Many years ago when our youngest daughter Susanne was learning to drive, I was out with her at the wheel one day when we turned down Devonshire. It just happened to be one of those miserable hot days in Hemet where you could probably fry an egg on the sidewalk. About a block down the street I noticed an olive tree on fire. I glanced to the opposite side of the road and saw a man siting in his car, window rolled down, just staring at the flames. Further on down I saw a lady running to the door of a home – no cell phones back then – I thought she was probably calling the fire department.
I had Susanne whip the car around as I jumped out, grabbed a hose from the nearest home and quickly put the fire out. Not too tough! The “running to the house lady” drove by and informed me the fire department was on the way. Geez – the fire is out already! I couldn’t help but wonder why neither the man in the car nor the lady just didn’t grab the hose and douse it before I got there. My point? What exactly does it take to get people involved in an emergency?!
It seems that America now has emergencies on many fronts – the so-called Equality Act being passed through Congress is one of them. If passed, the Act will sanction even more abortions, schools will be encouraged and/or mandated to instruct 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders that they can choose to be either a boy or a girl or both.
Religious ministries will be stripped of their right to solely hire people of shared faith and accreditation of religious colleges can be denied if they don’t satisfy the demands of this Act to apply gender identity to just about everything they do! This Act will allow boys into girls’ sports, allow grown men into women’s restrooms, pressure children as young as eleven in experimental cross-sex hormones with or without their parents knowledge and silence all who disagree; doctors can be prosecuted if they decline to perform treatments. There’s really not enough space here to fully go through this terrible Act – please check it out for yourself online. It’s not pleasant. Last Thursday, Rep. Greg Steube rightly criticized the Equality Act saying it violates Christian beliefs: “The gender confusion that exists in our culture is a clear rejection of God’s good design.
Whenever a nation’s laws no longer reflect the standards of God, that nation is in rebellion against Him and will inevitably bear the consequences.” To which Rep. Jerry Nadler promptly countered, “Mr. Steube, what any religious tradition ascribes as God’s will is no concern of this Congress.” No concern? Ouch! So God has been booted out of Congress? Our United States Congress?! Wow! That’s kinda a big deal. “In God We Trust” is on our currency, “One nation under God” is in our Pledge of Allegiance, the Declaration of Independence mentions God four times, and when testifying in court you swear to “Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God.” But God is no longer welcome in Congress? God help us! Something is dreadfully wrong with this picture! In 1787, at a critical juncture of our founding nation, good ol’ Benjamin Franklin spoke these great truths: “I have lived a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men.
And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain who build it.” “I firmly believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel…I therefore beg leave to move, that henceforth prayers, imploring the assistance of heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service.” Wayyy to go Ben!!
It reminds me of that famous 1770 quote by Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing!” Enough is enough! Remember – there is power in unity – it’s time to put out this unholy fire!!
Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA . for more information you can visit them at DPCityChurch.org
Susan Beckett • Contributor
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