Are home Bible studies slowly being made illegal in many areas of the United States?  Unfortunately, the headline above is not a joke.  It is actually happening in many areas of the country.  Many of you who are reading this have already seen some of the headlines.  It just seems so bizarre that authorities are spending their time and resources going after home Bible studies when there are so many other problems out there right now.  But it is happening.

Ever since the United States was created, people have gathered in their homes to study the Bible and worship God together.  There has never been a time when such meetings in homes have been against the law.

Until now.

For example, it is being reported that a home Bible study group in Rancho Cucamonga, California must have a “Conditional Use Permit” by Good Friday, April 2nd, in order to continue gathering.

This is for a Friday Bible study that only has an average of 15 people attend.

Do the authorities there really need to spend time, money and resources to stop a 15 person Bible study?

No wonder this nation is spinning wildly out of control.

But sadly there are more examples of this phenomenon.

One town in Arizona has actually banned absolutely all church meetings in private homes.

Seriously.

The pastor of the Oasis of Truth Church received a cease and desist letter ordering him to terminate all religious meetings in his home, regardless of their size, nature, or frequency.

So how many members does this horribly threatening church have?

7 members.

But apparently the town of Gilbert, Arizona is prepared to go all out to keep these 7 adults and their children from having Bible studies in their homes.

What in the world has happened to the United States of America?

The truth is that we need to be able to meet in our homes.  The home church movement in America is growing, because most of the “establishment churches” have sold out and have abandoned the gospel long ago.

But in the new America the churches that sell out and conform to worldly standards are the ones that get approval from the establishment.

For example, many national leaders are absolutely thrilled that the Episcopal Church has confirmed the election of an Annapolis, Maryland priest as the first openly lesbian bishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

But churches and Christian organizations that try to live according to God’s standards increasingly find themselves being persecuted.

In fact, a new bill before Congress would prohibit Christian adoption agencies from refusing to adopt to gay and lesbian couples.

So would that cause a large number of Christian adoption agencies to shut down?

Of course.

But they don’t care.

The truth is that America is increasingly becoming a hostile place for Christians.

But America is not alone.

The world is becoming an increasingly hostile place for Christians, but this is exactly what Yahshua (Jesus) told us would happen in the last days.

Persecution of Christians is only going to get worse from here on out, so you better buckle up and get ready.

This is going to be quite a ride.

Much of western civilization is still in complete denial about how incredibly dangerous radical Islam is.  The truth is that those who are committed to “jihad” have a mindset that is totally and completely different from you and I.  There is no compromise, no negotiating and no lasting peace with radical Islam.  Yes, radical Muslims may make a temporary treaty in order to improve their strategic position, but it will never result in lasting peace.  To them, there are really only two alternatives for “infidels” like us – either submission to Islam or death. 

Another huge misconception about radical Islam is that it is a “Middle Eastern” thing.  As we have seen in Africa, Indonesia, the Phillipines and India, wherever radical Islam encounters modern civilization violence is likely to erupt.  This violence against Christians is likely only going to get worse as we get even deeper into the last days.

The truth is that radical Islam would be more than glad to take over the entire world.  Christians are regularly being tortured and killed by Islamic militants all over the globe, and yet these incidents get very little attention in the U.S. media.  The following are ten examples from just this past week that show how dangerous radical Islam truly is….   

#1) Thousands of Nigerian Christian women dressed in black and carrying Bibles, wooden crosses and pictures of victims marched in a central Nigerian state on Thursday to protest the slaughter of about 500 Christian villagers (mostly women and children) by Islamic radicals.

#2) A World Vision office in Pakistan was attacked by Islamic gunmen on Wednesday, leaving at least five staff members dead.

#3) Two Muslim suicide bombers in Lahore, Pakistan killed at least 43 people and injured at least 100 others on Friday in a high-security area with a dense military presence.

#4) Some time ago there was an incident in Egypt that was extremely disturbing.  In broad daylight and in full view of witnesses, a group of 4 Islamic radicals in the southern Egyptian city of Attaleen fired 31 bullets into the head of a Coptic Christian before beheading him.  The dead body was then dragged through the streets accompanied by shouts of victory.  But now an Egyptian court has acquitted the four Muslim men accused of committing the crime.

#5) The government of Morocco is attempting to fend off criticism regarding its decision to expel 20 foreign Christian aid workers it accuses of trying to convert Muslims.

#6) A Pennsylvania woman known as “Jihad Jane” has been indicted for conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and of attempting to kill a person in a foreign country.

#7) On Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised that the state of Israel “will be annihilated” before too much longer.

#8) It is being reported that Iran is constructing a new rocket launch facility that could eventually accommodate an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a nuclear warhead.

#9) In an almost unbelievable story, the opening prayer at the opening session of the Virginia General Assembly was delivered by a radical imam.

#10) A Christian couple in Pakistan has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for touching the Quran without properly washing their hands first.

Did that headline get your attention?  It should.  A new law is dangerously close to becoming law in the U.K. that would essentially outlaw evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism.  Not that “The Equality Bill” specifically designates those faiths as illegal in the legislation itself.  Rather, the bill outlaws specific beliefs and practices that are fundamental to both evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism.  In fact, experts are saying that “The Equality Bill” would create a volcanic eruption of litigation in U.K. courts and would ultimately force those who wish to continue to practice anything that even looks like traditional Christianity to go underground.

So just what is the Equality Bill? 

The Equality Bill allegedly aims to consolidate all existing anti-discrimination laws into a single legal framework.  However, it actually goes much farther than any “anti-discrimination” laws in the U.K. have ever gone before.

On the surface, this legislation seems like a good idea.  After all, who wants to discriminate against old people or people of other races?  You can read a summary of this legislation put out by backers of the bill right here.  It actually contains a few good proposals. 

But it is also a vicious attack on traditional Christianity.

The Telegraph quotes a top level official from the “Ministry for Equality” as saying the following when he was asked whether the Equality Bill would lead to legal action between churches and atheists….

“Both need to be lining up [their lawyers],” he said. “The secularists should have the right to challenge the church.”

Secularists should have the right to challenge the beliefs and practices of the church?

What in the world?

So exactly what would the Equality Bill mean for churches in the U.K.?

Evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics would be wide open not only to lawsuits but also to unlimited government fines and even criminal prosecution if….

*They are found to discriminate against homosexuals or transsexuals in any area of employment – including the hiring of pastors and priests.

*They are found to discriminate against homosexuals or transsexuals in any preaching or teaching. 

*They are found to discriminate against hiring married men or women as priests as the Roman Catholics have done for centuries.

*They are found to insist that pastors or priests remain celibate (as in the case of Catholics) or only have sex within marriage (as in the case of evangelicals).

*They are found trying to prevent any of their clergy from entering into same-sex civil partnerships.

*They are found to be trying to prevent their pastors or priests from having sex change operations, living openly promiscuous lifestyles or engaging in any other form of sexual expression.

So essentially, if the Equality Bill is fully implemented, no religious organization is the U.K. will be able to preach or teach against sexual immorality, will be able to discriminate against the sexually immoral when hiring clergy or will be able to take a formal moral stand against sexually immorality in any way whatsoever.

Some analysts are even claiming that if the Equality Bill is adopted, all hiring for church positions that do not spend at least 51 percent of their time leading worship and preaching would be subject to regulations that would ban discrimination against those from other religions.  So, for example, a Baptist church would be forced to consider an Islamic candidate for a position that ministers to the youth but that also performs other non-teaching functions much of the time as well.

Basically the Equality Bill would be a total nightmare for both evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics in the U.K.  The fact that the law is written in such vague terms would open up the floodgates for all kinds of endless litigation.  If the Equality Bill becomes law, free speech and free expression in churches in the U.K. would be deeply chilled as church leaders struggle with the never ending threat of lawsuits, fines and criminal prosecution.

The days when churches in the U.K. could openly preach against sexual sin would be over.

The days when churches in the U.K. could openly have any say over the sexual behavior of their clergy would be over.

The days when churches in the U.K. could openly discuss what the Bible says about “right” and “wrong” would be over.

Thus this would essentially mean that end of legal evangelical Christianity and legal Roman Catholicism in the U.K.

That sounds quite dramatic, but that is the truth of the matter.

In fact, Baroness O’Cathain, a Tory lawmaker and an evangelical Christian, said last week that the Equality Bill is the “single most damaging Bill to come before the House in my 18 years as a Member”.

Are you starting to get the idea?

We are living in the last days, and the truth is that Christian persecution is exploding all over the world.  Christians in western nations have always thought that it was something that happened “over there”, but now Christian persecution is moving forward with blinding speed in places such as the U.K.

Ultimately, there will be no escaping persecution.  If you plan to be a Christian in the last days you will face persecution as long as you are on this earth.

You better get ready for it.

If you are a Christian and you are not already being persecuted, you will be soon.

While the church is asleep, Christian persecution is exploding around the globe.  Even in the western world, freedom for Christians to practice and express their faith is being curtailed as never before.  Today even we were shocked when we read about how two Christian hotel owners in the U.K. are being charged with a crime for witnessing to some Muslim guests.

Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang were arrested and charged with using “threatening, abusive or insulting words” that were “religiously aggravated” after a Muslim woman complained to local police in the U.K. that she had been “offended” by their comments.

So what was so offensive?

Apparently the couple believes that Christianity and that Islam is wrong.

It is alleged that they told the woman that Mohammed was a warlord and that traditional Islamic dress for women is a form of bondage.  However, the couple is insisting that they did not threaten the woman and that they have every right to explain and defend their own beliefs.

So what will happen to this couple if they are convicted of this hate crime?

Well, they could face a fine of up to £5,000 and they will have a permanent criminal record.

It would be nice if this was just an isolated incident, but the reality is that freedom of religion simply does not exist in the U.K. any longer.

For example, recently we reported on a couple of street preachers in the U.K. that were confronted by police and told that preaching the gospel and passing out tracts is not only offensive but also against the law…..

http://signsofthelastdays.com/archives/u-k-police-it-is-against-the-law-to-preach-and-hand-out-tracts

True Christianity is now considered to be “offensive” in the U.K., and if you seek to promote the Christian faith there you are apparently now in danger of being arrested.

Hopefully the hotel owners will win their case, but there is a bigger issue than that at stake here.  The reality is that millions of Christians in the U.K. will hear of this case, and they may become very hesitant to ever speak out about their faith for fear that they could be arrested and hauled into court.

The persecution of Christians is increasing not only in the U.K., but also in places such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and even in the United States.  Those of us who study the signs of the last days knew that such times would come, but to see it actually happening can be stunning at times.

The Scriptures tell us that one day there will be no place on earth where it is legal to preach the truth about Christianity. 

Are you prepared for that day?

Will you continue to stand for the truth when it may cost you your freedom or even worse?

It is something to think about.

The persecution of Christians in the U.K. and the United States is heating up like never before. Street preachers are being told it is against the law to hand out tracts and read the Bible in public, school officials are threatened with prison for praying over a meal and prison officials even cut Bible verses out of the mail sent to prisoners.

Yes, all of those examples are true.

We will deal with them one at a time.

Firstly, let’s examine the story of 29 year old Miguel Hayworth and his father. Hayworth has been a street preacher in the city of Manchester area for five years and he is often accompanied by his father when he does his street preaching.

Recently they were preaching at St. Ann’s Square in Manchester when they were approached by several police officers who accused them of inciting hatred by making homophobic and racial comments.

According to the Telegraph, one plain-clothed police officer made this statement to them:

It is against the law to preach and hand out tracts: preaching causes offence and handing out tracts is harassment and could result in an arrest.

So what Bible passages were they reading.  Well, according to reports, one of the passages they were reading from was Romans 1:27 which says this : “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly…”

But apparently reading the Bible in public is no longer acceptable in the U.K. 

In fact, it can get you arrested.

Not that the United States is any better.

A principal and an athletic director down in Florida are likely headed to prison for saying a lunch-time prayer.

Yes, this is actually happening in the United States of America.

You see, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against Pace High School in Santa Rosa County, Florida last year accusing them of allowing teachers to endorse religion.  The school quickly agreed to a settlement whereby all school employees were banned from engaging in prayer or religious activities before, during, or after school hours.

Of course the settlement was blatantly unconstitutional, but very few people in the United States seem to care about the Constitution anymore.

Now a principal and an athletic director face the prospect of going to prison for offering meal-time prayers at an appreciation dinner for adults who had helped with a school field house project.

Seriously.

With all of the other massive problems that America is facing, why does the ACLU have to go after meal-time prayers like a rabid dog?

Why?

It is because they hate God.

Now even prisons are censoring Christian material.

One prison in Virginia is actually cutting Bible verses out of the letters that inmates receive from their relatives.

Seriously.

What in the world have we become?

Anna Williams, whose son was held in that prison for several months says that prison officials cut out entire sections of several letters that she sent to her son.

The section that they cut out contained Bible verses or other Christian material.

When she asked the prison about this, they said that they were following prohibitions on religious material sent from home.

What in the world is going on?

The truth is that the U.K. and the United States have rejected God.

We have removed Him from our schools, our courthouses, our government buildings and just about every other public place.  We have pushed Him and His followers deep into the corners and we have made it very clearly that we don’t want anything to do with Him.

So why in the world should God protect us and bless our nations?

The truth is that when nations willingly reject God, then God will reject them.

The judgment of God is coming, and when it does come, nobody should be surprised.