Joanna Fruhauf

THIS FRIDAY - we should all be praying for our country (well everyday) - begging for mercy, forgiveness and correction for all of the sin this country has permitted, encouraged and embraced, and not just the 'country' but those who proclaim to be Christians...Aren't we all guilty!...If I don't see my guilt it's because I am refusing to acknowledge what I know is there...that's not true ignorance, it's embraced..And I now realize and see in scripture that God is only merciful on one form of ignorance.... Just like Daniel of the Old Testament, he prayed recognizing the great and horrible sins of God's own people...Are we willing to admit our errors?

THIS Fri, Sept 25,There will be 50,000 muslims praying on the capitol steps, that they would eventually have, Sharia law accepted here like they do in England and that the United states would become a nation for Allah...I've seen it in newspapers, and on line....

"As nations such as Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands (and many others in Europe) have become more secular, they have demonstrated a willingness to embrace virtually anything – anything except their traditional Christian foundations. In fact, they now regularly repudiate those foundations"  This has energized many Muslims in those countries and they are displaying a new boldness that is vocal, visible, and demonstrably assertive. Each year, nearly 5,000 Muslim "honor killings" occur across the world  Dozens of those murders are committed in Europe, but in many of these formerly Christian nations, those who commit the "honor killings" (i.e., the murder of their own children) often go unpunished since the death of their child was "required" by Islamic law (now included in the legal law of the land). Additionally, many public personalities across Europe who criticized Islam have been murdered, causing Parliaments in the Netherlands and other European countries to forbid criticism of Islam in an effort to prevent further murders. These nations, having given up precious ground, are now having difficulty retaking it.

Historically, on this continent Christian America adopted an open free-market approach to all religions from the beginning. American Christians then (and now) were not fearful of other religions. They were confident that Christianity would prevail on its own merits and they therefore followed the Biblical precedent set forth in both the Old and New Testaments of simply presenting God's word in a straightforward manner, expecting that the Holy Spirit will confirm His word in the hearts of hearers. Christians believe that on a level playing field, Christianity will always prevail through the voluntary choice of the people.As a result, Christian America welcomed all religions, with Muslims arriving here by 1619, Jews establishing their first synagogue in 1654, and Buddhists, Hindus, and others also being present from the early days. Significantly, only America extended (and continues to extend) a free-market religious tolerance to others while still preserving the core societal values of our Christian heritage. But the culture has begun to shift.

The level playing field is being eroded. As in Europe, Christianity is being knocked down and Islam elevated.For example, a federal court of appeals ruled that public schools in nine western states can require a three week indoctrination to the Islamic faith in which all junior high students must pretend they are Muslims and offer prayers to Allah (students are further encouraged to take Islamic names, call each other by those names, wear Islamic garb, participate in Jihad games, and read the Koran during those three weeks). Yet that very court also ruled that it was unconstitutional for those same students to voluntarily mention "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Likewise, a federal court on the east coast ruled that public schools may display Islamic holiday symbols but not Christian ones. And the University of Michigan recently spent $25,000 of taxpayer money to install foot-washing facilities to accommodate the religious practices of Muslim students but made no similar expenditure on behalf of students from any other religion.As a result of such actions, many Muslims are exercising a new boldness in America.

In fact, Muslim "honor killings" have now arrived in the United States (most recently in Texas); and just a few weeks ago, direct action was taken to prevent the honor-killing of a 17-year old Muslim girl in Ohio who converted to Christianity and, in fear of her life, fled from her parents to Florida.American Muslims have also enjoyed the direct support of President Obama. In April, he traveled to Egypt where he told the Muslim world that America no longer considers itself a Christian nation. He later traveled to Turkey and announced that America was one of the largest Muslim nations in the world (despite the fact that 78% of Americans claim to be Christians but only 1% claim to be Muslims). Then in May, President Obama refused to invite Christian and Jewish leaders to the White House to participate in the National Day of Prayer (as former presidents have done), but in September, he did invite Muslim leaders to the White House for a special Muslim Ramadan celebration to commemorate Allah delivering the Koran to his prophet Mohammed.Heartened by this new encouragement, Muslim leaders have called 50,000 observant Muslims to come to the Capitol this Friday, September 25, for a day of Jummah (Friday congregational prayer). The sponsors promise that from 4AM to 7PM, "the Athan [the call given five times each day for Muslims to participate in mandatory prayer] will be chanted on Capitol Hill, echoing off of the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and other great edifices that surround Capitol Hill."

The goal of this event is that "the peace, beauty and solidarity of Islam will shine through America's capitol." In fact, their website for this unprecedented event proudly and unabashedly declares, "Our Time Has Come!"As Bible-believing people, let's also make this Friday a day of prayer – and please encourage others to participate with you. We know that our contest is with spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12), and we firmly believe that He Who is within us is greater than any other god or force (1 John 4:4), so I encourage you to fill America with prayer to the True God this coming Friday.

God Bless!

David Barton

P. S. This call for Christians to pray this Friday is not a prayer "competition" between Christianity and Islam, nor is it a spiritual Christian "jihad" or "holy war" (what an oxymoronic term – a holy war!). After all, in I Kings 18, Elijah encouraged the prophets of the god Baal to take more time in their praying; he didn't object to their prayers, he just wanted to make sure that he was able to make his own prayers to the True God. This Friday offers a similar opportunity for those who fear God and believe His Scriptures to offer up their own prayers to Him."  

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Interesting - DANIEL 9:4 “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands. 5 But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. 6 We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke on your authority to our kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land.

   7 “Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you. 8 O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. 9 But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. 10 We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has disobeyed your instruction and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice.

   “So now the solemn curses and judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down on us because of our sin. 12 You have kept your word and done to us and our rulers exactly as you warned. Never has there been such a disaster as happened in Jerusalem. 13 Every curse written against us in the Law of Moses has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth. 14 Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster he prepared. The Lord our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him.

Do You have a favorite Scripture?  Something that is blessing you?  Is there a scripture reference that you hold on to in order to get through something? Is there a scripture that defines an aspect of your relationship with Jesus Christ that directly correlates to your personality? trial? tribulation?

What Has been that scripture?  Why has it been a blessing to you?  

Share with the rest of us....

Mine:   Isaiah 1:18 'Come let us reason together', Says the Lord.....  I love this because it is an open invitation to go to God with my questions, fears, doubts, curiousities, and issues.  If I am invited to engage in the discussion with Him, he will not despise me, rebuke me, turn me aside.  If I am honestly wanting to receive HIS answer, He will give it.  

What's YOURS?  Comment below...

While daily reading through portions of scripture I find my self  this morning in Ezekiel 8 - 10.  Strange to me how God lines things up sometimes...As I read about things that have been done in the name of God, wretched thing...historically, currently and personally...things God becomes upset with, I see a scene that is repeated by Jesus Christ as He thrashed, overturned and displaced people from His Holy Sanctuary because of their lack or respect for His reputation.... Aren't we all guilty of having done this from time to time... I certainly am... 

What has particularly struck me this morning is how God sends and angel to go through the midst of his own people, and 'put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the bad things that are done within it'  and then sends another angel to destroy anyone without the mark God has set.

Lord I desire your mark on my head.  I desire to be numbered among your people.  I desire to see your reputation upheld, preserved and reverenced with holy fear. 

Oh Lord - forgive my heart. in those times I have brought things into your holy place,  into our relationship and expected them to be sanctioned by you because of my frailties, my fears, my ambitions.  Forgive me for seeking any thing other  the courts of my God!

I tremble at your presence - and realize how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of an angry God.  Lord do not be angry, have mercy, forgive, redeem and reconcile...  Show yourself strong and restore your people.

I am working on an upcoming event for Gracious Vine and am curious if at a Luncheon you might be willing to share a testimony regarding showing how God had radically affected change in a particular area of your life, situation or relationship.

Depending on the response: This will be like a talk show, I will be the host and moderator and you will be an on stage guest. I want to show very different ways that God has proven Himself in someones life, so that others will be encouraged and strengthened by each other....

Remember, we overcome, by the blood of the Lamb and the testimony we have.

This is a work in progress and will not happen until November - I may get flooded with testimonies and will pick the ones that are the I feel will best fit with the afternoon. So perhaps not all will participate.

If YOU think you might want to do this, and have a specific testimony (not your salvation testimony and not a general 'life changed' testimony, but a specific testimony where God dealt with your heart, corrected, instructed, changed things, how that was done, and what was accomplished, how that has changed life for you today - type of testimony)

If You think you would like to participate, I need you to write about it an email me back with it first.

I want to see it put down on paper and answer these questions:

1. What was the situation before the Lord intervened?

2. How or who did this affect in your life?

3. When did or at what point did you know you needed the Lord to affect change?

4. How did you fight against it?

5. How did God finally get your attention and submission to Him?

6. What kinds of situations did He walk you through in order to teach or correct you?

7. When would you say you realized you had Overcome the situation?

8. How would you say this victory has affected those around you.

9. Have you found yourself in situations since that would test the victory/resolve?

10. What scripture did God give you to hold on to through it all?

11. How has this changed you?

12. Who else has been affected by this victory in your life?

Remember - Email Me back these answers in a numbered order - these will be the types of questions I will ask on stage so you'll need to be able to answer them without getting off track.

I Look forward to hearing from YOU!!!!

YOU COULD go to and fill out the form at the Gracious Vine site. http://www.graciousvine.com/giveyourtestimony.htm

Are you a New Christian? or are You a Christian that is looking to get a good overview of the Bible in short order without having to go to seminary?

Ok for those of you who have been to the Bible Studies or small groups with me for any amount of time, you know I recommend this book. 

THE GOLDEN CHILDREN'S BIBLE  - isbn# 9780307165206

Now I'm not saying you shouldn't have an actual bible - Of course you should...BUT I find this bible to be an EXCELLENT tool!

Some of you are thinking that ridiculous - I know..I know - It's a children's bible - AAAHHHHH but the fact that it is a GOOD children's Bible is the point.

I have been recommending this bible to new believers, and even long time believers that want more of a cohesive understanding of the entire bible for at least 10 years... Infact when I re dedicated my life to the Lord in the 80's I ran for it and read it cover to cover to help refresh my understanding of things and give me the perspective I was looking for.

It has wonderful art work that helps to capture the imagination while reading the stories. It  has stories that you won't find in most childrens bibles.  It is written in the order of events, so you don't get bogged down and confused by the lack of chronological order of the actual scriptures...It has a clear and concise telling of the scriptural accounts from an overview perspective with references to the actual location of the story in the scriptures for deeper study...

I HIGHLY recommend this because in short order you get a chronological time frame and telling of the events of scripture. It helps you to more fully understand the order of events, people, places and things with out the ho-hum of geneologies and such that can bog a new believer down (not that they don't have value - there are some amazing things in those chronologies - but perhaps for another time!).

So if you are looking for something to give you a basic run down of the Bible in short order, to help you get aquainted with the who, what, where, why and how of events, and people THIS IS A MUST GET !