Tag Archives: Fasting

http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/goldsborough_lg.shtml

Let’s set the stage first:

In April, the North Carolina state legislators passed a wide-ranging bill which barred transgender people from using bathrooms and locker rooms that do not match the gender on their birth certificates. Almost immediately, Bruce Springsteen, Pepsi, Whole Foods, General Electric, IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, NFL, NBA, and so forth have boycotted or threatened to boycott North Carolina because of their legislative stand.

Then a week later, Target announced that transgender team members and guests may use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their transgender identities. The American Family Association (AFA) called for a boycott by Christians of Target Stores, which to date over 1,000,000 have signed the pledge to boycott Target.

Okay, what’s wrong with this picture?

Blow the trumpet in Zion,
Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;

Gather the people,
Sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and nursing babes;
Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber,
And the bride from her dressing room.

Let the priests, who minister to the LORD,
Weep between the porch and the altar;
Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD,
And do not give Your heritage to reproach,
That the nations should rule over them.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’” (Joel 2:15-17)

Once again, the Church has listened to the trumpet of the flesh and used a world system weapon: boycotting. This is so dumb on our part! It reveals to the whole world what a bunch of nice losers we believers are; and of course, the unbelievers are asking, “Where is their God?”

Don’t Christian leaders who support the Target boycott have Bibles? Don’t they understand that boycotts are nothing but fleshly stands against spiritual foes? Or have these leaders decided it’s easier to go the way of the flesh rather than fasting, praying, and trusting God?

No doubt, most of us Christians, would rather sign our names to a boycott pledge and then drive to a different store, rather than shopping at Target. What does this act cost us? Nothing! Zero. Nada!

But then again, this is how the Church has fought abortion, gay agendas, secularism, and everything else Satan has thrown at America. It’s no wonder we lose!

(Continued in Part 7…if you’re interested, the full series to date can be seen here.)

http://www.canstockphoto.com

The vibrant sounds of Mozart’s Piano Concerto Number Seven swirled through the Beacon Hill mansion’s ballroom. The fifteen females seated around the grand piano, listening to the maestro, had proper Brahmin names like Cabot, Coolidge, Forbes, Lodge, or Shaw. Each traced her ancestry back to the earliest Puritan settlers of Boston. This blueblood lineage insured their invitation to the social tea, no nouveau riche Johnny-come-latelies were among the invitees.

When the pianist completed the piece, he stood and bowed. The women showed their appreciation with warm applause. One of the ladies put her white-gloved hands to her mouth and said, “Oh, I would just do anything to be able to play the piano like that.”

The maestro turned and stared at her. His eyes exploded with fire.

“No you wouldn’t,” he said.

The crowd gasped in unison. All felt sorry for the woman who had been openly rebuked by the man’s insensitive words.

As for the lady, she sat stunned, paralyzed by his harsh eyes, tears rolled down her cheeks. Then, as if she remembered her privileged pedigree, she mouthed three defiant words at the pianist: “Yes, I would.”

“No you wouldn’t,” he said again, leaning over the piano toward the lady.

“Because if you really meant what you said, you would have been willing to give up your youth, your teenage years, and eight to ten hours every day practicing on the piano. You see there is a price to sit on this bench. I’ve been willing to pay it, and you have not!”

(Excerpt from Deceived Dead And Delivered by Larry Nevenhoven, ©2013, Amazon eBook)

Like the short story, there’s a price which must be paid if you want to win spiritual battles. There are no shortcuts!

My prayer today:

Lord, raise up thousands of American believers who are willing to endure afflictions and hardships for the sake of Your church in America and who are also willing to fight the good fight until death without criticizing Your followers that lack the same intensity and may even oppose these warriors. (Based on 2 Timothy 2:10 and Matthew 7:1-6)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.