Written by Samuel A. Lawrence

A friend of mine wrote an article on August 30, 2010, that I thought was well written and contained a message that is worth noting and discussing. In his blog article, Benji Merritt said this:

“I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said “Coexist.” It was spelled with all types of different religious symbols. In the minds of most people, that is what is required to get along in the world. The teachings that “There is more than one way to get to heaven” is society’s new religion. To disagree automatically makes you close minded, bigoted or in the eyes of the world intolerant. God’s word says differently. As Christ follwers, we answer to God’s word and it’s truths. The Bible teaches us that “No one comes to the Father except through the Son.” That isn’t popular or politically correct, but it is the truth. God requires us to speak that to others (in love) no matter what the cost.”

“Coexistence” and “tolerance” are the “politically correct” speech of the days in which we live. These post modern values may be fashionable and may even make you more popular with the masses. The words themselves, void of “political correctness” seem innocuous and perhaps pleasant. However, in today’s politically correct, humanistic culture in which we live in America, these words take on somewhat of an insidious nature.

These words do not merely mean (As the Apostle Paul told the Roman church) to “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18, NLT). Today, “coexist” and “tolerance” carry the additional weight of silencing Christians of their mission of evangelism and Biblical understanding of truth. For example, being “tolerant” of homosexuality in today’s culture does not mean you merely endure or peacefully coexist with such deviant and perverse lifestyles. No, to the homosexual community, the only way Christians can demonstrate “tolerance” is for them to affirm and/or embrace the sinful lifestyles of homosexuals. To “coexist,” in the mind of homosexuals, means for Christians to legitimize their debauchery. To preach against this lifestyle, or to share with these folks what God says about their sin will relegate the Christian to being branded “INTOLERANT.”

To the Muslim ( and those of other non-Christian faiths), Christians must show “tolerance.” This means we must not dare to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them or even imply that Jesus Christ is indeed God. For any Christian to play a part in the conversion of a Muslim, a Jew, a Hindu, a Buddist, or even an atheist, makes Christians “INTOLERANT” in this culture in which we live. To “coexist,” and show “tolerance” we must embrace and value the merits of others religious faiths and if we do not concede that “all roads lead to heaven,” then we are certainly expected to be “tolerant” enough to keep our opinions to ourselves. Otherwise Christians will again be branded “INTOLERANT.”

Now, followers of Christ know this is not our calling or our mission. Jesus gave his disciples his “Great Commission” in Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) when he said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This is the Christian’s “marching orders” from the Lord himself. It is not a suggestion, or option; it is indeed a commission. However, this sinful old world simply cannot stand the truths of God’s word, apart from the saving Grace of Christ.

So this “Great Commission” is a recipe for conflict. For Christ, his Apostles, many of the early church, and countless thousands who have been martyred for their faith in Christ, it is a commission worth dying for. It certainly is worth bearing the stigma of being called “INTOLERANT.” Jesus Christ said “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34, ESV). Christ knew the price… and He paid that price on the cross at Calvary. Acts 4:12 says “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (ESV). So, Christians cannot biblically accept nor dare make the case to “Coexist” or be “tolerance” of all other religions being pathways to Heaven. And finally, Romans 3:4 say it best… “Let God be true, and every man a liar.”

So, the Christian who follows God’s Word must take God’s Word as THE Truth, the ultimate and ONLY Truth (John 1:1 & John 14:6). In matters of Faith, Christians are called to BE INTOLERANT.

Written by Samuel Lawrence:

On June 16, 1858, more than 1,000 Republican delegates met in the Springfield, Illinois, statehouse for the Republican State Convention. At 5 p.m. they chose Abraham Lincoln as their candidate for the U.S. Senate, running against Democrat Stephen A. Douglas. At 8 p.m. Lincoln delivered this address to his Republican colleagues in the Hall of Representatives. The title comes from a sentence in the speech’s introduction, “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” which paraphrases a statement by Jesus in the New Testament.  (source: http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/house.htm)

The quote above is the introduction to a speech given by Abraham Lincoln in which he discusses the issue of slavery and the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott Decision that endorsed slavery.  Lincoln’s speech was somewhat of a prophetic foreshadowing of the American Civil War.   Lincoln’s speech title was a spin off of Jesus’ words in  Matthew 12:22-28.  The Jewish religious leaders had accused Christ of using demonic powers to drive out demons from a demon possessed man.  Jesus succinctly and rightly chided his accusers in Matthew 12:25 “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”

America stands at a crossroad in 2010.  Since the 2006 Election, Congress has taken a hard left turn and since the 2008 Presidential election our President and Congress have led our nation down the primrose path toward economic ruin and the bonds of Socialism are ever tightening their grip on our citizenry and are erasing our freedoms.  The enemies of America are employing the same time tested strategy of “divide and conquer” implied in the scripture above.  We, as a nation, are deeply divided on many issues.  Economically we have a huge and growing percentage who feel entitled to government support, believing the Government owes them a living, free healthcare, free education, free housing and free food. Opposite those are the shrinking middle class whose hard work and diligence are paying for those desiring a free ride from the government.

Spiritually, America is facing a great divide as well.  Our nation was founded on Christian principles and up until the mid 1900′s America had an overwhelming Christian influence in society and enjoyed the blessings of the Lord in many ways.  What happened in the church is the same strategy as those seeking to destroy America: “Divide and Conquer.”  ”In politics and sociology, divide and rule (derived from Latin divide et impera) (also known as divide and conquer) is a combination of political, military and economic strategy of gaining and maintaining power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy” (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divide_and_rule).

America’s only hope for survival and the maintaining our freedoms and liberty lies squarely on the shoulders of Christians.  Throughout the Old Testament are accounts of the Lord blessing and delivering His people when they repent and turn to Him and obey His Word. Similarly there are many examples of God’s elect being put into bondage and captivity for turning away from the Lord. 2 Chronicles 7:14 declares “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” America has certainly turned away from the Lord the past few decades.  Most Christians in America today have more of a Secular Humanist worldview than a Christian worldview thanks to decades of humanist indoctrination in the Public education system.

The Christian artist Carman sings a song declaring “we need God in America again…”

The prescription in 2 Chronicles 7:14 and elsewhere in scripture sounds easy, but the enemy, Satan, is crafty and also understands the meaning of “a house divided.” It has often been said in various ways that the “Christian Army” shoots their own soldiers.  Many reading this article may have been a victim of such spiritual abuse.  Churches and denominations fight and argue over doctrine rather than focusing on the mission of spreading the Gospel.  Christians, churches and denomination need to realize, whether they are traditional or contemporary, Baptist, Methodist or Presbyterian, evangelical or charismatic, KJV only or NIV/ESV, etc.— ALL true believers are part of the body of Christ. It is past time to cease all divisions between Christians and work together toward spreading the Gospel of Christ throughout America.

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 the Apostle Paul describes the church as “One Body with Many Members”…

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body,so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But(AP) earnestly desire the higher gifts.

It is time for true Christians everywhere to work together as one body.  We must strive to build one another up instead of tearing at one another down and wounding fellow believers, even for the sake of growing a mega church.  Benjamin Franklin was quoted as saying at the signing of the Declaration of Independence: “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”  In this current social and political environment, Franklin’s advice is sound.  St. Augustine (354-430 AD – over 1500 years ago) is credited with saying “In Essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.” We need this today as much as ever.

By Samuel Lawrence:

When I was a student at Furman University in Greenville, I heard a powerful message by Dr.Tony Campolo. One of Tony Campolo’s best-known messages is about a sermon delivered by his preacher at the mostly-black church they attended in Philadelphia. The essence of the preacher’s message was just one line, which he mentioned over and over again – a message particularly appropriate on Easter weekend: It’s Friday… But Sunday’s a Coming’

Igniter Media has produced a similar version of this message. Here is their version…

“The story of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion is one of betrayal, brutality, despair, and pain. Yet we know even before His death that redemption was promised to be coming soon. We know that the story does not end at the cross. We know what many did not realize – that Sunday’s comin’. Celebrating Easter means rejoicing in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and recognizing what each of those events can teach us about the character of God. Be reminded of this truth during Easter: God has worked, is working, and will work through all things, even now as we find ourselves awaiting his return.”
(The voice for Sunday’s Comin’ is Pastor John L. Jefferson.)

Downloads and DVDs are available at http://www.ignitermedia.com.

Here is the transcription from Dr. Campolo’s message…

IT’S FRIDAY, BUT SUNDAY’S COMING

It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.

It was Friday, and my Jesus is dead on a tree. But that’s Friday, and Sunday’s coming.

Friday, Mary’s crying her eyes out, the disciples are running in every direction like sheep without a shepherd. But that’s Friday, and Sunday’s coming.

Friday, some are looking at the world and saying, “As things have been, so they shall be. You can’t change nothing in this world! You can’t change nothing in this world!” But they didn’t know that it was only Friday, and Sunday’s coming.

Friday, them forces that oppress the poor and keep people down, them forces that destroy people, the forces in control now, them forces that are gonna rule, they don’t know it’s only Friday, but Sunday’s coming.

Friday, people are saying, “Darkness is gonna rule the world, sadness is gonna be everywhere,” but they don’t know it’s only Friday, but Sunday’s coming.

Even though this world is rotten, as it is right now, we know it’s only Friday. But Sunday’s coming!

You can download his entire message at Tony Campolo’s website, along with several other of Tony’s messages.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

By Samuel Lawrence:

I get them all the time, and I am sure you do too: those emails and chain letters aimed at Christians.  Many come with blessings, news and information, encouragement or a mix of all three.  Often they contain promises of great blessings if sent to those in your address book, and some contain potential curses for those who dare delete them.  Many of these tempt your faith with phrases like “If you love Jesus, pass it on. If you don’t then delete it.” The sad truth is many of these emails originate with less than Christian intent. Too often these are vehicles for spammers using email harvesting software. They can also contain malware and spyware.  More often than not, they originate with the sole intent of making Christians look foolish.  They are the chain letters of yesteryear made digital.  I still get as email chain letters today, the very same variety as ones I received as” snail mail” 30 years ago.

Please do not misunderstand my intent. I sincerely believe those who send me these emails are being good friends and sharing what is often intended to be faith building or encouraging emails.   I must admit I often forward these too, but I try to “sift the chaff” before hitting the send button.  I also try to help fellow believers when they fall into a ruse of passing bad information.   Recently two such emails come to mind.  One email contained Barack Obama allegedly taking his shoes off to pray with Muslims.  Now let me say that I look at the fruit of his term as President and must doubt the depth and sincerity of his seemingly feigned Christian Faith.  I cannot fathom any Christian signing bill that supports the killing of innocent life through abortion.  Plus Obama has made many token acts and comments which demonstrate more Islamic allegiance than Christian.  So this presidential picture  in the email seemed plausible.  However, thanks to urban legend busting websites, the photo was deemed a fake before I blogged about it or sent it out to all my email friends.

Another recent email sent to me by a Christian friend was intended to be a faith builder to me and others as it contained many photos of archeological digs in biblical lands.  The series of photos contained bones of what appeared to be remains of giants, reportedly found in Saudi Arabia, thereby proving the biblical accounts regarding giants.

Now, I know the person who sent it and I know that their intent was to give a positive faith boost.  As someone who loves to dabble with photo editing software, I was skeptical from the start.  I have been taken in too many times and so I was suspicious.  With only minimal searching, I was able to find that the photos were originally part of a photo-editing contest and the entire associated email story was contrived to make the hoax appear real.  I “sifted this chaff” and notified my friend who then notified those who were in the their email distribution that this was a hoax. Because it targeted Christians, with the obvious intent to make them appear foolish, I had to help break the chain of deceit.  Biblical references to ‘sifting’ wheat was the process of separating or filtering the good from the bad, the wheat from the chaff. Sifting is used to purify a product. The process involved winnowing wheat on large forks with six prongs. The forks were waved in the wind until the chaff blew off. Undesirable chaff would at times cling tenaciously to the fork.

The other side of that coin is the propaganda spin related to anything Christian.  There are many other hoaxes passed off as science, such as the myth of evolution.  Secular Humanists try to turn any news article that does support Biblical accounts as either phony or paint them with a broad brush of skepticism.  For a great resource that supports all things historically Christian, see http://answersingenesis.org.

By Samuel Lawrence:

Recently I found out that one of my favorite broadcasters and authors was leaving a ministry I have followed for decades.  I was surprised and saddened.  The broadcasts and writings of Dr. James Dobson have helped me grow as a Christian and to have more of a biblical world view of marriage and family, not to mention becoming enlightened on both pro and anti-family legislation.

When I first heard Dr. Dobson was leaving Focus on the Family, I searched online and found several news articles that implied some rift between Dr. Dobson and the ministry he founded in 1977.  Even some Christian bloggers were joining in the speculation.  I must admit, I too became suspicious.

Today, I was thrilled to read Dr. Dobson’s final letter from Focus on the Family.  In that letter, he explained that the Lord was leading him to start a new ministry called “Family Talk.”  This is a new radio broadcast in which his son Ryan will join him on the air.  I got to hear Ryan Dobson at the Avalanche Youth Conference a few years ago in Pigeon Forge, TN.  Ryan is a gifted speaker and will be a dynamic radio personality.

I invite everyone who loves the ministry of Dr. James Dobson to check out Family Talk. I certainly hope one of our local radio stations will carry this new broadcast.  If not, I hope Family Talk will archive their broadcasts online!

Dr. Dobson and Focus on the Family granted us rights to republish the e-newsletter and so we have provided it for you here on Christian Faith in America.

Family News From James Dobson

Dear Friends,

Shirley and I have come now to our final hours on the staff of Focus on the Family. I have been given the privilege of writing to say goodbye to our friends and colleagues across the nation and around the world. By the time this letter reaches your home, our era within this beloved ministry will have drawn to a close.

As you can imagine, this is a very nostalgic time for us as we prepare to leave. One night last week, Shirley and I “walked the halls” of our campus here in Colorado Springs, after all the staff and visitors were gone. A million memories flooded through our minds on that tearful stroll. I thought about the day, nearly 18 years ago, when I walked through a half-finished structure in what would become the Administration Building. I stood where the studio would be located, and marked the dimensions of the boardroom. Then I watched as the edifice took shape, steel on steel and brick by brick. A short time later, we dedicated the campus to the Lord before a gathering of 15,000 friends and associates. Seven “Lesbian Avengers” protested across the street on that day. Can you guess what The Denver Post chose as the headline for their account of our celebration?

As we meandered through the buildings last week for perhaps the final time, we looked at each photo that decorates the walls. People have always been the centerpiece of the décor. I am pictured there with a much younger Billy Graham, and the late Bill Bright, Adrian Rogers and Tony Snow. In another portion of the building, we see Oliver North, Chuck Swindoll, Joe Gibbs, Darrell Waltrip and many more colleagues. My dear friend Chuck Colson is also represented, as are three U.S. presidents, Ronald Reagan—George H.W. Bush—and George W. Bush, during their time on the world stage.

Shirley and I are also shown standing beside Prince Charles on a recent visit to his private home in the Cotswolds, UK. There is a photograph of Sean Hannity, taken the day he came to speak to our staff and talk to our radio listeners. Memorabilia from the past 33 years are arranged in glass cases in the Welcome Center, some of it crystal and some bronze. My grandfather’s gold pocket watch is there, as is a football autographed by every member of the national champion USC Trojans in 2003. Quarterback Carson Palmer’s signature has become faded by the afternoon sun.

A photograph of the crew of the shuttle Columbia is shown just before its launch into orbit. How tragic it is that every one of those astronauts died on the shuttle’s descent to earth, including the commander. They had carried with them a Focus on the Family cap, given by me to Commander Rick Husband shortly before the blast off. A charred piece of that cap was found on the plains of Texas and is now on display in our Welcome Center.

Hanging in the “chapelteria” are 17 colorful silk hoods from colleges and universities that awarded honorary doctorates to me through the years. Each item on this Grand Tour evokes a story, an experience, and a memory of great friends whom we cherish.

Shirley and I returned to our offices after the “walk about,” where the packing process was about to get under way. Valued books would soon be placed in boxes, and my father’s paintings taken down in preparation for the move. Pictures of our daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and grandson were still in their places. On the wall above my couch is a large painting of Sir Winston Churchill, given to me by the board of directors during the dedication of our new campus in 1993. The remnants of many years are scattered there, each one neatly folded and lined in gold.

Our ministry began with the first radio broadcast on March 26, 1977. I had just resigned as an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine and as a member of the Attending Staff at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. Academia had been my professional “home” for 17 years, and it was a scary thing to walk away. Our lives were about to take a dramatic turn. Then, like now, we had no idea where the future led. We leased a two-room office in Arcadia, Calif., hired a half-time secretary (Mrs. Dee Otte) and began broadcasting with co-host Mrs. Flo Schmidt. Immediately, an avalanche of mail and calls came pouring in, as we struggled mightily to respond to so many personal requests. And Focus on the Family had only just begun.

The Focus on the Family film series was released on September 15, 1979, which turned our lives upside down. It was eventually seen by more than 80 million people around the world. Within eight years, we had 500 employees and were heard on more than 400 radio stations. What breathless days those were for us. The ministry grew steadily to a staff of more than 1,400 dedicated people on an 80-acre campus in Colorado Springs. I felt personally responsible for every division of the ministry, and worked tirelessly to protect its integrity.

To read Dr. Dobson’s final letter in its entirety, CLICK HERE>>>

Written by Samuel Lawrence:

This past week has been a very wearisome week in my life for many reasons.  Several issues on my day job have caused undue stress and left me with more questions than answers. Have you ever had times when you tried to please everybody around you, and in the process you seemed to please no one around you?  Some days, weeks, months and yes, even years can be wearisome.

The past few years have been wearisome to me in a lot of ways.  In 2004, I was betrayed and hurt badly by a friend in the ministry.  I lost my only remaining Grandmother in 2004.  In 2005 my Dad suffered a severe stroke that left him completely  debilitated.  In 2006, my day job company had their major project work put on hold for 3 years and I had to change jobs, twice in less than a year.  In 2007, a small church where I was serving as bi-vocational pastor asked me to resign over a racial issue.  In 2008, my Mom died.  In 2009, I have watched our nation’s leaders take America down a path of economic and political Socialism.  This week we are on the brink of watching America lose the greatest health care system in the world to a bunch of Socialists who seem bent on defying the will of over 75% of those constituents they were elected to represent and over and around a Constitution they swore to uphold.

There was a comedy skit Jerry Clower used to do related to to coon hunting.  Listen to this story.  It ends with how I felt at the end of  work week on my day job.

Sometimes, all you want is some relief! That can often come in the form of encouraging words.  My wife gave me a bunch of those this week and I thank the Lord for her love and support. She helped me make it through the tense week.  I have heard it said, that “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”  Have you ever reached the point where you get sick of drinking nothing but lemonade?  Have you ever gotten to the point of not really knowing what to pray?  This morning, as I sat there in my study, with weariness and heaviness of heart over the past week, I prayed and asked the Lord to bless me and restore my strength.  Just like the uplifting words of encouragement and prayers from my precious wife, the Lord spoke through a dear friend and partner in the ministry in his email to me:

“I woke up this morning dragging physically and mentally. My sugar was high and my mood low. But not for long because Galatians 6:9 came to mind. “ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” I’m telling you that the only thing that gives purpose and finality to my life is God and His word. He can pick me up in a moment when nothing else matters.

I continue to personally pray an individual prayer for each of you knowing that God is the only one who can give us the peace we need in difficult times.  We’re not in this for the temporal gain, we’re in this for what is to come after this life if we press on to the end.

I hope that everyone has a restful fulfilling weekend and that Monday we will be refreshed with new vigor and excitement as we continue to push forward with what He has given us to do!

Thank you again and know that I appreciate each one of you……“ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Growing weary – a Christian perspective:

Have you ever grown weary with doing good? You watch other people do what they want and they seem so happy or fulfilled in ways that you wish you could be fulfilled. Yet, in Galatians, and in other parts of the Bible, we are told to not grow weary with doing good. We’re not in this for the temporal gain, we’re in this for what is to come after this life if we press on to the end.

This message of hope came from Winn Freeman, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of  Wisdom In Living Life Ministry.  I  cannot put into words how greatly comforting it is to know that our God is an awesome God and he knows what we have need of even before we ask (Matthew 6:8).

The Holy Spirit helps us in our times of weakness.  Romans 8:25-27 says…

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

Even in our weakness, the Spirit of God helps us because we don’t know how to pray as we ought, and so the Spirit intercedes for us with wordless groanings. The Bible says that God the Father – the one who searches our hearts – knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit prays for us according to God’s will. So God the Father always answers the Spirit’s prayers.  That is why in Galatians 6:9 the Apostle Paul could boldly proclaim “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Thanks be to God for his Holy Word and for a loving wife and great friends in the ministry. In times like these, it is good to remember, that our Lord Jesus is still the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  Jesus told his Disciples…

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)