Accountability is almost non-existent and those caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar are simply reprimanded, told they are naughty, and then left in place, merely promising not to do it again. It's disgusting, especially when valid ministries sounding the trumpet of both warning and hope have to remind supporters of their need to be funded. But here we are in the dog days of summer and once again our financial support has dropped off significantly. So I must remind you and, as I do, please consider the extreme differences between trustworthy ministries and many of those agencies in control of public funds.

Unlike government officials, who appear to be complicit in allowing employees in their charge to spend multiple millions of dollars on lavish conferences, we run on a budget and depend solely on those who understand the eternal nature and gravity of our mission. While some public servants seem to act as if their behavior is cute and little more than just a game, focused servants of the Most-High God know that a trumpet is about to blow that will change everyone's life eternally. Officials proud of homosexuality's in-your-face advancement and a woman's continuing right to "choose" seem as oblivious of their pending destruction as Belshazzar was when he toasted those attending the evil celebration described in Daniel 5 using the gold and silver vessels taken from God's Temple. Little did the king know that as he mocked and blasphemed Jehovah invaders were moving through the streets of Babylon who would kill him that very night.

We too have invaders in our land right now and I'm not just referring to jihadist sleeper cells. We are being overtaken by sinister forces intent on stopping religious liberty and personal freedoms. Our fellow countrymen elected those who now legislate by executive decree and appoint countless renegade officials, czars, and autocrats who now operate brazenly as a law unto themselves.

As many despair at the policies and condition of our republic it is easy to wonder how long God will allow the magnitude and perpetration of the evil we are witness to. We are literally living in the midst of Isaiah's words:

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

-Isaiah 5:20-21

Though we do not know when or exactly how, we can rest assured that just as for Belshazzar, the handwriting will soon be on the wall and judgment will come for the current generation of corrupt leaders. However, our current slide towards obscurity in America doesn't change our mission as believers in Jesus Christ. If anything, the culture of immorality and corruption that surrounds us should strengthen our resolve to stand together and to evangelize with abandon while the opportunity still exists. This is exactly what we intend to do here at Take A Stand! Ministries.

Instead of wasting money pilfered from others on silly, senseless video productions, the DVDs and materials we produce are factual, impactful, challenging, and of eternal consequence, offering information, understanding, and, most importantly, the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that is perishing.

Unlike appointed officials whose accommodations for "conferences" (read that drunken orgies) include first class, full-fare flights where participants are met by stretch limousines and ferried to $1500 a night hotel suites, we drive older vehicles, fly in the back of the plane, and shop for the best deals on modest hotel rooms when on the road. If it strikes you that careful stewardship - not careless spending - should be the rule and that "responsibility" should be the byline that governments, businesses, and ministries should operate by, then I encourage you to invest in Take A Stand! Ministries and what we stand for.

Perhaps you contributed in June when I wrote about the need to replace an aging,worn-out vehicle. God provided all we needed then, but July's contributions to our general fund are less than half our budget. Won't you please consider a gift to help us right the ship and meet the current needs? Your support - no matter how large or small - represents a team effort to win souls to Jesus Christ and to strengthen our voice in an increasingly perverse world.

Thank you so much and God bless you!