September 1996
Precious brothers and sisters,
"Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you...See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff." (Isa 41:14-15)
It never ceases to amaze us that God uses the weak things of this world and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are. The nation Israel had turned from God to idolatry and was suffering deeply under His judgement. Through her humiliation, God brought a remnant back to Himself. He chose to use this "worm Jacob", this "little Israel" as a threshing sledge to crush His enemies. What a mighty God we serve!
Why does God work this way? "...so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it." (Isa 41:20) God desires us to know that it is He alone who "...binds up the bruises of His people and heals the wounds He inflicted." (Isa 30:26)
Unbeknownst to many in the church today, the spiritual and cultural war we are engaged in is being won as we carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ into the streets. Believe it or not, since the advent of the Clinton presidency, the heart of our nation is turning back toward God. It's true! But we must have eyes that see what God is doing through His church, that "little worm Jacob". He is up to something.
Our trips to both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in San Diego and Chicago resulted in the mobilization of the Church in the street, many lives of preborn children saved, and God's truth brought to bare on a political system trying desperately to ignore it. We graphically reminded the Christian Coalition at both conventions not to forget our Lord's defenseless children in its pursuit to gain a political place at the negotiating table. In every way possible we became "living parables" representing Father's heart for His voiceless children.
August 9-16 was one of the safest weeks for preborn children in San Diego's post Roe vs. Wade history. Every abortion mill, with the exception of two, closed for the entire week. Ten abortionists took a vacation. This miracle did not happen because the Republican Convention was coming to town. It did not happen because Christian Coalition was coming to work its political magic. It happened because the uncompromising "little worm Jacob" showed up.
The carefully scripted unity we saw in the Republican Party (unity at the expense of truth) was surpassed only by the absolute giddiness of a Democratic Party doing the macarena, realizing it had nothing to fear from a Dole - Kemp ticket. It really doesn't! The Republican Party is refusing, once again, to take this battle right into the face of a Democratic Party that is shaking its fist at Almighty God. The truth once learned in the landslide Republican victory of 1994, has been quickly forgotten in 1996.
Character does matter! Truth is absolute! Life must be defended! God is looking for someone to bring this message and speak for Him in Jesus Name. The Republican Party, in its inordinate fear of appearing intolerant, is tolerating anything to gain political office and, in so doing, has become intolerable to Almighty God. God is calling His "little worm Jacob" to lift up the standard of Jesus Christ and march to the "gates" of our nation. We may not win in '96, but we are going to lay a firm foundation. A foundation, in which, righteous government may, once again, be restored to our land.
If you have been reading along in our daily Bible reading schedule you will have noticed a recurring theme. We will serve the kingdom we see! In Isaiah's time it appeared that Israel's prospect for a bright future was completely cut off (chapters 1-39). The judgements of God were falling upon her fast and furious because of her unbelief and idolatry. Yet it was at precisely this time, the time when everything appeared hopeless, that Isaiah saw the Lord. He saw what he had not seen before, and he repented. He heard what he had not heard before, the seraphs saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is filled with His glory." (Isa 6:1-3)
How could the seraphs see the whole earth filled with the glory of the Lord in the midst of His terrible judgements? They had eyes that could see! They had ears that could hear! They saw in every devastation, trial, and travail the imprint of Almighty God in it and upon it. They saw Him! And because they did, they had hope. What are you seeing in these days when what is evil is called good and what is good is called evil?
Elizabeth Barrett Browning said it best, "The earth is crammed full of heaven and every bush is aflame with the fire of God, but only those who have eyes to see take off their shoes. The rest just pick the berries."
Let's stop picking berries and take off our shoes for a moment. God requires our attention. To those of us looking, in this election year, for our political ship to come in with Bob Dole at the helm and Jack Kemp as navigator -- that ship has sunk! To those looking for Bill, Hillary, Al and Tipper to remedy what is ailing us, we might want to call Jack Kervorkian now! What are we as Christians to do? Take note of these amazing facts:
-During 12 years of the pro-life Reagan and Bush administrations the number of abortions performed in our nation went up.
-Since 1992, however, the year radical pro-abort William Jefferson Clinton was elected President, the number of abortions has dropped to its lowest level since 1976.
-Since Mr. Clinton has been President, teen pregnancy rates have dropped amazingly 2% in '93, 2% in '94, and 2% in '95.
-Support for the Roe vs. Wade decision has dropped 13% since 1991. This according to a Louis Harris Poll taken in August '96. This breath-taking news sent tremors into the abortion industry!
-The number of medical facilities teaching the abortion procedure has dropped 46% since 1987, this despite a President who has thrown his considerable weight behind efforts to force all schools to teach it.
-There are 540 fewer operating abortion mills in our country today, than there were in 1986. The number of these killing centers is shrinking monthly.
-Thousands of abortion industry employees and doctors have quit or retired from the child killing business, leaving no one to replace them.
-Dr. Bernard Nathanson, Carol Everett, Norma McCorvey (to name a few) have given their hearts to Christ and are now using their wonderful talents and gifts to point others to the One who set them free.
-The hearts of fathers are turning back to their children, evidenced by the thousands of men gathering in football stadiums around this country to keep their promises to family and to Almighty God.
Something wonderful is happening in our land! But only those who have eyes to see are seeing. The battle for the lives of preborn children is being won and many are at a loss to explain why. We have a pro-abortion President, a pro-abortion Congress, a pro-abortion Supreme Court, and a pro-abortion media, blind and biased toward anything that has to do with Almighty God. How could anything good come of this? The answer may surprise you.
Our enemy "...is filled with fury because he knows his time is short." (Rev 12:12c) No matter what he does he loses. This would infuriate anyone. No matter how many armies he gathers, no matter how many kings he owns, no matter how much wealth he amasses, no matter how many governments he takes over, or how much power he acquires - he loses every time! We don't have to wait till the end of the book to see who wins. We do! Every time! Beginning, middle and end!
Though Satan has viciously and mercilessly pursued God's "little worm Jacob" to destroy it, he has been thwarted at every pass. What he intends for evil God turns for good, to bring the salvation of many. Satan may bruise the heal: Joseph thrown into prison; Israel in bondage in Egypt; Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego cast into the fiery furnace; Daniel cast into the lion's den; Mordecai and all Israel to be slain in one day; Jesus nailed to a cross and buried in a tomb. But God's "little worm Jacob" has come forth, through all these trials, and crushed the head of this enemy by "...the blood of the lamb, and the word of their testimony; they did not love their own lives so much as to shrink from death." (Rev 12:11) The weak, puny "little worm Jacob" became a threshing sledge in the hands of Almighty God. No wonder the devil is filled with fury!
Who is this "little worm Jacob"? Joseph is dead. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are dead. Daniel is dead. Mordecai is dead. But you and I are alive and it's our turn now! We, the church of the living God, are that "little worm Jacob" that God is using to tear down all the strongholds of the enemy. Hallelujah!
Spiritual and political defeat come to those who, however sincere, compromise principle. Spiritual and political victory come to those who fiercely stand upon principle.
We do not need to negotiate with this enemy or accept any of his compromises. There is no middle ground where we can agree. It is revival or death! The devil is more than willing to make a deal (Isa 36:16-17) but we must be more than willing to stand for God and God alone. It is our turn now!
Standing Firm in Christ,
Rev. Flip Benham
Director
UPCOMING EVENTS:
-Solemn Assembly, October 24th - 26th, Washington D.C.
-Show the Truth Tour, October 13th - November 5th (locations below)
1996 NATIONAL SHOW THE TRUTH TOUR
A 33-City Tour Confronting America -- October 13 - November 5Operation Rescue West invites you to join them in confronting our nation's apathy with giant photographs of a real aborted babies. Those from Operation Rescue West will bring over 100 large sings to each of these pickets.
DATE: TIME CITY LOCATION: Oct. 13 5-7 PM Las Vegas Sahara Commercial Center Drive Oct. 14 4-6 PM Denver State Capitol Colfax Street Broadway Oct. 15 7-9 AM Omaha 72nd Street Dodge Street Oct. 15 4-6 PM Kansas City 31st Street S.W. Trafficway Oct. 16 7-9 AM St. Louis West Pine Kingshighway Oct. 16 4-6 PM Louisville, KY 2nd Broadway Oct. 17 7-9 AM Cincinnati 6th Main Oct. 17 4-6 PM Indianapolis 38 Street Lafayette Road Oct. 18 7-9 AM Ft. Wayne Berry Street Clinton Avenue Oct. 18 12-2 PM Toledo Levis Square, Downtown Toledo Oct. 18 4-6 PM Detroit 10 Mile Road James Cousin Oct. 19 8-10 AM Cleveland Rockside Road Warrensville Center
Road, in Bedford, OhioOct. 21 7-9 AM Columbus, OH State Capitol, High Street Broad Street Oct. 21 4-6 PM Pittsburgh Broad Highland, in East Liberty Oct. 22 7-9 AM Buffalo 2500 Main Street, near E. Amherst Oct. 22 4-6 PM Binghamton Main Street Front Street Oct. 23 7-9 AM Newark Raymond Blvd. McCarter Highway Oct. 23 4-6 PM Philadelphia City Hall, 15th Market Oct. 24-26 Washington DC Call for location: (202)547-1735 Oct. 28 7-9 AM Richmond, VA 118 N. Boulevard, near Grove Avenue Oct. 28 4-6 PM Durham, NC Highway 15-501 Garrett Road Oct. 29 7-9 AM Charlotte, NC East Harris Blvd. Highway 29 Oct. 29 4-6 PM Columbia, SC Sta§e Capitol, Assembly Gervais Street Oct. 30 7-9 AM Atlanta Midtown Abortuary 144 Ponce de Leon Oct. 30 4-6 PM Birmingham 20th Street 11th Avenue South Oct. 31 7-9 AM Memphis, TN Poplar Cleveland Oct. 31 4-6 PM Little Rock Cantrell Road Mississippi Avenue Nov. 1 7-9 AM Oklahoma City North May 63rd Street Nov. 1 4-6 PM Dallas LBJ Frwy, Between Preston Hillcrest Nov. 2 8-10 AM Houston Post Oak 610 Nov. 3 12-2 PM San Antonio 7400 San Pedro, 2 blocks north of 410 Nov. 4 4-6 PM El Paso Cordava Island (Free) Bridge US/Mexico Nov. 5 12-2 PM San Bernardino County Courthouse, Arrowhead Court