7 May

Prayer for Crushing Idols

Posted by Abby Kelly in Digging a Little Deeper, Personal Lies, Prayer, Rejoicing in the Truth. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Last weekend, I was disappointed because Patrick had to work. I look forward to our Saturday morning coffee times. We roll out of bed about 7 a.m.  and sit our butts right back down in cozy living room chairs with steaming cups of banana nut-flavored coffee and the computer. Sounds romantic right? Well, we don’t get cable and we don’t pay for newspaper delivery, so Yahoo News, and FOX online do the trick. After browsing a few depressing stories, our search deteriorates to the funniest pictures of animals, or YouTube bloopers.

But this last weekend, one of his soldiers got a DUI, so Patrick called the whole company in for a corporal punishment of 8 hours of safety classes. But my greatest Lover, my Heavenly Father, met me right there. This week, I promised to share Scripture prayers with you. The Bible is laced with perfect narratives, supernatural dialogue and personal scripts for prayer. I am without excuse for prayer-less-ness. Saturday morning, God got personal.

I am doing a wonderful Bible study called In His Image, by Setting Captives Free. I had been doing it infrequently, a day every couple weeks, but I’ve been missing out! God has used my study mentor and the probing questions to dig deeply into the lingering worship that I ascribe to food and exercise. The Bible talks several times about the Israelites “following God,” and yet at the same time refusing to tear down their high places of idol worship. I often find myself in that exact position: daily serving and following God, all the while with my idolatrous alters standing in the background. Why? Is it a safety net? The idea that I can always go back?

So, Father brought me again to a place of surrender. I want to share with you the verses that He strung together and draped as a garland around my neck. When I am inhaling, exhaling, gazing at and living in God’s word, then I am beautiful.

“My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight;
they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.” Proverbs 3:22

Father, today (Saturday, April 28, 2012) I lay my body and my appetites before you in reasonable and rightful worship. [Romans 12:1] I choose to renew my mind in your word and conform it to your perfect, personal will. I am setting my mind purposefully on your Holy Spirit, grateful for and convinced of your promise of life and peace. Just as you raised Jesus from the dead, you can and will fill my body with life. [Romans 12, 8] I confess to you that I am unable to do this at all – but you promised to help me in weakness. Intercede for me and personally meet my needs and bless me. I am opening my very mouth before you – fill it. [Ps. 81:10] I will feast on your sufficient word, it is my delight. [Jer. 15:16] I hear you call my name. Speak Lord, your servant is listening.

P.S. Check out this WONDERFUL WEBSITE!(picture above courtesy of… 365 Promises

4 May

Too Close To Home

Posted by Abby Kelly in Cultural Lies, Guests, Stories. Tagged: , , , , , , .

 For years, he rang the bells of his church as an expression of praise to God – until the city of Phoenix wrongly determined that the bells violated a local noise ordinance. As a result, a judge sentenced Bishop Painter to jail!

In Michigan, the radical group “Bash Back” invaded Mount Hope Church and disrupted a church service while showering the congregation with propaganda on homosexual behavior.

A straight-A student at Tomah High School in Wisconsin drew a picture in art class containing a cross and Scripture reference. His teacher removed the drawing from the classroom display and gave him a zero for the assignment, a formal reprimand, and two days of detention. Why? Because his art work depicted religious beliefs, which violated the school’s unconstitutional policy.

It’s tempting and hopeful to think that religious freedom is only shrinking in small aspects of life in America. Maybe it’s just in public universities. Maybe it’s only happening in extremely liberal cities. Maybe it’s not that bad. After all, our lives as Christians aren’t threatened in the United States. Praise the Lord that’s still true. But, the above stories are true. They are real cases that the Alliance Defense Fund has litigated.

During the last week of April, we discussed some terrible stories of religious persecution worldwide. What are we going to do to protect our religious freedom in America – arguably, in history, the defining characteristic of our nation?

“If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”
– President Ronald Reagan

2 May

May I Join You for May?

Posted by Abby Kelly in Book Reviews, Cultural Lies, Digging a Little Deeper, Guests, Personal Lies, Prayer. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

I can’t believe May has nearly arrived. I don’t feel like I’ve exhausted April yet and it’s already time to take off into the wild-blue future. That said, I’m going to do my best to linger in the past a little bit longer. I want to talk a little bit more about the persecuted church. I want to dig into the persecuted church in America? Think it doesn’t happen? Think again. We’ll take a close look at the truth about our religious liberty in America, how it’s being threatened and increase our prayers for those who boldly protect and defend our freedoms.

I just finished a Bible study called Enhancing Your Marriage, by Judy Rossi. The last chapter reminded me of something I haven’t done in a while. Judy led participants in praying for their husbands using Scripture almost exclusively. Years ago, I read a book called Praying the Bible: Pathway to Spirituality.  Though I do not advocate all of the Campbells’ doctrine, this book changed my prayer life dramatically. Thanks to Judy’s reminder, I have  once again culled the Scriptures for God-sotted prayers. It makes praying easy, not to mention powerful and focused. I’ll share several prayers with you this week that I have written from chapters in the Bible.

Satanism is a topic that most Christians either rush toward out of gross curiosity and the tantalizing opportunity for debate, or they run the other way with tails tucked between their legs. “Flee, flee, flee evil!” I just picked up a gripping book called Ascent From Darkness. Author, Michael Leehan shares how “Satan’s Soldier Became God’s Warrior.” As Satan is the father of lies, there are few books more fitting to review on this blog. As I share my thoughts on this book, I’ll whet your appetite to devour it yourself.

And finally, if you’re being truthful, do you believe in miracles? Do you believe that when you’re the most out of control, you are the most primed for miraculous intervention? Just this morning, my entire day’s plans crashed and burned before 10 a.m. Being a woman of preparation and forward thinking (to a fault) I was tempted to go back to bed and just try again tomorrow. However, the dog needed out no matter how badly my day was going, so I took him to the trails. There, my miracle happened. The exciting thing is that this miracle bubbled over and blessed someone else too. I’ll share that story with you and in the meantime, I’m going to be on the lookout for many “mini” miracles. If you see any, will you share them too?

See you soon!

30 Apr

A Good Name

Posted by Abby Kelly in Miscelaneous.

This week we’re investigating the challenges and persecutions against Christians in the United States. Here’s a new one. 

Tim Tebow, a publicly professed Christian, has stated in no uncertain terms that he plans to save himself for marriage. Intent on ruining the reputation of a Christian public figure, a website that prides itself on setting up adulterous affairs (whose link I will not supply) has offered a bounty. A bounty on Tebow’s virginity. The bawdy website is offering 1 million dollars to the woman who can prove she has slept with Tebow. 

As disgusting as that is, it is equally preposterous: the proof that the website will accept against Tebow’s virginity. The website has agreed to accept a sworn affidavit from the accuser’s mother.

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” Proverbs 22:1

It is a Christian’s honor and duty to maintain a God-pleasing, Christ-representing reputation. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, because as people we are incapable of living up to our Creator’s perfect standards.

I pray that Tebow has truly kept his virginity for the sake of the Gospel. If he has fallen or falls, it is no cause for condemnation:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,a because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:1-4

 

 

30 Apr

Watch Your Mouth in KY

Posted by Abby Kelly in Cultural Lies, Guests, Stories. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Whose speech is free?

Apparently not that of a Christian business.

In March 2012, Blain Adamson, owner of Hands On Originals in Lexington, KY, declined to print t-shirts ordered by the Gay and Lesbian Service Organization for use in the upcoming Lexington Pride Festival. Adamson rightly believes that to print the t-shirts would indicate his company’s advocacy of the GLSO’s political message. So, he secured an equal quote for printing services at another local printing company and suggested the GLSO use them.

Then Hell broke loose. The GLSO immediately filed a complaint with Lexington’s Human Rights Commission, against Hands On Originals, stating that the company was discriminating against them. Suddenly, not only is Adamson willingly passing up income in order to be true to his Christian values, he is facing legal action and public vilification that may negatively affect his business for years to come.

So, let’s look at the facts:

In the freest nation in the world, a Christian business man is not allowed to decline service to an organization whose message he does not support. But, a restaurant has the right to decline service to a patron who refuses to wear shoes or a shirt. In July 2011, a restaurant in Pennsylvania decided to ban children under 6-years-old because of the potential for disruptive behavior. Isn’t that age discrimination?

Adamson’s company, Hands On Originals, currently employs homosexuals and has no policy against providing printing services to them.

“Notably, HOO has filled past orders for customers who it knew identified as homosexual and will continue to do so in the future,” the response adds. “In addition, HOO has hired, currently employs, and will continue to employ individuals who identify as homosexual.”

Adamson is by no means prohibiting the GLSO’s freedom of expression, as he willingly provided them with an affordable alternative.

Fortunately, the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal alliance defending religious liberty, sanctity of life, marriage, and the family, has filed a response in defense of Hands On Originals. Now, the ball is in play, and it’s anybody’s guess what happens from here. Recently, the cultural trend is to minimize Christian influence in the public arena.

Praise the Lord, in the US, it isn’t likely that someone will torch Adamson’s property, and Christians aren’t forced to post security around their churches. See two of last month’s posts: April 23,  and April 27. But the definitions of freedom are getting blurry and the exercise of personal rights is often criticized.

In Adamson’s shoes, what would you do?

29 Apr

Fear’s Farce

Posted by Abby Kelly in Miscelaneous.

I finally figured out fear. 

If I had no future, then I wouldn’t be afraid. 

If no phantom fat, floated in the future - 

What would there be to fear?

That’s what’s frightening. 

With no future, there’s no forever. 

With no forever, why live now?

For if forever lingers out there, 

I can’t fail now. 

I am frightened of failing today, 

For the fearful possibility of ruining tomorrow, then forever. 

Fear not. 

 

Am I willing to throw away forever

That I might find freedom to fill up today 

With fun, feasting, faith, friendship?

Will I float forever to the faithful arms of God?

Will I fill up today with faith, friendship, fun, feasting 

On the table prepared before me

In the presence of my fear?

Run hard into the future and laugh?

To find that goodness and mercy follow me?Image

28 Apr

A Morning Alone with Jesus

Posted by Abby Kelly in Miscelaneous.

What would I give to word your grace, 

To describe the beauty of your Father face. 

But I don’t want to leave this quiet place. 

Resounding worship or silent peace, 
I cannot tell.

Oh for none to interrupt, 

Neither thought, nor friend, no foe.

Only that You are all I know.

Why do I become so discontent

When I leave here?

Why must I leave? I hate the man I am

Mere inches from the glory I saw moments ago.

Wrap me in your glory!

I refuse to leave unless you go with me!

Now show me your glory!

Image

http://gardenwalkgardentalk.com/2010/09/18/cacophony-of-color-tulip-explosion/ 

27 Apr

Under Fire On Facebook

Posted by Abby Kelly in Cultural Lies, Digging a Little Deeper, Guests, Stories. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Who knew the dangerous tendrils of Facebook? It’s no surprise that Facebook has been related to a plethora of illegal activity in the United States.  Last year, I must have read a dozen surveys in women’s magazines asking, “Would you let your ‘tween’ have a Facebook page?”

But these infractions seem ridiculously small when compared the true story of a young Coptic Christian in Egypt who was arrested, convicted and sentenced to three years in prison for something he posted on Facebook. [from: persecutionblog.com] His home and those of four other friends and relatives were torched.

“For a Muslim to stand on a street corner and say bad things against Christianity, or even to broadcast them on the radio, on the television, on their Facebook page or whatever — that would go without punishment. But this Christian, who has been accused of posting something that was offensive to Muslims on his Facebook page, is now sentenced to three years in prison for insulting Islam.” Todd Nettleton

This story insists that we teach our children the absolute value, the death-worthy value of our faith. Few adults know and live by this truth:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.a Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.” Hebrews 12:1-3

It’s time that changed. Let’s start with this generation.

25 Apr

It’s The Least We Can Do?

Posted by Abby Kelly in Cultural Lies, Digging a Little Deeper, Guests, Stories. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Counter-intuitively, the church of Jesus Christ has historically seemed to flourish in the midst of persecution. In Iran, China and Ethiopia, Christians are hunted, hounded, harassed and often killed. Pastor Youcef was arrested nearly 3 years ago. He remains in prison in Iran for “offending Islam.” Recently, an execution order hung imminently over his head. It was denied following international indignation, yet daily he waits with no resolution. In spite of this, the church grows. In July 2011, it was reported that the Christian church in Iran was growing annually at 19.6%. [oprev.org]

In Turkey, Christians are getting tired. It’s been five years since three Christian men were bound, tortured and killed in Turkey. [persecutionblog.com] The church is barely hanging on.

“Within Turkish culture, Christians remain vilified and are treated as second-class citizens. The news media often portray Christianity in a negative light, and some church leaders rely on bodyguards and police protection. In 2011, a Protestant group documented 12 attacks against Christians, and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom added Turkey to its list of 16 ‘Countries of Particular Concern’ this year.”

 There is another blessed outcome of persecution.

“Let the whole world bless our God
and loudly sing his praises.
Our lives are in his hands,
and he keeps our feet from stumbling.
You have tested us, O God;
you have purified us like silver.
You captured us in your net
and laid the burden of slavery on our backs.
Then you put a leader over us.
We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance.” Ps. 66:8-12

As a grateful Christian, living in America, it’s hard to know what to say. I feel refined in my own daily life, sometimes I feel like the heat is more than I can bear. Why am I spared the sufferings that Christians in other countries experience? Does God know that my faith is not yet strong enough to endure? I pray that’s not the case!

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Revelation 3:15-17

Often we feel like there’s little to do from where we sit. “All we can do is pray,” is a common, comfy-Christian refrain. First, there is no such thing as “only praying.” I think we see little because we ask little, we expect little, we endure little. However, there is something else we can do.

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13

Stacy Harp is the editor of persecutionblog.com. I asked her what I can do, what we can do, to raise the awareness of the persecuted church and to increase the fervency of American Christians to support our brothers and sisters. Her first, specific request is that we write to Pastor Youcef.

Would you do that?

 

23 Apr

While Christians Are Being Killed

Posted by Abby Kelly in Cultural Lies, Digging a Little Deeper, Guests, Stories. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

You know that question: “What were you doing on 9/11?” or: “Do you remember where you were when JFK was shot?”

What were you doing on your last birthday? I was enjoying a good, craft beer with my husband after a nice, normal morning at church. The weather was great, our windows were open, it was pure relaxation. Meanwhile, 6,599 miles away, in Nigeria, 9 members of St. Finbar’s Catholic Church were killed during a not-so-normal 10:30 a.m. church service.

What if there were youth stationed outside your church as security detail during your Sunday morning service? What if those youth had to detain a car loaded with explosives and self-proclaimed martyrs ready to detonate themselves as long as they could take you out with them?

“We attacked simply because it’s a church, and we can decide to attack any other church,” spokesman Abu Qaqa told United Press International (UPI). “We have just started.”

What would you do? A growing number of Nigerian Christians are reaching their limit. They have endured unprovoked attacks against their churches, their homes and their families. “We are tired of turning the other cheek,” one man explained in 2010. That was 2 years ago! Do you hear the echo of Habakkuk 1:2?

“How long, LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’
but you do not save?”

Clergymen gather around the coffins of the victims of the Christmas day bombing at St Theresa Catholic Church Madalla, during a mass funeral for the victims, outside Nigeria's capital Abuja, February 1, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Easter Sunday, I was again in church. We had entertained friends over brunch. I wept in worship, lifting my hands to familiar songs and resting in familiar words from the pulpit. I know that Jesus is omnipresent, I know that He is with me at all times, everywhere, but on Easter Sunday, there was another attack on Christians in Nigeria. This one killed several more people. Why do I imagine that His eyes and heart were drawn passionately toward His hurting people. That must be the definition of filling up the sufferings of Christ (Col. 1:24) He knows their pain personally.

I wonder if Christ will ask us one day, “Where were you when my people were being slaughtered because they dared to gather together and worship me?” What will I tell Him? Where was my heart? Where were my prayers? What are we doing?

Attacks Claimed by Boko Haram

July 2009: Attacks and clashes in Bauchi and Maiduguri leave 800 people dead.
December 2010: Bombings in central Nigeria and church attacks in the northeast kill 86 people.
June 26, 2011: Attack on a Maiduguri bar kills 25 people.
August 25, 2011: Attacks on police station in Gombi and two banks kill 12 people.
August 26, 2011: Suicide bomber kills 23 people at U.N. building in Abuja.
November 4, 2011: Damaturu, Potiskum bombings kill 65 people.
December 25, 2011: Christmas Day bombings across Nigeria kill 39 people.

taken from: Voice Of America, http://www.voanews.com

 

 

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