The Progressive Pentagon

There are five tactics you can be listening for when you’re being told by someone that they have a point, when in fact they’ve got something to hide.

I call it the “Perspective Pentagon” because, taken together, they serve as the way in which the Left both defends it’s stance and attacks it’s opponents.

It’s bogus, but it’s brilliant.

1) They spend more time attacking their opponent’s character than they do discussing their opponent’s content .

By making your opponent look immoral, their platform is interpreted as being immoral as well, regardless of how sound it may be (Matt 11:19; 2 Cor 10:10).

When you hear this tactic being used, chances are the person who’s speaking has something to hide.

2) They spend more time pretending to be hurt than they do proving that they’re right.

You can’t criticize someone who’s in pain let alone the person who’s trying to help without immediately being categorized as cruel and insensitive.

Because of the way this tactic has the ability to shut down any transparent dialogue, chances are the person who uses this technique can’t afford to be cornered by a direct question and they have something to hide (Prov 22:13)

3) They spend more time trying to appear honest than they do telling the truth.

You can be ethical without telling the whole truth. When you’re hearing this tactic being used, it’s then that credible evidence is usually being dismissed for no good reason because of the way it threatens to expose the truth.

Again, this person has something to hide (Matt 4:1-11).

4) They spend more time talking about labels, mobs and crowds than they do a name, a person and a choice.

You can conceal a person’s lack of judgment by ignoring their individuality and seeing them instead as part of a supposedly virtuous group. You can do the same thing, only in reverse, by refusing to see a person’s virtue and instead see them as part of a sinister collective.

Both approaches are part of a heinous tactic that seeks to assign whole demographics a specific morality, regardless of the individuals who do or do not qualify…

…and it’s often used by that person who has something to hide (2 Thess 3:10).

5) They spend more time defending bad decisions and demonizing personal responsibility than they do applauding wise choices and holding people accountable for their actions.

Of all the tactics represented by the “Progressive Pentagon,” this is the most obvious in that the person speaking is calling “good” bad and vice versa.

It’s accomplished by insisting that, as part of a flawed system, there are no “bad decisions” because of the way your environment obligates you to fail. Hence, you are not responsible for your actions and it’s not you that has to change, rather, it’s the ideals that the current system is based on that need to be altered if not destroyed.

It’s as nonsensical as it is sinister, yet it is a hallmark of those who have something to hide (Is 5:20).


You can remember those five tactics by using this mnemonic:

Mobs of Characters Hurt Honest Decisions

 

Anytime you hear any of these tactics being deployed, you’re listening to someone who has something to hide. And generally, what they’re trying to conceal is either;

  • the fact that their argument can’t bear up under the weight of a direct question, or…
  • there’s a darker purpose being accomplished that has nothing to do with the subject matter but is nevertheless advanced by the topic being discussed

 

You defeat the “Pentagon” by first being aware of it, then you you remind your audience that it’s not about the way they, “feel,” rather, it’s about what’s true. You insist on an evaluation of all the facts and as opposed to a manipulation of just some of the facts and you demand specific examples as opposed to a manufactured majority.

Finally, you demonstrate how what’s being debated is a natural compliment to the sinister agenda that’s hoping to go unnoticed. You avoid anything that can be potentially dismissed as an outrageous conspiracy, but you don’t allow the obvious to be dismissed as a meaningless coincidence.

In short…

You stand.

You speak.

…and you silence the evil disguised as compassion and the lie that poses as the truth.

Your Billboard

The Question

If you have to create a billboard that promoted a relationship with Jesus, what would that billboard say if you couldn’t mention life after death or how He helps you through difficult circumstances?

If you’re like most, while you can envision a catchy slogan or a memorable slogan that’s Biblically sound and is as true as it is motivating, it’s not uncommon to not have something on the tip of your tongue.

Crisis Only Situations

Reason being is because conventional church culture tends to promote discipleship as something that comes to bear primarily in the context of a crisis.

  • Prayer: help me, heal me
  • Bible Study: guide me, guard me
  • Praise and Worship: save me, show me

It’s a constant rehearsal of who we are apart from Christ with the result being I’m not, I don’t, I can’t and I won’t.

You see it in Scripture…

In John 16, Jesus says that in this world, you will have trouble. Earlier in chapter 15, He says that apart from Him, we can do nothing. In Romans 7, Paul talks about the tension that lingers within him, as far as how he knows what he should do, yet he can’t get it done. He describes himself as, “wretched.”

Apart from Christ, we are destitute and yes, we are in desperate need of assistance.

It says so in God’s Word, we reiterate it repeatedly in the way we process ourselves and the world around us…

…and so Christ becomes this Divine Survival Kit. He’s that File Folder we reach for every time things go south and He’s the crutch we use to prop ourselves up with because, after all, there’s no way we can stand up on our own.

But you have to keep reading.

Keep Reading

In John 16:33, Jesus says that…

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16:33)

In John 15:5, He says that apart from Him we can nothing, but just before that, He says…

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (Jn 15:5)

And when Paul is lamenting his situation in Romans 7, he goes on to ask who is going to save him, and then he answers his own question…

24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom 7:24-25)

When you process things in their proper context, the message isn’t so much a reinforcement of how insufficient we are as much as it’s highlighting the all-sufficiency of Christ!

We are more than our wounds and better than our sin. Not because of who are but because of Who Christ is in us. And while it’s healthy and appropriate to remember just how toxic sin is (Jas 4:9) and just how outrageous it is that God would love us enough to take upon Himself the death that we deserved, the name of the game is not to sit on the bench and lament our shortcomings, but to get out on the field and put some points on the board (Eph 2:10; Titus 2:14).

That’s part of what makes this question such a healthy exercise.

It compels a comprehensive appreciation for the whole of God’s Word that pertains to who we are and what we’re capable of when we embrace Christ as the Filing Cabinet and not just a File Folder.

Our Marketing Campaign

That said, what would your billboard say?

Here’s some ideas…

It’s All Good (Romans 8:28) – everything has a point and that makes both the good and the bad something that can be processed in a way that avoids either pride or despair.

Pray Big (Jn 15:7-8) – no, you’re not being given a blank check. God doesn’t give you everything you ask for anymore than you would give a four year old an M16 just because it’s his birthday.

That’s not love, that’s neglect.

The point here is that you can dream and you can know that if God’s in it, than you get it done.

Reek of Excellence (Col 3:17) – whether it’s the way you work out or the way you mow your lawn, everything needs to be done in a way that reflects well on your Heavenly Father.

That’s not something to obsess over, but it’s something to shoot for. And when you make the effort to give 100%, 100% of the time, inevitably you become the kind of person that people don’t just hire, you become the kind of person people promote (Prov 22:29).

V) Conclusion

Being a Christian gives you an edge. Your work ethic, your decision making, your career, your role as a husband and a father – all of these tasks and responsibilities become opportunities to excel when you’re deploying the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16) and the Power of God (Phil 2:13; Col 1:29).

And when you’re doing it right, you’re not just profound statement plastered on a billboard, you are genuinely…

…eye catching.

Joseph was eye catching (Gen 41:37-38), David was eye catching (1 Sam 16:6-13), Paul was a brilliant Pharisee (Acts 22:3; Phil 3:5), a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28) and a follower of Christ. His religious training, his intellect and his citizenship combined to make him…

…eye catching.

Look at Matthew 5:16:

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matt 5:16)

However you want to craft your billboard, be eye catching. Make those on the outside looking in wonder how you’re able to keep all of your stuff in one bag and make them want whatever it is you have.

In Christ, you don’t just endure, you excel.

It’s all good, pray big, reek of excellence and be eye catching.

Now, go out there and make a difference!

Trusted Messengers | Part II

On August 6, 2021 I noticed something you don’t see very often…

USA Today | August 6-8, 2021

A graphic / headline that took up the entire front page of a national newspaper.

The last time I saw something like this was when the NYT did a report on the, “100 Lies” told by President Trump during his first 100 days in office.

That particular article inspired some real interest on my part, just because the sheer volume of accusations compelled a closer look to see just how much substance was represented in the paper’s indictments.

As I researched each “falsehood,” I became increasingly skeptical of the paper’s use of the word, “lie.” Exaggeration, hyperbole, perhaps. But to go as far as assaulting the man’s character based on words that were obviously speculative, or to apply a standard that seemingly applies only to Conservatives and not to anyone who flies the banner of the Democrat party over their camp, is neither logical nor appropriate.

However you might want to agree or disagree with my take on the article, the thing that was most disturbing was the way in which the paper chose to eliminate any ad space or eye catching headlines in order to publish what was an op-ed that took up the entire front page.

Ever since the Vietnam War when the media had the technology to pump into every American’s home images of a conflict they were determined to characterize as a waste of time and resources, the MSM has been able to sway public opinion in whatever direction they choose.

Did you know that we won the Vietnam War? There was actually a day set aside called, “Victory in Vietnam Day.” It was January 27, 1973. The Paris Peace Accords were signed by North Vietnam, the Viet Cong, South Vietnam, and the United States of America just days later. You can read more about that by clicking here.

Did you know that?

I didn’t.

And I served with many who fought in that war.

The point is, much of what we use to formulate our convictions is based on whatever we allow into our inbox. But whereas before, our knowledge of the world was shaped by NBC, CBS and ABC, now we have access to any one of a number of resources and we can filter the data we consume according to that which is most consistent with our philosophical preferences.

In some ways, that is a great option to have – right up until the truth becomes distorted and accuracy is allowed to be a substitute for substance.

In many ways, much of the media we are confronted with is what you expect from a Pharisee tasked with having to write an article about the death and resurrection of Christ. It’s not that we’re being lied to as much as our viewpoint is being shaped according to a judiciously selected collection of data that emphasizes certain things over other information that is potentially more relevant.

Take COVID-19 for example.

Here are some things that are often either ignored or qualified by the media as being detrimental to one’s overall perspective on the virus:

What is it? Was it engineered or was it a natural occurring mutation?

click here to see more images of Fauci emails

Gain of Function” is a term used to describe medical research that’s geared towards altering a virus in order to enhance it’s functional capabilities which includes how contagious it might be as well it’s ability to infect other organisms.

In June of 2021, the “Freedom of Information Act” compelled the releases of emails exchanged between Dr Anthony Fauci and several key individuals. Contained within those emails were comments that point to Fauci having been told by NIH researcher Kristian Andersen that the virus appeared to be something that was manufactured as part of “Gain of Function” research.

At the time, Fauci publicly denied any kind of human intervention that would’ve created the virus. This despite the fact that, not only was he being told by colleagues that the virus had been manufactured, he himself was circulating emails that included information about how the virus might’ve been engineered (see image to the right).

Moreover, Dr. Fauci insisted that the NIH did not financially support any research done at the Wuhan Lab where the Coronavirus originated. But this doesn’t line up with the fact that while the US ceased funneling tax payer dollars to any kind of gain of function research in 2014, the Wuhan lab somehow continued their work using US government funding disguised as monies allocated to the EcoHealth Alliance by the NIAID lead by Fauci.

It was during a recent Senate hearing where Fauci was being questioned by Rand Paul, a Senator from Kentucky and a physician himself, where much of this information pertaining to funding and the origin of the virus came to light. Fauci’s words convinced many that he was incapable of answering a direct question which just reinforces the fact that much of the way in which this virus is being presented to the public is characterized by information that has been carefully packaged to ensure that it’s true nature is buried beneath a mountain of data and statistics that omits relevant information.

Bottom Line: To believe that the COVID-19 virus was not intentionally engineered requires a person to ignore what “gain of function” research is and how it can incriminate anyone who’s involved, regardless of their motives or intentions.

The evidence that it happened naturally is not only dwindling, but the case for it being created intentionally is increasing along with the reasons to suspect that the experts we’ve put our faith in up to this point are suffering from a conflict of interests and their recommendations can therefore no longer be trusted.

 

How deadly is COVID-19?

The mortality rate for COVID-19 is 1.4%:

Infection Fatality Rate (IFR) = Deaths / Cases = 23,430 / 1,694,781 = 1.4% (1.4% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have a fatal outcome, while 98.6% recover) (worldometers.info)

 

To put that in perspective, you have a better chance of passing away in an automobile accident than you do from COVID-19.

But what makes this so sinister, is that the preventions that were put in place at the beginning were done so despite the fact that Fauci had been briefed by some of his contemporaries that shut downs, masks and social distancing were not needed. Rather, the focus should be on those that were most vulnerable to the disease which included the elderly and those whose immune systems had been suppressed.

Of the emails that were recently released, there was one from a peer that expressed concern that the right message was not getting out and the subsequent reaction was not accurate let alone wise…

I wanted to convey an idea I had with regard to the coronavirus. It seems to me that trying to contain the virus as we are doing at present will be futile. Since the virus can be present for many days without a person having any symptoms, you would literally need to test everyone at the same time to determine who has it–an impossible task.

I have a different thought. We know that the virus is especially dangerous for the old and/or immunosuppressed. IMO we should be focusing all of our efforts on keeping that group from becoming infected. To do so that group should be encouraged to self-isolate, to limit their social interactions and other groups should be instructed to avoid them. Sort of a reverse-quarantine idea. All testing would be done within those groups and all groups would also be encouraged to continue with the hygienic suggestions they’ve already received.

The problem right now is that the media has created a panic. Last night my wife and I went to the local Whole Foods and many of the shelves were empty and healthy younger people were wearing masks. The message is not getting out that the virus is almost solely dangerous to the elderly and immunosuppressed. [Why aren’t the demographics being released? That in itself could calm many people.] With my suggestion, exposures to them would be diminished, significantly reducing the number of deaths, as well as the potential impact on hospitals. Any person outside of that group that was severely affected could be identified and treated. Quarantining otherwise healthy people outside of those groups who finally demonstrate symptoms–like the NBA players–is ridiculous. They are likely to get the sniffles and have also already spread the virus. As long as they’re not spreading it to the endangered group we should not worry about it. In sum, we need to isolate the vulnerable and realize that the mortality rate for people outside of that group is likely lower than the flu.

Of course, while this occurs we are working on finding treatments and vaccines. But sending home workers who have next to no likelihood of being significantly impacted by this virus is ridiculous. The virus hits hardest the old and infirm, two groups that are most likely NOT to even be in the workforce! To me, this solution is a lot simpler than what is being tried right now and is much more likely of success. To everyone besides the endangered group, this virus is literally less dangerous than the flu. There is no reason that anyone outside of the endangered group should have any concern at all and we need to make that clear. Please let me know what you think. (townhall.com)

 

The identity of the person who reached out to Fauci is protected, so it can’t be known for certain who wrote the email, although the name on the email is Michael Betts, a UPenn researcher who knows Fauci but denies that he wrote the email. Still it’s obvious that whoever penned the email knew Fauci and Fauci did take the time to respond, which suggests, in light of the thousands of emails he received, that he thought enough of the person to reply. And how did he reply?

“Thank you for your note.”

Taken by itself, this email may not mean a whole lot. But when you combine it with the incessant rehearsal of body bags, new cases and the need to “mask up” and compare that to the way in which certain physicians have been demonized and even Rand Paul has been recently accused of circulating a “mass murder” campaign, it becomes obvious that there’s a resolve in place on the part of major media outlets to stress frenzy over facts.

It’s not that the virus isn’t real as much as it’s the way the virus is portrayed in a manner that doesn’t allow for a comprehensive analysis of all of the data – just those things that can be made to sound lethal in the absence of an informed perspective.

Bottom Line: COVID-19 is lethal, but only in very rare situations. Those situations are limited to the elderly and those who have pre-existing health conditions. To dispute that is to ignore the numbers themselves and instead default to those who simply talk about the numbers.

 mortality rate for COVID-19 is 1.4%
of those who pass away as a result of the virus, 94% have pre-existing conditions
 Hydroxychloroquine is an effective treatment against COVID-19
 Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai, an MIT Biologist with four degrees, insisted back in March of last year that the, “fear mongering on coronavirus will go down as the biggest fraud to manipulate economies.”

 

How to Best Mitigate the Risk?

Vaccine

Most will say the best way to mitigate the risk of infection is get a vaccine.

The problem is, the vaccine is not bulletproof.

First of all, it’s not been “approved.” It was authorized to be distributed under the FDA’s “Emergency Use Authorization” clause. Below is information that comes from americasfrontlinedoctors who advocate a much different approach to the virus than what you see in the press.

The investigational COVID-19 vaccines were granted emergency use based upon reducing symptoms only and not based upon preventing transmission of SARS CoV2. Once the trials are completed, Moderna October 27, 2022 and Pfizer January 31, 2023, the data will be analyzed and at that time it may be possible to know if either or both vaccine candidates reduce viral transmission. There has never been a situation where a vaccine candidate was rolled out to millions of healthy people under such a bizarre set of facts.

In her article, “My Brother Won’t Get the Vaccine,” Nicole Carroll interviews her brother who doesn’t want to get the vaccine and responds to every one of his objections with statistics and data designed to reinforce the integrity of the vaccine while simultaneously reveal his logic as being irrational. She also mentions that he’s a Christian and a lifelong Texan – implying that his faith and his address are contributing factors to a cruel and selfish disposition towards the virus.

She says the adverse effects of the vaccine are minimal and that those who have been vaccinated are less likely to transmit the disease and to contract it themselves.

According to who and based on what?

A recent Pfizer study revealed that after six months of monitoring over 45,000 patients, there were 15 deaths in the vaccinated group and 14 in the unvaccinated group.

The vaccine doesn’t prevent you from getting the virus, it just lessens the severity of the symptoms. Much like aspirin alleviates the nagging pain of a headache. This is why you’re still being asked to wear a mask and, in some cases, you’re seeing vaccinated people contract the virus.

At one point, Carroll says, “Medical experts agree that vaccines and masking can help control the spread of the virus, including to kids.”

Who?

Who are the “medical experts?” How many people have they actually treated? What were the demographics of their patients? Are they aware of those who have passed away as a result of the vaccine? How do they respond to those risks? Over 12,000 people have died as a result of the vaccine and there’s excellent evidence to support the idea that many of those who experienced lethal complications aren’t even captured in the data that’s being reported.

Whoever your “experts” are, there’s a large number of medical professionals who will say their perspective is fundamentally flawed – especially where masks are concerned.

Masks

Your typical store bought mask does very little to protect you or anyone else from contracting the virus. Fauci said this on February 5, 2020 and was recently reinforced by University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Director Michael Osterholm when he said cloth or paper masks don’t work to stop the spread of the disease

Nobel Prize winner, Luc Montagnier insists that the vaccine is helping to create the variants.

Delta Variant?

And what about the Delta Variant?

In June of this year, a report released by Public Health England shows the Delta Variant of the COVID-19 virus to be, “…much less lethal [than it’s] said to be, compared with the previous dominant strain.”

Really?

Dr. Catherine O’Neal insists it’s the other way around – that the Delta variant, “…holds on more tightly, infects you more deeply.”

So, who’s right?

Deaths per 100,000

On the surface, it looks like an impossible question to answer with any degree of certainty. But in the same edition of USA Today, Louis Villalobos and Ken Alltucker provide a clue.

In his op-ed, “5 Hard Truths, and What We Must Do Now,” he says, “What politicians say just doesn’t matter. That’s true in general and truer when we’re dealing with a nonpolitical pandemic that won’t go away unless we stand together.”

And yet, his co-worker Ken Alltucker in his article, “Hospital ICUs fill as Delta Variant Rips Across Nation” highlights two states as examples of the resurgence in COVID-19 who also happen to be headed up by Republican governors who have publicly disagreed with President Biden and pushed back on vaccines and mask mandates. Both of these states have significantly less deaths per 100,000 people than their Democrat counterparts (see statistic to the right), but that doesn’t stop Alltucker from implying that part of the reason Texas and Florida are struggling is because of their political paradigm.

In addition, while American citizens are contending with the possibility of being forced to get the vaccine and watching our economy and schools getting shut down once again, at the border, thousands of infected, illegal immigrants are streaming into our country everyday. Yet, no push back from Fauci or Biden.

According to Villalobos, we need to, “…stand together.” Yet, when you look at those that are being criticized the most, it’s the Conservative, Republican, Christian crowd that takes the most lead – despite their numbers being better, their remedies more effective and their approach far more sustainable.

Not only do I associate more credibility with those that risk the most by speaking out, I also suspect any commentary that includes political innuendos as being motivated by something other than a passion for the truth.

Bottom Line: The best way to mitigate this risk is to first acknowledge the effectiveness of those medications that have proven effective and been championed by physicians who’ve risked their livelihoods by taking a stand against everything from Big Tech to the Deep State.

Secondly, instead of allowing ourselves to be convinced by media outlets that silence anyone who doesn’t advocate the same panic stricken response to this virus – that they are they are the only reputable source of information – we need to give a fair hearing to those who produce results and not just op-eds.

Finally, this virus is now a part of the human experience. 20,000 people died as a result of the flu in 2017. Your health is your responsibility. If you are at risk, you need to take care of yourself by taking the necessary precautions. But disconnecting from the human race is not a preventive measure nor is allowing sinister actors in government to use this virus as a way in which to make Socialism more palatable. Stop being scared and start being wise.

 

In Conclusion…





America’s Frontline Doctors White Paper on Experimental Vaccines For COVID-19

Not long ago I was at the doctor’s office and tactfully mentioned to the attending physician my concern about the way COVID-19 had seemingly been exploited in order to achieve certain things in our society that had nothing to do with medicine. I referenced how God hates dishonest scales (Prov 11:1) and the Biblical admonishment for a balanced approach to all things (Ecc 7:16-18). She responded by saying that I should hesitate before attempting to apply Biblical Absolutes to a topic that was subjective at best.

It fascinates me to see believers restrict the Power of God to a church building and insist that current events exist outside the realm of God’s oversight or interest.

Fact is, COVID-19 is well within God’s Reach. He was there when it became a problem and He knows how to fix it. He knows who’s lying and who’s not.

We need to be praying that God would make this right. But we also need to be praying for the wisdom and the resolve to question those things that appear either sinister or impulsive.

Should the answer to those questions resonate as healthy and appropriate, then we move forward and thank God for the remedies that He’s provided.

But…

If the answers are either intentionally withheld or less than credible, than we need to push back and not allow our government to disguise themselves as caretakers when in fact they’re thieves.

And however over the top that may sound, the fact of the matter is…

…there are no Trusted Messengers.

P.S. There are a number of documents that are worth reading which you can find at America’s Frontline Doctors that document some things about the vaccine that you’ll want to know. It’s effectiveness, the date(s) the clinical trials are expected to wrap up and other things that reveal the vaccine as something other than the bulletproof remedy that so many believe it to be.

There’s one thing that stands out which you can see below…

What you’re looking at is a portion of the Federal document that documents the Phizer trials. You’ll notice that the clinicals aren’t supposed to wrap up until May 2, 2023. Yet, the FDA has already approved this vaccine. 

How does that work?

The physicians that comprise the “America’s Frontline Doctors” group issued this statement

AFLDS decries the FDA’s unprecedented and grossly negligent approval of the Pfizer Covid vaccine, years before completion of their phase three trials. The vaccine was authorized for a variant of the virus that has faded from circulation. The current vaccine is known to be an ineffective and “leaky” vaccine (defined as a vaccine that produces stronger variants once in circulation) against the current variant.  

Much of the way this is being promoted by the Federal Government falls into the category of the Progressive Pentagon. But liberal tactics aside, there are looming questions that aren’t being answered, not the least of which is why should I be forced to put something into my body that is neither effective nor proven to be safe?

Good question…

Perception Changes

Thank You, President Trump

thankyouMuch of this is a reprint of an article written by Howie Carr and featured in the Boston Herald. I added some things of my own at the bottom of the list.

Christ said you will know a tree by its fruit. Whether it’s Trump or someone who thinks like him, I look forward to an administration that has this kind of record…

Thank you for the tax cuts for the middle class.

Thank you for destroying genocidal ISIS, which your predecessor called “the junior varsity.”

Thanks for shutting off the endless flow of illegal immigrants at the southern border, and the unending supply of MS-13 gangbangers, among other criminals, as well as the welfare-dependent illiterate indigents who were so destabilizing American society before you became president.

Thank you for calling out the endless hypocrisy of the media — what you so aptly described as “Very Fake News.”

Thank you for promoting economic policies that led to the lowest unemployment rates ever for blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans and women, among others.

Thank you for doing more to promote peace in the Middle East than all of your predecessors combined.

Thank you for calling out and exposing the feckless RINOs of your own party like Willard Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Kelly Ayotte, et al.

Thanks for finally standing up to Red China and its predatory trade practices.

Thanks for calling out Fox News Channel for its duplicitous descent into terminal wokeness.

Thank you for Operation Warp Speed, an amazing achievement for which you will never receive the appropriate credit.

Thanks for pardoning all the persecuted victims of the Russian collusion hoax, among them Gen. Michael Flynn and Roger Stone.

Thank you for eliminating Obamacare’s “individual mandate,” which fined individuals for not buying health insurance they didn’t want or couldn’t afford.

Thank you for taking more questions from (almost always hostile) reporters than all of the last three or four presidents combined.

Thanks for getting the U.S. out of such foreign policy disasters as the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris Climate Accords and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as well as ending the fiasco for American workers that was NAFTA.

Thanks for such a booming economy that seven million people got off the food-stamp rolls.

Thanks for all those tweets that drove the Democrats and the media (but I repeat myself) crazy.

Thank you for not turning the IRS into an instrument of persecution against your political foes, the way your predecessor did.

Thanks for not surveilling reporters a la the Obama administration.

Thanks for ending state oppression against people of faith like the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Thank you for trying to defund “sanctuary cities” where illegals run amok.

Thanks for the three new justices on the Supreme Court — think how much worse Hillary’s picks would have been, and maybe someday they’ll grow the spines they so obviously lacked last month in Texas v. Pennsylvania.

Thank you for defanging North Korea and Little Rocket Man.

Thanks for opening up more of our North Atlantic waters for New England commercial fishermen and lobstermen.

Thanks for defending both the First and Second Amendments, and for railing against Section 230, which the billionaire fascists of Silicon Valley are abusing to shut down free speech.

Thank you for appointing U.S. attorneys who actually wanted to put real criminals in prison, without fear or favor.

Thank you for the travel ban, which has largely halted the flow of terrorists like the Tsarnaevs, who had been welcomed into the U.S. and put on welfare by previous administrations, Democrat and Republican alike.

Thanks for the balance in my 401(k).

Thanks for the lowest gasoline prices in decades.

Thanks for the largest number of Americans with gainful employment since the government started keeping records.

Thank you for ordering the elimination of two of the most bloodthirsty terrorists on earth, al-Baghdadi and Gen. Soleimani.

Thank you for being bold enough to acknowledge Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Thank you for enacting legislation that prevented violations of religious freedom in the context of Heath Care.

Thank you for eliminating support of global abortion funding (known as the Mexico City Policy).

Thank you, Mr President.

You and Your Typical Demon

0061171069Being “saved” sometimes resonates as something illusive. You hear terms like “evangelical,” “born again,” “redeemed…”

But what does it mean and how does one make it happen?

First of all, let’s look at a couple of questions and scenarios that will help rule out some things that can be distracting otherwise.

You and Your Typical Demon

Imagine two individuals—one is a demon the other is a believer. Try to determine which one is which based on the way they might answer the following questions:

Question #1: Do you believe in God?  James 2:19 says: “ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” Based on that passage, what do you think the demon would say?

Question #2: In Matthew 8:29, several demons see Jesus coming and they say: “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” Our next question is: Do you believe that Jesus is God’s son? Obviously the believer would answer yes, but how do you think the demon will reply based on the verse we just read?

Last question: Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave? Again, the believer is going to answer yes. What’s the demon’s answer going to be?  Colossians 2:15 says: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he (Jesus) made a public spectacle of them (Satan and demons), triumphing over them by the cross.” Based on those two verses, how do you think the demons would answer?

What do you think? Is there a difference in the way our two individuals answered the questions? Let’s take a minute and review what was asked:

  • Do you believe in God?
  • Do you believe that Jesus is God’s Son?
  • Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave?

There’s no difference between these two individuals based on the questions that were asked. Both answered in exactly the same way.

James 2:19 indicates that demons believe in God. Matthew 8:29 quotes a demon as accurately referring to Jesus as God’s Son, and it’s evident from the other Scriptures we looked at that the devil and those who serve him are very aware of the defeat that was dealt them when Jesus rose from the grave.

Do you smell that?

That’s the aroma of reality. The fact is, demons “believe” that Jesus is God’s Son and that He rose from the grave. So, there’s got to be something else besides just a willingness to acknowledge Jesus as a historical figure with some theological substance attached to Him.

But what?

Believing With Your Heart

When you believe something in your mind, it changes the way you think. But when you believe something in your heart, it changes the way you live.

You see that idea expressed in Proverbs 4:23:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov. 4:23)

It’s significant that Scripture references the heart as what constitutes the source of who you are rather than the mind.

Some maintain that if you can change a person’s mind, you can change who they are, but who someone is as a person is determined by more than mere facts. Two people can be confronted with the exact same scenario and be presented with the exact same set of information yet process it differently because who you are determines the way you think.

With that in mind, take a look at Romans 10:9-10:

“That is you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Rom. 10:9-10).

“It’s with your heart that you believe.”

It’s comparable to that situation where someone agrees that diet and exercise are healthy habits. But it’s the one who actually engages those habits that demonstrates a belief that resides in his heart.

So, Jesus isn’t just “the” Messiah, He’s “my” Messiah. He’s not just King of kings, He’s “my” King. He’s my Creator, He’s my Redeemer, He is my Lord.

A Complete Transformation

Your belief doesn’t merely qualify you as morally perfect before God – which is what happens when you accept God’s gift of grace.1 It also facilitates a complete transformation of who you are.

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor 5:17)

When you make the Reality of Christ your reality – when you’re recognizing that what He did on the cross was for you in the most direct and personal way possible – at that point, you’re no longer respecting a Nativity scene or a crucifix, you’re now sitting down with the Son of God as your Savior and not just a lifeless idea.2 In that moment, you go from being a spiritual corpse to having a spiritual pulse.3 Your membership into the Kingdom of God is now guaranteed,4, but you’re also operating according to an entirely new internal paradigm in that God’s Spirit is living in you.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard that word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13). [See also Jn. 14:17; Gal. 4:7.]

It’s His Spirit that’s now providing a Voice that, up to now, wasn’t even available (see Eph 2:1). This Voice is now guiding you and giving you a new kind of desire for doing the right thing at the right time in the right way for all the right reasons.5

Conclusion

Let’s go back to the Q/A session with two individuals we were envisioning at the beginning of our discussion. Let’s imagine that they have to answer one more question, and here it is:

Does the Spirit of Christ live in you?

Romans 8:9 says: “ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”

What would the demon say, what would the believer say?

What would you say?

According to Romans 8:9, that is the determining factor. That is what distinguishes the believer from the demon in our scenario.

There are many who go through life having convinced themselves that they’re believers—thinking that a mental acknowledgment of Christ’s reality equates to the saving belief referenced in Scripture. It’s not an uncommon fallacy, but it is nevertheless a departure from God’s Word that is both tragic and lethal.

On the other hand, the belief that comes from the heart that manifests itself as a personal conviction and not just a mental acknowledgement opens the door to a relationship with the One Who put the stars in their place and gives you, not only a guarantee of an eternity spent with Him, but a life that’s truly worth living as long as you’re walking this earth.

That’s what it means to be saved!

 

 

 

The Billy Graham Association has a great piece that will walk you through the verses and the subsequent steps you need to take to make Christ your personal Savior and not just a mental picture. Click here to read more.

1. 1 Corinthians 15:22; Titus 3:5; Hebrew 10:15-18
2. Revelation 3:20
3. Ephesians 2:1; 2:3-5
4. John 1:12; 14:3
5. Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 2:12; ; Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29; 1 Peter 1:15-16

Why I’m Going to Vote for Trump and Why You Should Too (The Book of Ezra)

81SsnoeWwcL._AC_UL1500_Our country was founded on the Truth that God created all men equal. It was, and is, a Christian paradigm that provides the philosophical scaffolding upon which we base our rights and our futures.

It’s because of that spiritual heritage, as well as the obvious advantages represented by reinforcing one’s approach to themselves and the world around them with a Perfect Source of Wisdom and Strength, that leaders are evaluated according to their character and the extent to which they are willing to govern according to Biblically Empowered methodology.

Not all candidates that are worthy of consideration are sterling examples of Christian thought and activity, though. It’s here where it can feel like you’re making an unhealthy concession by supporting an individual who can’t necessarily quote the Word of God or speak coherently about His Redeemer’s Actions over the course of his life.

Add to that any kind of crass verbiage or disagreeable activity and you’ve got a tension between two seemingly opposite poles: One one hand you have a person who has on their resume a substantial collection of accomplishments that are consistent with Godly Principles and on the other hand you have that same personality that doesn’t always conduct themselves in a way that is dignified let alone Christlike.

How can you support someone who’s doing “good” things, yet conducts himself in a way that doesn’t always line up with God’s Word?

Here is the problem that some have with applauding President Trump. Constantly confronted with images and quotes that characterize him as vulgar, hateful and immoral, they can nevertheless see things that he’s doing which resonate as both wise and profound.

How does one vote?

For more information about what President Trump has done in the context of advancing and protecting the spiritual heritage that makes America both unique and exceptional, click here.

To read about other accomplishments of President Trump that are worth considering, click here.

Here’s some things to consider…

USMC

In the Marine Corps, I had the opportunity to work for a variety of leaders. Among some of the best I ever worked for were individuals who cussed in ways that were both consistent and creative. But while they were not the kind of individuals whose conduct or verbiage would work in a Bible Study setting, I would nevertheless follow them into a combat situation without a moment’s hesitation. They were phenomenal leaders whose ability to get things done was surpassed only by their commitment to the well being of their subordinates.

Given the choice between working for a weak leader who smiled and carried a Bible and a strong NCO who cussed while smoking a cigarette, I would choose the strong leader without question. And should someone question or criticize my selection, I would simply point them to the book of Ezra.

The Book of Ezra

When the Babylonians conquered the Southern Kingdom, they utterly destroyed the Temple and the wall surrounding Jerusalem. In 539 BC, Cyrus, the founder of the Persian empire invaded Babylonia and established himself as the legitimate successor of the ancient Babylonian kings. Not long after, Cyrus decreed that the Jews could return to Israel and rebuild the Temple (Ez  1:2-4).

Cyrus is addressed by name in Isaiah 45. God refers to him as someone He has anointed for the sake of his people. He also says of Cyrus:

For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor,  though you do not acknowledge me . I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you,  though you have not acknowledged me  so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is note beside me. I am the Lord, and there is not other. (Is 45:4-5)

Cyrus did not fear any “god” in particular. Nevertheless, God used him to liberate the Jews and begin reconstructing the Temple.

However a leader may or may not be personally committed to Christ, to overlook the platform they champion and the extent to which it promotes godly purposes is to err in a way that is both:

Practical ->  in that you’re inevitably installing an option that is antagonistic towards Christian principles and…
Profound -> in that you’re ignoring the way God sometimes uses heathen authorities who, “…do not acknowledge Him” to accomplish good things on behalf of His people

What Has He Done?

Donald Trump is perpetually portrayed as a fool and a fiend. But in addition to guarding one’s self from believing a journalistic pool that has repeatedly revealed itself as both bias and unreliable, it’s wise to consider what President Trump has done that directly affects the protection and the promotion of our country’s Christian heritage:

officially acknowledged Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
the successful nomination and installment of conservative Supreme Court Justices (Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavenaugh)
Trump repeated Obama’s “Contraceptive Mandate.” Contraceptives were categorized by Obama under the heading of “Heath Insurance” thus obligating employers to subsidize their employees sexual choices. Trump gave employers the option should the Obama’s Federal Mandate be perceived as something that violated their religious convictions.
enacted legislation that prevented violations of religious freedom in the context of Heath Care. If you object to certain medical procedures including sterilization, abortion or euthanasia for reasons of conscience or religious freedom, you can bullied out of the Health Care field. This legislation protects your right to say, “No” if you see what you’re being asked to do as a violation of your religious convictions or what you perceive to be morally correct. To read more about Trump’s new “Conscience and Religious Freedom Division” within the government’s Health and Human Services Department, click here
eliminated support of global abortion funding (known as the Mexico City Policy, Trump ceased any US financial support of abortions being done internationally)
destruction of ISIS and the caliphate overseen by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (Trump took months not years to dramatically dismantle and destroy the tactical infrastructure represented by  Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi)
▶ The Abraham Accords is an initiative on the part of President Trump to facilitate better relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

Your vote doesn’t need to be qualified according to a candidate’s denomination as much as it needs to be considered in light of their willingingness to be used by God to accomplish His Purposes. That’s the moral of the story when it comes to Ezra’s account of Cyrus and that’s your primary starting point when it comes to your selection of the next President of the United States.

See you at the polls!

P.S. To write in another name on the ballot or to abstain from the voting process entirely is to withdraw your support of “King Cyrus” and insist that unless God provides the kind of leader that’s consistent with your expectations than God’s Activity goes unnoticed and both the wall and the Temple remain in ruins.

There Have to be Divisions

division1 Corinthians 1:10 says:

Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. (1 Cor 1:10)

I’m hearing a lot of biblically based admonishments to be pursuing unity and to be sensitive to how Satan uses volatile subjects such as Politics and Race to divide God’s people.

They’re right.

You can get into some pretty passionate conversations when it comes to Black Lives Matter and the lines that distinguish the difference between Democrats and Republicans and if you go by 1 Corinthians 1:10, it’s hard not to agree with the idea that you either…

  • keep your opinions to yourself
  • keep current events at an arms distance and not “watch the news”
  • be like Jesus and “love everyone” and not let our respective differences inspire any tension

But does 1 Corinthians 1:10 represent the whole of what the New Testament has to say about “divisions?” Are cultural trends and current events supposed to be categorized under the heading of  “loving one another”and all differences swept under the carpet in order to “get along?”

Is that the Message of Scripture?

Look at this:

No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. (1 Cor 11:19)

Any attempt to foster good will and collaboration in the absence of wisdom is ultimately a poison. “Unity” becomes corrupt, “Diversity” becomes toxic and “Peace” becomes sinister. Reason being is that sin doesn’t sit still – it doesn’t merely “co-exist (Matt 16:8-12; 1 Jn 1:6).” It either grows or it dies. So, when you make philosophical concessions and allow evil elements to exist by labeling their presence as an innocent variety, you’re being disobedient and destroying the good that might otherwise occur (1 Cor 5:13).

When there are flawed convictions being either promoted or subscribed to, we are commanded to speak up in a way that facilitates learning and a positive result. That’s what Scripture is referring to in Ephesians 5:11, Galatians 6:1 and James 5:20. It’s not your “opinion” being expressed if you’re accurately quoting God’s Word and however it applies to the issue in question. Failing to speak up or push back in the name of “unity” is like watching a person drive down the wrong side of the road and not saying anything and justifying it by saying, “They’re in a hurry.” They’re hurting themselves and putting others at risk at the same time – something that’s true of sin in general. If you choose to not say anything, that’s not love…

That’s neglect.

There are well meaning people as well as some genuine fiends who proclaim their perspective on things in a way that translates to a bad influence and a lethal result (Prov 14:12). To not respond in order to avoid “division” not only makes a bad situation worse, but it also makes true Unity impossible.

There have to be divisions.

When Christ prayed for unity in John 17, His prayer was for a unified commitment to the Truth as opposed to a group of fractured believers committed to personal preferences.

When you encounter those who champion a mindset that deviates from the Truth, you want to speak up in order to promote unity. By remaining silent you destroy it.

There have to be divisions in order to clearly see who’s got the better handle on God’s Perspective. It’s not a competition, it’s the manifestation of God’s command to be capable of “correctly handling the Word of Truth (2 Tim 3:16-17).” If that is both our starting point and our fuel, then Unity is a natural byproduct. Otherwise, not only is it a house built on sand, it’s a house divided. Either way it will collapse. The only way to avoid it is to identify where the discrepancies are and process divisions as warning signs and respond accordingly.

There have to be divisions.

Is He a Good Man?

king“A Marxist begins with his prime truth that all evils are caused by the exploitation of the proletariat by the capitalists. From this he logically proceeds to the revolution to end capitalism, then into the third stage of reorganization into a new social order of the dictatorship of the proletariat, and finally the last stage — the political paradise of communism.”

This is a quote from Saul Alinski – a community organizer idolized by both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. His tactics were legal, but nevertheless vile in the way they were prosecuted in the context of a noble cause, but in the end they were nothing more than tactics used to extort money and power from those in authority. He was a fool and a fiend, but he was nevertheless very efficient in the way he could pose as a noble champion when in fact his was a sinister agenda.

Systemic Racism is a term you’re hearing often in the news these days. It refers to a societal structure where black minorities are forced to endure a stifled economic status and a corrupt legal system that is both brutal and unjust. It all comes down to one question:

Is he a black man or is he a white man?

When you hear someone say, “You wouldn’t know because you’re white,” a thought provoking response might be “You wouldn’t know because you’re a Racist.”

In that moment, you’re able to show how your opponent is presuming to know your background, your upbringing and your ability to recognize the difference between moral decisions and squandered opportunities because of your ethnicity. If that is the case, again, they are the very thing they claim to despise and, hopefully, their hypocrisy becomes their inspiration to focus more on their God given potential rather than the media driven restrictions endorsed by certain sections of the culture and self absorbed politicians concerned more about their constituents’ vote then on their welfare.

There are a large number African American voices out there that insist that Systemic Racism is a myth. Their argument is that if it were true, then you would not have minorities represented in every prominent position in government, entertainment and academia. They elaborate by saying it’s not about a person’s skin, it’s about the individual. Categorizing all instances of arrests, unemployment and High School dropouts as symptomatic of a flawed system is ludicrous if those same instances can be revealed as the result of choices being made rather than prejudices being enforced.

The bottom line is that if you would attempt to insist that “whiteness” translates to an advantage, you have to first prove that morality and character is not a factor.

41% of minorities drop out of High School and 70% get pregnant out of wedlock. Between those two statistics alone, you have the lack of marketable skills and the logistical obstacles that explain the economic disparity that exist between minorities and the other demographics that exist in this country (whites are not the most wealthy, by the way).

In addition, the practice of taking the character flaws of a select few and projecting them on to an entire people group is the very definition of Racism. When you listen to any of the talking heads out there that are spewing any number of labels from “white evangelicals” to “whiteness” or even “police brutality,” they are not referring to individuals as much as they are whole institutions. In other words, they are the very thing they claim to despise.

The question that needs to be asked is not, “Is he a black man or is he a white man?” The question that needs to be asked is…

“Is he a good man?”

Start there and the vast majority of your problems are solved. And the ulterior motives of those who are looking to use the tactics championed by Saul Alinski, as far as fanning the flames of racial tensions in order to usher in a new political paradigm, are identified and dismissed as the bogus paradigms that they are.

Again, the question that needs to be asked is not, “Is he a black man or is he a white man?”

The question that needs to be asked is…

“Is he a good man?”

I Was Only Joking…

Joy Behar, Bill Maher and Kathy Griffin are some of the comics that come to mind that will say and / or do some truly heinous things when it comes to the topic of President Trump and those who support him. What makes it reprehensible is the way they will sometimes assert the idea that, “…they’re only joking” when they cross the line of good taste and a respectful regard for the highest office in the free world.

It’s a cheap way to avoid having to take any responsibility for the things that you say. Still, it can be very effective when your audience tends to be like minded.

Even at the Tony awards when Robert De Niro got on the mike and said, “F… Trump.” He got a standing ovation

In the end, they’re performers, right? To what extent should we take them seriously? Or, how should we respond when they do step over the line and then defend themselves by suggesting they were “only joking?”

I came across this yesterday:

Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” (Prov 26:18-19)

That’s their response, but…

  • They’re not joking. They’re using their platform to advance a godless agenda that seeks to redefine our country according to a paradigm where the only Absolute they’re willing to acknowledge is the absolute of one’s self
  • They use the mantra of “Everyone has the right to be happy” to suggest that everyone has the authority to define what is right and what is wrong
  • They scream “freedom of speech” when they’re made to answer for their actions, yet the denounce the very thing that gives them the right to free speech by saying the Constitution was written by a bunch of racists
  • They make a point of evaluating a system by the way it’s abused, they condemn a man for exhibiting character flaws that are somehow completely excused and even applauded when they’re evident in their own champions and while members of their political team are selling uranium to the Russians, they have the gall to be indignant when the very ones they are equipping with nuclear resources are supposedly tampering with political Facebook content

Their rhetoric is a tangled ball of belligerent hypocrisy, intentional immorality and a godless lack of personal responsibility.

They are maniacs shooting flaming arrows of death…

And they’re not fooling anybody except the ones that are standing up and applauding.