Christian Couple Fights Texas Officials After Homeschooled Children Forcibly Removed From Home

Just a few days ago I wrote about my family's decision to homeschool our children. We believe with all conviction that educating our children ourselves is the best way we can instill the values and [Christian] worldview we would like them to have. We believe it is a basic right for parents to have to be able to determine how their own children should be educated. However, there are those in this nation (humanists, secularists, liberals) that believe otherwise. In their view, government knows best and is more capable than parents to make decisions about children's education. They'll even go so far as to criticize homeschooling parents by calling them 'mentally ill' and say that they are 'brainwashing' their children. They believe the government is the only way to 'properly educate' children.

The link below tells the story of a Texas couple who had their children forcibly removed from their home, not for abuse or neglect, but for homeschooling - that's right - homeschooling! 

Christian Couple Fights Texas Officials After Homeschooled Children Forcibly Removed From Home

My initial thought was that this kind of stuff happens in other countries, but not America - at least not yet. Don't fool yourselves, it's here too. Persecution of Christians takes many forms, and this is one of them. I expect this kind of persecution to become greater and greater in this [morally declining] nation. I think this is a perfect time to remind you that our battle is a spiritual battle of cosmic forces - good and evil, as Ephesians 6 tells us:

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

Paul gives us several commands here:

1. Be strong in the Lord
2. Put on the whole armor of God
3. Wrestle against spiritual forces of evil
4. Stand firm
5. Fasten the belt of Truth
6. Put on breastplate of righteousness
7. Put on readiness
8. Take up the shield of faith
9. Take the helmet of salvation
10. Take the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God)
11. Pray at all times

That's a lot for 8 verses! In this battle, we need to be constantly aware of who we are fighting. The verses tell us there are rulers (plural) and authorities (plural) and cosmic powers (plural) over the present darkness. Satan has an army, and a well-ordered, well-structured one that employs tactics and strategies to deceive as many as possible. Those that are deceived by Satan in this world carry out his plan and his intentions, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

IMPORTANT POINT:

The weak in heart, the shallow in faith, the undiscerning, the Biblically illiterate, the armorless, and the prayerless will not be able stand firm, and persevere in this battle. I urge you to heed the instructions of Paul as we are heading deeper and deeper into this war. This is a daily thing folks, a daily regimen that we must use to be ready to fight and defend ourselves. This isn't something that can be maintained with a 'once a week, I'll go to church' mentality. Some people get offended or become sheepish when anyone mentions the notion of fighting. Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but not only are we to put on our armor for defense, but we are to take up the sword as well. We are to slay the lies and deceptions that come into our path with the Word of God. How can we do that if we don't know the Word? 

In a future post, I'll be discussing this idea of being ready. Have we really 'given our life' to Christ, or are we living as if we've allowed Christ to be just a part of our lives?