Ashamed of the Cross?

Republican state Sen. Steve Yarbrough of Arizona

Matthew 16:24 (NLT)

  24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.

Arizona Passes Bill Allowing Business Owners to Refuse Service to Gays Based on Religious Beliefs

BY LEONARDO BLAIR , CP REPORTER

February 20, 2014|11:10 am

State senators in Arizona voted heavily along partisan lines Wednesday in passing a bill that allows business owners to refuse service to homosexuals based on their religious beliefs.

With Republicans in the majority, the bill, SB 1062, passed with a 17-13 vote. It defeated attempts to expand existing employment laws which protect against racial and religious discrimination to include sexual orientation, according to the  Arizona Daily Star.  A companion bill is also expected to pass in the House shortly.

Republican Sen. Steve Yarbrough explained that the decision to support the measure is more about protecting people of faith from discrimination rather that discriminating against homosexuals.

This bill is not about discrimination,” said Yarbrough who is a sponsor of the bill. “It’s about preventing discrimination against people who are clearly living out their faith.”

The Arizona Senate Democratic Caucus responded in a statement that the group opposes the bill because it “conflates discrimination with religious freedom.”  More>

 

From Contributor B Harmon:    The persecution of Christians and their beliefs is raising its ugly face once again.  Battles are emerging all over the US over Christianity and our belief in a  G-d above.  It’s as though all of a sudden everyone got up on the wrong side of the bed and started hating everything that suggests Christian, Cross,  G-d, Jesus, Christ, Savior, Faith and Salvation. But should we be surprised? All through the scriptures G-d has warned us of such a time as this.

New Living Translation Philippians 3:18:  For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ

And, until the Churches and the Pastors take the initiative to stand firm against this evil, its only going to get worse like the Bible says. Many profess to be Christians but when the stakes are high, they are the first ones to hunker down under the table for fear of criticism. The eyes of the LORD roam the earth looking for those that truly love Him and are willing to put Him first in all things.  To be humble servants, and to devote ourselves to saving souls unto salvation of all men and that includes lifting up the Cross.

I’m glad to see other congregations have joined in to defend the West Side Christian Church in their efforts to display the crosses even if it is for donations. Better though would be the display of those crosses for the sake of Christ and no other reason.  But we will take what we can get right?

Looks like we have another agnostic that is bent on choking the very spirit out of G-d’s Church and why? I’ve always heard that those that have a demonic spirit cannot bare the site of the cross. They give numerous reasons why they don’t accept it but the real reason is that at that point and time in their life, they are lost.

These are the ones that G-d speaks of in the Bible when he said in 2 John 1:9-11: Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Whether we like it or not, these are the lost sheep that we should be praying for instead of resenting.  Let us not forget the Apostle Paul who was once violent and aggressive, persecuting Christians with no remorse. He was glad to see them put to death (Acts 26:10), and he was glad to punish them whenever he could (Acts 26:11). If you had been a Christian living back then, it would not have been very safe to be around the fire-breathing dragon named Saul who was later named Paul. But who knows the mind of G-d? He took a man like Paul to display to the world His power and to bring the Gentiles in.

In his own words, Paul said “I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it” (Galatians 1:13). On his way to Damascus he was confronted by the risen Jesus in a heavenly vision. According to the three separate accounts in Acts, Saul found himself on the ground, blinded by the intensity of a heavenly light. The risen Jesus gave Saul a commission to “be a light to the Gentiles.” After his conversion this Saul was to propel the infant church to fulfill the Great Commission by taking the gospel to the Gentiles. 

Related Articles:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/9-11-museum-atheists-spar-over-cross/

http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/u-s-soldier-removing-cross-is-attack-on-christianity.html

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/13/justice/california-cross-battle/

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2013/dec/12/federal-judge-orders-removal-mt-soledad-cross/

http://nation.time.com/2013/12/13/giant-cross-ordered-removed-from-southern-california-mountain/

http://www.arkansasmatters.com/story/group-wants-searcy-cross-removed-police-chief-says/d/story/VrYMgFXaw0W13fjzcwFdJg

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