The Prophetic Messenger
A Newsletter From Mysteries From The Word Of God Ministries
September/October 2015 - Volume 17/Issue 5
Persecution is Increasing in America - Part II
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" II Timothy 3:12
In this issue of The Prophetic Messenger, we will continue a message titled “Persecution is Increasing in America.”
In this issue of The Prophetic Messenger, we will continue a message titled “Persecution is Increasing in America.”
2. Persecution Comes Through Government
Jesus said in John 15:18-20 “18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”
We are seeing more persecution against the Christians in America from our Government including the Supreme Court, a city in the US, and the public schools. In an article titled “‘Court Is Not A Legislature’: Roberts Rips Gay Marriage Ruling, Day After He Backed ObamaCare”(Note 1) it says
“A day after Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts sided squarely with the Obama administration on the health care overhaul, the same jurist came out swinging against the court's ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. In his dissenting opinion -- which he read from the bench for the first time in his nearly 10 years as chief justice -- Roberts charged Friday that the court had no right to intervene in what should be a democratic debate by the people, at the state level, over same-sex marriage. ‘This court is not a legislature,’ he wrote. ‘Whether same-sex marriage is a good idea should be of no concern to us. Under the Constitution, judges have power to say what the law is, not what it should be.’ As for the state's role, he said: ‘The fundamental right to marry does not include a right to make a State change its definition of marriage.’”
We see the Chief Justice in his dissent clearly defining the role of the Supreme Court which is to interpret law, not to create law. Creating law belongs to Congress. Through this illegal action and other lawless actions, persecution of Christians in America has increased. Here are two additional examples. In an article titled “School Apologizes For Banning Jesus”(Note 2) it says
“Somerset Academy issued a formal written apology to 12-year-old Mackenzie Fraiser late Friday for denying her the right to use a Bible verse in a class assignment. School officials have now agreed to allow the sixth-grader to resubmit her original project, this time with her favorite Bible verse -- John 3:16 -- included . . . . In February, she was instructed by her technology teacher to create a PowerPoint demonstration about her life. One of the requirements was to include a slide with an inspirational message. So Mackenzie decided to use a Bible verse – specifically John 3:16. That familiar passage reads: ‘For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’ But the teacher had a problem with Mackenzie’s inspirational message. She explained to the class that none of the students would be allowed to use any Bible verses or quotations from the Book of Mormon. The message was clear – you cannot be inspired by religion. Mackenzie, whose father is a pastor, told me she was terribly disappointed and concerned. ‘When I was told I couldn’t use a Bible verse, I was afraid I was doing something wrong,’ she said. So Mackenzie obeyed the teacher’s edict and settled for a mundane secular saying. A few months later, the little girl received another assignment. This time, she was told to address the topic of self-esteem. She discussed the assignment with her parents, Tim and Kate Fraiser. They suggested she acknowledge she derives her self-esteem from having been made in the image of God. It was at that point, Mackenzie said she would not be allowed to mention the Almighty. Her teacher had once again barred any reference to faith in the technology classroom . . . . The Fraisers contacted Liberty Institute, a religious liberty law firm that specializes in these sorts of legal disputes. ‘Government officials telling little girls they can’t mention God is not the law,’ said Liberty Institute President Kelly Shackelford. ‘It’s unlawful discrimination and it’s morally wrong.’ Liberty Institute attorney Jeremy Dys is representing the family. He said the U.S. Department of Education clearly permits students to use Bible verses in class assignments. ‘If a school official tells students that their beliefs cannot be expressed in class assignments, it teaches them that religion is bad,’ Dys told me. ‘This case really demonstrates why it is important to protect religious liberty.’”
In another article titled “Atlanta Fire Chief Fired for ‘Anti-Gay’ Views ‘Absolutely’ Wants His Job Back”(Note 3) it says
“After being fired for writing what’s been described as an ‘anti-gay’ book, former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran says he ‘absolutely’ wants his job back. ‘In the United States of America, Americans should not have to choose between keeping your job and living out your faith,’ Cochran told The Daily Signal in an exclusive interview. ‘And that’s the position the city of Atlanta actually has taken—that I have to have a choice to live out my faith or to keep my job.’ Cochran was fired in January 2015 for publishing a men’s devotional book for a Baptist church group. In the book, ‘Who Told You That You Were Naked?’ Cochran addressed issues of homosexuality, gay marriage and premarital sex from a biblical perspective . . . . ‘Many Christian men struggle with issues of sexual sin and sexuality, and so I spoke to that in the book—why God created sex and that God’s purpose for sex was for procreation, and to do it his way it has to be done in holy matrimony,’ Cochran explained. ‘That led to the controversy’. . . . In his 34 years of service, Cochran had never been accused of discrimination. The controversy with his book began in late 2014, when gay activist groups caught wind of the literature and demanded that Cochran be dismissed. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed then acted to suspend Cochran and ordered him to undergo ‘sensitivity training.’ ‘I profoundly disagree with and am deeply disturbed by the sentiments expressed in the paperback regarding the LGBT community,’ Reed said in a statement. ‘I will not tolerate discrimination of any kind within my administration.’ After being fired for writing what’s been described as an “anti-gay” book, former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran says he “absolutely” wants his job back . . . . The case is still ongoing.”
In closing, as we see the persecution increasing in America, the Christians must continue to grow stronger in the Lord Jesus Christ. In II Timothy 3:12 it says "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." For more information on growing stronger in the Lord see the article in the March/April 2001 issue of The Prophetic Messenger newsletter titled “Why The Church Has No Power.”
We are seeing more persecution against the Christians in America from our Government including the Supreme Court, a city in the US, and the public schools. In an article titled “‘Court Is Not A Legislature’: Roberts Rips Gay Marriage Ruling, Day After He Backed ObamaCare”(Note 1) it says
“A day after Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts sided squarely with the Obama administration on the health care overhaul, the same jurist came out swinging against the court's ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. In his dissenting opinion -- which he read from the bench for the first time in his nearly 10 years as chief justice -- Roberts charged Friday that the court had no right to intervene in what should be a democratic debate by the people, at the state level, over same-sex marriage. ‘This court is not a legislature,’ he wrote. ‘Whether same-sex marriage is a good idea should be of no concern to us. Under the Constitution, judges have power to say what the law is, not what it should be.’ As for the state's role, he said: ‘The fundamental right to marry does not include a right to make a State change its definition of marriage.’”
We see the Chief Justice in his dissent clearly defining the role of the Supreme Court which is to interpret law, not to create law. Creating law belongs to Congress. Through this illegal action and other lawless actions, persecution of Christians in America has increased. Here are two additional examples. In an article titled “School Apologizes For Banning Jesus”(Note 2) it says
“Somerset Academy issued a formal written apology to 12-year-old Mackenzie Fraiser late Friday for denying her the right to use a Bible verse in a class assignment. School officials have now agreed to allow the sixth-grader to resubmit her original project, this time with her favorite Bible verse -- John 3:16 -- included . . . . In February, she was instructed by her technology teacher to create a PowerPoint demonstration about her life. One of the requirements was to include a slide with an inspirational message. So Mackenzie decided to use a Bible verse – specifically John 3:16. That familiar passage reads: ‘For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’ But the teacher had a problem with Mackenzie’s inspirational message. She explained to the class that none of the students would be allowed to use any Bible verses or quotations from the Book of Mormon. The message was clear – you cannot be inspired by religion. Mackenzie, whose father is a pastor, told me she was terribly disappointed and concerned. ‘When I was told I couldn’t use a Bible verse, I was afraid I was doing something wrong,’ she said. So Mackenzie obeyed the teacher’s edict and settled for a mundane secular saying. A few months later, the little girl received another assignment. This time, she was told to address the topic of self-esteem. She discussed the assignment with her parents, Tim and Kate Fraiser. They suggested she acknowledge she derives her self-esteem from having been made in the image of God. It was at that point, Mackenzie said she would not be allowed to mention the Almighty. Her teacher had once again barred any reference to faith in the technology classroom . . . . The Fraisers contacted Liberty Institute, a religious liberty law firm that specializes in these sorts of legal disputes. ‘Government officials telling little girls they can’t mention God is not the law,’ said Liberty Institute President Kelly Shackelford. ‘It’s unlawful discrimination and it’s morally wrong.’ Liberty Institute attorney Jeremy Dys is representing the family. He said the U.S. Department of Education clearly permits students to use Bible verses in class assignments. ‘If a school official tells students that their beliefs cannot be expressed in class assignments, it teaches them that religion is bad,’ Dys told me. ‘This case really demonstrates why it is important to protect religious liberty.’”
In another article titled “Atlanta Fire Chief Fired for ‘Anti-Gay’ Views ‘Absolutely’ Wants His Job Back”(Note 3) it says
“After being fired for writing what’s been described as an ‘anti-gay’ book, former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran says he ‘absolutely’ wants his job back. ‘In the United States of America, Americans should not have to choose between keeping your job and living out your faith,’ Cochran told The Daily Signal in an exclusive interview. ‘And that’s the position the city of Atlanta actually has taken—that I have to have a choice to live out my faith or to keep my job.’ Cochran was fired in January 2015 for publishing a men’s devotional book for a Baptist church group. In the book, ‘Who Told You That You Were Naked?’ Cochran addressed issues of homosexuality, gay marriage and premarital sex from a biblical perspective . . . . ‘Many Christian men struggle with issues of sexual sin and sexuality, and so I spoke to that in the book—why God created sex and that God’s purpose for sex was for procreation, and to do it his way it has to be done in holy matrimony,’ Cochran explained. ‘That led to the controversy’. . . . In his 34 years of service, Cochran had never been accused of discrimination. The controversy with his book began in late 2014, when gay activist groups caught wind of the literature and demanded that Cochran be dismissed. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed then acted to suspend Cochran and ordered him to undergo ‘sensitivity training.’ ‘I profoundly disagree with and am deeply disturbed by the sentiments expressed in the paperback regarding the LGBT community,’ Reed said in a statement. ‘I will not tolerate discrimination of any kind within my administration.’ After being fired for writing what’s been described as an “anti-gay” book, former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran says he “absolutely” wants his job back . . . . The case is still ongoing.”
In closing, as we see the persecution increasing in America, the Christians must continue to grow stronger in the Lord Jesus Christ. In II Timothy 3:12 it says "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." For more information on growing stronger in the Lord see the article in the March/April 2001 issue of The Prophetic Messenger newsletter titled “Why The Church Has No Power.”
Notes:
Note 1:http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/26/court-is-not-legislature-roberts-rips-same-sex-marriage-ruling-day-after-backed/
Note 2:http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/05/22/school-bans-jesus-bible-from-child-s-assignment.html?intcmp=latestnews
Note 3:http://dailysignal.com/2015/07/06/atlanta-fire-chief-fired-for-anti-gay-views-absolutely-wants-his-job-back/
Note 1:http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/06/26/court-is-not-legislature-roberts-rips-same-sex-marriage-ruling-day-after-backed/
Note 2:http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/05/22/school-bans-jesus-bible-from-child-s-assignment.html?intcmp=latestnews
Note 3:http://dailysignal.com/2015/07/06/atlanta-fire-chief-fired-for-anti-gay-views-absolutely-wants-his-job-back/
Coming Up In The Next Issue
Persecution is Increasing in America - Part III. Read this article in the next issue of The Prophetic Messenger.
Memory Verses
As Christians if we want to live in victory and if we want to be able to share the Word Of God with others we must know the Word of God ourselves. Let's see what the Bible says about this. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7. "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." John 8:31. We encourage you to put the following scriptures in your heart: Matthew 11:10, Proverbs 11:25, John 1:29, Judges 4:4, Luke 17:14, I Peter 4:18, Ezekiel 13:8, Romans 7:19, Ezekiel 38:23, Luke 1:46. Use only the Old King James version of the Holy Bible. (If you have any questions about this please see the book New Age Bible Versions, by G.A. Riplinger ©1993, ISBN 0-9635845-0-2.)
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