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God Cares About Politics

To say that God isn’t interested in politics represents a twisted interpretation of Scripture.

God works through human institutions and authorities to accomplish His Purposes. You see that in the way He hardened Pharaoh’s heart to facilitate the Exodus (Ex 4:21). He used King Cyrus to give the Israelites the legislative green light they needed in order to begin rebuilding Jerusalem (Ez 1:2-4). He used Quirinius to institute a census that would bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem (Lk 2:1-3), He used taxes to illustrate how we are to allocate our sense of duty and responsibility.

The Old Testament devotes four books to chronicle the actions of all the kings of Israel, we’re commanded to pray for kings and those in positions of authority that we might live peaceful and godly lives (1 Tim 2:1-3), He stresses the importance of godly leadership by highlighting how citizens beneath the tyrannical boot of a wicked ruler are miserable (Prov 29:2). He commends godly leadership (1 Kings 3:9-10), He despises evil rulers (1 Sam 15:11), He hates dishonest scales (Prov 11:1) and He encourages political involvement (Ex 3:10-12; 2 Chron 7:14; Neh 2:4-6; Acts 23:11). Furthermore, “…there are 642 verses that refer to law, laws and lawlessness. There are 211 verses that refer to judgment, judges, and judging, and 561 verses that speak about justice. There are 195 verses that talk about courts, 301 verses that talk about ruling and rulers, and 100 verses that speak of governing and government.¹

Just prior to the Battle of Jericho, Joshua comes upon an imposing individual standing in front of him with his sword drawn. Joshua asks, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” The man replied, “Neither,” and went on to say that he was the commander of the Lord’s armies.

Some use this passage to suggest that God is indifferent to Politics – that the discussions, divisions and elections that dominate the headlines irrelevant when compared to more lofty, theological concerns. But that’s not the case. The angel was not relaying Divine indifference to the upcoming battle, he was reminding Joshua that this was God’s campaign and as such they could be confident of a victory. But because it was God’s battle, they couldn’t look upon it as a mere military action and their heart and their minds had to be focused on Him.

God cares about Politics.

Warnings and Rewards

Dishonest scales” are referenced in Proverbs 11:1. That’s referring to cheaters and liars. He hates them.

He hates them.

He also says this the monarchs reigning in Judah:

“Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says to you, house of David: “‘Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done—burn with no one to quench it. (Jer 21:11-12)

To whom much is given, much will be required (Matt 20:25-28; Lk 12:48; 1 Pet 5:1-3). If God places you in a position of authority, you are accountable to God for the way you lead. Your honesty (Prov 12:22), humility (Jn 19:11) and compassion (Is 1:17, 23) are crucial to the way you administer the affairs of those in your charge.

God cares about Politics.

I Will Bless Those Who Bless You

And here’s something else to bear in mind while we’re talking about it:

The nation is like a mighty lion; When it is sleeping, no one dares wake it. Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed, And whoever curses Israel will be cursed.” (Num24:9 [see also Gen 12:3])

Palestine is giddy that Biden has won. And before you begin to think that the PLO represents an honorable cause, understand that in the aftermath of WWII, the UN set up a territory that was supposed to be two separate nations: An independent Arab state and an independent Israeli state. Six days after this arrangement was made, war broke out which was initiated by the Arab world and the hostilities have endured since.

Hamas is a terrorist organization that doesn’t respect Israel’s right to exist. And while the majority of their efforts are directed towards Israel, they are part of a network that is undeniably opposed to any supporter of Israel, including the US. Click here to learn more.

The US, under Trump, has been supportive of Israel. Biden and his like minded compatriots are not. In fact, Obama sent 221 billion dollars to the PLO during his last hours as President.

Now, however you want to process all this is up to you. But don’t think for a minute that God is somehow detached from politics and encourages neutrality. It’s not so much what side God is on, it’s whether or not the nation in question is on God’s side. It’s that nation that thrives and regardless of how stately or crass the leadership may appear on the surface, it’s their actions that reveal, not only their personal disposition, but the collective perspective of the country that voted them into office.

Conclusion

The thing is, God does care about Politics because it’s not just “politics.” It’s either His Purposes or man’s rebellion being played out in the context of legislation and foreign policy.

God cares about politics.

1. “First Person: Does God Care About Politics”, David Shelley, August 30, 2010, https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/first-person-does-god-care-about-politics/, accessed March 30, 2021

Thank You, President Trump

Much 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.

Because That’s What You’ve Been Told

For the last four years, you were convinced that regardless of what President Trump accomplished or said, he was a fool and a fiend. Therefore, anything he did was suspect and could be comfortably categorized as either irrelevant or detrimental…

Because that’s what you’ve been told.

His election wasn’t credible. He colluded with Russia. We spent two years and 32 million dollars investigating a claim that turned out to be untrue. But in your mind, he’s still guilty and the 2016 election wasn’t legitimate…

Because that’s what you’ve been told.

He should’ve been removed from office. He made a call to the President of the Ukraine and you sat glued to the TV watching a parade of unelected officials insist that Trump was guilty of abusing his authority. The Ukrainian President himself insisted that the call in question was devoid of any such conversation, implied or otherwise. But you still believe that Trump was guilty and the only reason he wasn’t removed from office is because the Senate refused to do their job.

Because that’s what you’ve been told.

COVID-19 has a 98% recovery rate and of those that have passed away as a result of the virus, 94% had, on the average , 2 potentially life-threatening pre-existing conditions. The CDC has said it’s not an airborne disease. Yet, you still wear a mask and support the idea of staying distant, closed and compromised and believe anyone who wants to get the vaccine and move on is reckless, selfish and even cruel.

Because that’s what you’ve been told.

There’s over 1,000 signed affidavits and sworn testimonies testifying to the fact that this past election was fraudulent. The State of Texas has a publicly accessible pdf that details why Dominion’s software is not a secure voting mechanism. President Trump delivered a speech that detailed several instances of suspicious activity. It wasn’t aired on any major network because several courts and attorneys insisted that none of what had been submitted constituted any real evidence. You’ve not read any of the testimonies yourself, you weren’t in any of the swing states to observe what went on, but you nevertheless believe that President Biden’s election was honorable and accurate.

Because that’s what you’ve been told.

President Trump said nothing that could be construed as a call to violence on January 6th. A transcript of his speech is available for public review. Anderson Cooper from CNN interviewed someone posing as a cameraman merely filming what was going on in the Capital. It turns out, however, he’s part of a BLM group and was caught on film agitating the crowd and urging people to “Burn this sh** down!” Yet, any questions pertaining to the true political convictions of those who broke into the Capital and evaluate them on an individual basis as opposed to labeling the entire crowd as insurrectionists is dismissed as pointless. This would be a healthy and logical step to take to find out how multiple peaceful rallies held both in Washington and throughout the US suddenly took a violent turn. But it doesn’t matter. You believe Trump and anyone who supports him is violent, godless, racist and a threat to Democracy…

…because that’s what you’ve been told.

Freedom of Speech is now determined by what party you support. Arguments are won not according to the substance of your content, but on the effectiveness of your methods. American interests and security concerns are prideful restrictions that only people who lack compassion would even consider. Moral Absolutes are cruel and antiquated traditions that need to give way to open dialogue and the right to be happy. And you heartily agree with all of this..

Because that’s what you’ve been told.

With few exceptions, none of us have actually worked with Trump, we’re not on a first name basis with Biden, we’re not experts in viruses and even when we attempt to google things and seek out additional information, we’re still drawn to those sources that possess a philosophical bent that leans in our preferred direction. In other words, we are what we eat and we’re hesitant to listen to anything or anyone that doesn’t agree with our worldview.

When you think of the current political climate, then, it’s not so much about what’s true as much as it’s about who we believe is telling the truth.

Is it Anderson Cooper or Rush Limbaugh? Is it Newsmax or NBC?

Are we listening to media committed to informing public opinion or are we listening to resources determined to shape public opinion? How can we tell?

One thing that can used as a good indicator is to ask the question, “Am I being presented with a commentary on what’s being done or who’s doing it?”

For example, Moral Failings are heinous. But the public reaction to those indiscretions is bound to be different if one instance is presented as a misstep and the other situation is displayed as grounds for dismissal. If the activity is the same, but the reporting is completely different based on the personality involved, you’re not listening to “news” as much as you’re listening to a “campaign.” You’re not hearing topics as much as you’re hearing tactics, regardless of what the headline says.

In that moment, you have legitimate cause for concern. Reason being is that among the strategies typically used by sinister elements who are promoting an agenda is to silence their opposition by casting them as villains. By doing so, anything that person champions is now associated with something reprehensible and whatever platform is being proposed as an option now looks far more appealing regardless of how toxic it may be.

Does this sound familiar?

How many times have you seen a person been excoriated for their behavior while their political counterpart isn’t even criticized? How many times has a particular issue been promoted by implying that anyone who doesn’t agree doesn’t just have a different opinion, but they are immoral?

Truth is not how certain facts are manipulated, it’s how all the facts are evaluated. And you don’t arrive at the truth without seeking both sides of an issue and dismissing those accounts that are focused more on personality than principle.

We’re at a point where we can no longer allow our convictions to be dictated by media outlets that are focused more on who said something as opposed to what was actually said. We’re all dependent on the headlines to some extent. But we can choose who to listen to. We can seek out second opinions and we can resolve to filter out those voices that are more preoccupied with assaulting someone’s character than objectively examining their content.

You’ve got to be like the Bereans that Paul talks about in Acts 17 – people who examined what was being said to find out if it was true and not let the personality speaking be more of a priority than the point they’re making. That’s how you arrive at a legitimate bottom line.

Now, you may not agree with any of this and if you’re determined to trade truth for accuracy and gossip for substance, chances are you’re doing so because you’re convinced that any news or information coming from anything or anyone other than those who share your worldview are bogus.

And why do you feel that way?

Because that’s what you’ve been told.

A Faith That Wears Slippers vs A Faith That Wears Boots

I’m Not Going to Vote

I’ve heard people say we need to “Trust in God for the outcome of the election.” These same folks, in some cases, either didn’t vote or they penciled in their own candidate believing themselves to be pious in the process.

But “trusting in God” should never be used as an excuse to be disobedient. It’s not what God CAN do, it’s what He IS doing. In the context of this election, you had two options and to assert a third that doesn’t exist is not being obedient as much as it’s being presumptuous (meaning that I refuse to engage the situation as is, instead I’m going to insist that God can and should alter the playing field according to my perspective). And to dress up what amounts to a vote that allows for a godless platform to assume the Presidency in the guise of “being spiritual” is not wise, no matter how a person wants to spin it (Prov 29:2).

Loving Your Enemy

Another Biblical sounding justification for remaining either disconnected from the political process or hesitant to defend what’s right in the name of being Christlike is the idea of “loving your enemy.” First of all, the Bible is full of admonishments to not just be cordial, but to be genuinely compassionate where your enemy is concerned (Matt 5:43-48; Rom 12:19-21; 1 Pet 3:9). But when your adversary crosses the line that distinguishes the difference between a belligerent individual and a legitimate threat, you’re now interacting with them in the context of justice and a holy obligation to stand up for what is right . In other words, your disposition must now be based on more than one verse, but the whole of God’s Word and from that perspective you have a Biblical basis for stopping them even if it means the use of deadly force (see Sanctified Violence for more information and a list of the applicable verses).

In the context of Politics, loving your enemy is not a mandate to withdraw from the conversation as a way to ensure a rapport that allows for a conversation about their eternal destiny. That isn’t to say that you create tension unnecessarily when the debate revolves around mannerisms and personal preferences. But when Politics becomes a topic that isn’t so much about how people are governed, but an assault on the One that all governments answer to, you’re no longer talking about Legislation as much as you are Desecration. From that perspective, you need to be engaged and when parties and pundits start promoting laws that contradict Scripture, you need to speak up . Divisions To assume that any kind of division is to be automatically categorized as an unhealthy interaction is to ignore what Paul said in First Corinthians. In verse ten, he 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)

If this is where you stop, you’ll be inclined to think that any kind of disagreement needs to be resolved in the context of compromises and concessions. What’s right is secondary to what “works.” It’s more about making people happy that correcting whatever it is that’s wrong. But that’s not all Paul has to say about “divisions.” He goes on to say…

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

Not everyone is right. You have sinister dynamics being packaged as noble causes. To assume that everyone is on the same moral footing and therefore needs to be accommodated by weakening what otherwise would be a theological given is wrong. In the absence of wisdom, “unity” is nothing more than contamination and you don’t justify a toxic practice as inconsequential anymore than you overlook a lethal wound by saying it was caused by a small caliber bullet. And before you allow yourself to be overly concerned when you hear folks insisting that a community is “polarized” or “divided,” as much it’s about being revealed. There’s a difference between loving your enemy and equipping them. Categorizing any kind of arguing as evil or being un Christlike is to ignore Ephesians 5:11. You don’t expose darkness nor do you champion righteousness by being silent let alone complicit (Prov 18:21; 31:8-9).

Taking a Seat or Taking a Stand

There’s an abundance of spiritual sounding garbage out there right now that has believers taking a seat when they should be taking a stand. And those that are looking for their chair are doing so because they’re buying into a listless faith (Prov 25:26) that wears slippers when it should be an active faith that’s wearing boots (1 Pet 1:13; Jas 1:22; 1 Jn 3:18) . The bottom line is Wisdom (Prov 9:10). Too often, being Christlike is reduced to a perpetual appeal for peace despite the fact that, on occasion, it is a call to arms (Ecc 3:8). There is an element within the church that processes Christ’s command to love one another as a way to justify either a tacit encouragement of wickedness or simply remaining silent altogether. Neither of those two things are justified in Scripture. We’re commanded to reprove that which is bogus in Ephesians 2:11 and to “..rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed.” (Jer 22:3 [see also Psalm 72:4]). In other words, you speak up when you see something evil and you stand up for what is right.

Two Kinds of Believers

In effect, you have two kinds of believers. There’s the kind that pads around the house all day in biblical sounding slippers. They’re forever encouraging believers to remain at a distance from the tension that characterizes the struggle between good and evil (Is 30:10-11). And then there the believer whose faith wears boots and doesn’t shy away from the dust that is kicked up when accuracy is revealed as insufficient when compared to the Truth (Matt 4:5-7). To be wise is to be balanced (Ecc 7:16-18). Yes, you love your enemy but not in a way that enables them (Dt 7:1-2; Ps 26:4-5; Matt 5:43-48). Yes, you are kind, but not at the expense of Justice (1 Cor 5:13; Eph 4:32). Yes, you ignore insults, but you fight evil evil and those that promote it. (Ps 18:30-40; Matt 5:39 Lk 22:36). In short… You wear boots and not slippers.

What Do You Do?

What do you do? You’re a spectator, at least from the standpoint of doing your duty, but then you just have to watch your elected officials either do their job or simply make excuses. You pray, but to what end? Do you insist that God come through according to your preferences, or do you walk the line between Matthew 7:7 and Amos 2:4-5 and acknowledge that God may have something different in mind?

Pence has said that he will honor the Electoral College. From what I can gather, he’s saying that he will hear the evidence, but he will not stand in the way of the results, however suspect they may be. That sounds more like cowardice than it does conviction.

Congress recently resolved to eliminate any gender specific verbiage in future legislation so as to accommodate those who are offended by “man,” “woman,” “aunt,” “uncle…” Democrat Emanuel Cleaver recently concluded a prayer by saying, “a woman” rather than “amen.” This man is an educated minister. How can he not understand the spiritual meaning of “amen” has nothing to do with being male?

What do you do?

You learn how to champion what’s true in a way that anticipates the strategy currently being deployed by the Left, as far as not allowing their agenda to go unchallenged however they attempt to package it in the context of social justice and compassion. You don’t label silence as piety, nor do you brand apathy as obedience. And by no means do you justify the distortion of God’s Word believing that by doing so you’re somehow paving the way for a more approachable dialogue. You don’t stop praying, you don’t stop trusting and you don’t stop pushing back on what is fundamentally false, dark, wrong and godless.

What do you do?

Stand in the gap (Ez 22:30), be informed (1 Chron 12:32), remember Who’s in charge (Ps 2:1-5), be optimistic (Neh 8:10) and don’t forget that however integral a part politics play in our culture, it’s a revival that’s going to make the most difference and not an election. And don’t forget: If you’re guilty of something, you’re going to go out of your way to make your accuser look evil, ridiculous and completely devoid of both substance and merit. Fraud is going to be scoffed at, Trump supporters will be cast as thugs and villains and any attempt to secure a solid, bottom line where our election is concerned will be viewed with a certain amount of weariness – as though it would be easier on the country to simply accept the result and move on. In addition, there will be an implied danger associated with insisting on a thorough investigation – as though to seek out a true bottom line is to promote division and invite retribution.

That is precisely the tone that some have been promoting since earlier this year. Do not let that dynamic dictate the rules of engagement or dampen your confidence in the One Who’s truly in charge.

What do you do?

What will you do?

The Current State of Affairs in Seven Easy Steps

I) It’s not just who you’re voting for, it’s what you’re voting for.

While the personality is a factor, it’s the platform that matters most. You can have impeccable credentials, your manner may be both stately and dignified, but’s it’s what you stand for and the extent to which you get things accomplished that ultimately justifies a voter’s support.

II) The difference between the Republican and Democrat platforms lies in their definition of a Moral Absolute.

Either God is the Bottom Line or man is his own deity. Among the talking points of the Democrat party you have a variety of topics championed in the context of social justice and compassion that are ultimately revealed as scenarios where you are approaching God as He’s sitting on His Throne and telling Him to get out of your chair.

Abortion: man decides who lives and dies
Transgender: man decides his gender
Same Sex Marriage: man redefines Holy Matrimony
Socialism: man eliminates the Reality of sin by insisting there are no fools, only those who are rich and those who are poor

Our nation is unique in that it’s founded on Biblical Absolutes. We evaluate the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, not according to the character flaws of those that crafted those documents, but according to the substance of those documents themselves which reference Divine Truth as the basis for their credibility. Our ability to endure and thrive as a nation is directly related to that dynamic, yet every attempt made to eliminate God from our history or His Influence in the marketplace has come from an entity endorsed by the Democrat party¹.

III) When confronted with content that cannot be easily refuted, Democrats distract from the substance of what being said by assaulting the character of the one who’s speaking.

Listen to an irritated Democrat and you will hear one or more of the following:

Fear
Hate
Islamaphobe
Homophobe
Misogynist
Greedy
Racist
White Evangelical
Violation of Community Guidelines…

It’s not the credibility of the content that is addressed, rather it is the character of the opponent that is attacked and in that way their platform is refuted without having to utter a single word.

IV) The question isn’t whether or not any one crisis is real, the question is to what extent is it being exploited.

Whether it’s COVID-19 or Police Brutality, the issue is never engaged as a mere topic. Rather, it’s used as a tactic to advance an agenda that has nothing to do with the original subject matter.

V) Systemic Oppression is a legitimate conversation only if it includes an evaluation of an individual’s morality and overall decision making.

If your personal history is characterized by a parade of immoral and foolish decisions, your current status has nothing to do with a systemic flaw as much as you are merely reaping what you have sown and the only person or party that is responsible for your situation is yourself.

VI) Any kind of oversight should be welcomed by anyone who wants to prove the credibility of an election result.

If yours is an honorable victory, than you should welcome any inspection of a scenario where fraud is suspected. There are sworn testimonies, signed affidavits, mathematical impossibilities, systemic vulnerabilities and a suspicious collection of personalities and media types that warrant consideration. To mock and / or dismiss a desire to investigate these things demonstrate a resolve to cheat more so than a determination to win.

VII) However informative or manipulative the news media may be, it is the responsibility of every citizen to think for themselves and be able to state what they believe and why.

We are dependent on journalism to understand what is going on in the world. But it’s Journalists who dictate not only the headlines, but also the facts they choose to either highlight or undermine to accompany those headlines. Like a mail in ballot, there’s ample opportunity to distort what’s real and what’s true. Thankfully, there’s more than one primary media outlet and the truth can be discovered by comparing one account with another. But it takes effort and a willingness to not simply subscribe to whatever headline reinforces one’s personal philosophical preferences.

1. “Godless” by Ann Coulter goes into great detail about how the Left’s attack on Christianity. Regardless of how it’s packaged in the context of “compassion,” “justice” and “science,” it is a relentless assault on Christ, Scripture and Moral Absolutes. For more information about the book, click here. See also “The Left’s War on Christianity” by John Hawkins and Persecution by Dave Limbaugh.

In God We Trust

Executive Summary of the Progressive Element within the Democrat Party

Purpose:

Retool the philosophical foundation of the United States with the goal of introducing a Socialist paradigm where the only absolute that is acknowledged is the absolute of the state.

Strategy:

1) Undermine the Christian doctrine by accusing the Bible of being racist, sexist and inhuman

2) Mock and demonize every American icon (“People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn)

3) Establish man as his own deity in that they decide…

○ who lives (abortion)

○ what constitutes moral absolutes (homosexuality)

○ the fate of the planet (Climate Change)

○ their gender (transgender)

○ personal accountability (BLM)

○ the rule of law (Hillary Clinton [email scandal])

4) Challenge Trump at every turn by…

○ attacking his character in order to distract from his actions

○ manufacture Russian collusion scandal in order to cast doubt on the integrity of the election of 2016

○ use Democrat majority in the House to force through an impeachment case. It doesn’t matter if he’s removed from office…

5) Deploy MSM to…

○ Cover up of various criminal activities including…

■ murder (Jeffrey Epstein)

■ money laundering (Clinton Foundation, Hunter Biden)

■ perjury, abuse of power (James Comey [FISA Warrants], Hillary Clinton [Email Scandal, Benghazi, Russian Uranium Sale])

○ convince Christians they can’t support him without compromising their faith by framing his response to our attacks as being divisive, hateful and all this coming from a vulgar, white supremacist

○ convince minorities that they’re supporting a racist by quoting him out of context

○ convince Muslims that he despises Islam (refrain from the way he’s merely extending practices initiated by Obama)

○ convince Hispanics that Border Security is racist

○ deny and distract from every campaign promise he’s fulfilled

○ discourage women from supporting him by…

■ emphasizing eleven year old comment made on Access Hollywood

■ remaining silent about any indiscretion done by a high ranking Democrat

■ framing his dismantling of Obama’s Contraceptive Mandate as an assault on Women’s Rights

6) prevent him from being re-elected by…

○ implementing Dominion software at various election facilities that will give us ability to implement algorithims that will prevent a Trump victory

○ justify Mail In voting with the Corona Virus

○ install complicit individuals that can edit, destroy and manufacture ballots as needed

7) incorporate Saul Alinski tactics by framing every attack in the context of “liberty,” “compassion” and “justice.” Dismiss any rebuttal by attacking the individual and thereby distracting and subverting their content – however credible it may be.

Current Status:

Election was a disaster. Trump’s numbers were more than projected. Irregularities and evidence of corruption is apparent. Republicans will probably retain the Senate, the House is now almost 50-50, however… MSM has been successful in convincing many that even before the evidence is revealed, it’s nothing more than a desperate attempt on the part of Trump and his supporters from accepting the inevitable…

On November 19th, Rudi Gulliani and Sidney Powell held a Press Conference and went into some detail as to the fraud that’s been discovered in the context of both mail in votes and voting software.

Not only is it compelling, it’s genuinely disconcerting. If even a fraction of what is being alleged is true, in order for the corruption to be effective, it has to exists on multiple levels of government and oversight. Gulliani referred to that in the context of Philadelphia where you have election operatives, biased media and bogus judges all working together to facilitate a fraudulent result. Yet, in order for that dynamic to work in the context of national results, it has to be signed off at the Federal level as well.

Here’s the thing: When Politics ceases to be about the way people are governed and instead is an assault on the One all governments answer to, it is no longer legislation as much as it is desecration. This is why the lines have been so vividly drawn. It’s not about methodology, nor is it about freedom, social justice or compassion. It’s a godless agenda being forced upon the American population in the guise of noble sounding phrases championed by people who believe themselves to be above the law because they’re in a position to either enforce it or create it.

The reason Trump is so despised is because he cannot be swayed by a poll, a headline or a bribe. Moreover, he doesn’t lay down and die in the face of a coup facilitated by criminals posing as congressmen assisted by activists posing as journalists. He hits back and when he does he inspires more desperation on the part of his adversaries. And as they continue in their attempt to destroy him their tactics become more criminal and their philosophy becomes more apparent.

Bottom line: Keep the faith.

This isn’t about Trump. It never was. This is about returning to the notion that it’s not statesmanship that makes America great, it’s the Divine Absolute it’s based upon as defined in the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution is not evaluated according to the character flaws of those that wrote it, rather it’s evaluated according to the substance of the document itself. Your capacity to prosper is defined not by ethnicity or creed, rather it is based on the fact that all men are equal under God. To insist that there is a systemic bias that restricts you from being able to advance cannot be assumed without first considering one’s personal history and evaluating the moral choices made by that individual. Christianity is not a liability nor is it an assault on human rights, it’s a Divine Act of unconditional love that restores the relationship between God and man and any cruelty that’s supposedly justified by God’s Word is inevitably a distortion of Scripture and not an expression of it.

In short, if this evidence was rigged, it will be made evident. If it’s proven in court, those that are guilty of attempting to rob the American people of their right to choose their leadership will be prosecuted as felons. The media, including Facebook and Twitter, will be revealed as accomplices and their credibility will be restored only in the context of their management being dismissed.

This is not a popularity contest nor is it scandal that can be created or destroyed with a catchy headline and a biased article. It’s either true or it’s not and if Biden is nothing more than a creation of fraud, bias and manipulation, not only is his career ruined but the machine that created him will be revealed for what it is.

Meanwhile, distortion will give way to revelation and substance will overwhelm sensationalism. And our motto will be more than a catch phrase, it will mean more than it has in a long, long time because it points to what we should be and not what some would have us become…

In God We Trust.

There Have to be Divisions

1 Corinthians 1:10 says:

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.

Coronavirus – How Do You Pray for This Thing?

Last Sunday, my pastor (Darron Whitehead) brilliantly captured the dynamic that characterizes the Coronavirus by mentioning how you have two kinds of data: Information and Speculation.

I would add that you’ve got a third element and that would be “Manipulation.” And I say that only because there are characters out there who live by Saul Alinski’s rule that says you never let a good crisis go to waste. By fanning the flame of panic and unreasonable logic, you open the door for changes that are neither wise nor healthy.

It’s hard to separate the hype from the substance when it comes to Coronavirus, though. And with that challenge comes the dilemma of knowing just how to pray for this thing. But thanks to some medial professionals that I have access to, I’ve got some bottom lines that I believe serve as some sound scaffolding for a productive conversation with the Almighty (Rom 8:26, 1 Tim 2:1-3, Jas 1:5; 5:14).

First of all, the Coronavirus is called that because it’s a part of the Coronavirus family:

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold, in people. However, three times in the 21st century coronavirus outbreaks have emerged from animal reservoirs to cause severe disease and global transmission concerns. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

The above definition explains why you’ve got the word “Coronavirus” on Lysol cans. What we’re contending with today is a part of that “group,” in that it’s a relative of the Flu and the Common Cold. It’s also similar to the Swine Flu and the Bird Flu in that it’s a strand that originated from an animal reservoir to form a unique virus that can be very problematic.

I say, “problematic” because, depending on the status of your immune system, despite the seemingly innocuous sound of the word, “Flu,” it’s nevertheless a respiratory disease that can be lethal if your body lacks the sufficient wherewithal to combat it.

For example, the Swine Flu infected over 600 million people, hospitalized 300,00 and claimed the lives of over 12,000 people. For that matter, the normal Flu has caused the death of 12,000 people between October of last year and February 1st, 2020.

So, it is serious.

But why are we shutting down the country over this particular “virus?” We didn’t clear the shelves of toilet paper nor did we cancel school for six weeks over the Swine Flu. Why is this such a source of concern?

The answer lies in the rate at which it spreads and its aggressive nature. Hospitalizing hundreds of thousands of people over the course of a year isn’t going to tax our facilities to the point of being incapable of giving the appropriate care to those that need it. But when you have to provide hundreds of thousands of respirators to people needing acute assistance, now you’ve got a problem in that you don’t have the “supply” to meet the “demand.”

So, what do you do?

As an individual, you exercise some common sense in that you wash your hands and you avoid those situations where airborne pathogens in the form of mucus and saliva are prone to be more abundant.

That’s why we’re staying home and cancelling events that involve large groups of people.

However…

A vaccine could be over a year away, and while China has started to return to normal, we can’t remain “holed up” indefinitely without affecting jobs, loans, education, taxes, etc.

So, how do we pray and what do we do?

First off…

Pray for wisdom on the part of our leaders (Jas 1:5).

Pray for President Trump and his team. – that they would be able to discern the difference between information, speculation and manipulation. There are a lot of voices out there. Some are noble, some are sinister. Ask our King to give them discernment so they’re being “wise” and not just “smart.”

Pray for personal discernment (Psalm 143:8)

Don’t be content with being “aware,” be “informed.”

Wash your hands,
When you have to cough, cough into your elbow. That prevents potentially harmful germs from getting airborne.
Don’t touch your face. That’s how pathogens enter your body – through your mouth, your eyes and your ears.
Keep a safe distance from other people. That’s not being obsessive or overly particular. That’s being wise. There are people who have the virus who don’t even know it.
Stay home if you can. That’s not just for your benefit, that’s for the benefit of the entire population in that you’re helping to contain the spread of the virus. In other words, it’s not just about you as much as it’s being strategic in restricting the extent to which the virus would otherwise be able to spread. (World Health Organization)

And when it comes to your consumption of media, do some “digging” to make sure you’re listening to sources that are truly focused on solving the problem rather than exploiting it. A good litmus test is to look for reporting that elaborates on recovery and not just statistics. Also, be sensitive to the way in which some media outlets incorporate politics into their reporting. Right now, “voting” is secondary to “healing.”

Also remember, even if you were to contract this thing, you’ll most likely recover within 2-6 weeks. It’s those that have the struggling immune system that are most at risk, so don’t feel like your being confronted with a terminal disease should you start exhibiting some symptoms. It’s only one in six that will require any hospitalization.

Pray for treatment (Ps 91:5-6)

A vaccine is years away. However, there has been some encouraging signs pertaining to a treatment using Hydroxychloroquine. It’s typically used to treat patients suffering from Malaria. While the verdict is still out, there’s been enough “success stories” to justify some optimism. Again, it’s not a definitive, but it is encouraging and it’s far and away a more substantive resolution than what some want to suggest as far as home remedies.

Fast and Be Ready to Move Forward (2 Chron 7:14; Ps 30:5; Mk 9:29)

As believers, we don’t want to be a good witness just in the context of maintaining an even disposition in the face of a crisis. Pray! We know the One Who can fix this, so let’s get some memos on His Desk so we can move forward. I’m fasting every day from 9:00 to 4:00.

While we’re having to adjust, be wise. Take advantage of the time you now have to be with your family, spend a little more focused time with your King and be ready to hit the ground running when this thing passes!

Let’s pray…

PS: There’s no shortage of reporting on this. As you go about your day, it’s almost impossible not to be confronted with another “headline.” Remember, this didn’t take God by surprise and He’s the One holding the keys to begin with. Just between us girls, I think Trump’s plan to reopen everything by Easter couldn’t be more appropriate in the way it coincides with the way God works in a way that transcends what man can know and what man can do.

An Open Letter to Those Who Question My Walk With Christ Because I Support Donald Trump | Part Two -> Trump’s Manner

This is from Christianity Today in an article dated December 19, 2019:

To the many evangelicals who continue to support Mr. Trump in spite of his blackened moral record, we might say this: Remember who you are and whom you serve. Consider how your justification of Mr. Trump influences your witness to your Lord and Savior. Consider what an unbelieving world will say if you continue to brush off Mr. Trump’s immoral words and behavior in the cause of political expediency. If we don’t reverse course now, will anyone take anything we say about justice and righteousness with any seriousness for decades to come? Can we say with a straight face that abortion is a great evil that cannot be tolerated and, with the same straight face, say that the bent and broken character of our nation’s leader doesn’t really matter in the end?

This is a letter written by Stephen R. Haynes, a professor of religious studies at Rhodes College and theologian-in-residence at Idlewild Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s entitled, “An Open Letter to Christians Who Love Bonhoeffer but (Still) Support Trump,” and it was written January 10, 2020. Haynes would like to believe that the evangelicals’ support of Trump is reminiscent of Germany’s support of Adolf Hitler in the 1930’s. While he’s very quick to say that he doesn’t equate Hitler with Trump, he stately proclaims his concern that Christians today are supporting a fundamentally flawed leader just like the Germans did during Hitler’s rise to power. Here’s a portion of that letter:

I accept your claim that you could not, as Christians, vote for Hillary Clinton. I regard this as a principled stance rooted in the belief that behavior and character matter, as well as certain political convictions that for you are nonnegotiable. If you are one of those evangelical Christians who simply could not, as a Christian, vote for Hillary, I will not ask you to consider what role Russian propaganda played in your view of the Clintons. I will simply acknowledge that you found yourself in a truly difficult situation in which party loyalty became less important than the moral burden of having to choose between the “lesser of two evils.”

But if you truly felt that both candidates might be “evil,” I would point out that you were obliged as a Christian—to extricate yourself from this moral quagmire, either by refusing to vote at all, or by risking a vote for one of the candidates and, depending on how that person governed, being prepared to renounce him or her. In other words, you were obligated to do everything in your power to ensure that the evil you had unwittingly helped unleash on the country would be mitigated by people like yourself who still believe in evil and believe it must be resisted.

Finally, here’s an article that recently ran in USA Today written by John Fea, a history professor at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

At one point in his speech, Trump rattled off the names of the Fox News personalities who carry his water on cable television. The crowd roared as the president read this laundry list of conservative media pundits.

This rhetorical flourish was all very appropriate on such an occasion because Fox News, more than anything else, including the Bible and the spiritual disciplines, has formed and shaped the values of so many people in the sanctuary. Trump’s staff knows this. Why else would they put such a roll call in the speech?

At times, it seemed like Trump was putting a new spin on the heroes of the faith described in the New Testament book of Hebrews. Instead of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Joseph, Moses, David and Samuel, we got Sean (Hannity), Laura (Ingraham), Tucker (Carlson) and the hosts of “Fox and Friends.”

I am used to this kind of thing from Trump, but I was stunned when I witnessed evangelical Christians — those who identify with the “good news” of Jesus Christ —raising their hands in a posture of worship as Trump talked about socialism and gun rights.

I watched my fellow evangelicals rising to their feet and pumping their fists when Trump said he would win reelection in 2020.

Trump spent the evening mocking his enemies, trafficking in half-truths in order to instill fear in people whom God commands to “fear not,” and proving that he is incapable of expressing anything close to Christian humility.

His evangelical supporters loved every minute of it. That night, Christians who claim to be citizens of the Kingdom of God went to church, cheered the depraved words of a president and warmly embraced his offer of political power. Such a display by evangelicals is unprecedented in American history.

I usually get angry when members of my tribe worship at the feet of Trump. This time, I just felt sad.

Here’s my initial thought:

Grow up.

Grow Up!

When I say, “Grow up,” I’m referring to what is an immature wielding of the Word of God in that you’re asserting your preferences as Divine Absolutes (see Phil 3:1-15; 2 Tim 2:15). If you think for a moment that you make your point by citing the Washington Post or the New York Times more than you do the Word of God, think again. And to assert the ridiculous notion that support for Trump is reminiscent of Germany’s support for Hitler, you’re completely overlooking the fact that Hitler outlined his political ideology in “Mein Kampf” before he took over as Chancellor. In that book, you can see his diabolical disdain for the Jews articulated in plain sight. Germany’s support of Hitler was not based on a willingness to overlook a lack of decorum as much as it was a willingness to ignore an insidious hatred of those considered to be the apple of God’s eye.

I’m familiar with Diedrich Bonhoeffer. I’ve read “The Cost of Discipleship” as well as some of his other writings. I know that he was a brilliant theologian and I’ve been to place where he was executed because of his involvement in the attempt to assassinate Hitler. Frankly, I believe that Bonhoeffer would be a staunch supporter of President Trump because Bonhoeffer would’ve identified the Democrat party as the godless force that’s attempting to strip every bit of Divine Truth from our national history as well as it’s current consciousness and he would’ve cast his vote in favor of the one whose platform best facilitated 1 Timothy 2:1-2.

Grow up!

Mimicking a press corps who has nothing but contempt for our President by accusing him of being a pathological liar demonstrates your ignorance more than it does your attentiveness to current events. The New York Times published a piece that occupied the entire front section of their publication in June of 2017 that detailed a list of 101 lies the President had supposedly told since taking office. It’s typical of what the MSM wants to label as lies by being intentionally incomplete in their reporting. Every one of their 101 accusations has another side that when reviewed results in a very different conclusion than the one they want to force upon the public. Click here to see a detailed response to every one of their indictments.

Mere Appearances

John 7:24 says:

Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly. (Jn 7:24)

Everything you know about Donald Trump is based on second hand information oftentimes being relayed to you from the perspective of someone who’s disdain for our current President is as intense as it is nonsensical.

Grow up!

Stop staring at a screen that’s giving you nothing but a biased rendition of the facts rather than a comprehensive view of the truth.

And by the way, to even suggest that you’re deploying a righteous approach to the voting booth by excusing yourself from voting, simply because you’re not “comfortable” with any of the candidates…

Know this: Failing to vote wisely is a vote being cast for the worst possible option. You do yourself nor your family nor your country any good by being irresponsible and then attempting to justify it with a verse taken out of context that mirrors your spiritual lethargy more so than a Biblical Absolute (1 Chron 12:32).

As far as Trump’s “blackened moral record” and “immoral behavior,” again I would say that you need to grow up.

The F-Word Used Like a Comma

I was in the Marines for nine years. Some of the best leaders I ever served under used the “f-word” like a comma. While I didn’t applaud their vulgarity or any of their other character flaws, I knew I could trust them implicitly to provide the needed leadership to accomplish whatever it was that needed to be done. Mind you, I’m not talking about character flaws in the context of something criminal. Rather, I’m talking about the kind of behavior that’s unbecoming to a champion of moral excellence (Matt 5:48). But I would much rather work for a man that’s “leads” rather than “manages” any day. And that doesn’t constitute a compromise of my faith, it’s an expression of it in that I’m being wise in the way I counter the efforts of my enemy by supporting a leader that God has positioned for “such a time as this (Esther 4:14; Dan 2:21).”

And one other thing to consider: You are walking in lockstep with those who are aggressively working to silence any reference to Christ not only in the political arena, but also in the marketplace and in our culture in general. If you’re bothered by Trump’s tweets or his checkered past, remember this: Paul wasn’t always especially refined when he was condemning the spiritual immaturity of some of his flock. No, he didn’t cuss, but if you extend the line of your reasoning to its inevitable conclusion, then there’s a good chance you would’ve had a hard time listening to Paul because of the way you want to focus more on the way something is being communicated rather than what’s actually being said.

It galls me no end that certain members within our ranks turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to the things that President Trump has done that champion biblical Truths and yet you refer to his administration as an “evil that has been unleashed on this country.”

Grow up!

Contraceptive Mandate

Let me ask you something: Are you aware that in 2011, Obama defined pregnancy as a “disease” that justified preventive care? That’s how they were able to compel all health care companies and employers to subsidize birth control for women ? It’s called the Contraceptive Mandate.

That means that, as an employee, I’m now indirectly funding what amounts to scenarios that are potentially immoral if not incredibly foolish.

Not to mention, contrary to the Word of God (1 Cor 6:18; Heb 13:4).

If you want to be sexually intimate with someone, that’s your decision, but it is not my responsibility. And that’s just a practical objection. I could also make a strong case for the fact that you are compelling me to subsidize something that’s contrary to my religious beliefs.

In 2017, Trump rolled back that mandate and made it possible for employers to comply with Federal standards and yet not be required to provide birth control for women.

This is but one of many things that Trump has done that champion Biblical values.

It’s Not My Relationship with Christ…

It is not my relationship with Christ that needs to be questioned given my support for Trump. Rather, it’s yours.

Jesus said you know a tree by its fruit. The harvest of Trump’s accomplishments are not just noteworthy, they’re spiritually on point.

You complain about his lack of decorum, you cringe when you ponder his past, but you don’t look at what God is doing in and through him. As a result, you’re judging by appearances, you’re asserting your preferences as substitutes for biblical Absolutes and you are elevating yourself to the position of a bogus judge who cites Scripture without actually applying it.

It’s not uncommon for Progressives to hijack the power of words in order to speak into existence something that’s not real, nor is it uncommon for Liberals to spew all kinds of vitriol in an effort to illicit an emotional response so as to distract from the lack of substance that characterizes their platform.

But that kind of strategy should never come from someone who has access to the Holy Spirit when it comes to discernment and political savvy.

Grow up…

To read Part One of this series, click here.