February 2000 Newsletter

FINALLY, A TRULY PRO-LIFE LONG DISTANCE PHONE CARRIER

We will be switching long distance phone companies this year from Life-Line to Pro Life Communications based in St. Charles, Missouri. This change has been a long time coming. With the reorganization of Life-Line, we felt it prudent to see if there were other long distance companies that desired to honor God and the lives of His precious children. We found one. Actually, God Himself orchestrated our meeting with Joe and Jane Dalton, the founders of ProLife Communications.

The sole purpose of Pro Life Communications is to fund the pro-life effort. It donates 100% of its net profits back into the pro-life organizations that subscribe to it. Over 257 pro-life groups are already benefitting from Pro Life Communications. To you and me this means that between 20-30% of our long distance phone bill would go right to Operation Save America - that’s us. That’s right, not 10% but 20-30%! If this seems incredible to you, it also seemed incredible to us. That is, until we talked to Joe and Jane Dalton. God has called them for this very purpose.

Their sole motivation is to serve God in the pro-life mission field and help finance those who are saving babies’ lives. Here is, finally, a not-for-profit venture set up by people who love Jesus, specifically for the purpose of raising money to save babies’ lives. Joe and Jane Dalton are the parents of six children and are on fire for the Lord and the cause of life. They both left very lucrative careers to do this for the Lord. It is their missionary endeavor.

They offer a very good price on long distance -- 9.9 cents per minute for interstate calls, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, billed in 6 second increments (not rounded to the next minute - thank God!), with NO monthly service fee, regardless of usage. We had so many fees on our past phone bills that it was impossible to determine what we were paying. Best of all they are giving all the profits to pro-life organizations like ours.

When you sign up using our group code on the enclosed flyer, your long distance carrier will be changed to Pro Life Communications within 2-4 weeks. It is great to know that Pro Life Communications utilizes the services of Cable and Wireless, a high quality fiber-optic network with no ties to abortion groups. As you know AT&T, Sprint, and MCI all support abortion.

If you are tired of worrying about how these very lucrative telephone companies are using the big profits they make from your phone calls, and tired of switching around from deal to deal, make one last change - to Pro Life Communications. Rest assured that everything possible will be done to use profits to save lives.

All you need do is fill in this form and mail it to Pro Life Communications (NOT to us). They’ll take care of the rest. Your own phone company will assess you a one time $5 changeover fee and you will be all set. Pro Life Communications will even reimburse you the changeover fee. If you have any further questions you may call them at 877-878-LIFE.

Pro Life Communications is a pro-life organization first and a phone company second. We are glad we switched and you will be too. God bless you as He guides you in your decision.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING JOHN REYES WITH HIS TUITION

After John had spent three months in jail and paid a $700 fine for lifting up the Gospel of Christ at E.C. Glass High School, it appeared impossible for him to be able to afford to pay his final semester's tuition at Liberty University. But you precious saints responded to the call and John now has almost $5,000 for tuition, room, and board. This is enough to pay even for his books. He was so excited as he recounted this miracle to me over the phone yesterday. He gave all praise and glory to Almighty God and wanted me to express his deepest appreciation to all of you who have prayed for him and helped him financially. From all reports of John’s preaching at various churches around the country, our Lord’s anointing has been very apparent upon this very courageous young man.

ROE MEETS WADE AGAIN IN DALLAS, TEXAS - A MIRACLE IN COURT!

As it was in the days of the Fugitive Slave Law when jurors would not sentence people convicted of harboring escaped slaves, so it was in Dallas, Texas, on January 13, 2000, when a jury did not penalize me for criminal trespass at an abortion mill. They found me guilty of crossing a line at the mill but in the sentencing phase of the trial God worked a miracle.

The prosecutor made it clear that she was out to “fry” Rev. Benham. When Brad Carl, my attorney, first appeared on my behalf the prosecutor offered no settlement - only the maximum sentence (180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine). She said, “You are in the wrong court this time.” There was no attempt to conceal the utter contempt she had toward Rev. Benham.

With the cards stacked against us, we began the trial in Judge Kristin Wade’s court in downtown Dallas. If that last name sounds familiar it is because she is the daughter-in-law of former Dallas District Attorney, Henry Wade. He is the Wade in the infamous Supreme Court decision that bears his name, Roe v. Wade.

This time, however, Wade had an unexpected ally. Miss Norma McCorvey, the Roe in Roe v. Wade and former adversary, was now in Kristen Wade’s court to testify on behalf of Rev. Benham and the little children who are being killed in abortion mills. Amazing the irony! In the city where Roe v. Wade began 28 years ago, two former adversaries had become allies to bring an end to the “legal” holocaust that has killed over 38 million precious children in our nation.

The trial began on Wednesday morning, January 12. Miss McCorvey was not allowed to testify, as it was ruled her testimony was irrelevant and might prejudice the jury. Truth is very prejudicial, isn’t it? She was to testify that, on many occasions while working at abortion mills, she and her fellow workers would call the police and fabricate stories about how “abortion protesters” would trespass on their property. These stories would be totally untrue but it would get the protesters off the streets and into jail.

Four other witnesses were not allowed to testify on my behalf, and the outcome looked pretty bleak. The jury found me guilty of criminal trespass and things grew grimmer still as the prosecutor began her appeal to the jury to give me the maximum sentence allowed by law.

She pulled up all the prior criminal trespass sentences I had served in Dallas (good thing she didn’t check the rest of the state or the country) and slammed her fist to the table as she read each one: “January 1990, 30 days in jail! October 1990, 30 days in jail! July 1991, 60 days in jail! March 1992, 90 days in jail! September 1992, 30 days in jail! March 1993, 60 days in jail! October 1997, 90 days in jail! This man is a repeat offender!” She was quivering in anger now. “He does not respect the property rights of anyone. He must be taught a lesson. He must suffer the consequences of his actions!”

It became apparent to all of us in the courtroom that I was going to spend a lot of time in jail. Things looked pretty bad. When the jury returned with the sentence, they gave the prosecutor exactly what she had asked for - the maximum penalty. I hung my head knowing that Jesus was somehow going to receive glory through all of this and then I heard the word, “Suspended.” It did not register with me at first. The jury had suspended the sentence! I WAS FREE!

They suspended the 180 days and they suspended the $2,000 fine. I was shocked! Our mouths became filled with laughter. Judge Kristin Wade appeared to be happy with this incredible turn of events. The jurors were smiling. We were beside ourselves, knowing that it was God Himself at work. This could be none other than the very hand of God. Everyone in the courtroom was filled with joy, with the exception of the prosecutor.

She was livid with anger and demanded the judge disregard the jury’s decision and make me serve 30 days jail time. Judge Kristen Wade waived it. Judge Wade, who had not been predisposed to like us at the beginning of the trial, had now become a fast friend. The court clerks, the baliff, and the court reporter were very supportive and thrilled to see the hand of God at work.

We asked the jurors what had gone on in the jury room. Jethro Pugh, Hall of Fame football player for the Dallas Cowboys, said that though they found me guilty, they were determined not to let me spend one day in jail. Mr. Shaw, the foreman of the jury, introduced himself and said that he was honored to meet me and serve his Lord Jesus on this jury. God has friends in every city and on every jury.

There were three prosecutors on this case and one of them, who had been on the job only three months, came up and gave me a hug. She said she was just doing her job and was amazed and glad about the outcome. “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies live at peace with him.” Proverbs 16:7

Now the other prosecutor, the one who demanded the maximum sentence and had been so angry throughout the trial, went apoplectic. There was nothing she could do (the enemy is filled with fury because he knows his time is short). Her own words were turned back piercing her own heart. There is no question that she is a hurting young lady who desperately needs the love of Jesus to cleanse her of every hurt. It is our prayer that her eyes will be opened and that she will realize it was Jesus Himself making His appeal to her in His court.

God had given me Psalm 64 early in the morning on the day of my sentencing. He whispered it in my ear and now I am shouting it from the rooftops (Mt 10:27). I read this Psalm to all of the brothers and sisters who came to support me in the courtroom. It was a Word from God. For what He did in Judge Kristen Wade’s court that day totally amazed everyone, including His enemies. All who were there are still pondering the outcome of God’s miraculous intervention in this trial. Those who had never have given God a second thought, were talking about Him as if He really did exist and act on man’s behalf.

“All mankind will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what He has done. Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; let all the upright in heart praise him.” Psalm 64: 9-10.

FLIP SPEAKS AT MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE IN CHICAGO

After years of sowing into the ear of administration officials at Moody College to have Flip come and speak to the students at chapel, Dawn Skrobot sat on a large chair in Moody auditorium to introduce him to the student body on January 18, 2000. It was a dream come true through Dawn’s faithfulness and the persistence of several other students committed to life on the Moody campus. They are at abortion mills every Saturday morning allowing their theology, learned at Moody, to become biography in the streets of Chicago.

It was an incredible morning as the Spirit of God swept over the chapel service. Young students desiring to be warriors for King Jesus were called. Called to “see” the battle and run toward the Goliath that is savaging our nation today, standing firmly upon the Word of God. Several hundred students responded to the altar call and committed to being in their Bible every day.

To see the young ones in this next generation and realize their willingness to fight for what they believe in is very heartening. They love Jesus and they love His children - even the ones they can’t see. If Janet Reno thinks we’re bad, she hasn’t seen anything yet! There is a generation coming behind us that won’t even flinch at the threats, lawsuits, injunctions, jail time, bubble zones, etc. Their chins are “set like a flint” toward Jerusalem. No power on earth can stop them.

Keep pressing the gates in Jesus’ Name,

Flip Benham
Director

UPCOMING EVENTS: