Monday, April 11, 2011

"Silence Strengthens the Sins of Tyrants"

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We took a few days off last week from our daily publishing, giving some who work with us the opportunity to be with their kids during Spring Break and giving me, personally, some time to think, reflect, plan and pray.

There is much to think, reflect and pray about. Some new plans have taken root. We will be announcing them at the appropriate time as we move forward in the coming months.

There is a growing awareness that something is very, very wrong in our country. And it is becoming more and more apparent that many of our leaders do not know what to do.

There is a verse in Chronicles 12:38 that refers to the, "Men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what to do."

Martin Luther, the great reformer said, "The preacher who does not rebuke the sins of the rulers through God's Word spoken publicly, boldly and honestly, strengthens the sins of the tyrants and becomes a partaker in them and bears responsibility for them."

Silence strengthens the sins of the tyrants.

I have been criticized for speaking out as directly as we do on the issues of abortion, family, marriage, morality and other issues that, according to His Word, matter to God. I'm sure many of you, too, have been snubbed or criticized for speaking out on these issues.

I have been asked, "Gary, why are you so passionate about these things. What can you do? It's bigger than you are." Indeed it is.

A young man was walking along the beach throwing starfish into the water as fast as possible, saving them from baking in the sun and dying. He would pick one up and sail it back into the ocean. Then another and another. A gruff old cynical man came along asking what the young man was doing. After the explanation, the old man said "There are thousands of starfish on this beach; you surely don't think you can save them all do you? What difference can you make? Does it matter?"

The young man looked at the old man, then at the starfish in his hand and said, "It will make a difference to this one," as he threw the starfish into the water.

We may not win every battle, but we must engage and resist every effort to destroy our culture.

We are at a critical cultural crossroads in our country and our communities. We are killing millions of pre-born babies, redefining marriage, re-engineering the family, inverting morality, normalizing perversion and silencing those who disagree, using enforced "tolerance."

Tolerance has become the new American virtue, enforced by intolerance toward those who disagree.

Too many of our of nation's leaders wallow in decadence and deceit while too many people look on with apathetic indifference. Too many so-called conservative politicians are asking us to set aside the "social issues" for political gain, while too many people of faith nod in agreement.

"Gary, why are you so passionate...?" Because we have compromised the Truth for a publicly acceptable "relevance" hoping to fill our churches, while surveys show that our kids are walking away and the pews of many---not all, but many churches are more vacant then when we became "relevant".

We must not condone what God seeks to redeem.

I am a preacher, ordained with my denomination since the early seventies. The preacher who does not speak out becomes a participant in the wickedness of the tyrants of our culture, its decline and its demise.

I refuse to become that preacher. With God's help, I refuse to be silent.

America does not only need a change of administration, but a spiritual awakening. A re-birth. A restoration. And I believe it will come.

I am asking for your financial support. It allows us to continue to act and speak. To not be silent. These are perilous times.

A few weeks ago, Iran's Ahmadinejad told his country that the Twelfth Iman is coming; the revolution is now underway in the Middle East and the "final move has begun" to destroy America and Israel.

His "Twelfth Iman" is Islam's counterfeit version to the Messiah. There are many counterfeits.

We are at a crossroads. God's will, will be done, but what part has He called you and me to do?

In the winter of 1943, a group of university students in Munich calling themselves, The White Rose, began a desperate effort to awaken the young people of that nation to the malignant evil that had engulfed their country. Led by a 25-year old student named Hans Scholl, they distributed leaflets across the campus in a doomed effort to provoke resistance to the Hitler regime. Six leaflets were written. Number Four in the series included this desperate plea, a plea which could have been written today, and a plea which could have been addressed to us.

Scholl wrote, “Everywhere, at all times of greatest trial, men have appeared, prophets and saints, who cherished their freedom, who preached the one God and who with His help brought the people to a reversal of their downward course. I ask you now, as a Christian, wrestling for the preservation of your greatest treasure: Why do you hesitate? Why are you inclined toward intrigue, calculation and procrastination? Are you hoping that someone else will raise his arm in your defense? God has given you the strength! God has given you the will to fight! We must attack the evil now, where it is strongest!”

Their valiant effort was crushed after only a few weeks. Scholl and his young comrades were beheaded by the Gestapo. They died for their faith, but their words reverberate down across the years to us in America today, to a nation that has been blessed more richly than any other nation in the history of mankind. Their words come to us:

“Why do you hesitate? God has given you the strength! God has given you the will to fight!“

Thank you for standing with us in this battle for our soul, our culture and our country. We may not save every starfish or win every battle, but every time we raise our arm and voice in defense of God's principles and values, it does make a difference.

Your donation today will make a difference for this ministry. We can only continue with your support.

From my heart, thank you.

Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Active. Be Prayerful. Be Blessed.

_____________
Gary Randall
President
Faith and Freedom

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