Heroes of Faith
"Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?" ~Proverbs 24:11-12
Nearly thirty thousand babies were murdered in Michigan in 2020. These brave Christians/Messianic Jews put themselves in harm's way at a Michigan murder mill on 8/27/20 to prevent the death of innocents.
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Eight brave Christians standing outside of a Sterling Heights murder mill to save children - 8/27/20
On August 27, 2020, eight people bravely interposed themselves to prevent the murder of innocent humans. They are all now being charged with federal felonies. This is the state of affairs in a nation that protects preborn bald eagles but allows preborn humans to be slaughtered at will.
We should protect animals. But we should afford people the same or better safeguards. Even Michigan plants have more protections than Michigan's unborn people.
When God caused a plant to grow to protect the prophet Jonah from a scorching heat, "Jonah was extremely happy about the plant." However, when the people of Ninevah repented after Jonah warned them about God's coming judgement, "It greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry."
(Side note: for anyone who discredits the Bible's authenticity, the Book of Jonah resonates with holy chutzpah! A rebellious prophet--who initially runs from his calling and survives being ingested by a large fish--begs God to let him die after his call to repentance is reverently received and acted on.)
Are we, like Jonah, defender of plants but despising of people? Interestingly, God's zeal for life in Ninevah included four-footed creatures:
"And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” ~ Jonah 4:11
We remember Rosa Parks as the hero she is, for not giving up her seat on the bus and declaring by her actions, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." (Declaration of Independence)
Parks' brave act of defiance led to a positive change in laws and culture for us all. So it is that Heather Idoni, Justin Phillips, Eva Zastrow, Cal Zastrow, Chet Gallagher, Eva Edl, Caroline Davis and Joel Curry have stepped out in faith, putting themselves in harm's way--interposing--for the least of these.
I spent Tuesday, March 7, at the federal courthouse in Detroit with five of these brave individuals and more than a dozen others supporting them. First, we worshipped and prayed on the sidewalk and then in a break room, awaiting three of their arraignments. We sang praise to our Lord and Savior and asked for His Salvation/Yeshua to bless and protect.
They all pled not guilty. They all know what the U.S. Department of Justice fails to understand:
“We must obey God rather than human beings!" ~ Acts 5:29
They know what our president, governor and lawmakers fail to declare and uphold:
"You shall not murder." ~ Exodus 20:13
Which includes unborn people, who are made in God's image:
"Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?" ~ Job 31:15
Are we willing to speak and act on behalf of those being led away to death? What will we say? What will we do? Declaring the bad and good news of the gospel is the only sure way to lovingly rescue moms and dads staggering to slaughter. They need to hear the bad news: we're all wicked sinners who cannot save ourselves. And the good news: the kingdom of God is here and Yeshua/Jesus took the penalty for our sin, all we must do is trust him to save.
Following the example of Jesus, these eight sacrificial rescuers know their Shepherd promises that those who follow and obey him:
"...will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. 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. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life." (Luke 21:12-19)
I want to win life! Jesus rescued me from certain doom, interposing his life for mine. Thank you, LORD! And we are made and saved to do good works!
From the hymn, "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing"
Three more faithful witnesses from this group of eight remain to be arraigned on federal felony charges this week. One of the women, Eva Edl, is an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor. Join these brave souls on the sidewalk for worship at 9 a.m. on Tuesday (3/14/23) and Thursday (3/16/23). If you stay for the day, you can go into the courtroom for the arraignment at 1 p.m. and watch, listen and pray. Secure, paid parking is available in lots across the street from the U.S. federal district court at 231 W. Lafayette Blvd, Detroit. Be sure to have photo identification and leave your cell phone in the car.
"Glory, hallelujah!" Worshipping with heroes of the faith before their arraignments on 3/7/23
"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: 'Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.'" ~ Revelation 12:10-12