dulling one’s self-awareness. People immerse and drown themselves and push themselves out of consciousness of self through these various indulgences. Even such things as charity and evangelism can be used in these ways.

Why is this so powerful? Why do people seem to be unable to escape these forms of self-destruction?

The answer is that they are already dead.

Since they are already dead, killing themselves and eliminating or attempting to erase or eradicate themselves seems like an answer. “Stop the pain. Make it go away! There is no other way of escape! I must do this!”

This is why God has provided Baptism. Through Baptism the dead and corrupt person is washed away and an entirely new person is raised up to a brand new life. This new person has a brand new image, the image that was lost, the image of God, which is Christ. This new person is alive with the goodness of the Lord Himself. The Holy Spirit comes to the person and fills the person with the very will of God, the good and gracious and holy will of God. With the Holy Supper this is renewed through continual eating of the body of the unity of Christ and drinking of the blood of forgiveness.

So we learn that the answer to the hopelessness of mankind is not ending oneself but being regenerated into the image of God in the unity of the body of Christ. Therein God works a complete change of heart and mind that restores to the person the hope that cannot be found through any other means. Peace truly begins to rule the person’s heart, mind, body, and soul. Then the person hears and understands and believes the answer that the Lord Jesus gave to St. Paul which is recorded for us in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “Sufficient for thee is My grace.” (YLT)

When a person has been converted so that this is what dwells in one’s soul, even the self-loathing suicidal thoughts have no power over the person. No one who knows the pure grace of God in Christ can continue to hate oneself, nor anyone one else. Then one sees beyond the mirror to what God has declared in Christ Jesus. Then hope is restored, and even more than restored, so that true contentment in all things is known and peace rules over everything in the person’s life.

Oh that this would be what Hollywood’s producers would explain on the big screen. But who would buy it? Oh that the churches would preach this without compromise! But who would believe it?

How about you? After all, God has declared it for you. He has purchased it at the ultimate cost so that it would be yours free of cost to you. He provides it continually and without limit in His means of grace in His true Church. Its yours! It is already yours to receive freely through the means of grace.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. (Isaiah 55:1-3)

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Pentecost

The Festival of Pentecost is a glorious day of celebrating the gift of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. With this marvelous gift the Lord Jesus guaranteed that His Church would be kept safe from the powers of sin, death, the devil, the world, and the sinful fleshly nature.

But the devil and the world and our sinful nature are still at war against the saints both as individuals and as the Communion of the Saints, the holy catholic Church on earth. Surely yesterday was a day of battle for the souls of mankind.

In our household, as we made preparations for the service, my wife and I entered into a terrible argument over something absolutely stupid. The matter in dispute was not the cause of our argument, but rather our own obstinance and selfishness. The argument was so intense that it would have stolen away from us the very faith that the day is given to nurture in us. Sin and pride and selfishness are powerful enemies of our souls. Thanks be to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who tirelessly comes to us through the engrafted Word to call us to repentance. He never stops calling to us and working within us to work conversion anew so that repentance transpires within our hearts, minds, and souls and forgiveness is received.

As we struggled, we both cried on account of our sinfulness and we cried on account of our obstinate refusal to subject ourselves to the will of God and to one another in His love. We cried because we knew that we needed the gifts that are bestowed in the divine service through the holy liturgy and through the Word that would be proclaimed in the sermon. So we knelt in prayer and prayed that the Holy Spirit would give to us the forgiveness and love to submit to Him and receive His gifts, humbling us that we might be open to Him. Then we moved forward in His love, forgiving one another and rejoicing in the renewal that He works in the liturgy, the hymns, and the sermon.

This is the life of those who are called by God to be His saints. This is what Pentecost is about. Surely the devil was mightily at work to tempt us to destroy ourselves. But the Lord is not willing to permit this and He calls to our remembrance all that He has previously taught us and continues teaching us. He comforts us with the means of grace, so that we trust that we have yet again been reconciled to God and His peace fills us and renews us once again.

This great miracle, however, can be resisted to the point of losing the gift of the Holy Spirit and the regeneration that He works in Baptism and the renewal that He works in the Communion of Christ’s body and blood. It is possible to resist or ignore the Holy Spirit’s continual urging until we finally are left with only our own thoughts, and our traditions and rituals, and our own faith that ultimately is nothing more than pretense and excuses.

Yesterday afternoon, my mother-in-law called to tell us that she had heard that George Tiller had been shot in the head and killed while attending the Sunday services at Reformation Lutheran Church. Truly the devil and his legions are at work in the world.

Should such things as this murder surprise us? Outrage and shock have been expressed as this news fills the headlines and air waves and digital signals both locally and nationally. But is this really a surprising event?

The man who killed Tiller, is obviously not thinking rightly. He obviously is not one who abides in the everlasting love of God. On the day of Pentecost, instead of God’s love, murder filled his heart to such a degree that his murderous thoughts became murderous actions.

Why?

Perhaps we should stop and consider what he has been taught by our society. Last evening my wife and I went to look for a movie to rent and we had trouble finding anything that appealed to us. We observed the large number of horror movies newly released. Most of the other movies were about murderous revenge or destructive perversions of life in other forms. Revenge and self-gratification are taught and promoted continually and much money is made in the promotion thereof.

What about the response of our nation to the terrible events of 9-11. War! More War! War with Iraq. War with Afghanistan. Threats against Iran. Were any alternative avenues pursued first? Were there even any genuine additional threats against the USA and her citizens? Were the presumed causes for the war ever found in Iraq? Yet the nation is still at war and talking of more war. Justify it with the flag. Call it patriotism. Call it self defense. How many have been killed in the name of justice and freedom and patriotism. The numbers killed by the warmongering exceeds by many times the number killed in the events of 9-11. And, like with the movies, great sums of money have been raped from the people. Some have made billions of dollars from this.

What about the 36 year reign of the abortion industry? Our government has approved and sanctioned the mass murder of millions of helpless human beings. Our society has accepted these brutal murders, these acts that are so atrocious that people become angry that pictures of such things are made public. Pro-life people who try to expose the brutality that abortionists commit daily upon these dear children are decried as extremists and insensitive and uncaring and as opposing true caring for the women and their “rights.” Yet those who actually do the things exposed in the photographs and diagrams are held in honor as gentle and caring. Those who make millions and even billions of dollars enacting these atrocities at which society cringes when the photos are shown, those who kill more than a million babies every year, those are given prestige and government protection. The police arrest those who protest against these killers. The media vilifies those who seek peacefully to expose these atrocious crimes against humanity. And all this by the same society that sanctions chainsaw murder movies and vampire movies and movies about revenge and vigilante justice.

Last night a vigil was held in the Old Town area to remember and honor the man whom some have labeled Dr. George Killer. Contrary to the laws that Dr. Tiller violated in order to perform late term abortions, even when charges were brought against him in court, the Kansas governor and the news media defended him and attacked the Attorney General with false accusations. They worked tirelessly to discredit the Attorney General. Dr. Tiller spent many dollars supporting this and supporting an alternative Attorney General who subsequently won the election, only to be found to be a law breaker himself. But the job of removing the Attorney General who was properly carrying out the law was thoroughly accomplished.

The man who killed Tiller very likely imagined falsely that he was carrying out the justice that could not be carried out by any other means. He probably also imagined himself to be a son of righteousness, a son of God, a Christian.

But so did George Tiller and the pastor and members of Reformation Lutheran Church. Yet while Tiller killed babies by the hundreds and even thousands annually, his family and pastor and the members of the congregation counted him to be a Christian and a son of righteousness. They were gathered on the day of Pentecost, pretending to be gathered as a congregation of God’s grace, mercy, and peace, pretending to worship in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, while condoning a murderer in their midst. Did they call him to repent of his actions? No, they appointed him to usher them to their pews. They joyfully welcomed him as a fellow pretender. The Greek word is hypocrite. St. John warns that such is self deception and calling God a liar. Tiller was formerly a member of a congregation in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LC-MS), but joined with Reformation Lutheran Church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) because of the ELCA’s acceptance of abortion. It is notable that Dennis Rader, aka, the BTK Strangler, was a long-time member of Christ Lutheran Church in Wichita, also of the ELCA which teaches that abortion is acceptable. Does this connection mean anything? It certainly stands to remind us that where sin is tolerated and even mislabeled as honorable, the Holy Spirit is not being heeded and true repentance is not being worked.

Now the point of this is not that Tiller or his killer or the pastor and congregation of Reformation Lutheran Church are worse people than any of the rest of us. No, for the Lord tells us that anyone who is unjustly angry with a brother is a murderer. On that basis how many murders have we each committed in our hearts?

No, the point is that true faith and the peace of God that the Holy Spirit gives by means of this true faith cannot exist apart from true repentance. The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict us regarding the Truth so that He works true repentance in our hearts. The work of the Holy Spirit is to call us unto Jesus to be baptized into Him and to eat the body and blood of His Holy Communion so as to be regenerated unto the Lord’s righteousness in His kingdom and to walk in His righteousness. He works continually to call us back again, for we are obstinate and turn away continually.

Regarding Tiller’s killer, many have condemned him. Regarding Tiller, many have condemned him. For Tiller, repentance is no longer possible. It is for his killer. It is for all of us killers. Like Tiller, like his killer, we all commit murder in our hearts and we even try to justify or excuse our murderous thoughts. Sometimes we even act upon these and kill with our words.

The Lord God calls to us through His means of grace to hear what the Spirit says. He calls to us to move us to true repentance so that we turn from all else to His mercy to receive from Him the forgiveness of sins and renewal into His Holy Communion. The devil, the world, and our own flesh, continually work against this. But God is greater. His forgiveness knows no limits. His love is everlasting. His healing is for our spirit, our heart, our mind, our body, and together our very being or soul. This is the ultimate lesson that we are to hear and to take with us from these tragic atrocities. Then the day of Pentecost is for us what God has already made it to be, a day of rejoicing in the gift of salvation that is in Christ Jesus, the crucified and risen Savior, who has established His Church for us and has poured out His Holy Spirit to us in His Church for our everlasting forgiveness, regeneration, renewal and comfort. Truly, no matter what else happens around us, this is cause for humble rejoicing!