Sheep and Wolves, Serpents and Doves

Sheep and Wolves, Serpents and Doves

Before Jesus sent out the disciples he warned them about the opposition they would face from ungodly, unbelieving, and unreasonable men.  And Jesus’ warnings to his disciples were never more relevant to us who live in a society who not only has rejected Christ but now becoming more and more antagonistic to those who openly follow him.  You typically don’t hear these stories in the mainstream media but attacks

against Christians in America are rapidly becoming more personal, intense, and frequent.  Beloved, we are living as sheep among wolves.

In November of this year, Peter Vadala, a Christian and employee of Brookstone, a store in Boston’s Logan Airport lost his job for expressing his Christian beliefs about homosexuality.  A manager from another shop repeatedly flaunted her impending wedding to another woman, knowing that Peter is a Christian.  Peter did not immediately respond but as his supervisor continued to initiate the topic in an attempt to solicit a response; he did express the Christian view of homosexuality.  A short time later, Peter was contacted by the chain’s human resources department and was fired because his comments were deemed inappropriate, unprofessional, and harassment.

Sacramento City College recently celebrated Constitution Day, an annual school tradition which celebrates the U.S. Constitution and free speech.  This celebration is coordinated by the student council.  Steve Macias, student body president and Christian, was approached by a pro-life group for display space along with other organizations.  Two days into the event, several pro-abortion groups began protesting the display and the school administration removed the display.  Additionally, Steve now faces a recall led by several pro-abortion and atheist groups and could lose his leadership position.

Home Depot fired Florida employee Trevor Keezor for ‘violating the dress code’. Specifically, he wore a pin on his uniform that had “One nation under God, indivisible.” Keezor claims he was wearing the pin for over a year without incident. Home Depot chose to fire Keezor, suspiciously, after he began bringing his Bible to read on breaks.

Stories like these are more and more common.  America is no longer friendly toward Christian values and principles.  Post modern America is becoming more and more antagonistic toward the church and Christians.  We are living as sheep among wolves and must be wise as serpents but innocent as doves.  But I am not suggesting that Christians should be silent just prepared for persecution.

You’ll be hearing more about an initiative called the Manhattan Declaration.  To date, 233,928 Christians and church leaders have signed this call to action.  I am one of them.  Basically, the Manhattan Declaration seeks to unity Catholic, Orthodox, and Evangelical Christians to defend and protect three principles: (1) Life (2) Sanctity of Marriage (3) Religious Liberty.  The following is an excerpt from the declaration:

We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right—and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation—to speak and act in defense of these truths. We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence. It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season. May God help us not to fail in that duty.  (There is a link to the Manhattan Declaration Website on Christian Assembly’s website.)

As I close out this article, I want to tell you about a high school principle from Kingston, TN after the Supreme Court banned prayer before the start of each football game.  Jody Mcloud, principle of Roane County High School delivered this explanation as to why there would be no pregame prayer on September 1, 2000.  This man demonstrates what it means to live as a sheep among wolves.  By the way, this speech cost him his job.

"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games to say a prayer and play the National Anthem to honor God and Country.  Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law.

As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it an alternate lifestyle, and if someone is offended, that's OK.

I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity by dispensing condoms and calling it safe sex. If someone is offended, that's OK.

I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a viable means of birth control. If someone is offended, it’s no problem.

I can designate a school day as earth day and involve students in activities to religiously worship and praise the goddess, mother earth, and call it ecology.

I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depict people with strong, traditional, Christian convictions as simple minded and ignorant and call it enlightenment.

However, if anyone uses this facility to honor God and ask Him to bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, Federal Case Law is violated.

This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.

Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone except God and His Commandments.

Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules that they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical. I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.

For this reason, I shall, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time. However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank God, and ask Him in the name of Jesus to bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet."

One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another, and began to pray. They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They pray at the concession stand. And they prayed in the announcer's box. The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America - the seat of "justice" in the one nation under God.  Somehow, Kingston, Tennessee, remembered what so many have forgotten.  We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion.

Praise God, His remnant remains.

Freedom of Speech [Reply]

It seems to me that the issue above flies in the face of our freedom of speech. We no longer can voice our opinion if it offends. We can (for now) worship as we wish in our worship places, but are restricted in the schools, in the business places, and in our clubs and associations of speaking of that faith. Most disconcerting is that our leadership is in bondage to conform to the will of the minority instead of showing strength of character, moral fiber, and someone to aspire towards. How many leaders today are looked up to? I rarely hear of any - must be another loss of our freedom to speak out - would you think?

sheep & wolves [Reply]

If you compare the state of affairs of america with that of other kingdoms you will see clearly what has to be done! America today is as Israel was in the days of king Saul we ahve a wicked leadership and a people who have no faith! the issues of abortion and homosexuality and satanic worship are as Goliath laughing at the israel soldiers who were as we are cringing in fear! When David used the word of God and through the power of the holy spirit slew that giant of immorality!~ The Palestians laughed and cursed the God of creation! When that goliath of unrighteousness was slain the people of God stamped out immorality !Faith without works is dead