|
August 2007 |
|
Dear Friends: Greetings in Jesus’ mighty Name! I am back from the OSA national event in Birmingham . It was soooo good to be with other like minded folks. I saw some of you there and I know so many of you were praying for us. It was truly the safest week for unborn babies in Birmingham in years and I am sure the work is continuing to go on by faithful servants of the Lord. The local pro-lifers of Birmingham (David, Mensur, and many, many more) were such gracious hosts and Pastor A. J. Johnson was such an encouragement to us. He has stood strongly for the babies long after many pastors retreated to their offices and church houses. A.J. understands that the church is not a building and worship is often in the streets. We had church in the streets and in Doer’s of the Word Church. We asked for a permit to have the memorial service in a park and the city responded with an enormous price for renting the park - so - we went to the streets. We had the memorial on one of the busiest corners of Birmingham! I guess the Lord wanted us both out of the church building and out of the park! Praise the Lord! In the morning of the day we were scheduled to go to an abortion mill in Tuscaloosa, Kristene’s children were not feeling well so she could not go. Since we are a “team” and work together through the whole preparation and event process, I decided to also stay back and help her with the boys. I must admit, one part of me wanted to go—I hate to miss the fun of ministering on the streets— but another part wanted to help a friend. The friend part won. We missed one of the most exciting events of the whole event, seeing Gloria, the director of the clinic, being arrested for refusing to stop yelling at Christians but we were at the “comm. Center” so I could get press releases out immediately. We were exactly where we needed to be. Media relations is my job during an event, and I could not have done my job if I had been in Tuscaloosa. Isn’t it wonderful how the Lord just works things out? We usually do not know the plan—but He always does!! While I was in Birmingham, I saw an article on the international news services about some Christians being captured by Muslim terrorists in Afghanistan. There was not much in the U.S. News about it. They were mostly young people, 16 women and 7 men, from a Presbyterian Church near Seoul, Korea on a ten day humanitarian aid mission to children in Afghanistan. (See side bar, page 2) I have been watching the international news services for developments. Two of the seven men have been killed and the terrorists, Taliban insurgents, are threatening to kill more unless terrorists are released from prison. The interesting thing is, although it is all over the international news, there is very little on the U.S. media sources. Why have we forgotten about these young Christian men and women who only wanted to follow Christ’s command to “love thy neighbor as thyself?” I don’t blame the media because, although they are decidedly biased against Christianity, they usually report on what we want to read about—just “spin” it their way. This is not a case of biased reporting—it is no reporting. Can it be we don’t much care? We cared about captives in the US embassy in Iran many years ago and more recently in Peru. We even care about Muslim Taliban prisoners who are embarrassed by their guards. So - if it isn’t that we are insensitive to other ethnic groups - are we just insensitive to Christians? In our craze to be politically correct we want to appease any religion but Christianity. This is the land of the free - except for Christians. This localized insanity was manifest when Senator Harry Reid, Democratic leader of the Senate invited a Hindu to open the Senate with a prayer (to an abominable idol!) This was a historic occasion - this had never happened before and should never happen. Have we forgotten the God under whose protection we have grown into a mighty nation?. Ante and Kathy Pavkovic, and their daughter Christen Sugar were in the gallery when the Hindu rose to pray. Ante stood to say, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” “You are the One true living God.” Kathy quoted John 14:6, “Jesus is the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” Christen began pleading to God “Father, forgive us for betraying your Son Jesus.” They were all arrested for disturbing the order of the Senate. I say the order of the Senate was broken when a prayer was offered to an idol! I honestly fear for our nation. We have strayed far from the values that made is good and from the God whose blessing made us great. We say God bless America yet ban the only one true and living God from our schools, out courts, our Congress and our lives. We profess to love Jesus but do not follow his commands, yet Jesus said:. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15 We often quote John 3:16 but have be read John 3:36? “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3:36 NAS I pray that we, the church of Jesus Christ in America, wake up. While we sleep, our neighbors, Christians across the globe are being persecuted mainly in Muslim and Hindu nations! There have been more Christians martyred for their faith in the twentieth and twenty first century than in all the years before—and we sleep in our complacency. Our tiniest neighbors, the unborn are being slaughtered by the thousands in our own land—and we sleep. Lord please wake us up—make us again a land where Your Name is glorified—make is again a people You can bless. Thank you for your support. You have chosen to support Life Coalition International with your donations and prayers when you have many worthy causes and ministries to choose from. Thank you!!
A servant,
Pat McEwen |
|
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees of the |
|
wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because He cometh to judge the earth. I Chronicles 16:31-33 KJV
|
|
GO
T O |
|
From the desk of Pat McEwen, 8/9/07
|