Dear Champion of the Lord and the Preborn,

The Lord richly bless you! I just submitted the following article as a guest column in the Waco Tribune and sent it out nationally to 350 Op Ed publishers. Hopefully, it will be published. If you find any merit, please pass it on in your sphere of influence.

Waco Considered Fifth Worse City To Raise A Family

Newsflash: “Waco is the fifth worst city in America to raise a family.” This disturbing proposition is according to a magazine known as “Best Life.” Studying different aspects of family life and statistics based upon crime, schools, etc. the “powers that be” bestowed upon Waco this ignoble title.

Of course our city officials were offended and dismissed this finding out of hand. They refused to acknowledge any merit in this alarming report. Regardless, if Waco is the fifth, fiftieth, or the five hundredth worst city to raise a family, the traditional family as we have known it has become an endangered species.

Since the 1960s, the American family has been under assault. Thanks in large part to the sexual revolution whose theme song was “If you are not with the one you love, love the one you’re with.” As a result, the traditional boundaries were removed and the ancient landmarks overthrown. Since then America has given full vent to the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.

Once fornication became the norm, which produced the “hook up” generation, other manifestations of sexual immorality proliferated as well, such as, adultery and homosexuality. No longer did intimacy require responsibility. No, sex became a recreational sport and he who dies with the most conquests wins.

To the shock of many, however, sexual irresponsibility does not abide in a vacuum. It is accompanied with unwanted pregnancies, STDs, family breakdown, divorce, mental instability, fatherlessness, increased taxation and a host of other ills. In fact, the cost to taxpayers exceeds 112 billion dollars annually. According to Ben Scafidi, the lead researcher and an economic professor at Georgia College and State University, "These costs are due to increased taxpayer expenditures for anti-poverty, criminal justice and education programs, and through lower levels of taxes paid by individuals whose adult productivity has been negatively affected by increased childhood poverty caused by family fragmentation."

Do these disconcerting problems give us reason to pause for the cause? Of course not! We are to busy championing our “sexual freedom” and over sexualizing our children. Our economic system based upon vice must continue to prosper, right? Otherwise, groups like Planned Parenthood would be put out of the sex business and we couldn’t afford that as a nation, could we? Excuse my sarcasm, but if a foreign nation had perpetrated upon us this sickening reality, we would be at war. The problem is we have met the enemy and according to Pogo, it is us.

America has proven that we will destroy marriage for sex, kill for sex, (abortion) and we will die for sex, (HIV AIDS). Instead of returning to the soundness of the Biblical nucleus family we, in our great brilliance, continue to rely on birth control, no-fault divorce, abortion, and are in the process of redefining family to maintain our promiscuous lifestyles.

The homosexual agenda is doing back flips over the recent Supreme Court Decision in California. Four judges defying the will of the people who voted against “gay marriage” declared two men or two women can be married. What are the next violations to be considered, polygamy, incest, and legitimizing marriage with Bessie the cow?

Another newsflash: The same crowd that screams for Separation of Church and State salivate over Caesar’s intrusion into the sacred. It was neither mankind nor civil government that created marriage nor the blessing of sexual intimacy. It was God Almighty, the God of the Holy Bible. With this blessing, however, come parameters. It is these protective constraints that we have violated to our collective harm.

Common sense determines we cannot continue to kick against the goads and ignore the dangerous trends that ill-affects us as a nation. Let us get back to the basic building blocks of a healthy society. First, we must teach our children to remain abstinent till marriage. Second, the definition of marriage needs to be defended as one
man with one woman. Third, after securing this self-evident truth, we must seek to remain faithful till death do us part. Though there will always be failures based upon mankind’s sinful inclinations and rebellion that doesn’t mean our laws and public policies should reward or excuse our infidelities. No, our laws and public policies should strengthen and not weaken this foundational institution.

I will conclude this guest column with a time-honored equation. As goes the father, so goes the family, as goes the family, so goes the church, as goes the church, so goes your nation. Waco as well as America would have a brighter future if we came back to this divine order. Otherwise, cities in America will continue to compete over which city is the worst to raise families.

AN ATHEIST’S THANKS

Imagine my shock when I received this email message. It was written by a self-described atheist/agnostic. He wrote to thank us for this guest column. The following is his comment and my response. Please pray for him. It appears that he is not far from the Kingdom.

“Your article regarding Waco is one of the simplest and best I've read on our cultural problems. I'm an atheist/agnostic, but there has to be certain constant and commonsense rules of civilized behavior or our society literally goes the way of Sodom and Gomorrah. You don't have to believe in God to believe in our being better than we are. Thanks for reminding me that I'm not the only one who sees the madness taking us into this hell the depraved minorities have chosen for us.”

Here is our response: “Thanks so much for taking the time to write this note of encouragement. They are usually few and far between. I really do appreciate it. Just one note of encouragement for you however. There has to be a basis for the moral code that you articulated so well and this is where you and I may differ. To me, belief in God is absolutely essential if we will remain consistent to what we inherently know. As an example of what I mean, the following comments may help. They are taken from an article I wrote called Intelligent Design or Chaotic Accident,If you care to read it in its entirety.

"There is a powerful CD offered by Vision Forum called “The Great Debate: Does God Exist?” It pits Christian Apologist, Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen, against “Atheist” Dr. Gordon Stein. Much of it is heady and lofty, but at the end of the day, Dr. Stein could not answer the transcendental argument put forth by Dr. Bahnsen. Dr. Bahnsen presented the premise that the atheists have to borrow from a Christian worldview in order to even try and prove in a reasonable, rational way that God doesn’t exist. (In other words, the atheist may say there are no moral absolutes, the problem, of course, is they stated an absolute. They simply cannot have it both ways. It violates the law of non-contradiction.)

For instance, when it comes to the laws of morality, how can they exist in an atheist universe? Dr. Stein was hard pressed to provide an answer. He stated that morality is based upon consensus or convention. Man just makes it up as he evolves. His rationale, however, became suspect when he was asked about the evil of Hitler’s Germany. Could he say that what Hitler did in Germany was evil and if he could, on what basis would it be considered evil? Again, he mentioned that Germany was a western country that was influenced by the Judeo/Christian ethic. It was by this consensus, he could say it was evil.

Two obvious fallacies emerge: number one, he doesn’t believe that there is a God who could establish a Judeo/Christian ethic. Number two, Hitler introduced an entire different consensus and convention that led to a holocaust. Some of Germany agreed with this new consensus, Hitler's Final Solution, so on what basis could he say it was evil, especially, since the consensus and convention changed?"

Joe, God, in His word, presents two manifestations of revelation. One is called natural revelation and the other special revelation (The Bible). The first manifestation is designed to lead us to seek the second. Creation itself testifies of God's glory and power. When the Bible states that man is made in the image of God, theologically, it means that man thinks God. It is inescapable. It is this attribute that allows man to think logically, create, and be rational. Though sin has certainly marred and distorted these necessary functions, they still remain nonetheless.

He has placed within man a conscience as well, which the Bible teaches is to excuse or accuse our thoughts and behavior. Obviously, one can through years of sinful decisions quiet its voice to the point the Bible warns it could become seared (1 Timothy 4:2) Nevertheless, our conscience is a reminder of what is universally right and wrong. The Lord has also placed His law in every man's heart. This is why all men do not want to be lied to, stolen from, or our property and life threatened. These things, however, do not originate in a vacuum. It is the very law of God written on our hearts. All this covers natural revelation, but like the historical jurist Blackstone stated:

"Man, considered as a creature, must necessarily be subject to the laws of his Creator, for he is entirely a dependent being....And, consequently, as man depends absolutely upon his Maker for everything, it is necessary that he should in all points conform to his Maker's will...this will of his Maker is called the law of nature…This law of nature, being coeval with mankind and dictated by God Himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times: no human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this. The doctrines thus delivered we call the revealed or divine law, and they are to be found only in the Holy Scriptures…Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation (found only in Holy Scripture), depend all human laws; that is to say, no human laws should be suffered to contradict these."

In your most welcomed comments, Joe, you used a lot of Biblical language for someone who confessed to be an "atheist/agnostic." This leads me to believe that you are not far from the Kingdom. I believe this is partially due to the fact that you do not reject natural revelation. Some, unfortunately reject self-evident truth. My only prayer for you is that you will now seek special revelation. You see, natural revelation may lead us to acknowledge a creator and a universal natural law, but it doesn't reveal who this Creator and Savior is to mankind. This is where special revelation is absolutely required. And as Blackstone stated, "this law is only found in Holy Scripture."

I pray that you will begin today a journey that will lead you to the saving faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ. If you have a Bible, please read the Gospel of John and ask the Lord to reveal His truth to you. He has promised, if we know the truth, it will set us free (John 8:32-36). May this Kingdom adventure earnestly commence in your life, Joe. If you have any questions, please let me know. God loves you and so do I.

IDAHO REPORT

Just returned from Idaho and the sparks flew. On the plane ride I met a young man who knew not the Lord nor was obeying His Gospel. I pray our divine appointment has altered his life forever. I gave him the book that I was reading and ministered to him God's word. The book is by Chuck Colson and it is called "The Faith." The title is based upon Jude:3, which states, "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for "the faith" which was once delivered unto the saints."

Mr. Colson recognizes a three-fold problem, the secularization of the West with its anti-theism mentality, the threat of Islam, and an "emerging church" that is abandoning sound doctrine and Biblical teaching for experiences, music, and entertaining ways to present a non-offensive Jesus and a watered down Gospel. I highly recommend this book as it calls us back to contend for the original faith that not only conquers the sinful nature within man, but pagan nations in history as well (which America is swiftly becoming). The man's name is Travis. He promised to read the book. If you would, please offer a prayer for his soul that he would surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

I arrived about midnight at our host home, the Mund family. They were the host and hostess with the mostest. It was Tom Munds who sowed, prepared, and showed us great hospitality while storming the gates of hell in Idaho. Their home is gorgeous nestled in a valley with majestic mountains in the background. Sleep came about one o'clock in the morning. By four o'clock, I awoke burdened in my spirit. The two passages of Scripture that was going over and over in my mind were "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance...Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (2 Peter 3:9;1 Timothy 2:4)."

The next morning most of the men invited to preach at the "Shake the Nation" conference went to the local death camp. We arrived at Planned Parenthood. While the local small remnant were setting up signs, I felt compelled to walk inside and declare the message of God's word. Pastor Bill Dunfee from Ohio and Pastor Mark Kiser from Missouri covered my back. Needless to say, the receptionist's jaw dropped. She ran immediately to get the executive director or manager. Her name was Anita. This lady was not your usual flaming pro-abort. She was actually reasonable and listened while God's warning was presented. She did, however, asked, if we could go outside. Once there, I reiterated the Lord's message that He was not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He was not willing that His babies perish by abortion, nor her soul perish in her sins. She responded with typical Planned Parenthood rhetoric, but I exhorted her that God desired her to be saved and acknowledge the truth. She obiously was uncomfortable and went back inside. However, God's mail was delivered.

Afterward, we set up outside and the local folks were thrilled. Pastor Bill Dunfee, Dr. Gregory Thompson, Coach Dave Daubenmire, and I tagged team preached and it created no small stir. About a half dozen police cars or so came by. They warned us about sound, where we stood, and a host of other issues. Apparently, God's word was having impact. Otherwise those who defend the indefensible are not called to harass those standing in the gap and making up the hedge.

From there we did a powerful radio interview. The host Matt Slick from www.carm.org invited all of us to sit in a room and give his audience heaven. We challenged the Church and particularly men to connect their testosterone with Biblical Christianity. Later, we split up in two teams. One went to Boise and the other to Caldwell. Little did we know that the powers that be, the champions of tolerance and diversity who promote a "hate free zone Idaho," demanded our host churches cancel the event. Articles filled the newspapers warning the communities that radical born-again bigots, homophobes, and anti-choice zealots were disturbing their utopia of peace and harmony. The Interfaith Alliance (Otherwise known as the synagogue of Satan and heresy) pleaded, "We ask that as church leaders you reconsider and withdraw your offer to allow this very divisive group to use the First Baptist Church to spread its message of hate and disregard the laws of America." Clearly, as Flip Benham from Operation Save America has declared, "truth is hate to those that hate the truth."

While we were preaching, about twenty sodomites set up outside the church to protest. They were gone by the time we were done. The next day the teams switched and the controversy grew. All in all, we had a few Christians decide that they were no longer going to be spectators while our nation was rapidly descending into the abyss. They would participate, come out of their comfort zones, and give God a reason to show mercy to our nation at a time we are begging for increased judgments.

On the returned flight home, there was another divine appointment. This time it was a homeschool mom that is struggling with some prodigals. She wept openly as we prayed and looked to God's word for comfort in the midst of the battle. All in all, it was a powerful time advancing the cause of Christ, His kingdom, and great salvation amongst the folks in Idaho. There may be future opportunities for another Shake the Nation conference, a Kingdom Leadership Institute, and some were even interested in establishing a Rachel's Park Memorial in their area. Please keep these possibilities in prayer. Thanks for all your love, prayers, and support.

IN KING JESUS' SERVICE,

Rusty, Kendra, and the Thomas Nation

P.O. Box 3126, Waco, TX 76707 Voice: (254) 836-1037 Cell: (254) 715-3134
E-mail: rusty@elijahmin.com Website: www.elijahmin.com www.operationsaveamerica.org