Showing posts with label culture wars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label culture wars. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

The World Is Getting Crazier, But That's Why We Do What We Do - MICHAEL BROWN CHARISMA NEWS


If you're on the frontlines of the culture wars, it's easy to get discouraged.
If you're on the frontlines of the culture wars, it's easy to get discouraged. (Photo by Chuanchai Pundej on Unsplash)
If you're on the frontlines of the culture wars, it's easy to get discouraged. Why bother? Why try to bail water from a sinking ship? Why make an effort to stop, let alone reverse the irreversible? But to have that attitude is to misunderstand our role. It is at times like these we are most needed.
Think of it like a fire for a fireman. Or a critically injured patient for an emergency room doctor. This is when they spring into action.
And today, when it seems like our culture is suffering from corporate delusion, our voice of sanity and clarity and morality is all the more needed.
Just consider these recent headlines (from America and abroad):
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The first article tells the unbelievable, yet true, story of Kate Scottow, who says she was "arrested in my home by three officers, with my autistic 10-year-old daughter and breastfed 20-month-old son present. I was then detained for seven hours in a cell with no sanitary products (which I said I needed) before being interviewed then later released under investigation."
What was her crime?
She explains, "I was arrested for harassment and malicious communications because I called someone out and misgendered them on Twitter."
Can you imagine this? You're home with your kids when the police come to your door, arresting you and detaining you because you identified a biological male as a male in a social media comment.
For years we have used the phrase "the diversity police" in a metaphorical sense. In the case of Kate Scottow, it was literal.
What is coming next?
The second article tells another unbelievable, yet true, story, this one from here in the States. Ironically, this time it is a feminist who is being punished, but for a similar crime.
Back in November, she tweeted, "Men are not women. How are transwomen not men? What is the difference between men and transwomen?"
As a result of daring to challenge today's transanity, she was permanently banned from Twitter. Now, with her lawyers, she is fighting back.
And for good reason. Twitter's actions are both ridiculous and unconscionable. Pushing back is the only logical choice, especially when you're defending the simple statement that "men are not women."
Whole books are now being written by feminists, some of them quite radically to the left, protesting against biological men who claim they are women and warning about "female erasure."
They have every reason to speak out.
The third article pushes credulity one step farther.
Not only is yet another library hosting a drag queen reading hour for toddlers, but this time, the drag queen goes by the name "Annie Christ."
According to the library director Tom Meyer, "There's definitely more complaints about this than any other event we've done. But the amount of support for having it is also overwhelming."
Enough said.
The fourth article blasts USA Powerlifting for banning biological males from competing against women, recognizing the unfair advantage they have. (If you're unsure about this, just look at a picture from a weightlifting event in Australia. Is there anything unusual about the "female" winner?)
Yes, USA Powerlifting is being "unscientific" for saying that a biological male who is naturally much bigger and stronger than a female, regardless of what hormones he is taking, has an unfair advantage against women. How unscientific indeed.
But let's be honest.
These are just four headlines out of 400. Or 4,000. The list could be multiplied almost to infinity.
How can we possibly think of stopping the flood, let alone turning the tide?
To repeat: This is why we are here. This is why we do what we do.
The darker it is, the more we shine the light.
The crazier it is, the more we speak the truth.
The slipperier it is, the more we stand firm.
What else can we do?
The less we stand up and speak up, the quicker we lose our own rights.
The less we raise our voices, the quicker our kids and grandkids will lose theirs.
Do we really have a choice?
But let's not take our stand with despair, as if we are Custer's army about to be slaughtered.
Not at all.
I have the firm, biblically based conviction that light is more powerful than darkness and truth than lies.
I have the firm, biblically based conviction that God's ways will triumph in the end.
I have the firm, biblically based conviction that we will reap what we sow, which means we set the course for our own future by how we live today.
It is even possible that a massive, spiritual and cultural awakening is at the door.
And since we've been warning for years that such unhinged days would be upon us, we can now shout all the more, "We told you so! And we also told you how to respond. It's time to take our stand!"
I would encourage you, then, to take these crazy times as a divine invitation to action. Come join us on the front lines today.
We reach out to all with compassion, and we resist destructive agendas with courage.
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Donald Trump Is Not My Savior. Connect with him on Facebook or Twitter, or YouTube.
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Saturday, September 26, 2015

A Great Move of God is Coming, But He Will Use the Unqualified - Steve Strang

Peter felt unqualified as a disciple, but Jesus knew of Peter's worth.
Peter felt unqualified as a disciple, but Jesus knew of Peter's worth. (Lightstock)
Listen to the new Strang Report podcast weekly at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Strang Report, by Steven Strang, Founder of Charisma magazine
When Pat Schatzline wrote I Am Remnant in 2014, it hit such a chord with people that he renamed his ministry "Remnant Ministries International." As he traveled around the country speaking at churches, pastors and others would tell him—often with tears—how it resonated with them and that they were part of the remnant God was calling, but that they felt unqualified.
That led to his latest book, Unqualified, which shows how God always uses those who are unqualified to accomplish His will—in other words, those who are humble and know they must depend on God because they can't do it themselves.  
The book resonated with me because I certainly felt unqualified when I started Charisma magazine as a 24-year-old newspaper reporter. I still feel unqualified as I try to mobilize the church, involve myself with the culture wars or speak at places like the United Nations about the persecuted church.
I had the privilege of publishing Unqualified, but time doesn't allow me to read all the magazines, Internet content and books we publish. Yet somehow I felt drawn to this book. I try always to read a book during my daily quiet time to challenge me spiritually, and I'm glad I read this one.  
Pat is the consummate storyteller. Known for his crazy humor and unique ability to communicate God's Word with passion, he says his desire is to introduce a generation to the awesome love of the Father and to see God's last day remnant make a stand for truth through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The chapter that grabs most readers is titled "Ah, Sovereign Lord," in which Pat shares how he learned the nature of God. He also tells about a troubling dream during the summer of 2014 in which a wave washed across a map of the United States. In the dream, he shouted to people to jump to safety. One day he was crying out to God, reminding Him that He'd promised never to destroy the world again with water.
He writes, "Then I heard God say, 'Son, the dream you had was not the destruction of America, but a wave of My glory that will flood America!
"I said, 'Lord, I want to see America shaken by Your glory, but it seems so far away.'  The Lord then spoke again to me. He said, "Get ready, because it is coming!"
How encouraging that message is in a time when what we see around us and the messages we hear from leaders are often the opposite.
I knew I was in for a treat when I saw 25 endorsements in the front of the book received before it was published. I'd never heard of many of the people, but there were also well-known leaders like Sid Roth who wrote, "If you are unqualified plus Jesus, you are qualified and chosen to be front and center for the greatest harvest in history."  
Marcus Lamb went even further, "The book will help change the course of the church for generations to come."
One thing I liked is the way the author added "quotes" from a wide variety of people on what it means to be unqualified. These are "extras" because they aren't part of the text itself. If you simply flip through the book and read them with their gray background and different type font, they will inspire you.
Some like Joel Stockstill have national influence. He wrote, "The unqualified are those who have paid the price to walk closely with Jesus but have not been noticed by man for extreme gifting or personality. The playing field is being leveled by the Lord of the harvest and the laborers of true passion are being released."
Others were students like 20-year-old Tommy Vardaman of Portage, Indiana, who said,  "I would rather be considered unqualified, because then it is no longer about what I can do but what He can do through me."
The one I like best came from pro bass fisherman and winner of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic—Randy Howell of Springville, Alabama. He wrote, "The fishermen that Jesus called were the perfect example of the unqualified, but the only qualification Jesus asked for was faith."
Who should read this book?
  • Anyone like me who likes to be inspired during their quiet times
  • Pastors looking for pithy content to inspire their sermons
  • People in general who feel unqualified and want to be encouraged—almost like a spiritual pep talk
  • Those believing for an end-time harvest who want to understand strategies and to see God's plans and purposes
UnqualifiedPat's book is for the humble and for those with a heart to serve the kingdom.
"The spiritual depth of the unqualified will not come from degrees on the wall or memberships in prestigious God clubs, but from the classroom of brokenness," Pat says. "God doesn't look at polls or opinions when He chooses His leaders. He always looks for someone with a heart, regardless of what the world thinks."
Do you remember the book The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren? It was also a book that resonated with people. But when it came out, Rick Warren was not well known. Pastors and others who had been touched by his ministry began talking about the book. The book took off, inspiring and influencing millions to find purpose in their lives.
I urge you to purchase Unqualified and read it. It's available wherever Christian books are sold or you can quickly download it on Kindle. You can purchase it through one of the online bookstores like Christian Book Distributors or amazon.com.
Pat believes passionately in this message. He's on a mission. The book is born out of that—not just a desire to write a book. But, he needs your help to forward this message on social media or to talk about the book within your circle of friends.
And as always, leave your comments below.
Steve Strang is the founder of Charisma and CEO of Charisma Media. Follow him onTwitter or Facebook.
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Thursday, August 14, 2014

Satanists Take Culture Wars to Deadly Level - Jennifer LeClaire

Watchman on the Wall, by Jennifer LeClaire

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Satanists Take Culture Wars to Deadly Level

McChicken swastika
A McDonald's in Morehead City, North Carolina, served this McChicken—with a swastika on the bun—to a guest. (News 12)
First an artistic, devil-inspired barista took demonic to a whole new level with one lady's latte—crafting a satanic symbol in a Catholic woman's Starbucks drink. That's only somewhat surprising, given Christian complaints over Starbucks' so-called Jezebelic logo over the years.
Now, a burger chain symbolized by its golden arches is making headlines for something nearly as sinister: a golden swastika depicted in butter on a chicken sandwich bun she bought from a McDonald's drive-thru in Morehead City, North Carolina. Swastikas are anti-Semitic symbols made famous by Germany's Nazi Party during the Holocaust that killed millions of Jews.
"Is this a joke? Does somebody really think they're funny?" Charleigh Matice, the customer who discovered the swastika when she set out to put mayo on her sandwich, told WCTI12.com. "Many people died because of that symbol, and it's not something that should be taken lightly. It's not something that should be thrown around. I really didn't have an appetite at that point, so I said I'd rather have my money back."
Satan Growing Bolder
McDonald's fired the employee involved in the incident, but what does this incident—and the occult symbols in the Starbucks latte some months ago—really say? What's going on in the spiritual realm? Clearly, it's one more manifestation of Satan's subtle—and increasingly not-so-subtle—works in a sinful world.
The pentagram and the 666 in the Starbucks lattes were easy enough to discern as demonic in nature, but the swastika is more than just offensive to Jews or anyone who fought against the Nazis in World War II. It's also rooted in false gods.
According to the Holocaust Teacher Resource Center, the swastika is a symbol in both Jainism and Buddhism. Moreover, it's considered a representation of the sun that is associated with the worship of Aryan sun gods. Images of Aryan sun gods are unmistakably demonic. It doesn't take a prophet to discern that Adolf Hitler was demon-controlled in his reign of terror. The symbol he chose to represent his movement is now widely considered an antichrist—and an anti-Semitic—sign.
It doesn't take a prophet, either, to see that satanism is on the rise; their moves are all over mainstream media. Satanists are using the Hobby Lobby decision to play devil's advocate, ABC reports, while a Houston teen is being tried as an adult in a girl's satanic ritual killing. Satanic rituals are being performed in a so-called Black Mass in the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City. Meanwhile, a Satanist gallery recently brought Charles Manson to Chinatown.
The list of headlines goes on and on. Satan's army is highly organized (see Eph. 6) and his human followers are rallying the troops. Satanists are actively working to get monuments erected to the false god they serve even while others kill in his name. The prince of the power of the air is no longer willing to work behind the scenes in our media. He wants a place of prominence in our culture.
Beyond Culture Wars
Satan, who often disguises himself as an angel of light (see 2 Cor. 11:14) is coming out of the darkness and into public arenas—even making his presence known in our fast-food chains with demonic symbols in our coffee and burgers. I'm glad Matice spoke out about the swastika on her bun, and I'm glad McDonald's fired the employee who painted it on there. But this is just one small manifestation of a growing issue with satanism in America.
Folks, this is much different than culture wars against atheists who want prayer taken out of the public square or our doctrinal differences with Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and  other religions. This is Satan himself working to get a stronghold in our nation through the legislative branch of our government, through arts and entertainment, and through public gatherings in mainstream venues. This is brash, bold—and prideful. Would you expect anything less from Satan?
Listen to what one ex-Satanist said about America and judge for yourself:
"Our society is submerged in the occult; Harry Potter has filled the minds of our children for a decade and vampirism meets our teens with the illusions of grandeur. Witchcraft went mainstream decades ago, and Wicca is its offspring," Jeff Harshbarger, author of Dancing With the Devil, told the Christian Post. "'Christian' witchcraft is on the up-rise, and new-age spirituality fills the church pews. Time has come for the church to be equipped and be effective."
Amen. Peter warned us to, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). And Paul warned us to "give no opportunity to the devil" (Eph. 4:27). Finally, 1 John 5:19 says, "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one."
The bottom line: Satan has been working subtly to lull us to sleep, but he's growing bolder in these last hours. Don't be deceived. Get anything that has occult markings out of your home—and away from your eyes and ears—and stay watchful in prayer.
Jennifer LeClaire is news editor of Charisma. She is also director of IHOP Fort Lauderdale and author of several books, including The Making of a Prophet and The Spiritual Warrior's Guide to Defeating Jezebel. You can email Jennifer at jennifer.leclaire@charismamedia.com or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
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