Luke
17:28-30: Likewise also as it was in the
days of Lot; they did eat, they drank,
they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But
the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire
and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus
shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Luke 21:17: And ye shall be hated
of all men for my name's sake.
A OneNewsNow.com article
opens as follows:
Several
Christian groups will be holding a press conference and
rally Wednesday on Capitol Hill to lobby senators to
oppose a bill that would include crimes against
homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgender people in
federal "hate crimes" statutes.
The coalition, which includes a Philadelphia ministry
that was once charged with violating Pennsylvania's hate
crimes law, is urging U.S. senators to reject S.B. 1105
-- known as the "Matthew Shepard Local Law
Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007."
Members of the coalition will be visiting Senate offices
today and plan to meet privately tomorrow with Wisconsin
Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, who are among the
co-sponsors of the bill. Primary sponsor of the measure
is Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts).
The Christian groups claim S.B. 1105 would silence
biblical opposition to sexual immorality. Repent America
director Michael Marcavage says tomorrow's press
conference and rally are designed to get lawmakers to
understand the legislation is a "thought crimes
bill" that seeks to criminalize Christian
evangelism. He recalls that in October 2004, 11
volunteers with his organization were arrested, jailed,
and charged under Pennsylvania's hate crimes law for
reading scripture passages to homosexuals at a
homosexual pride event.
"They said it would never happen," says
Marcavage. "The legislators who passed the hate
crimes bill here in Pennsylvania said it would only
happen if there was -- quote, unquote -- 'blood in the
streets.' Well, that didn't happen on October 10, 2004.
We were ministering peaceably at a homosexual
event."
When
Repent America's Michael Marcavage and four
associates, who became known in mostly Christian circles
as the 'Philadelphia Five', were arrested for merely
exercising their constitutionally-guaranteed rights at a
homosexual rally in 2004, videotape of which I have
seen, RaptureAlert.com and many other Christian websites
warned that it was potentially a harbinger of things to
come.
As the above news story indicates, there is still great
cause for concern that Satan and his minions, in an
effort to silence the Word of God, may be on the verge
of getting legislation passed in the 'land of the free
and the home of the brave' that may intimidate, at the
very least, every Christian who dares to speak a word in
opposition to the sin of homosexuality as clearly laid
out in the Bible. Think it can't happen? It can and
it very well may, especially if we keep silent
in relation to this legistlation's potential to bring
harm to well-meaning Christians.
One of the biggest threats to the teaching of the Word
of God today is Christians who are oblivious to where
things are headed in relation to Bible prophecy. Jesus
said that the day will come when we will be hated of all
men for His name's sake. Of all men aside from those who
have sworn allegiance to the Lamb at least! Thus, the
need for the voting Church to be heard in Washington -
and loudly - in relation to S.B. 1105.
If we fail to speak up now, scenes such as a recent one
in Elmira, N.Y. where seven Christians, Bibles in hand,
went into a public park where
a "gay" fest was beginning and started to pray
with their faces turned down only to be arrested
may become commonplace. As seen in a WorldNetDaily
story, these
Christians stand accused of disturbing the peace and
""intent" to cause a public
inconvenience, any "disturbance" of a meeting
of persons, obstructing vehicular or pedestrian traffic,
or taking part in "any act that serves no
legitimate purpose."
Better not twiddle your
thumbs in public in Elmira, New York! Especially if you
have a Bible in your hand! If you do, you may be
engaging in an "act that serves no legitimate
purpose!"
In what has to be one of the best quotes I've heard from
a Christian persecuted in a fashion like this, street
preacher Julian Raven said of the Elmira miscarriage of
justice, "We didn't say boo to a goose, still we
were arrested."
According to the WorldNetDaily story, these seven
Christians were told - point blank -that they were not
going to share their religion during the homosexual
rally prior to being arrested. WorldNetDaily indicates
that Raven confirmed that the "seven Christians did
not approach a single person, did not speak to anyone
and did not even make any audible statements until after
they were arrested." They were arrested for what
they silently prayed I suppose. Either that or being Christian
in public!
And theirs isn't the only example of this appearing in
the news of our world today! WorldNetDaily
also reported recently that five Christians were
arrested at a St. Petersburg, Florida homosexual rally
for carrying signs "wider than their torsos"
outside the officially designated protest area.
This is just the beginning of where this is leading,
Christians! The Body of Christ, which has more love for
fallen mankind than any group on planet earth, is going
to be labeled as hate-filled more and more often as our
world becomes more and more politically correct and
tolerant --- of everything other than the gospel of
Jesus Christ.
Slowly but surely we're becoming hated of all men which
is unfortunate. On the upside, however, Bible prophecy
tells us that the world, at the time of Christ's return,
will be much as it was in the days of Lot.
Lot was, according to 2nd Peter 2:7, "vexed with
the filthy conversation of the wicked" when he
lived in Sodom. But God didn't ignore Lot's plight.
Lot was delivered --- and God's judgment fell on the
ungodly, many of whom Lot had likely prayed for, loved,
and set an example for.
Keep your eyes on the skies, Christians! Our redemption
draweth nigh!