Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  Our hearts were strangely warmed as we received the report that the city of Birmingham had dismissed the charges brought against Flip. He was arrested during our National Event in Birmingham, Alabama on July 20, 2007, and charged with “disorderly conduct.”  He had been preaching on an amplified sound system on a sidewalk across the street from Dianne Derzis’ “New Women’s Health Care” abortion mill.  Dianne is a long time murderer of children in the womb and considers herself a “Christian.”  She is no more Christian than she is a poached egg.

Though the proper sound permits were applied for, granted by the city of Birmingham, and paid for by us, Sergeant Theophilus Smith was bound and determined to arrest somebody.  The entire Birmingham Police SWAT team along with its Mobile Command Unit was on hand to ensure that the “peaceful killing” of baby boys and girls would go on unimpeded by the truth of the Gospel of Christ.

Pastor Ronnie Wallace, Ken Scott, James Esser, Scott Heldreth, Pastor A. J., and several others were all threatened with arrest by SGT Smith.  He had determined that the ones disturbing the peace outside of this abortion mill were the Christians who were giving mothers a real choice.

Little did he consider the children safe in their mother’s wombs, whose peace would be greatly disturbed forever, if Dianne Derzis had her way.  But this is the way things have become in America.  Those who do wicked and vile things are considered, “law keepers – keepers of the peace,” while those who stand for Christ are considered, “law breakers – disturbers of the peace.” 

Yes, Christians who live out their faith in the streets of America are today considered, “disturbers of the peace.”  We are considered the trouble makers who need to be silenced at all cost.  You see, there would be no problem with abortion if it were not for the truth.  There would be no problem with homosexuality if it were not for the truth.  There would be no problem with Islam or any other false religion were it not for the truth.

Truth really disturbs the peace of those who do wicked and vile things against Almighty God, themselves, and their fellow man.  “The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.”  Psalm 12:8.  America has decided to honor that which is vile, and therefore those who kill children, practice sodomy, and worship false gods, freely strut their stuff and are held in high regard.  Those that would oppose them are considered “disturbers of the peace.”

We shouldn’t be surprised then, when we find ourselves being lied about, persecuted, thrown in jail, and dragged through the merciless court system of our land.  We have been told in the Scripture that, “Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.’  Proverbs 28:4.  We are living in a land that has forsaken God’s law and we are called to resist those who do such things.  This is precisely why we find ourselves in the crosshairs of this world.

So, to be brought up on the charge of “disturbing the peace” and expect the court system to give us anything less than the maximum penalty was out of the question.  Yet, that is exactly what happened when Flip was brought before the prosecutor for the Municipal Court of Birmingham this past Tuesday, September 18, 2007.

Before we entered the Court on that Tuesday morning, we read from this passage of Scripture:

“But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you.  They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.  This will result in your being witnesses to them.  But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.  For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict…All men will hate you because of me…By standing firm you will gain life.”
Luke 21: 12-19.

We prayed, braced ourselves for the worst, and then entered the courtroom.  Dave Lackey was there to meet us.  He was, as expected, in the wrong courtroom.  After Naomi, Abigail, and Scott Heldreth found him wandering around with a blank look on his face, they directed him to the correct room.  Dave realized that the prosecutor was a friend of his that he went to seminary with.

The prosecutor called me out and asked what I would like to do with the case.  I immediately requested that he give me “time served.”  He said that he believed in what we were doing and spoke very highly of David.  I was shocked!  God indeed has friends in every city.  The prosecutor said he would ask the judge to dismiss the case but chances of her doing that were slim and none.  He told me that I should expect a fine of about $100 - $200 and to pay court costs of $192.  He said he would not ask me to serve any more time.  Thank God!

When I appeared before the judge, she asked me what I did to be charged with disorderly conduct.  I told her that I was on a public sidewalk across the street from an abortion mill preaching the Gospel of Christ on an amplified sound system.  She told me I needed to obey the law, and then she said, “CASE DISMISSED!” 

Oh, the joy!  Exactly what God had done for Ante, Kathy and Christan in exonerating them the week before in Washington, D.C., He had done for me.  We were not the lawbreakers nor were we the disturbers of the peace.  Those who chose to honor false religion in the United States Senate and those who are killing babies in Birmingham are the real “disturbers of the peace” in America.