Helping to Change the World—One Person
at a Time ...
A word from God’s Word:“It is God himself, in his mercy, who has given us this wonderful work [of telling his Good News to others], and so we never give up” (2 Corinthians 4:1, TLB).
Staying Positive in a Negative World
Dear ACTS Friend,
This is a day of tremendous challenges for Christians. Following are just a few examples.
Gay activists are demanding more and more “rights” (more like wrongs) and increasingly our society is accepting and approving of their way of life—with behaviors that God’s Word condemns. Furthermore, radicals are demanding the passing of a hate crime law. If this law is passed, it would mean that if we speak out against homosexuality and/or gay marriage, we will be charged with committing a hate crime and be punished by law.
Think, too, of what Miss California, Carrie Prejean, has encountered because she is a Christian and stood up for her beliefs. When asked the question: “Do you support gay marriage?” She answered honestly and, like millions of others across the U.S.A., she stated her belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. Since then the attacks against her have been relentless—the latest being that she has been fired as Miss California by the gay director.
And what about Sarah Palin? She, too, is a Christian and when running for vice-president, 17 lawyers were sent to Alaska to dig up dirt on her in the hopes of destroying her. They found nothing. Last month Sarah’s 14-year old daughter was made the butt of a despicable “statuary rape so-called joke” on David Letterman’s late-night national TV show. After much pressure, Letterman finally apologized.
Furthermore, what a mess the U.S. economy is charging headlong into with politicians borrowing trillions of dollars to pay for the mess they pretty much got us into in the first place by pressuring banks and financial institutions to provide housing loans for people who had little hope of ever being able to repay their mortgages. What will this do to the world of our kids and grandkids?
Pre-election Obama addressed Europeans as “Citizens of the world.” Since then he appears more and more to be pushing for a one-world economy and for one-world political power.
According to Gary Bauer in his End of Day Report (June 4/09): President Obama, during his speech at Cairo University, said (among other things) that, “…America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principlesCprinciples of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.”
In response to this statement Gary Bauer correctly said, “Tolerance? Dignity? Islamic countries dominate the list of top human rights violators in the world. Throughout much of the Middle East, Christians live in fear and Jews can’t live at all.”
There wasn’t even a hint at the world of terrorism coming out of Muslim countries many citizens of which are “hell-bent” on wiping Israel off the map! Not to mention the fact that these same terrorists hate Christians and Americans and want to kill us too. As a young man from Afghanastan recently emailed me to say that if he got caught praying to Jesus, he would get his throat slit.
In addition, Kevin Jennings, founder of GLSEN (the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network), has been appointed as head of the “safe and drug free schools” program in the Department of Education. This could seriously affect the country’s education system with a gay activist heading up this department. See http://tinyurl.com/lquhjy.
So where’s the positive news in all of this?
Here it is: Jesus Christ is coming again and while only God knows the exact day, the Bible reminds us that we “are not in the darkness so that this day should surprise us” (1 Thess.5:4). With all that is happening in today’s world it appears that the stage could be being set for the Lord’s return (see 1 Thess. 4:15-18)—and also for the appearance of the Antichrist. For this evil person to rise to power, the world will need to be in a state of economic and political chaos and desperate for peace because of the ever-increasing threat of warCpossibly nuclear war. Sure looks like our world is fast heading in this direction as never before.
As Hitler, a silver-tongued orator making glowing promises, took over the leadership of a chaotic Germany, the Antichrist, another silver-tongued, charismatic orator, will arise and promise peace, economic success, and political stability and people will buy into his madness as they did with Hitler. However, what the Antichrist will do will make what Hitler did pale into insignificance.
Regardless of the time of Christ’s return and the entrance of the Antichrist ... the current chaos facing our nation (the growing anti-Christian opposition threatening our freedoms, the ongoing worldwide terrorism with countries that hate Jews, Christians and America soon to have nuclear bombs) desperately needs to be a wake-up call for Christians and churches everywhere to stand up and be counted for Christ and to do everything in our power to spread the only message of hope for lost mankind—the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As well you know this is the mission and purpose of ACTS. Every week day we are communicating the gospel and God’s Word to 296,000+ Daily encounter worldwide subscribers sending out 5.9 million email messages every month which equals 70.8 million each year!
NOTE: A check on Google.com showed that there are an estimated “193 countries in the world with 61 territories and 6 disputed territories.” Last month ACTS had 44,853 visitors from 196 of these countries and territories who visited ACTS gospel websites. Remember Jesus said: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14 NIV). Today, the gospel is speeding to the ends of the world and every day ACTS alone receives salvation and re-commitment to Christ responses from around the world.
Again this month, your support for ACTS Gospel outreach is greatly needed and very much appreciated. If you are not a regular supporter, will you prayerfully consider becoming one with your monthly support (you can mark this on the enclosed response card). Or will you consider giving a very generous one-time donation to help us catch up and carry us through the lean summer months? Whatever you can give this month will be greatly appreciated. It is your support that makes ACTS gospel ministries possible. Please let us hear from you today.
Gratefully in Christ, Dick and Joy Innes
P.S. Click HERE TO DONATE ONLINE on our secure server, or support can be sent by check or money order in U.S. dollars and mailed to ACTS International at the address below. (Support for U.S. donors is tax deductible.)
P.P.S. Be sure to check out our NEW People Power for Jesus website at: www.actsweb.org/people_power. Please consider joining with us as a People Power for Jesus partner. This website will give you more details. With God’s blessing this outreach has unlimited potential to reach millions more with the gospel and will be one of our major projects to develop this year.
People Power You Are Invited business witness cards are available to invite Christian friends to join the People Power for Jesus movement. A simple, attractive and non-threatening way to encourage fellow believers to help spread the gospel around the world via the Internet. These cards come in packs of 50 and are available on line for a donation to help support the costs of this ministry at: Click HERE
ACTS International
P.O. Box 73545
San Clemente, CA 92673
U.S.A.
NOTE: Good News Business Witness cards are available in packs of 50 for: “USA.”“Canada,” “The World,” and in “Spanish” for a donation of $10 or more.
See samples at: http://actscom.com/witness_cards.php.
ACTS International is registered in the State of California as a non-profit 501 (c) (3) tax deductible organization (for U.S. donations).U.S. donations are tax-deductible.
NOTE: U.S.A. Residents: ACTS International is registered in the State of California as a non-profit 501 (c) (3) tax deductible organization.
Memorial Gifts for 2008/9
Aavakivi, Ilmar-Erik: in honor of Silvia Aavakivi, victims
of Communist repression, and victims of domestic violence
and/or parental abuse.
Adams, Mimi: in honor of Mrs. Janice Calhoun Estes
Allen, Cynthia R.: in honor of Elsie Pryor
Antoniak, Susan: in honor of Edward J. Clairmont
Armstrong, Roger: in honor of Elizabeth Armstrong
Ballard, Esthemeria: in honor of Laud Emefa Agbemordzi and
Cameron A. Ballard
Bennett, Myrna: in honor of Warren J. Bennett
Biles, Evelyn: in honor of Dr. Peter Manoogian
Bordelon, Billie Jo: in honor of John Clinton Heard, Jr.
Brooks, Maxine: in honor of Rev. Charles Brooks
Chandler, Cherie: in honor of Barbara Slater
Conwell, D'Anne: in honor of Paul Davis
Derby, John: in honor of Jennifer Derby, a beloved sister,
sorely missed
Dixon, Linda: in honor of Kenneth Hofsteadter
Ford, Rayma: in honor of Raymond Ford
Gilliland, Donald: in honor of Lonnie and Lillian Gilliland
Grier, Joanne: in honor of S.K.Grier, Theo Grier & Pat Cresswell
Higson, Brenda: in honor of Thomas, Elmira and Christina
Chartrand
Hurlburt, Tim: in honor of Brend Dee Woods
Keen, Elaine: in honor of Ellenmarie T. Hazell
Kelemen, Cheryl: in honor of Ray E. Myers, US Army Colonel
Kindy, Jan: in honor of Sgt. David Hart, killed in action in Iraq
Kozal, Denise: in honor of Pansy d'Arcy
Lesino, Lilibeth: in honor of June Lesino who lost his life in a
deadly earthquake in the Philippines
Mason, Carolyn: in honor of Frank Shaheen II
Massey, Linda: in honor of Sherry Ruslink
M., Frank: in honor of Fred Giordano
McNutt, Kenneth: in honor of Gladys McNutt Prrott
Miller, Charles and Jaxie: in honor of Joy's dad, Ralph Oiler
Mohrmann, Michele: in honor of Leonard Edward Mohrmann, Jr.
Moyler, Tim: in honor of Sam Riddall
Newman, Susan: in honor of Jesus
Ola, John: in honor of Sunday and Christina Ola
Peltier, Maruice J.: in honor of Emilien, Leona and Nancy Ann
Peltier
Reid, Marie: in honor of Bobby.
S., Mickey: in honor of Allison Guy Shaw
Schnepp, David A.: in honor of Marilyn Schnepp
Schwantz, Edwina: in honor of Ron Gilchrist
Sivaneshan, R: in honor of Mrs. Sinnapillai
Skaggs, John C.: in honor of Oliver E. Skaggs
Smoot, Gary: in honor of my Dad, Verl Smoot
Swift, Christine: in honor of Susan McGeough
Welter, Steven: in honor of Mary Welter
Wise, Lee: in honor of Floyd Wise
