If you follow me regularly, you know I’m always challenging my readers to be Christians of action and not just full of biblical knowledge. It’s one thing to know the Bible; it’s another to live the Bible. The Lord wants us to do both. Not only be knowers of the Word, but also doers. In our volatile world today, we don’t have to look far for where we can get involved in promoting good where evil is invading our culture.
It’s easy and comfortable to be armchair critics where we sit on the couch and watch on television, social media, or our electronics the world atrocities contradicting reason and right. We complain about how insanely wrong things are today.
We might even gather in groups and discuss our opinions and complaints, but talk is powerless unless we put our disgust and distress into some kind of positive action to make a difference.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22
There was a time when our frustration focused mostly on the world stage or maybe even centered on our government, but Satan is shooting his flaming arrows into our neighborhoods, families, schools, and yes, even, our churches.
We’re watching horrific pictures and narratives of evil at its worst as satanic barbarians attempt to wipe out the country of Israel. An evil attempted genocide of Jews we never expected to occur again after the Holocaust. How could this current atrocity happen to one of America’s allies and the people God has called His chosen?
I think some of the surprise attack came from relying on technology that can always be hacked or fail. Also, complacency and apathy to the reality that until Jesus returns for His church, Satan really is the ruler of the world.
We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. 1 John 5:19 NLT
We must remain alert to the enemy’s tactics, which are ALWAYS evil and destructive with the motive of deception and denial of God’s principles.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NKJV
Complacency masquerading as “tolerance” has allowed the enemy to infiltrate almost every area of life today. Americans think we’ll never be blindsided by a 9-11 style attack again. We take our shoes off and go through metal detectors and put our liquids in 2 oz. bottles to board an airplane because that was the vehicle of evil used the last time, while millions of illegals flood our borders and throw away their passports and ID’s once inside so they can assume new identities in America. Why would anyone want to do that? You know it isn’t for good. Are we ready? Is the church ready?
I’m not talking provisionally ready; I’m talking spiritually ready. Are our loved ones ready? Are we willing to reach out with the gospel to those who aren’t?
Yes, it can be uncomfortable. Inconvenient. Unpopular. Challenging. Scary. But when I find myself in those situations, I rely on the promise God gives us in Luke 21:14-15 . . .
14 Don’t worry about what you will say to defend yourselves. 15 I will give you the wisdom to know what to say. None of your enemies will be able to oppose you or to say that you are wrong. Luke 21:14-15 CEV
My Recent Getting Involved Experience
I hope you know I would never challenge you to do something I’m not willing to do myself. My mantra for years has been that the church, you and me, need to get involved in our local communities to right any wrongs that God brings to our attention. I’ve also said that we shouldn’t look only at the national level, but open our eyes to what’s going on in our own backyards. Maybe it will be running for office or actively supporting candidates who support our values. Every position is important from school boards to library boards.
I also would encourage you to investigate Christian-based organizations keeping a pulse on what’s happening in your area. I follow several in Idaho and one of those is Freedom Foundation. I receive their emails which often expose unethical issues in our state and draw our attention to pray over, and if we feel the Lord leading, to get involved. Since I live in a very small rural community most of the issues I read about are not in our area. But several weeks ago, there was an email from the Freedom Foundation addressing sexually obscene, pornographic, inappropriate books for children discovered in our local community library.
How could I ignore this? I couldn’t. So at first, I just posted the article on my social media page and a community social media page. Little did I know I was starting a firestorm! The comment attacks were fast and furious. I have to admit I was shocked that so many people were in favor of these books.
My main question was why were the books in our library? What was the purpose in making them available to our local children? But instead of answers, I received attacks on Christianity and my “morals,” although I never said I was a Christian. But it seems if you took a moral view of this atrocity, you must be a Christian. I was told, “keep your morals in your church.” I wondered what kind of “morals” the accusers had.
I learned there was a “Material Reconsideration Form” we could fill out to request these books be removed from the library. So I announced the situation to my church congregation and asked others to join me in filling out the forms. I was encouraged that many did. The two-sided form wasn’t easy to fill out and it required reviewing the dark material in these books, which I didn’t want to do. I felt like I needed a shower. How would I get the images and words out of my mind? It was just too dark.
Did I really want to do this? When my grandchildren were younger and visited us, I used to enjoy taking them to the children’s section of our library as a fun activity, but they’re older now, so these books weren’t affecting me personally. But I care about all children. I care about the next generation.
You would recognize some of the book titles as the same books parents are bravely contesting and reading aloud in school board meetings. Now God had brought them to my attention in my town. I had a choice to just complain or take further action beyond filling out the forms.
Then I discovered a podcast “Banned?” with Pastor Jack Hibbs interviewing Karen England, from Capitol Resource Institute. In this podcast, they discuss the sexually explicit and pornographic books that are plaguing our public-school systems and public libraries. Karen kept pointing out that we may be surprised to learn this isn’t only a problem in liberal cities, but many of these books are often available in conservative “red states” as well. They were talking about the very books in our “red state” small community library or on their website as an e-book download that children could access.
“Banned?” is an important podcast for every parent, grandparent, and concerned citizen to hear. It’s hard to listen, and yes, it’s dark, but that’s where Satan does his work. Especially, if you’re in a “red state” like we are in Idaho and think that none of this could happen in your local library or school. It is happening in school districts and libraries throughout our state! You can’t escape it.
It was a timely podcast for me. I thought if this brave Christian woman, Karen England, can subject herself to knowing the content of these books and go around the nation exposing them to protect our precious children, I can and will do my part.
I prayed long and often late into the night for God to give me the words, wisdom, and courage to take a stand and encourage others to join me. Many did. We attended the next library board meeting where those opposing our “moral” position and those joining me opposing the books each were given three minutes to present our arguments to the board.
Even a young twenty-year-old woman courageously read a disgusting sexually graphic page from one of the books and others told testimonies of the horrific acts that occur when young minds are exposed to pornography. To the board’s credit, they listened and allowed everyone the opportunity who wanted to speak. They recorded the meeting, and we were told they would review and make their final decision, which as of this writing we haven’t received.
Applause and Assaulted
A group of us stood outside the library hugging and thanking each other for speaking out and for those that came to support us. But as you can imagine, not everyone was happy about us being there. It only took a day for me to be attacked personally on the community social media page. I received the usual “hater” slander, my ministry was ridiculed, and I was pretty much told to stay in my own Christian lane. Which actually I was!
I could also see the delusional confusion when the slanderer accused me of making the young woman read the vulgarity from the book and referred to her as my “daughter”?! I had no idea she was going to read or what she was going to say. I was just delighted to have the next generation participate and speak the truth.
Sometimes you just have to laugh at delusion. The Lord reminded me I should be flattered they thought this 20-year-old was my daughter, since my own real daughter just turned 50!!!
Jesus told us to expect persecution but also not to stop sharing the gospel because there are some who will listen just as He experienced.
Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. John 15:20
Paul said, 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. 1 Cor. 4:12:13
I’ve chosen to not give the satisfaction of answering the latest slanders because I choose not to escalate the discussion with those who are blinded by lies. That’s a lose/lose attempt and only gives them more of a platform. I can only pray that one day their eyes will open to the truth.
As an author myself, I know that authors write to a target audience with a purpose and focused message. I can’t imagine what kind of mind writes this smut for children. An author would have to have a sinister agenda and purpose to write books like these directed towards children. Their purpose is either pedophilia or grooming.
If you saw the movie Sound of Freedom, they really are coming for our children! I wrote a blog last year on November 8, 2021 by that very title They’re Coming for Our Children! We can’t stay silent.
Jesus didn’t say living the gospel-life would be easy. It’s often heartbreaking to see so many people championing evil as a “freedom” when we’re talking about innocent little minds and bodies. If you’re willing to take action in the schools and libraries in your area, I want to leave you with this tool.
Obscenity Law Defined: Supreme Court Defines Obscenity
Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476 (1957). Ruled on two criminal convictions for obscenity. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the convictions, holding that obscene speech is not protected by the First Amendment. It further determined that the standard for obscenity is “whether, to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material, taken as a whole, appeal to prurient interest. (Emphasis added)
Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973), reaffirmed the Roth ruling. “In sum, we (a) reaffirm the Roth holding that obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment; (b) hold that such material can be regulated by the States, subject to the specific safeguards enunciated above, without a showing that the material is “utterly without redeeming social value”; and (c) hold that obscenity is to be determined by applying “contemporary community standards” not “national standards.” (Emphasis added)”
Where is God asking you to get involved?
[God] who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 2 Tim. 1:9 NKJV
“Today is no random day. It’s a God-planned day for His devoted children.” Greater Purpose by David Jeremiah
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The middle picture is from Andrew D Griffin of Love Alive.
GOOOOO Janet!
I, too am perplexed by this situation at our local library. And, I know your heart, you are a woman of great faith and integrity. There are so many misinterpretations of what has been said and done at our local level. People tend to write their own stories through selective hearing, not adhering to the truth that has been said.
Lord, help us to combat the enemy of all our souls, especially against our children and grandchildren. Also, open eyes to see and ears to hear the truth in conversations without adversity.
Kathy, I’m in complete agreement with your closing prayer.
Thank you Janet. Excellent post today. I too am very surprised at the apathy of the Christian community, including the Church to the filth that our children are being exposed to. Jesus posed a very good question, when He said about His return; “will I find faith on the earth”. Faith, in this instance, is expressed by standing up against the attempt to sexualize our children. Our moral duty is to hold out our shields of faith over our children, to protect their innocence from the flaming missiles of evil. After attending the library board meeting, I am terribly saddened to have heard, seemingly normal people, actually defending the exposure of our children to pornographic material. I am having a very hard time getting my head around any parent supporting this exposure to their kids. Personally, I consider that child abuse.
I agree Norm, it is child abuse and child endangerment. Alarming how many are blinded to the truth. Thank you for all you do to shed light into the darkness.
Wow, thank you for your boldness to stand up against this evil! I have been receiving your emails for years and have been so blessed by your wisdom and boldness. I continue to pray for your ministry and for your protection as the enemy’s attacks increase. You know you are making progress when that happens!!
I am part of the state leader ship for My Faith Votes and we pray over many of the issues in our state and work to educate Christians about National and state issues while ensuring them to get out and vote. I also attend school board meetings in my city to know what is being taught to our kids and stand up against the indoctrination in our local school system. My kids are grown but the next generation is being groomed and stepped In immorality. Praise God the enemy is finally being challenged!!
Thank you again for using your platform to encourage all Christians to stand up. We can no longer be silent.
Thank you Michele for your encouragement, prayers, and taking action for righteousness in your community. I encourage everyone to follow My Faith Votes as you’ve probably seen in previous blogs, especially around election time. The church has been silent on important moral issues for far too long. We are the church as we must speak out and stand up even against the pushback we will most assuredly receive. I appreciate you taking the time to comment and let me know that the blogs the Lord leads me to write are not going out void. Sometimes an author just needs to hear those words in feedback. The Lord bless you and all you’re doing for Him too!
The comment about Facebook’s ongoing censorship is not a surprise at all. I see Facebook as an idol worshipped by many. People spend more time on Facebook than they do in the Word or with their family. I see it as an obsession, which fuels coveting and escapism. I applaud your tenacity for sharing the truth in spite of the backlash. Thank you for standing tall for God.
Ruth, I appreciate your encouragement. I hope many others will get involved as the Lord leads. Yes, it’s true that social media can be used for good or become an addiction. It is a means of staying in contact with friends and family and to network a message to those you might never reach any other way, but absolutely nothing should interfere with our time in the Word. Thank you again for your comment and for taking the time.
Thank you!
You’re welcome! To God be the glory.
Janet, I so appreciated your posting the IFF article on the GV community Facebook page. I left several comments, etc in support of getting those books OUT of the library. I was as shocked as you that many neighbors aren’t aware of the nationwide movement on the left to “groom” our kids and weaken the nuclear family. These books (that are meant to normalize porn) are how it starts. Does anybody know what the library board’s decision is regarding the books in question? I’ve not seen anything on Facebook, etc. They seem to be playing possum. I bet IFF would be interested in the decision, too…? Thank you so much for having the courage to speak at the meeting and deal with the haters with such class.
Heidi, thank you for your encouraging words and support. No, I haven’t heard a word from the library board since speaking at their October meeting, even though many of us filled out their “Material Reconsideration Forms” that said we would be notified of the board’s final decision. As far as I know, none of us have received a response. I will be following up with the library to see what’s happening. Again, I appreciate your comments. We’re in a tough spiritual battle, but we can’t give up.