DAILY DEVOTIONAL – JUNE 1, 2023 Looking unto Jesus By David Wilkerson

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV). If you were to ask me what is happening in the world right now, I would answer, “Everything Jesus warned us would happen in the last days!” He foretold that men’s hearts would fail them for fear of what is happening on earth. He warned of earthquakes in various places, nation rising against nation and ethnic group against ethnic group. We have lived to see the beginning of all the end-time prophecies being fulfilled before our very eyes. What did Jesus tell us to do when we see this? “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28).  Now, this sounds counter-intuitive because it’s a natural human response to be anxious when we see and hear dire news. We read the prediction of earthquakes in the Bible, and here they are in today’s headlines. Rumors of wars and uprisings today echo old prophesies that are now coming to life before our very eyes. We are flooded with foreboding; our adrenaline spikes, and we can feel the anxiety coursing through our veins.  Our hearts “fail us for fear.” Will we make it? Will our families survive? Jesus is adamant. “Look up,” he says. “Stay focused on me.” He continually pulls our thoughts back to him.  Psalm 46:2 should be written on our hearts: “Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.”  David’s calming words are a reminder that God has brought us this far and he will take us to the finish line. God’s desire is that we draw close to him and never forget that he has all things under his control. Let your heart be encouraged that he is coming soon. Our redemption is at hand!  “Let us hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering; for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

Prosecuting Journalists

 

Liberty Counsel has filed a several-hundred-page petition with the U.S. Supreme Court in one of the most important cases involving free speech and freedom of the press.  The future of undercover journalism and investigative reporting is at stake.  Investigative journalism, such as that done by James O’Keefe and others, hangs in the balance of this case. The case is Sandra Merritt v. Planned Parenthood Federation of America. No reporter or journalist in California history has been prosecuted for exposing a corporation’s crimes — that is, until Planned Parenthood was exposed.  Now Sandra has been slapped with more than 16 million dollars in fees and fines for exposing their gruesome trade in baby body parts. Defend this brave grandmother who exposed Planned Parenthood’s multimillion-dollar baby parts scheme. Select here.

FRIEND,

Sandra Merritt’s extensive undercover operation caught abortionists, clinic staff, and others on film openly admitting their greed for money and their willingness to break the law through the unlawful sale of human body parts. 

And worst of all, the sickeningly evil DISSECTION of LIVE BABIES.

Sandra Merritt’s undercover journalism exposed Planned Parenthood’s illegal activities. 

But Sandra is the only one getting punished. 

Now Liberty Counsel has taken her case to the Supreme Court.

Sandra’s videos capture the cavalier manner in which abortionists sorted through dissected baby parts. 

Severed arms and legs of babies born just hours before were arranged in what resembles baking dishes. 

The amputated appendages were arranged next to lungs ripped from tiny chests. 

Two tiny orbs glistened at the edge of the dish. 

They were the eyeballs of an 18-week-old twin plucked from the child’s skull earlier that day.

This was no gruesome horror movie. 

This was a sales display for a grotesque and illegal “Baby Parts for Sale” scheme.
 

Don’t let Planned Parenthood SILENCE truth!

Sandra’s videos caught the abortionists openly discussing how they violate the law to increase profits. 

On film, the executives and doctors are seen:

• Gloating about getting away with late-term abortions (the lie about the baby’s gestational age).

• Endangering women’s lives by illegally changing surgical procedures to “procure” better “specimen” (baby parts) so they can charge higher prices and reap more profits.

• Defending the sale price of these unlawful activities because the doctor “wants to buy a Lamborghini.”

Facing up to 10 years in prison and over 16 million dollars in fines, Sandra Merritt’s only hope has been her representation by Liberty Counsel.

What Sandra did IS NOT illegal. 

In fact, Sandra Merritt is the first undercover journalist in all of California’s history to be prosecuted for undercover journalism.

But that’s what happens when you anger and expose the modern-day 1.7 billion-dollar-a-year “Jezebel.” 

They come at you with guns blazing.

Thank God for good people like you, whose generous donations make our mission possible. 

Without your donations, Sandra would not be able to defend herself against Planned Parenthood’s legal onslaught.

Without Liberty Counsel’s free legal representation, Sandra would likely be resigning herself to a long prison term and large fines — all for exposing Planned Parenthood’s bloody practices.

As a result of Sandra’s reporting, Congress held hearings and recommended prosecution of Planned Parenthood. 

But the Obama administration looked the other way.

The undercover investigation also spurred the successful prosecution of a tissue procurement company by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, which credited Sandra Merritt’s undercover work for its success. 

The tissue procurement company was liable for 7.8 million dollars — and shuttered its doors.

Finally, the State of Texas canceled Medicaid provider contracts with Planned Parenthood after determining — based on Sandra’s work — that a local affiliate “violated federal regulations relating to fetal tissue research by altering abortion procedures for research purposes or allowing the researchers themselves to be involved in performing abortions.” 

The Court of Appeals sided with Texas.

Sandra is not an activist. 

She prayed and felt God leading her to do what she could to expose this crime against humanity. 

Now Sandra and our team need your prayers and support as we take this case to the High Court.

Without the help of friends like you, Planned Parenthood would have scrubbed Sandra’s videos from the internet, hiding their heinous acts forever. 

Without friends like you, Liberty Counsel could not afford to defend a pro-life hero like Sandra Merritt.

Without the prayers and financial support of Liberty Counsel’s many friends, Sandra Merritt would already be in prison.

Liberty Counsel never charges for our legal work. Few could afford to take on the multibillion-dollar abortion industry or its well-placed political friends. In addition to defending Sandra, Liberty Counsel has multiple other cases pending before the courts, including representing religious freedom rights for health care workers, military members, sidewalk counselors, and change counsel providers, among others.

Our work ensures that life, religious liberty, and the natural family will be protected and respected in courtrooms across America. But we cannot do this important work without help.

Please, give generously today, and a special Challenge Grant will DOUBLE THE IMPACT of your donation.

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel
 

P.S. DOUBLE THE IMPACT OF YOUR GIFT with our Challenge Grant. P.P.S. Want to do more? Fax Congress to STOP THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) takeover of America! And sign the petition.

Source:

“Sandra Merritt Asks SCOTUS To Take Planned Parenthood Case.” Liberty Counsel, May 24, 2023. Lc.org/newsroom/details/052423-sandra-merritt-asks-scotus-to-take-planned-parenthood-case.

Liberty Counsel is a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.
 

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©1995-present, Liberty Counsel, with offices in Florida, Virginia and Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Privacy Policy.

Liberty Counsel
PO Box 540774
Orlando, FL 32854
407-875-1776

 

How Sweden Became a Gangster's Paradise by Peder Jensen  •  June 2, 2023 at 5:00 am After the Russian invasion of the Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland abandoned generations of neutrality to apply for membership in the NATO military alliance. However, there is already a gang war going on in Swedish streets, and it has nothing to do with Russia. [National Police Commissioner Anders] Thornberg estimated that more than 30,000 people are now involved in gang violence in Sweden... According to Thornberg, the situation is "extremely serious," with organized crime infiltrating and corrupting the democratic society, the business world and the public sector. Some two million immigrants (20% of the population) now live in Sweden, according to David Jones in the Daily Mail, Many come from the most troubled parts of Asia and Africa and have not integrated well into Swedish society. Rival gangs now shoot each other on a regular basis. In Stockholm alone, 52 gangs are vying for control of the burgeoning drug trade, according to a police report, and they are becoming ever more ruthless. Some child gang members even carry explosives in their school thermos flasks. Jones writes: "Twenty years ago, gun crime was almost non-existent here." — David Jones, the Daily Mail, February 10, 2023. "Ten to fifteen years ago, it was about shoplifting when we were dealing with 14-year-olds, but now they deal in drugs and handle automatic weapons... Older criminals use children to avoid being caught themselves, and for the children, it is a sign of status to be chosen. It starts as a cool thing for a kid who can't see consequences and ends up getting involved in gang conflicts."— Police officer who asked to remain anonymous, document.no, March 1, 2023. When available resources are dedicated to investigating shootings and bombings, other crimes such as burglary or theft have become effectively risk-free. This inversion of law enforcement contributes to a growing sense of lawlessness now being felt by many Swedes. What is the point of having laws if they are not enforced, or only used to punish honest citizens? Since 2010, shoplifting in Sweden has doubled. More serious crime is also being ignored or de-prioritized by an understaffed police force. In the city of Uppsala, victims of rape complain that they must wait for months to be interviewed.... Most available police resources are now dedicated to combating criminal gangs. Swedish schools are also becoming increasingly violent, for teachers and pupils alike. Reports about threats and violence at schools have more than doubled since 2012. These reports mainly concern students who have attacked teachers with threats, punches, or strangulation. In Malmö, Sweden's third-largest city, native Swedes are already a minority. The city is experiencing a kind of "white flight." Many move to smaller towns to find safer environments and schools for their families. While ownership of rifles for hunting is not uncommon in Sweden, owning guns for self-defence had never, until recently, been a reason to be granted a firearms license. There is a gang war going on in Swedish streets. The number of gang members already exceeds the number of police and keeps growing at an alarming rate. Pictured: Police officers look at pictures images of seized weapons in Rinkeby police station on August 31, 2022 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images) After the Russian invasion of the Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland abandoned generations of neutrality to apply for membership in the NATO military alliance. However, there is already a gang war going on in Swedish streets, and it has nothing to do with Russia. Between January and May 2023, Swedish police recorded on average one completed bomb detonation every two days. If you add the bombs that were in preparation, but not yet detonated, Sweden experienced one explosives-related crime per day. Rival gangs increasingly continue to target each other's relatives with revenge attacks. Continue Reading Article

 

DONATE Friday, June 2, 2023 Going Nowhere LISTEN   “Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.” —Ecclesiastes 1:8 If you’ve ever ridden a stationary bike, then you know that no matter how much you pedal, you never go anywhere. And even if you’re riding a high-tech bike with a monitor displaying terrain that you’re supposedly going over, a quick look around reminds you that you’re on a machine. And you’re in the same place where you started. That is what life can be like sometimes. You’re always trying, but it seems like you’re not going anywhere. Solomon looked at life that way. He wrote, “What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. . . . Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content” (Ecclesiastes 1:3–4, 8 NLT). That’s a bleak way to look at life. But throughout Ecclesiastes, Solomon uses a phrase that helps us explain his outlook: “under the sun.” Solomon was speaking of horizontal, strictly human living. He rarely looked above the sun for answers. In other words, he was not looking to God. Instead, he was looking horizontally. He was looking to this planet, to this world, for answers. As a result, Solomon decided to take a crash course on sin. He was prepared to try everything that was out there. He wanted the finest entertainment the world offered and the finest education that money could buy. And he wanted to experience unlimited materialism. Basically, Solomon wanted to experience everything there was to experience. Solomon had what most people only dream of. But in the end, it turned out to be a nightmare. This serves as a reminder that if we leave God out of the equation when we attempt to meet the deepest needs of our lives, we always will come up empty. Share this today:

Jesus Revolution on DVD Get Your Copy » Experience the remarkable true story of the Jesus Movement through the eyes of Greg and Cathe Laurie, two lost and searching young people in a time of cultural chaos and disillusionment. Looking for something real, thousands from the hippie generation of the 1960s and ’70s discover authentic acceptance from an unexpected source as Pastor Chuck Smith opens his heart and his church to society’s unwanted in an extraordinary time of revival, renewal, and reconciliation. Jesus Revolution on DVD will be sent to you in thanks for your gift to Harvest Ministries this month. Copyright © 2023 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Harvest Ministries exists with your support to Know God and Make Him Known. If you would like, you can update your preferences. This email may be considered an advertising or promotional email. Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514-4000 Phone: 1-800-821-3300

THERAPIST WANTS TO STERILIZE 17-YEAR-OLD

 

Today I will share excerpts from an open letter written by Myrna*, a clinical psychologist, calling out the mental health “therapist” who tried to sterilize Myrna’s 17-year-old daughter. Meanwhile, Christian counseling can heal gender dysphoria, leading children and adults to full and meaningful lives in Christ.  Perhaps that’s why the LGBTQ mafia has worked so hard to BAN counseling in so many cities and states. Liberty Counsel is working to free the captives. — Mat Help us overturn the bans on Christian Counseling and have your impact DOUBLED by a generous Challenge Grant.

Friend,

By the age of 17, Joelle* was struggling. 

She had an eating disorder, body dysphoria, and ADD. 

Her mother, Myrna*, a licensed clinical psychologist, thought she was doing the right thing by getting Joelle into therapy. 

It turned out to be a nightmare.

Within three 45-minute sessions, Joelle’s therapist decided Joelle was “transgendered,” and told the child she should immediately begin “gender transition,” complete with testosterone and mutilating surgery.
 

Fax the Governors & Congress — Demand they BAN child mutilation!

Thank God, Myrna caught wind of the therapist’s plans. 

When Myrna asked why the therapist recommended such drastic measures, the therapist exclaimed: “HE has gender dysphoria.”

“She has an eating disorder, body dysmorphia, and ADHD,” Myrna told the therapist, “ ... all of which seem to have some overlapping features with gender dysphoria. Why wouldn’t you assess for and treat those before triggering any kind of medical intervention?”

Myrna says the therapist “visibly cringed” when she demanded to know the therapist’s plans if this permanent chemical and surgical solution did not relieve Joelle’s body dysphoria. 

“What if her feelings and symptoms of self-loathing, dissociation, anxiety, depression, and self-harm become exacerbated?” Myrna asked.

The therapist claimed that “most people who transition are satisfied with their results and don’t regret their decision.” 

As a clinical psychologist herself, Myrna demanded the therapist provide “peer-reviewed longitudinal studies that suggest that affirming and facilitating social and medical gender transition produce happy, well-adjusted teens and young adults.” 

The therapist was unable to produce a single study.

“I believe that the medical fast-tracking of trans-self-identifying children and young adults is a contemporary twist on American individualism taken to its point of absurdity,” Myrna says. 

“We are now in a situation where corporate wolves are passing effortlessly as progressive sheep.”

Myrna notes that “Even Planned Parenthood, perhaps seeing the writing on the wall that was confirmed with the recent Texas abortion ruling, may be hedging its bets by offering ‘Gender Affirming Therapy.’” 

In other words, unable to continue killing as many babies for a profit, the abortion giant now simply mutilates and sterilizes children and adults, not as a service, but as a profit center.

“Institutions’ needs for staying relevant and projecting themselves into the future trump any fidelity to stated guiding principles,” Myrna says. 

“A parent’s need to protect her child’s mind and body trumps any and all political affiliations. 

Our wallets and our votes will speak for us.”
 

Fund the Legal Fight to Overturn Christian Counseling Bans!

They fled the country …

Myrna eventually took her daughter OUT of the United States, back to their ancestral land in the former Soviet Union, to escape the LGBTQ “trans” propaganda that has permeated U.S. culture.

“No one is compelled to participate in a mass delusion that requires thought control and speech policing,” Myrna says. 

“They had more than enough of that during seven long decades under Soviet rule.”

There, Joelle was relieved to find that no one used “preferred pronouns.” Neither did anyone deny the reality that a women cannot be a man.

Myrna says that by “removing [Joelle] from a culture that would pathologize normal developmental struggles and push costly and irreversible medical treatments will enable and reinforce long-term remission of gender dysphoria and trans ideation from her life.”

Joelle feels increasingly safe and at home in not only her new city, but in her own natural body. 

“With an abundance of unconditional love, real psychotherapy, solid psychiatric care, and some long-overdue changes in her personal and social life,” says Myrna, “my daughter is coming into her own. … 

She will not have to live out her life in a Frankenbody.”
Myrna’s decision to flee the U.S. may seem extreme, but in many areas of the country, Bible-based Christian counseling has been banned.

NO government should prevent people from receiving counseling. Help Liberty Counsel overturn the Christian Change Counsel bans!

In addition to the bans on voluntary Bible-based Christian change counseling, many parents have been reported to and been investigated by Child Protective Services simply for refusing to call a child by their given name and their biological pronouns.

Since at least 2018, the Canadian government has banned all books and periodicals that run counter to the pro-transitioning agenda.

Christian counseling is highly effective at healing gender confusion and unwanted same-sex attractions. 

That is why the LGBTQ community and doctors financially benefiting from the high-priced “gender transition” services are trying to BAN this type of counseling.

Liberty Counsel is overturning the change counsel bans! 

We’re taking on the child mutilators by fighting in court to overturn these unconstitutional and anti-freedom laws. 

We have overturned 23 bans so far in three states.

About 83 other cities and states continue to ban voluntary Christian change counsel. 

We need to get one of these cases to the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down ALL such counseling bans once and for all.

Please, take a stand for our children and America’s future TODAY. We never charge for our legal services. Instead, our clients rely on generous Liberty Counsel supporters like you to fund the fight for religious freedom. Every donation will be DOUBLED IN IMPACT by a Challenge Grant.

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel
 

P.S. Want to do more? Fax governors and Congress demanding they STOP Child Mutilation and LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE! P.S. Make a recurring monthly donation and let the Challenge Grant DOUBLE THE IMPACT OF YOUR REGULAR GIFT!

*Name changed for privacy. 

Sources:

“Rob Hoogland, Jailed Canadian Father, Continues Speaking up against Transitioning Operations on Children.” Lighthouse Trails Research Project, March 15, 2023. Lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/rob-hoogland-jailed-canadian-father-continues-speaking-up-against-transitioning-operations-on-children/.

Robertson, Natalie. “To My Daughter’s Therapist: You Were Wrong.” Person and Identity Project, September 23, 2021. Personandidentity.com/to-my-daughters-therapist-you-were-wrong/.

Liberty Counsel is a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.
 

Click here to view this message online.

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©1995-present, Liberty Counsel, with offices in Florida, Virginia and Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Privacy Policy.

Liberty Counsel
PO Box 540774
Orlando, FL 32854
407-875-1776