BY SUZANNE BOWDEY/WASHINGTON STAND DECEMBER 14, 2022
As far as dramas go, America's library wars have all the makings of a good Hollywood script. But unfortunately for actor Kirk Cameron, there's nothing fictional about it. The "Growing Pains" star is the latest parent to do battle with the country's woke book lenders after 50 locations opened their doors to drag queens -- only to slam them in the face of Christians. If the libraries he contacted about a book reading won't reconsider, Cameron has a message for them: welcome me to your library or see you in court.
Since last week, the star has been gobbling up headlines for the shocking hypocrisy he's exposing at dozens of U.S. libraries. After the release of Cameron's new children's book, "As You Grow," he decided it was time to counter some of the radical messages at U.S. libraries by hosting his own story hour about faith. Turns out, sexual perversion is welcome in most branches, but Christian messages are not.
From Scarsdale to San Diego, Cameron said, "Over 50 libraries rejected the book without even reading it." On "Washington Watch" with Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, he explained that the staff they've spoken to haven't even tried to hide their hostility.
"One in Rochambeau public library in Rhode Island said, 'We are a queer-friendly library and our messaging just doesn't align.' And I'm thinking, 'Well, with what? The fruit of the spirit?' But the problem is that the fruit of public libraries, as one journalist pointed out, is fake diversity, non-inclusion, drag queens, and a rejection of the sexes."
Brave Books, the publisher of Cameron's latest release, asked the same individual about the application process for a story-hour slot anyway. "You can fill out the form to reserve space," they were told, "... but we won't run program."
In Alamedia County, California, the library said that they didn't want a book teaching moral values when they were about to host a gender name-change clinic the next day. In other words, Cameron pointed out, "Publicly-funded libraries are green-lighting 'gender marker and name change clinics' while denying a story time that would involve the reading of a book that teaches biblical wisdom.
How much more clear can it get?"
The cold shoulder even extended to red states like Indiana, where a branch in the Hoosier capital insisted that they had a "strategic plan in place" that focuses on "authors who are diverse." Based on the last two years of drag queen influence, a Christian message would be diverse. Still, the spokesman refused.
Trent Talbot, the CEO of Brave Books, could only shake his head at the resistance they've faced. "It is devastating to discover that many of our publicly-funded libraries have now become indoctrination centers that refuse to allow biblical wisdom to be taught to our children."
Clearly the Left's targeting of young children is intentional, Family Research Council senior fellow George Barna would agree. A book about the virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control would be serious competition for the culture's drumbeat of sexual confusion.
"We know a person's worldview develops when they're a child -- right between the ages of 15 to 18 months and 13 years of age. [So] those children are very vulnerable."
Of course, some libraries, Kirk explained, aren't nearly so closedminded to his faith-based influence. Several, he told Perkins, have flooded the publisher with invitations to visit their branches. "But the ones I'm interested in are those that are ... committed to this idea that they are inclusive, and that they are all about diversity.
So my question is, why are you excluding me and millions of people who would love for their children to learn how to be gentle and self-controlled and compassionate? After all, public school children are dealing with massive amounts of mental illness, drug overdoses, suicide, cyberbullying, and school shootings. Couldn't they use a little help in the fruit of the Spirit?" If this pattern of discrimination continues, Cameron warned, there will be consequences. "I hope these libraries welcome me to Indiana and New York, but should they refuse to rent me a room -- like those used by drag queens in June -- I am prepared to assert my rights under the Constitution in court."
If that's what it takes to stop the Left, so be it. "...The family and the church are two great pillars of Western civilization, and those things need to be removed and taken out of the way in order to fundamentally change the power structure and the moral value code of the nation. And that's why parents are fighting back," Cameron told Tucker Carlson.
At the end of the day, he emphasized, "... good will always win over evil." But that doesn't mean Christians can sit on their hands.
"We need to have heroes rise up out of the cultural darkness and pressures of our time and begin to apply these same truths in modern America and around the world so that we can see a great awakening again. We need all hands on deck."
Originally published at The Washington Stand
://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5785
12/16/2022 BILLY HALLOWELL/FAITHWIRE
Evangelist Franklin Graham decried the current state of political "hatred" gripping the nation, calling it "disturbing" and pleading with the American people to turn to God to heal associated wounds.
"I'm not a Republican; I'm an independent. I've been an independent probably for about 20 years," Graham said during a ribbon-cutting event Tuesday at the Billy Graham Library in North Carolina.
He was joined by former Vice President Mike Pence, delivering his remarks as the two stood nearby one another.
"So, I'm just disappointed in politics in America," Graham continued. "When you think of the divisions that we have, we need to be coming together to try to solve the problems that we face as a nation."
The evangelist who, like his father the late Billy Graham, travels the world preaching the gospel, decried this division and said there's "almost a hatred" he's never seen before in politics.
"It's very disturbing to me, and I think the only hope for this nation is God and to turn to Him and to ask Him for His wisdom," Graham said. "And that's my prayer—that this nation will turn to God, because He's the only one who can lead us out of the problems we're facing."
But it was Graham's comments about the 2024 Republican primary that might raise some eyebrows.
When asked by WHNS-TV to react to former President Donald Trump's recent announcement he'll seek the presidency again in 2024, Graham was clear he won't be taking sides in the primary.
"I'm staying out of the Republican primary and debate and that sort of thing," he said. "I'm focusing on what God has called me to do, and that's to preach the gospel."
For the rest of this article, visit our content partners at Faitihwire.com.
https://www.charismanews.com/culture/90977-franklin-graham-slams-political-hatredgripping-the-nation
12/26/2022 MARIO MURILLO
Tweet 2023 will be a massive storm followed by a massive opportunity. It is the day after Christmas, and we are preparing for a storm. They say that tonight it will drop below zero. Not only that, but strong winds will make the wind-chill feel like 22 below zero. The news is filled with emphatic warnings and advice.
They are warning us to be prepared. It will be dangerous to go outside. We must pay attention to our water pipes. We should have water and supplies in case the roads are impassible and the power goes out—how very foolish it would be for us not to listen.
Yet there is even worse foolishness that takes place among Christians when God warns us of a coming storm. Divine warnings are ignored and are called "negative; and not of faith."
But if God is warning us—then it is truth! And there is nothing more positive and full of faith than truth. Whereas false promises of safety and blessing are the most dangerous of all lies.
Your mail and email box will be filled with messages from ministries prophesying to you about 2023. They will tell you that it will be all blessings, breakthroughs, multiplication and favor.
It would amaze you how many ministries depend on marketing advice on raising money. Mario Murillo Ministries just ignores such advice, but those ministries that follow it are told: issue a cheery year-end letter. But that is just a fundraising ploy. The idea is, 'the more upbeat my message, the more money people will send me.
We hear these predictions every year. And every year, a large segment of God's people never bother to go back and see how wrong they were. In December of 2019, most of these "prophetic" voices predicted that a long list of blessings was ahead. Then the pandemic hit.
Near the end of 2020, we were told that 2021 would be the best of times. Then the election was derailed. And does anyone remember how great 2022 was supposed to be? Yeah, right.
Well, I am telling you that 2023 will begin as a massive storm, but it will end as a vast opportunity—perhaps the greatest opportunity of our lives. The massive storm will be in nature, our money and the condition of cities. A long overdue cultural correction is coming in the New Year.
God is judging America. We will be spared destruction, but not punishment. Why are we being punished? There is a long list of reasons. But I will answer that question with a question: Did many Americans increase their own misery by voting to keep incompetent criminals in office, because they wanted to save abortion?
Now, let's dig into the Word of God to see what it says about storm warnings:
Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."
In simple terms, heeding the teachings of Jesus is like preparing for a storm.
The book of Timothy can be read as a storm preparation. The essence of the book is this—Paul is saying: "I am leaving soon. I want to prepare you for what is coming."
He then directs Timothy to take specific action to be ready, and that is exactly what I want you to do before 2023 arrives.
Paul tells Timothy about several coming storms:
Second Timothy 3:1, "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come..."
Then Paul describes the moral depravity of the last days that we are currently experiencing.
But there are two storms he predicts that will be within the church. The first one is fake ministers and the second one is fake audiences. These too are bringing down judgment on the church.
Fake ministers: 2 Timothy 3:13, "But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."
Years ago, when I was a young preacher, I thought that the scandals with Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart would dissuade men from sin, pride and foolishness. But instead, the scandals only got worse. The Bible was right!
Many prophetic words today are not just garish, they are patently screwball and embarrassing. My greatest shock is that the leaders of the prophetic movement are not correcting these charlatans. Especially when you consider that these false prophets are going to discredit the entire movement.
https://www.charismanews.com/culture/91064-mario-murillo-prophesies-2023-will-be-amassive-storm-followed-by-massive-opportunity
