Volume 14 Issue 10 - October 1999 THE STANDARD "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." (Isaiah 59:19b) Operation Rescue National, in my opinion, has one of the finest Christian T-shirts ever designed. It’s message is simple, yet profound. On the front of the T-shirt it has for a backdrop, the American flag, Old Glory, and unabashedly before the flag is the old wooden cross, the true statue of liberty. Emblazoned over the cross and the American flag is this bold proclamation, JESUS IS THE STANDARD! In essence, it is declaring that just as governmental agencies have the authority granted to them to set the legal standards for just weights, measurements, and the economy of our land, so Jesus, the Sovereign Creator/King of the universe sets the ultimate standards by which mankind ought to live. In other words, by virtue of the authority granted to Christ after His resurrection, His Law/Word is absolutely binding upon all men, at all times, and in every nation. Typically, no one questions the value of setting a standard that provides a consistent legal order that regulates certain aspects of our society. I mean, who bemoans the fact that stop signs, lights, and speed limits are set standards to help prevent chaos, confusion, and destruction as we attempt to drive in safety? And yet, this same reasoning, when it comes to God’s standards for living, suddenly disappears from our national conscience. Our nation seems to go ballistic when confronted with the set standards of God’s moral, ethical, and spiritual laws. We mistakenly believe God’s standards, which were meant to protect us, are oppressive. That they somehow stifle human development, pleasure, and expression. Thus our nation acts like spoiled children that throw temper tantrums anytime our self-centered, lustful pursuits are interrupted with the nagging reminder that there is a God and He has spoken. America finds herself in the precarious position of fulfilling Psalm 2:1-4, "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." Notice the scheme of the heathen rulers is to disregard God’s standards and laws (bands and cords). Their pursuit is to throw off God’s moral restraints to fulfill their misguided pursuit of autonomy and perverted definition of freedom. Surprisingly, this posture by rebellious mankind and wicked rulers produces a chuckle in the Almighty. One may question this unconventional response by the Supreme Ruler of the universe, but the bottom line is, when God laughs in heaven, it is not funny on earth. America is learning this lesson the hard way as we bury our sons and daughters in our schools and now even our churches. "There always comes a time in history where the person who dares to say that 2+2=4 is punished with imprisonment or death. And the issue is not what reward or punishment will be the outcome of that reasoning. The issue is whether or not 2+2=4. -Albert Camus- German Existentialist Brethren, it is clear, that we live in an age that "kicks at the goads," as it were, whenever we are confronted with God’s immutable plumbline which He uses to judge our motives, deeds, and thoughts. This rebellion against any standard, boundary, or moral restraint that would impede our lustful appetites dominates the national landscape. It has become so evident that we actually are reaching back into history to defame our heroes just to justify our pitiful lack of standards and integrity today. The Clinton Administration again serves as an object lesson to expose this historical defamation of character. Men, such as George Washington, have to be knocked off their high horse of glorious virtue to vindicate the failed moral leadership of this current administration. Ours is indeed a generation of dumbing down, lower standards, and a revolt against responsible maturity. In academia, the least common denominator will suffice to process an illiterate populace. In government, the ethics of an alley cat will be proficient, as long as our civil officials tickle our ears with promises of a piece of their Socialist pie. Even the Church, with its appeal to sentiment and feelings, refuses to challenge the believer’s will and intellect with the commands of Scripture. As a result, America gleefully creates any standard or no standard at all in which to live. Thus in our deluded minds, in comparison to Adolph Hitler, we are still a good people. Unfortunately for America, Hitler is not the standard by which we are to judge good and evil, only the God of the Bible, by virtue of His holiness, is morally qualified to set those standards. Recently, I went to a Crisis Pregnancy Center’s banquet. The guest speaker was one of the few who actually had the courage to address the horrors of abortion at a fundraising dinner. He began with this poignant question, "Who switched the price tags?" He went on to describe a story whether true or not I can’t remember, but it sums up the point of this article. Apparently, a group of thieves broke into a department store. Interestingly, they neither stole nor vandalized the store. Instead, they went throughout the place switching the price tags. The high priced items were switched with the low priced items. For instance, a piece of fine luggage suddenly plummeted in value as it was priced at $1.59 and a cheap candy bar was exalted in value as it was now priced at a $1,000.00. This prank aptly diagnoses the malady that has infected America as we have foolishly abandoned God and ignored His standards for our personal righteousness and national obedience. Someone has clearly broke into America’s store and switched the price tags. The unborn child that has the weight and worth of the image of God, the sacrificial death of Christ, and the inherent worth of being human is tragically reduced to a piece of trash by raw judicial activism. The abominable practice of homosexuality, on the other hand, has suddenly claimed for itself the most favored and protected class in our perverted land. With the stroke of the pen, the airing of sitcoms, the nod of the media, the teaching in academia, and the silence of the Church, thousands of years of Biblical and historical standards are being inverted to our own demise. America is without a moral compass with no concrete standards to uphold our experiment in liberty. We can’t even seem to reach a consensus on the most basic ethical and moral problems that afflict us today. America’s promise of freedom that has fallen for the lie of moral relativism is leading this nation to the very bowels of hell. In our attempt to play god, by setting our own subjective standards, we have become the worst kind of devils. We have deceived ourselves into believing life without God’s standards is utopia. The definition of utopia is "no place." Is that where we really want to lead America? Historically, at least in Western Civilization, the Church set the standards for the world. Unfortunately, we don’t live in the past anymore. Now, the opposite seems to be true as the Church sheepishly submits to the standards that are being set by the world. Of course, the Church justifies this pitiful state by desiring not to appear as intolerant, bigoted, or mean-spirited. This mentality, that has been framed by the enemies of the cross as love, has duped the Church into a passive state where She has become willing to surrender God’s standards to the highest bidder. Obviously, America will not find her way back if the Church maintains this position. Therefore, it is high time for the Church to return to being the standard-bearers that God can use to put difference once again between the clean and the unclean and between the holy and profane. It is high time for Christians to march back into America’s store and switch back the right price tags, so America can reclaim a proper standard and value system. Truly it is time to shout it from the roof tops that JESUS IS THE STANDARD! GENERATION "WHY?" "For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." (Deuteronomy 5:9b) The following article appeared in the Dallas Morning News May 2, 1999, and was written by Marcey Musgrove, a junior at Texas A&M University. I am a member of the upcoming generation—the one after Generation X that has yet to be given a name. So far, it appears that most people are rallying behind the idea of calling us Generation Next. I believe I know why. The older generations are hoping we will mindlessly assume our place as the "next" in line. That way, they won’t have to explain why my generation has had to experience so much pain and heartache. "What heartache?" you ask. "Don’t you know you have grown up in a time of great prosperity?" Yeah, we know that. Believe me, it has been drilled into our heads since birth. Unfortunately, the pain and hurt I speak of can’t be compensated for with money. You have tried for years to buy us happiness, but it is only temporary. Money isn’t the answer, and it is time for people to begin admitting their guilt for failing my generation. I will admit that I wasn’t planning to write this. I was going to tuck it away in some corner of my mind and fall victim to your whole "next" mentality. But after the massacre in Littleton, CO, I realized that as a member of this generation that kills without remorse, I had a duty to challenge all of my elders to explain why they have allowed things to become this bad. Let me tell you this: These questions don’t represent only me but a whole generation that is struggling to grow up and make sense of this world. We all have questions—we all want explanations. People may label us Generation Next, but we are more appropriately Generation "Why?"
Call us Generation Next if you want to but I think you will be surprised at how we will fail to fit into your neat little category. These questions should, and will be asked of the generations that have failed us. You have pursued your selfish desires for years but now is the time to reap what you have sown. Some rude awakenings like the Littleton massacre have occurred and probably will continue until you can begin to answer our questions and make the drastic changes to put us, your kids, first. Time is running out, for in just a few short years we will be grown, and it will be too late. You might not think we are worth it, but I can guarantee that Littleton will look like a drop in the bucket compared to what might occur when a neglected Generation "Why?" comes to power. A friend of mine, Mr. Bob Bell, recently gave this article to me right before I was scheduled to preach at a Wednesday night service at our Church. I literally had to compose myself as the tears kept flowing down my face. This one article represents the cry of a generation that is struggling with the fallout of our hedonistic, materialistic, and paganistic pursuits. It is an indictment against our nation that has lost her way and endangered our kids as a result. Sooner or later this nation will be forced to answer the honest inquiry of a young woman who had the guts to ask why. At a Solemn Assembly that we conducted in Dayton during our "Return To Truth" campaign in 1997, (in which we still have FACE charges hanging over our heads) we asked similar questions. Questions like: 1) What is it in us, the Church of Jesus Christ, (not the heathen, the pagan, the homosexual agenda, the feminist movement, the abortion industry, and a renegade judiciary) that has lifted God's hand of blessing off this nation and has invoked His wrath on us instead? 2) Why is it under our watch, our nation has been subjected to wicked rulers, unjust laws, and legalized evil? 3) How come the Church, who has the stewardship responsibility to be salt and light, has for the most part stood idly by while evil not only became established, but is actually flourishing in our midst? Those questions are more relevant today than they were two years ago and they still need to be answered by an obedient Church. Brothers and Sisters, it took a lot of courage for this young lady to ask these hard questions. Can we muster the humility to try an answer her? Not only by way of explanation, but by godly repentance. An answer that will encompass both word and deed, truth and spirit, and faith and works. I am convinced that we must make a profound apology to our young. We must clear ourselves for not fighting the battle, nor making the necessary sacrifices that could have spared them such heartache and misery. We truly need their forgiveness for not stopping this monster that is gobbling up their generation. The bottom line is, we must repent and endeavor by God’s grace to begin to pass something good and godly to Generation "Why?". The one light of hope that shines from the article is the refusal to be called "Generation Next." I rejoice that our young are making a quality decision to reject that label and all it represents. The truth is, we must encourage them not to make the same mistakes we did. Our nation can simply no longer afford it. May God have mercy on Generation "Why?" and transform them to become the "Joshua Generation" that our nation needs to be restored in Jesus’ Name! "SAY SO" RALLY AND MARCH "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy." (Psalm 107:2) As I write this article, one of the most strategic, significant, and powerful pro-life advances is currently underway. Pastor Johnny Hunter, the national director of L.E.A.R.N., Star Parker, president of Coalition on Urban Renewal & Education, along with twelve black pastors, are leading an all-black pro-life civil rights march from Newark, NJ, to Washington DC. The "Say So" march began with a prayer rally in Montclair, NJ, on Friday, October 8, 1999. The twelve pastors who organized the actual march that began on October 9, and will conclude on October 11th, expect about 1,500 African-Americans to participate. In three grueling days, they will march from Newark to the steps of the Supreme Court in order to stand in the gap and speak on the behalf of the estimated 1,452 black children aborted every day in America. "The significance of the march is that we are going to give a human face to the babies who are being totally slaughtered while America turns a blind eye and a deaf ear," said Parker. "And the importance of injecting race into the debate is because Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, injected race into the debate. This should be disturbing to us as Americans as we try to foster racial reconciliation in this nation for the coming century." "This march is a civil rights march. We’re organizing this march to tell our black brothers and sisters that we have been duped into destroying ourselves," said Say So March spokesman Damon Owens. "Even though we make up 12% of the population, we supply 33% of the abortion industry’s business. We have fallen prey to the Margaret Sangers of the world." Owens went on to say, "In the three days of this march, more African-Americans will be murdered by abortion than were lynched from 1882-1968. It’s time to stop the genocide!" My good friend, Pastor Johnny Hunter, spoke of the symbolism between the number of aborted black children and the participants in the march. "That (number) represents 1,452 children that will never be able to benefit from the things gained in the Civil Rights Era. What good is a better job opportunity for a child if the child doesn’t get to be born? What good is a playground if that child doesn’t get to be born?" Some of these outstanding quotes are issues that Pastor Johnny Hunter and I have discussed for years. To see them actually being trumpeted and demonstrated is absolutely a joy to behold. I’m convinced one of the keys to America’s deliverance from abortion lies in a much needed revelation amongst our black brothers and sisters. For years we have prayed for God to expose the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing that has indeed duped our black brethren into destroying themselves. This liberal demonic stronghold that has been ushered into power in the guise of compassionate help has done more untold damage to the black community than all the plots of the KKK combined. Let us pray that the message and godly action that is being demonstrated in the "Say So" march will ignite a "Gentle Revolution" that will collapse the liberal, demonic agenda like a house of cards. In other words, "PHARAOH, LET MY PEOPLE GO IN JESUS’ NAME!" GOD IS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL CAMPAIGN "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) John Milton, the author of Paradise Lost, which is considered one of the greatest classics in all of literature once made this profound statement, "The end of learning is to repair the ruin of our first parents by regaining to know God aright, and out of that knowledge to love Him, to imitate Him, and to be like Him." The question that begs to be answered is, do our government sponsored-schools or even Christians schools still have that vision of learning today? Do we actually state to our children that the goal of learning and education is to repair the ruin perpetrated by our first parents, Adam and Eve, by properly relating to the Almighty? If we were honest, we would have to respond in the negative. I dare say, even most Christians don’t perceive education in that light, let alone our humanistic temples that masquerade as public schools. Most believe that education is primarily for economic purposes that will prepare our children to embrace the same god of materialism that we have. Very few recognize that this is a great departure from the classical, historical, and Biblical model of education that was to prepare our children for their future station in serving in God’s Kingdom. The word of God states that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. Obviously, without God involved in the educational process, there is no open door or no starting gate to even have a fundamental basis for learning. In fact, the Duke of Wellington once declared, "To educate men without God, is to make them but clever devils." One just has to visit our high schools and college campuses with the truth of the Gospel to realize the accuracy of his observation. The bottom line is, education apart from God is really not education. It is humanistic indoctrination and leftist socialization. The consequences of abandoning God as the Fount of Learning and embracing pagan education instead is not only seen in the pathetic intellectual state of our young, but also in the flow of blood that is coursing down the hallways of our schools. Thus the purpose for the "God Is Going Back To School" campaign. Church on the Rock, my home Church, is in the process of purchasing 1,000 Bibles. The Bibles were designed by a ministry called Revival Fires. These Bibles which are called "Truth for Youth" are specifically geared to reach public school students with the saving message of the Gospel in light of the massacres that have invaded their generation. For those in Waco who are interested, we will begin on Monday, October 25th, at a local high school. Altogether we will visit four high schools that week to pass out Bibles and flyers inviting them to the production of "Sammy." The last campaign we did in Waco drew over 200 young people to our rally and 22 souls were birthed into the Kingdom and added to God’s Church. Pray for a double portion to be on this outreach and that God would reap a mighty harvest in Jesus Name! For more information on what you can do to be involved, give me a call at (254) 836-1037. SAMMY "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20) Last call to witness the production of "Sammy" which will be performed first in Dallas on Sunday, October 17th, at 6pm at Calvary Hill Baptist Church in Mesquite TX. The Church is located at 3300 Laprada in Mesquite and you can call (972) 279-1600 or (972) 271-8396 for directions or more information. Sammy will proceed from there and come to Waco on Saturday, October 30th, at 7pm at Church on the Rock. Church on the Rock is located at 4720 N. 19th St. and you can call (254) 753-2401 or (254) 836-1037 for directions or more information. I want to strongly encourage you to take advantage of this Gospel opportunity to advance the cause of Christ in these cities. Our prayer and desire is to reach the lost with God’s appeal to be reconciled to Him through Christ and to encourage the found to begin to step out of the comfort zone to make a difference in this lost and dying generation. We are specifically targeting the young people, but all age groups will benefit. As much as lies within you, rally your Church, invite the lost, and make sure Christian public schools students are there to have the vision of "Scriptures in School" imparted to them. Pray their eyes will be opened to see the vision and by God’s grace they will run the race that is mapped out for them in Jesus’ name. Thank you! IN KING JESUS’ SERVICE, Rusty Lee Thomas |