Daily Devotional for Tuesday January 23, 2007
The Attempt to Stifle Free Speech that will One Day Make Preaching The Gospel a Crime
(Matthew 24:14; Mark 16:15; Revelation 14:6)
SB1 (section 220), the attempt to stifle free speech that will one day make simply preaching the Gospel a crime! In the new Senate, the very first piece of legislation was a bill to reform and bring more transparency to lobbying. In that bill, there was a section (220) that was designed to stifle free speech by trying to hamper the efforts of grassroots organizations in effectively communicating with their supporters and lobbying Members of Congress. Even though late Thursday night that section was removed from the Bill, it is still an issue that I want to address since one day it is going to affect you and me and our ability to present the Gospel.
For those who have been part of the Liveprayer family for a while, you know that since we started nearly 8 years ago, I have been warning you that there would come a day, sooner than any of us want to believe, when simply presenting the Gospel will be against the law! You think I am crazy? There are MANY places around the world right now, this very second, where simply sharing the Gospel will get you thrown into jail, and in some cases even killed!
Before you run to your computer to email me, hold on. I know this is the United States, not some third world nation or a country ruled by a dictator. But the day is coming sooner than you think, when simply preaching the Gospel on U.S. soil will be against the law. I have talked to you in the nearly 8 years Liveprayer has been online about many European countries where it is now considered "hate speech" to speak out against the sin of homosexuality, even using the Bible! Those laws are now also on the books just over our northern border in Canada, and there already have been various movements to enact that same type of legislation here in the U.S.!
Think back just 40 years ago. You could speak out against fornication, homosexuality, the cults and false religions of the world, idolatry, and everything else the Bible calls sin without any problem. Now? Try going on a secular television station or network that is reaching the masses and simply declare what the Bible calls sin and see what happens! While it is still legal to do it, it is getting harder and harder to find those who control secular media outlets who will let you take a Biblical stand using their stations. Those who are brave enough to stand up an decry sin and unrighteousness in the public square are mocked, scorned, attacked, called horrible names, and even worse.
For those who read the Daily Devotional, you know of the incredible sense of urgency I feel in bringing the Truth of God's Word and the hope of Christ to the lost and hurting masses. We don't have the same freedoms and opportunities we did 40 years ago to share God's Truth. As a matter of fact, we don't have the same freedoms and opportunities we did 20 years ago, 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago. I can assure you today that the freedoms and opportunities we enjoy this moment will not exist in the very near future. That is why we cannot neglect bringing Christ to the lost masses, even though it is more comfortable, safe, and profitable to simply preach to the choir.
OUR FREEDOMS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE MASSES ARE DECREASING EVERY DAY!!!
I love you and care about you so much. I was well aware of SB1 (Section 220) as soon as it was drafted and made public. I find it amusing that this section was so over the top that even the ACLU fought against it. Imagine the likes of Dr. Dobson and other pro family, pro life, and evangelical groups fighting along side of the ACLU? So I am not surprised this attempt to limit grassroots activism didn't get through. But trust me, there is coming a day when you WILL see legislation like this, and slowly over time, they will ultimately make it illegal to simply preach the Gospel right here in the United Sates, a nation founded on religious freedoms!
My stand on SB1 (section 220) was simple. I had NO INTENTION of stopping or changing anything I do each day to bring God's Truth and the hope of Christ to the masses. I am an evangelist, and in communicating with you each day on the issues in the world and in people's lives we all face and deal with, I have to deal with political issues like killing babies, redefining God's Holy Institution of Marriage, as well as other family and social issues. No matter what they did with SB1 (section 220), I had already told our attorneys I wasn't going to change anything since my "lobbying efforts" are geared to bringing people God's Truth and lead them to faith in Jesus Christ. I refuse to let this government or any government stifle my ability to do what God has called me to do, even though I realize at some point it may land me in prison.
I have no doubt if the Lord allows me to continue my work here for another 30 years, at some point in that time I will end up going to prison for simply preaching the Gospel. Again, that is why I am so passionate, so adamant about pressing forward as quickly as we can to take advantage of this small window of opportunity we still have to declare the Truth of the Bible and tell people that Jesus is their only hope now and for all eternity. There is coming a day very soon when that will not be possible without gong to prison!!!
My word for you today is to take advantage of the freedoms and opportunities you still have today to share the Gospel, since there is coming a day very soon when you will not have these freedoms and opportunities. It is critical that we work now while it is still light, because the darkness is coming very soon. I pray that you will be encouraged and challenged today to get out of your comfort zone and get serious about taking the Truth of the Bible and the hope we have in Christ to the lost and hurting masses who so desperately need Jesus. There is a day on the horizon right here in the United States when simply preaching the Gospel will be a crime. May we make the most of the time we have now to tell others the Good News of Jesus Christ!!!