In the last few years in America, we have witnessed the unthinkable. We have seen division and unrest shake the foundations of our communities and challenged the values we hold dear.

Our culture has become increasingly polarized, divided by ideologies that run counter to the Word of God. Many in the Church have felt pressured to align more with political identities than our core calling in Christ.

The fallout of these events sparked controversy and conversation that cut our nation to the bone. It divided families, communities, and even the Church.

On top of all of this, we’ve seen an undeniable rise in divisive rhetoric in our political discourse. All too often, the Donkey and the Elephant vie to be the ultimate force in our lives, and many in the Church have given in to that temptation.

We live in a cancel culture that silences genuine discourse in favor of echo chambers and moral relativism. Our world is increasingly characterized by a radical ideology that runs counter to the Spirit and Word of God.

What is the root problem? Many of the hardships we face — inside the Church and our society — result from our failure to remember that we serve the Lamb before all else.

When the Church loses focus on serving and following Jesus, we become easy prey to the forces of evil that seek to steal, kill and destroy. We lose touch with the light of the world and wonder why we’re wandering in darkness.

This is happening to communities and families across the nation. And it jeopardizes the safety and well-being of our children, who are most impressionable and vulnerable.

One of the areas we see this most is in our schools, which are being constantly infiltrated by woke ideologies and radical agendas that tell our children there is no such thing as truth or gender — realities that have underpinned society since its inception.

These are realities boldly declared and celebrated in the Bible and Christian tradition.

Still, many in the Church are losing sight of just how critical these fundamental realities are, choosing to ignore the responsibility to stand up and create a society that cares for and protects our children.

Today, we need a Church to rise up that has the courage, biblical conviction, and strength to stand up to the forces of evil that have corrupted our society, demanding in Jesus’ Name that they release their hold on our children and our culture.

We know that no evil can withstand the power of Jesus’ Name. Yet Christians often fail to take that truth as seriously as God intends. Instead, we naively give ground to the enemy, thinking it’s better to be quiet than speak out with the power and anointing God has given us.

It is time for that to stop. It is time for us to stand up and resist the evil that seeks to overthrow the Kingdom of God established here on earth. Only then will our churches and nation again be the light that shines in a world of darkness.

Only then can we truly be a city on a hill.

Understand this: the things of this world — the ways of our culture — are not neutral. They are not unbiased. They are bent and twisted toward destruction. The Word is clear on this. And in the face of all the pressure and influence the world pushes, our duty, our sacred calling, is to not conform to the pattern of the world.

Instead, we are to be transformed by the power of Christ and transform the world around us by the power of His name.

That is the kind of boldness our world, our culture, and our children need. And praise God that we are never alone. We are anointed and empowered by the one who has already finished the work. That is where our eyes must be fixed. Elephants and Donkeys will pass away. Their promises cannot and will not satisfy. That is why we must, once again, devote ourselves wholly to the Lamb.
Sources:Christian Post

http://theendtimeradio.com

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a recently passed Louisiana law that would require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in their classrooms.

U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles issued a lengthy ruling and order on Tuesday in the case of Darcy Roake et al. v. Cade Brumley et al.

At issue is Louisiana’s House Bill 71, signed into law in June, which would require Decalogue displays in public school classrooms. The law was slated to take effect on New Year’s Day.

“Plaintiffs have established a viable Free Exercise claim,” wrote deGravelles. “H.B. 71 is not neutral toward religion, and this is evident from the text of the statute, its effects, and the statements of lawmakers before and after the Act’s passage.”

The judge took issue with the defendants’ claim that the Ten Commandments were a historically integral part of public education in United States history.

“In sum, the historical evidence showed that the instances of using the Ten Commandments in public schools were too ‘scattered’ to amount to ‘convincing evidence that it was common’ at the time of the Founding or incorporation of the First Amendment to utilize the Decalogue in public-school education,” deGravelles continued.

“That is, the evidence demonstrates that the practice at issue does not fit within and is otherwise not consistent with a broader historical tradition during those time periods.”

The American Civil Liberties Union, which helped to represent nine Louisiana families with children in the state public school system, released a statement celebrating the ruling.

“This ruling should serve as a reality check for Louisiana lawmakers who want to use public schools to convert children to their preferred brand of Christianity,” said Heather L. Weaver, senior staff attorney for the ACLU’s Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, as quoted in the statement.

“Public schools are not Sunday schools, and today’s decision ensures that our clients’ classrooms will remain spaces where all students, regardless of their faith, feel welcomed.”

Signed into law by Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, HB 71 requires public school classrooms to display “certain historical documents,” among them the Ten Commandments, the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence and the Northwest Ordinance.

“Recognizing the historical role of the Ten Commandments accords with our nation’s history and faithfully reflects the understanding of the founders of our nation with respect to the necessity of civic morality to a functional self-government,” stated the legislation.

“Including the Ten Commandments in the education of our children is part of our state and national history, culture, and tradition.”

Soon after, the ACLU, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed suit against the law on behalf of an interfaith group of parents.

“[F]or nearly half a century, it has been well settled that the First Amendment forbids public schools from posting the Ten Commandments in this manner,” read the complaint.

“Plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that the Act is unconstitutional and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to prevent Defendants from (i) implementing rules and regulations in accordance with the Act, (ii) otherwise seeking to enforce the Act, and (iii) displaying the Ten Commandments in any public-school classroom.”

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill championed the new law on social media in June, explaining that she would be honored to defend the legislation in court.

“The 10 Commandments are pretty simple (don’t kill, steal, cheat on your wife), but they also are important to our country’s foundations,” she tweeted.

“Moses, who you may recall brought the 10 Commandments down from Mount Sinai, appears eight times in carvings that ring the United States Supreme Court Great Hall ceiling. I look forward to defending the law.”

In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 opinion in the Stone v. Graham ruling that Kentucky could not mandate that public schools display the Ten Commandments because it violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Sources:Christian Post

http://theendtimeradio.com

A member of Finland’s parliament who has faced a years-long legal battle after sharing a Bible verse on social media refuses to back down from her freedom fight.

Päivi Räsänen told “Higher Ground With Billy Hallowell” her legal battle began more than five years ago, when she challenged Finland’s main religious body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, questioning why it had “decided to support, financially and publicly” a local Pride parade.

“It was a disappointment and even shock to me and many others,” she said. “Many of my friends decided to resign the church, and I was also praying … ‘What should I do now?’ I was very worried about this very public statement of the leadership of the church, because I was worried that it will undermine people’s trust on [the] Bible and its authority.”

Räsänen decided to take to X — then Twitter — to share text from Romans 1, where the Apostle Paul addresses sexual ethics. She added a question to church leadership about their position supporting Pride.

“After that, some citizen made a criminal complaint and the police started to investigate the case,” Räsänen continued. “At the beginning, I didn’t believe it. I just read it from the newspaper that police [had] started to investigate the case and I phoned to the policeman and he said, ‘Yes, we are investigating it.’”

Then, more criminal complaints emerged, with an old pamphlet she wrote about marriage also catching negative attention. Plus, a radio program she appeared on came into the crosshairs.

“I was interrogated in the police station all together 13 hours about very theological issues — biblical issues,” Räsänen said. “Police [were] asking me … ‘What is the main message of the Book of Romans? And so on.”

She said it was “absurd and [a] very unreal situation” and felt like a “dream,” especially considering the religious freedom available in Finland.

Those interrogations ended up landing Räsänen in court with charges filed against her.

“They [were] accusing me of breaking … the law about agitation against minorities,” Räsänen said, noting she was essentially accused of hate crimes. “We have that kind of law in Finland, as in almost all European countries.”

But she said she has always affirmed “people are equal and all people are valuable, created by God in His image.” Ultimately, though, she found herself facing two separate legal battles, both of which she won.

Yet, even after Räsänen was acquitted, prosecutors decided to appeal and take her case to Finland’s Supreme Court — something she said was “unbelievable.”

Regardless of the international nature of Räsänen’s story and the chaos surrounding it, she’s not willing to back down because the stakes are high.
Sources:faithwire

http://theendtimeradio.com