October 2005

October 2005

Katrina - A Judgment From God

“I have a loaf of bread in one hand and the Bread of Life in the other.” – Pastor Sam Green of Palm Bay, Florida.

I just got off the phone with Pastor Sam this morning, September 14, 2005. Again, he was ecstatic about what God was doing in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans. He and his team of 12 arrived in New Orleans yesterday. He met Pastor Bill Shanks, the real mayor of New Orleans, who arranged for the missionary crew to unload all of their supplies at the East Jefferson Community Health Center . That's right! Pastor Sam spent last night sleeping in a dentist's chair.

When the missionary team unloaded all of their goodies, they were absolutely flabbergasted at how much they had brought. It appeared that the Lord had multiplied the supplies ten times. Pastor Sam's shirt was soaked with sweat and so was everyone else's on the team, but their hearts were filled with joy. There is nothing so exhilarating as laying one's life down that others may live. Today they plan to distribute and cook hot dogs and hamburgers for everyone. In the evening they are planning a big celebration service to bring honor and glory to King Jesus, the true king of New Orleans .

Please note well, that the first one to plunge into the heart of this national disaster was the Church of Jesus Christ. You won't hear this in the media, but the Church of Jesus Christ is rising to the occasion in extraordinary ways. She did not wait for permission from the government. She did not find fault with everyone from the President of the United States to the Mayor of New Orleans, she just silently moved into the devastated areas with a love for Christ and a desire to rescue her fellow man. Thank God for His Church. It is bigger than the Red Cross, FEMA, and the collective governments of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama put together. The Church is bigger than the federal government, the kings of this world, and all the stars in the universe. God's Church is great because God Himself resides in it.

Who do you think was the first to build hospitals to care for the sick? Who do you think was first to establish orphanages to care for orphaned children? Who do you think was first to care for the poor, the downtrodden, and the heavy laden? It was not “the government.” It was the Church of Jesus Christ. Our nation, when she reflected these high ideals that come straight from the Bible, was indeed a shining city set on a hill. All nations were drawn to her and to her God because the Church of Jesus Christ was her firm foundation. Freedom unlike that of any other nation was manifest in America because the Spirit of the Lord was here (2 Corinthians 3:17) . Jesus was King.

Yes, God's Church is stepping up to the plate in the midst of Katrina's devastation to help her fellow man. Unfortunately, the Church in America has lost her clear vision and mission and, because she has, our nation is floundering in a morass of perversion, anarchy, hatred, and murder. Isaiah said it best: “See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her – but now murderers!” Isaiah 1:21. We have become a nation of murderers, killing our young, old, weak, and handicapped. Proverbs 8:36 tells us that “…all who hate me love death.” It is because we have pushed God into a closet, thrusting Him behind our backs, that a spirit of murder has been unleashed, filling the corridors of our schools, work places, and homes with blood.

God's judgments upon our backsliding abound, but we do not see them! When 19 men with box cutters brought this nation to its knees – we did not see the hand of God in it. It didn't fit our conception of who He is. But our conception of who He is, has nothing to do with the reality of who He is. He has destroyed men, kings, kingdoms, and nations in a moment. Just a cursory reading of the Bible will help us to know that He is not to be trifled with. He is Almighty God, not the comical Wizard of Oz, Santa Claus, or our divine cosmic bellhop ready and waiting to meet our every need.

No, God will deliver judgments upon a people who turn from Him. Katrina is one of those judgments. The tragedy on 9-11 is another. The word Katrina comes from a Greek word catharsis (cleansing). This word is found in the Septuagint in Psalm 119:9: “Wherewithal shall a young man keep his way pure ? If he taketh heed according to thy word.” The way that a man is purified (catharsis) is by heeding the Word of God. Katrina has purified (cleansed) New Orleans, Biloxi, Gulfport, Mobile, and the entire region from drunkenness, homosexuality, voodoo, witchcraft, gambling, Mardi Gras, and passions of the flesh. When we were in New Orleans last week, most of the people said that their city was being cleansed by God Himself. Why isn't this being reported in the news? The people of New Orleans recognize God's judgment.

Unfortunately for us, we are looking to rebuild rather than to repent. It was the same in Isaiah's time. God's people were rich, secure, and very religious. They were always in church praying, praising, preaching, and tithing, but God said their hands were full of blood (Isaiah 1:15). They were killing their children (child sacrifice) and praising God at the same time. This He will never tolerate. Never! The people thought things were just fine between them and God because He had not judged them (in reality He had given them several remedial judgments to turn them to Himself, but they did not see them). So when disaster came, they simply sounded the tune, “Let us rebuild!” Sound familiar?

“The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel . All the people will know it – Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria – who say with pride and arrogance of heart, ‘The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.' But the Lord has strengthened Rezin's foes against them….” Isaiah 9:8-11. This is what God thinks of rebuilding rather than repenting. He will stiffen the judgment. Why? Because He loves us. His judgments will continue their relentless mission until there is true repentance.

Why wouldn't the people repent before God rather than trying to rebuild what the judgments of God had brought down? “But the people have not returned to Him who struck them, nor have they sought the Lord Almighty…Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray.” Isaiah 9:13-16. It is crystal clear here that God was the One who struck them. He was the One who was disciplining them. Their prophets were not telling the truth about God and about His judgments. The people did not know to repent because the prophets were proclaiming the message “We will rebuild” rather than, “We must repent.”

God's Church has responded splendidly to come to the aid of the brothers and sisters caught in the judgment of Hurricane Katrina. God is looking to cleanse us all. He has been very merciful and patient with us, desiring us to repent and return to Him. The question remains, will the prophets of God, who have the ear of this nation, call us to national repentance over the shedding of innocent blood (abortion) or will we arrogantly try to rebuild that which God has brought down?

DENVER CONTINUES TO BE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN BY THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST

The state of Colorado is being treated to one of the most entertaining, yet unwitting presentations of the Gospel of Jesus Christ ever in its history. It is coming through the mouth of none other than abortionist Warren Hern. Mr. Hern has taken it upon himself to take out full-page ads in Colorado's major newspapers boasting of his desire to kill children while maligning those who desire to protect them. He has posted our flyers, complete with a picture of himself, in newspapers all across the state. The last three sentences in these ads provide a powerful encouragement to all of us who bring the Gospel of Christ to the gates of hell: “American women who want to have reproductive health and freedom and who want to live in the 21st century instead of going back to the 9th century have less to fear from the overturn of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court than from ‘Operation Save America.' A little more of this, and doctors just won't do abortions. Would you?” God laid it on the hearts of Ken and Jo Scott to take out a quarter-page ad in The Statesman to help Mr. Hern come to know Christ. Below, the magnificent article and ad by Ken and Jo:

Last month, Flip Benham and Operation Save America (OSA) arrived in Denver, Colorado, for the week of July 16 - 23, 2005, and stirred the heart of Warren Hern. Whether Mr. Hern will soften or harden his heart remains to be seen.

OSA visited late-term abortionist Warren Hern's abortion mill and his neighborhood in Boulder . The Boulder police informed abortionist Hern that OSA would picket his mill on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 . Because of that, he declined to do business that day. That Wednesday, a group from OSA went to Mr. Hern's neighborhood and passed out a flyer informing his neighbors of his murderous nature and it also suggested that they let him know that they are uncomfortable with him as a neighbor.

The results were amazing. Warren Hern was so incensed that OSA would go into his Boulder neighborhood that he took out full-page ads in three major newspapers. In the ad he included the flyer that was passed out in his neighborhood. These ads cost him thousands of dollars.

Operation Save America couldn't dream of running that flyer in all the major papers in Colorad0 – the cost is phenomenal. Warren Hern did a remarkable thing and ran it for us. If you read Mr. Hern's ad, you'll notice that OSA's flyer is the first thing that you see on the page and also has the largest print. Hern's statements are in small print and the least likely to be read. The last line on the page confirms Flip Benham's abortionist's-home-visit strategy. "A little more of this and doctors just won't do abortions. Would you?" What more could OSA ask for? An OSA flyer in all the major Colorado newspapers and an abortionist threatening to quit!

Apparently the abortionist's ad solicited quite a bit of sympathy for his cause, leading Mr. Hern to take out a second ad in two newspapers thanking the people of Colorado for their support. It lists in very small print the phone calls and letters of support that he received.

The following week OSA decided to purchase an ad in The Statesman because it is cost effective. Unknown to OSA, Warren Hern was also running an ad in The Statesman . Hern's ad is eight pages of small print listing phone calls and letters of sympathy and support for him and his cause. This OSA ad ran on the page after Hern's eight pages.



We pray that God would take the wicked heart of Warren Hern and turn it towards Himself.
We pray that Jesus would apprehend his heart and enable Mr. Hern to use the wonderful
gifts and abilities given to him to bring health, healing, and life, rather than destruction
and death. In Jesus' Name!

According to the secretary at The Statesman , never before has there been so much interest in their small newspaper. When Linda Brake went to the Capitol to pick up some extra copies she was told that Warren Hern had called and read them the riot act for publishing the Operation Save America ad. The secretary told Linda that she felt that the ad balanced Hern's ad.

Now is the time for pro-lifers across America to pray for Warren Hern's soul. We know he's listening to us, we must pray that he'll listen to Jesus and repent of his horrific deeds. Pray that his heart softens and pray that there are Christians in his life that will present him with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

STUDENT WINS T-SHIRT VERDICT (He is one of our own)

I remember well John Nixon calling me and telling me that his son was being removed for the day from the Sheridan Middle School because he wore his “INTOLERANT” T-shirt to class.  James bought the shirt while he and his parents were out in the streets preaching the Gospel of Christ with us during our National Event in Columbus, Ohio.  This young seventh grader stood up for Jesus and, through all of the intimidation of the court structure, Jesus stood up for him.  We are so thankful that God has given us an attorney like Rick Nelson of the American Liberties Institute in Orlando , Florida , who will stand with those who stand for Christ.  We are thankful for parents who will allow their children to stand for Christ at an early age.  We are thankful to God that He has given us the opportunity to speak for His children, His Son, and His Truth.

You will be especially blessed reading an e-mail from a former Muslim who read this article in the newspaper and was so proud of young James Nixon's stand for Christ.  James, may your tribe increase.  Thank you, Mom and Dad, you are raising him well!

Student wins T-shirt verdict - THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A Perry County teen can wear a T-shirt that school officials deemed offensive as long as it does not disrupt classes, a federal judge ruled yesterday.

James Nixon was sent home in September from Sheridan Middle School, where he is a seventh-grader, because school officials thought his shirt was offensive. They had asked him to take off the shirt or turn it inside out, but he refused. The black T-shirt, which James got from Operation Rescue/Operation Save America, reads: "INTOLERANT: Jesus said . . .I am the way, the truth and the life. John 14:6" The back : "Homosexuality is a sin, Islam is a lie, abortion is murder. Some issues are just black and white!"

Judge George C. Smith, in a ruling in U.S. District Court in Columbus, said Northern Local School District could not prove the shirt would be disruptive. He noted that before a guidance counselor asked James to remove the shirt, no students or staff members had commented on it.

Smith said the court had to weigh James' freedom of expression against the interest of the school district to carry out the education of students. He ruled that other students' disagreement with the shirt's message does not outweigh freedom of expression. The judge also noted that the shirt was not clearly offensive, that the district had allowed other controversial shirts and that it did not promote disruptive behavior.

James' parents, Cynthia and John Nixon, have said they are a religious family and their son was expressing that, as is his right. They could not be reached for comment yesterday. Northern Superintendent Jack Porter said he had not heard about the ruling. He said he had no comment on the judge's decision. Porter said it was too early to tell whether the district will make any changes to its dress code. The judge awarded the Nixons $1, as requested in the lawsuit. Rick Nelson, president of the Florida-based American Liberties Institute, which filed the suit, said the point of the dollar was to show that the court agreed with the Nixons. "We could've asked for money damages," he said. "The Nixons weren't interested in money. They're interested in getting their viewpoints expressed."

Ahmad Al-Akaras, president of the Ohio office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he supports the First Amendment and students' right to express themselves. But he said the shirt only points to James' ignorance about Islam. Al-Akaras encouraged the boy to educate himself about what he said is a teaching of peace and tolerance.

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Hello. The following article [Student wins T-shirt verdict] in my local newspaper prompted me to visit your website. THANK YOU for what you do. As a former Muslim, I would like to comment on the last paragraph of this article:  Alakras and other like him don't seem to realize (or maybe accept) that many of us have indeed taken the time and made the effort to educate ourselves about Islam. Growing up in a fairly nominal Muslim home, I confused the fantasy that my familial forefathers and foremothers had woven about the religion of their birth with the reality of its true nature. Not their fault. It's the way with many Muslims, especially those whose ancestors were forced to convert to Islam via occupation and conquest (i.e., India ).  How does one know anything about their religion when their "education" is limited to reading transliterations of Arabic (a language they know not) and reliance upon folklore and story telling passed down from generation to generation?

I am so proud of the young man this article cites. His tenacity at such a young age is a testament to the freedom and courage that are the foundation of our culture's fabric, based on our Christian heritage. There is immeasurable liberty for one's soul when one knows that he or she is the child of a loving God rather than the slave of a cruel and punitive imaginary authority.

Zan Be still, and know... Psalm 46:10

 Keep storming the gates - Flip

PHOTOS FROM KATRINA RELIEF EFFORTS

God's provision supplied for many Fathers and sons rally to the call

Inmates help OSA distribute supplies The caravan of mercy

For years the police have provided for OR/OSA
This day we returned the favor

JOSHUA HELDRETH INSTRUCTED TO APOLOGIZE TO HOSPICE CENTER

Ten-year-old Joshua Heldreth was arrested on Good Friday of this year for attempting to bring a drink of water to Miss Terri Schiavo. Terri died of purposeful dehydration a few days later.  Josh's picture adorned the front pages of several newspapers nationwide, and the picture clearly shows him being handcuffed by the Pinellas County Police officers, loaded into a paddy wagon, and taken to jail.  Joshua was represented in court by our great attorneys at the American Family Association.  Joshua pleaded out and was sentenced to 25 hours of community service and commanded to write an apology for his actions.  Here is his apology in full.

To whom it may concern,

My name is Joshua Heldreth. I am 10 years old. I was arrested on Good Friday for trespassing on the hospice center's property. I am not a law breaker, I keep God's law. That is very important to me.

In the Bible it says thou shall not murder in the 10 Commandments. It says to love your neighbor as yourself. It also says in Matthew 25, “When I was hungry and thirsty you gave me food and water.” Doing it for others was like doing it for God and He called the people who did that righteous and let them into heaven. So I wanted to do the same thing.

Not giving Mrs. Schiavo food or water was wrong. The reason I had to go on your property was because Jesus would do the same thing. It made me sad that she was so thirsty and it made Jesus sad too. I knew she would die without water and I am called by Jesus to be a defender of the defenseless. So I had to go on your property to try to bring her a drink. I am sorry that you didn't like that and wouldn't allow me to help her when I came on your property. I am also sorry you didn't help save her life and one day you will have to tell God why. I won't be able to help you then like I tried to help her.

I will pray for you everyday that you will someday have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and serve Him wholeheartedly no matter what.

 Below is a response to Josh's strong stand for the life of Miss Terri Schiavo.  His apology to the Pinellas Park County Court House is the best sermon I have ever read.  People from across the nation are responding to this young boy's love for Christ. 

I would like to thank Chris Coatney for sending this item along. The lad you see below is Joshua Heldreth being cuffed by Pinellas Park Police Department for his attempt to approach the doors of Hospice Woodside with a cup of cold water for Terri Schiavo after the effort to dehydrate and starve her healthy body was underway.

Please don't fail to recognize the irony of arresting a young lad for trying to help a dying young woman while those who caused her death are still roaming free.

Master Heldreth was ordered to complete 25 hours of community service, which he has, and to write a letter of apology to Hospice Woodside for his actions. The following link will give you a downloadable PDF (Acrobat Reader document) of his “apology.” After you've read this young lad's poignant words, ask yourself if Master Heldreth apologized to the Hospice, or if he stood his ground on the treatment of our weak and vulnerable.

In a day when we all look at youngsters and wonder what in the world is wrong with them, their parents, their influences, this lad has given me a great deal of hope. His actions are inspired by his faith, but he also acted on the very real principles he found beyond the words and ideas and, at the age of 10, was capable of being loving towards a stranger, standing his ground on a humane and simple principle and acting in a way that clearly demonstrates basic human kindness and compassion.

For that, Master Heldreth was cuffed like a thug. Murdering thugs are being awarded as heroes in Pinellas County, Florida and children are being punished for their belief in humane treatment of others less fortunate.

"I'm sorry that you didn't like that..."

Thank you, Joshua, for not taking the bait. This 10-year-old has the brass I aspire to and he deserves applause for sticking to his compassionate ethics when the rest of the world is telling him it's kinder to kill. He is to be commended.