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Just in case anyone was wondering if the Lord had led me to write anything about the 2012 Presidential election, He did with a prophetic edge! This edited (punctuation and a footnote added) 2012 repost is one of a few corollary postings inspired of and to follow the four-part blog, “God Of Restoration And Judgment” under the category, The Cause among three others. Needless to say, after this past bizarre 2016 election year, I am even more personally exasperated with elections and lack of candidates with a biblical worldview. I hope, though, that you will also see in this blog as I have and am encouraged, that in my frustration with the present state of affairs, God is preparing my heart for the coming of His righteous King!
Originally Posted October 7, 2012
Elections are a fact of life in a Democracy. As a Christian with a biblically conservative worldview (preserving the Word of God, its truth and instruction as it is written) however, I confess that I have become weary with the endless cycle of local, state and national elections. It is especially frustrating to me when fewer and fewer of the candidates share my worldview. This nation’s founders victoriously concluded their rebellion against the British monarchy by instituting a democratic form of government--called the best men ever invented. They did acknowledge that this experiment in self-government would only work if the people stayed connected to their Creator (most seemed to agree this was the One, true God of the Bible) and His moral precepts found in His Word.
In the well over 200 years since that auspicious and unapologetically Christian beginning, many of the people have not simply drifted, but in effect staged another revolt.1 This time, it is against their Creator! This revolt, it seems, has ebbed and flowed in intensity depending on how much our nation’s leaders stood for God and His Word or not. The back and forth reflected in elections and especially those for President exposes a major flaw in the democratic form of government that it shares with human monarchies: the well being of the nation can rise and fall based on the men or man in power as Solomon in God’s wisdom saw (Proverbs 29:2) and Israel’s experience also shows (2 Chronicles 33-34).
Depending on the make-up of Congress and who the President is, our nation has gone back and forth in its policies; up and down in its economic fortunes and spiritual climate. Of late, the only constant we have seen is the steady spiritual and moral decline of our nation that has not been reversed by the last several Presidents from different political parties. President Obama has given support to the evil rebellion against God clearly unfolding through his social policies. This is why every aspiring strong man and great woman of God needs to consider that in this upcoming Presidential election we will be selling our nation out by simply voting for which candidate has the best short-term economic recovery plan.
Truly, economic upheaval and scarcity to the end are foretold (Revelation 6:5-6). Thus, either candidate’s economic plan on paper might be academically sound, but what we know for certain is that it is not sinful man’s wisdom in play here. It is the grace of an Almighty God that our nation needs for even a temporary recovery, but which now hangs in the balance because the many are in revolt against Him (Psalm 33:16-22, 127:1-2). For this reason, I am afraid for our nation in the short and long-term if we continue with President Obama who is a professing Christian at the helm or elect Mitt Romney a member of a cult form of Christianity to take his place.
In their first Presidential debate this past week, as part of his answer about the role of government Mr. Romney said, “We're a nation that believes that we're all children of the same god...” I know what he may have meant generically. After all, it was my forefathers who in great simplicity and hopeful hearts first uttered similar words to get bigoted white folk professing to be Christians to let up off of their hurtful oppression and like us. However, as a Bible student, I know that the statement is inaccurate. We are all God’s creation, but not all are His children. Only those who have put their faith in the Jesus Christ of the Bible, the Son of the living God become sons (John 1:12-13, 3:3-8; Romans 8:14-17).
What did or will Romney the Mormon mean spiritually by his statement? I believe Romney as President will do what his camp has done during the campaign in further attempting to legitimize and mainstream a cultic, false religion calling it Christian. President Obama will continue to assert his biblically liberal Christian credentials if he is re-elected. Meanwhile, the nation will continue to falter as neither the people in the majority or their leaders are able to connect to the God of the Bible who holds our future in His hands due to rebellion and spiritual ignorance respectively.
In my weariness I will vote in this Presidential election and urge all of my fellow citizens to do the same. Too, I will thank God for the options to explore other candidates besides the two the media has offered or responsibly write in a selection as my choice in this democratic form of government. Nevertheless, I will also keep waiting eagerly for the coming of God’s permanent King, my Lord, Jesus Christ (Psalm 2)!
1 Read my posts dealing with “Christianity” and being a “Christian” as Americana, September 4-18, 2016 under the category, Call To Repent.
For those content in the conclusion democracy is flawed, but the best we have, faithful born again Christians with thanks and praise to God offer the biblical hope our best now, does not mean it is all there will ever be! Indeed, for God Almighty has ordained His Kingdom shall reign over men and all creation; giving this assignment to His Son who already reigns and is at His Father’s “right hand” in Heaven (Psalm 110:1-2; Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 28:16-18; Acts 7:54-56, 9:1-9; Ephesians 1:15-23, NKJV). As the Lord led me to declare in last week’s post, He is coming again to gather His saints to Himself first, then, He and they “shall reign on the earth,” (Revelation 1:4-6, 5:8-10, NKJV)!1
Like the sunrise that spreads over the horizon and scatters the morning darkness, the Lord Jesus Christ will come in a divine display of glorious, blazing light and power never before seen by mortal eyes (Malachi 4:2a; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28; 1 Timothy 6:13-16; Revelation 1:7-8). He calls His saints to Himself in the sky at the ear piercing blowing of a trumpet so they may be and reign with Him (1 Corinthians 15:50-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12). After this, the Lord successfully wages war against all Kingdom enemies beginning with the Antichrist, the armies of earth’s kings, the false prophet and finally, Satan (Revelation 19:11-20:3).
Then the King with His saints will stand triumphant on His “holy hill;” Jerusalem, the “Holy Mountain” where they shall headquarter and reign over the earth for a thousand years (Psalms 2:6, 48:1-8; Zechariah 8:1-3, 14:5b-11, 16; Revelation 20:4-6, NKJV).2 The Lord Jesus comes not by the will or election of those mortals who have survived by His grace, but the express will and election of His Father (Psalms 2:7-12, 8:1-9; Isaiah 42:1-4, 49:7; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:1-14, 2:5-10). Not elected to His office of King by sinful mortals, Christ will be beholden to none. But He will bring His Kingdom to the world and reign (Psalm 96:7-13; Isaiah 2:1-4, 11:6-10)!
As with the Lord, not having had to campaign, secure support and funding or be elected, the saints will not owe their reign to any mortal or pay anyone back either. Like Him too, in their spiritual, moral and ethical perfection they will not be corruptible by bribe or threat of bodily harm since they are immortal as well as imbued with divine power to govern with a “rod of iron,” (Psalm 149:5-9; Revelation 2:26-29, NKJV)! They will reign in holiness, righteousness, justice, truth, firmness against sin and mercy for the poor.3 Many secularists and professed Christians will not admit it for pride, but this is the kind of government and leaders we all wish existed now, in our nation (Proverbs 29:2).
Instead today, the leading democratic nation on earth is on the verge of collapse in its chaos! This is because democracy to work even close to the Kingdom of God must have citizens who at least share the same worldview drawn from the Judeo-Christian values of the Bible informing their morality and ethics that was once nearly the case with our nation from its founding until mid last century. Now, willfully unmoored from such values, elections--the heart of democracy--are being trampled by political vitriol and violence; many candidates slander and tear each other down, are profane, selfishly ambitious and devoid of scruples. Also, official voting misconduct is all too frequent with voter fatigue and I am among them. Still, I vote waiting for my King and His Kingdom to come!
1 Read the October 30, 2022 post, With The Lord Forever!, under the category, Encouragement.
2 Note in Revelation 20:4 specific mention is made of the saints that overcame the Antichrist during the great tribulation among those conferred thrones and the right of judgment. This completes the Lord’s theme of encouragement and assurance in His Revelation that He will fully vindicate those who are martyred during that dark time (Daniel 7:25-27; Revelation 6:9-11, 7:9-17, 14:9-13, 15:1-4). Truly, Revelation 20:4-6 for all of the saints is yet another display of God’s justice and turnabout for His people seen throughout Scripture such as in the instance of Haman’s hatred and edict against the Jewish people that was miraculously reversed in the days of Esther and Mordecai (Esther 7:1-9:25).
3 The Lord is going to severely judge those within professing Christianity that are attacking His biblically anchored call through me and others for Christian men and wo- men to be taught and helped to grow in His character (2 Peter 1:1-11). As the Lord led me, I wrote about the character in His image of aspiring strong men and great women of God in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and developed a curriculum drawn from it, the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study for the equipping of the saints in the home and churches. These can be purchased in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
Though voting is and will remain an imperfect and maddening process of democracy as long as it exists, I urge all that profess to be Christians to vote! While the Lord has given me no word about the outcome of this year’s Presidential election, He has affirmed what He led me to write in 2016 about a “temporary door of opportunity” for the Gospel remaining after it that is already closing.1 For now, the voting of mainly white conservative Christians such as those identifying as evangelical can possibly still make a difference as was done in the 2016 Presidential election.2
Our democratic republic is ostensibly open to and welcomes any number of citizen initiated parties, their candidates and platforms. However, the political professionals, media, and money have seen to it that the authentic party options are only the Republicans or Democrats. Both of these parties, their candidates and platforms have shortcomings that challenge a biblical worldview in some form or another as I lamented in a previous post.3 Nevertheless, in praying for how to vote with a biblical worldview in candidate fields that continue to be “bad and worst,” I was able to push myself to do so with the family as God designed it as my driving concern where I could apply it (Malachi 4:4-6).
Once again in a Presidential election both major party candidates profess to be Christians. But as one aspiring to be a strong man of God in the image of Jesus Christ and teaching other Christian men to do likewise as the Lord in His Word summons us,4 I am very challenged to discern this same heart in the words, actions and demeanor reflecting the character of President Donald Trump or former Vice President, Joe Biden. And while I know we are not electing a national pastor, for the sake of all the men as family heads also watching these two professed Christians, I am disheartened for their sakes because what they are seeing does not commend the faith or biblical manhood.
Both men represent forms of manmade Christianity the religion American style that permit one to go to church, give, sing a few songs, listen to a sermon on Sunday and otherwise maybe attempt to live out a few morals that are not inconvenient or present a conflict of interest with what is politically or financially expedient.5 Mr. Trump’s amazing difficulty calling out clear racism and racist acts and Mr. Biden’s dogmatic insistence a woman’s right to choose to murder her unborn child is morally right illustrate my latter point. The raw, selfish ambition and arrogance of both of these men is also hard to watch as for example, each asserts the ability to arrest and control God’s Coronavirus.6
Vice President Mike Pence by far sets the best example of professed Christian dedication and biblical manhood operating in our nation’s media fish bowl. During his debate with challenging Vice Presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, she characterized herself with the politically correct label “person of faith” and took exception to any inference she was not by her political views and actions. Being a person of faith means absolutely nothing in a biblical worldview if that faith is not in Christ and without obedience to God’s Word (John 5:16-23; 1 John 2:18-23)! America’s disintegrating families need the firm conviction of their value and help from real Christian leaders devoted to restoring them.
Political correctness, tolerance, revised false history narratives for the sake of multiculturalism, abortion, radical feminism, same sex relations, gender confusion etc. are not working to restore, but destroy families as God in His Word designed. In our deeply divided nation politically conservative whites that also profess to be evangelical Christians in large numbers have rallied to Mr. Trump as their champion because he does publicly speak out against most of the socially liberal ideologies corrupting the nation and working against the family. Mr. Biden has most black and other political liberals calling themselves “progressive” and many too, professed Christians embracing him. Biblical conservatives--for who character and righteousness matter--and independents are in a tough spot.
Rather than sit out not liking either candidate, there are still those lesser known parties and candidates that can be considered. I certainly would have sat this one out if it had not been for the sake of restoring men and the families God has called them to lead for the time that is left. As well, I was moved to vote by the suffering many black Americans endured to secure my right to do so; suffering I was able to see as a boy on my family’s black and white television in the 1960s. This was suffering caused by the systemic racism of our nation undergirded by the fathers of those professed to be Christians among the white conservatives unreservedly behind Mr. Trump and many who like him, have trouble truly empathizing with the suffering of blacks and other minorities.7
Evangelicals may indeed, again save the day politically for Mr. Trump and the Republicans. Alas though, if so, it is still only a temporary postponing of the inevitable. Unrepentant rebelling, apostate Christians with the growing unsaved openly anti-God, anti-Christian and anti-Bible citizenry of the nation are making their ascent now! Four more years will do nothing but give them extra time to build up their numbers and influence. Meanwhile, God Almighty continues His activity regardless of who is in the White House. Without repentance today or forthcoming, the world and nation are under His judgment. As He foretells in His despised Book, the Bible, the Coronavirus pestilence and calamities of 2020 will surely seem tame four years from now (Jeremiah 30:23-24; Luke 21:25-26).
1 See the December 4, 2016 post, Now Is The Day Of Salvation, under the category, Call To Repent.
2 Read the December 9, 2016 post, Professing Christian Racism Is Sin Too, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 See the March 26, 2017 repost, The 2012 Presidential Election, under the category, Biblical Worldview.
4 Learn about the aspiring strong man of God in the image of Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is published by the Publishing Division of
Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clarity and updated web addresses in the footnotes. It is available at major internet
booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble and ChristianBooks.com. These book sellers with Apple also have the digital download of the book. Type the title into
their search engines if necessary. You can also purchase the book and all related Strong Man Of God Brand Group Study Print Resources in the Strong Man Store!
5 See the two-part post that begins September 11, 2016, American Culture’s Religion, under the category, Call To Repent.
6 Really? Neither these men nor any other sinful mortal has the ability to arrest or control a pestilence God has initiated unless He wills it so! Therefore, to vote for either
of these men on the basis of which can best arrest, control or eradicate the Coronavirus on his watch is pure folly. God in grace and mercy will act in accord with the
counsel of His own will and timing to diminish the pestilence. What can move His hand sooner is humble, heartfelt and complete repentance on the part of the nation’s
leaders and people guilty of over the top transgression, sin and iniquity beginning in His own house among those who profess as Christians to know Him (1 John 2:3-6).
This is as He has had me crying out for months. Read especially the April 5, 2020 post, God Is Speaking and on the 19th, Does Anybody Repent Anymore?, both un-
der the category, Call To Repent.
7 The oppression and violence involved in human sex trafficking is evil. However, it does not begin to compare with the experience of slavery my forefathers had in the
hands of many professed Christian white men that included sexual abuse and even went so far as to corrupt the Bible to justify their evil deeds and deceive their chattel.
When conservative white evangelicals attempt to equivocate the historic, accurately portrayed cruelty of their forefathers toward my own with contemporary sex traffick-
ing as wicked as it is to downplay the continuing reality of systemic racism in our nation, whether intended or not it minimizes what my forefathers suffered. This shows
you still do not get it and gives the appearance you do not want to! Please do not just pose with the President for photo opportunities and proudly exult in your access,
but you repent of sin and exhort him to do the same. For those souls that have done so, the Lord bless you.
Joe Biden was sworn in this past Wednesday, January 20th as the forty-sixth President of the United States. This reality happened despite weeks of disputing the election results and widely declared pre- and post-election prophetic assurances supposedly from the Lord through professed Christian prophets, prophetesses and well known evangelical personalities that Donald Trump would remain in office. The voices making these prophetic declarations obviously all got it wrong. Clearly too, they all uttered their prophecies at cross-purposes with God. So, how did they get it wrong and what should the biblical response of the Body of Christ be to these false prophets?
As it turns out, this is a final post in a series the Lord has led me to write concerning especially professed Christian conservatives praying and teaching at cross-purposes with Him.1 This situation hits home and hard for me. This is because of the struggle I have had since surrendering to Christ in February 1979 first with ignorance as a babe about serving Him in the prophetic ministry He began to quicken in me with the foundational burden for His Church (Ezekiel 8; Revelation 1:9-3:22).2 After that, it was trying to understand the burden, gifting and ministry in the context of Baptist churches that did not recognize the biblical calling and a seminary education that falsely rendered it obsolete.
I have written several posts over the years chronicling my mostly negative experiences among the churches and giving biblical instruction on the gift of prophecy along with the prophetic ministry Heaven will not retire until the Lord Jesus returns!3 I know well the temptation to speak what God has not spoken to me. My saving grace to date has been a healthy fear of God and being wrong with a number of close calls (fulfillment is not always immediate) since according to the standard He gave for those He uses in the prophetic ministry, proof the words they speak have come from Him is their consistent accuracy (Deuteronomy 18:9-22; Matthew 26:31-35, 47-56, 69-75; Acts 11:27-30).
The temptation to prophesy what is not from the Lord arises from two related desires: to please people in telling them what they want to hear and self to the same end. The Lord led me to write about our desires as the core means Satan uses to tempt and deceive any gullible or unguarded Christian into sin no matter how far along in the faith.4 False prophets telling the people what they wanted to hear and out of their own hearts as a living in ancient Israel was condemned by God through His faithful prophets (Jeremiah 14:10-16, 23:9-15). While the false prophets cried “peace,” God’s faithful warned of judgment and charged the people to repent (Jeremiah 23:16-22, NKJV)!
Being on the king’s payroll gave financial incentive to tell him only what the false prophets knew he wanted to hear. It took faith in God, a genuine calling complete with divine encounter, courage and fortitude in suffering to stand often alone 450 to 1 to speak God’s prophetic Word as did Elijah (1 Kings 17:1-7, 18:1-46) and Micaiah who was outnumbered 400 to 1(1 Kings 22:1-18).5 The false prophets prophesied lies out of their own hearts to please the king. Indeed, as Micaiah revealed in his situation, God had even permitted “a lying spirit” to come to and help the false prophets along in their utterance; bringing about the downfall of the king as God willed (1 King 22:19-40, NKJV).
This latter thing has happened before our very eyes within professing Christianity here in America during the just passed Presidential election and interim transition to the next President. Men and women among the ranks of professed Christians that are politically conservative and purportedly operate in the prophetic and word of knowledge gifting were so intent on a Trump second term, they were captured on video in various settings prophesying to and over him supposedly from God with that aim. Aware of the biblical lying spirit incident, one of the prophets is quoted acknowledging this as the only way they could be wrong.6 Pleasing like-minded donors and absorbed with them in the idolatrous delusion of American perpetuity and rabid patriotism seems to have been the major drivers.
Searching out their own motives and publicly confessing the sin with contrition and repentance is what I pray each saved one who uttered false prophesy on now, former President Trump’s behalf will do, since you have given the Lord’s enemies cause to mock, misled His flock and brought shame on the prophetic ministry. The faithful should restore such ones with mercy though having come short of the Lord’s standard, never again receive a prophecy from them!7 For the rest who have made a career out of trafficking in false prophecy and refuse to repent, the Lord calls you ‘“foolish’” and declares, ‘“I am indeed against you.’” You will suffer His judgment on earth and eternally for prophesying falsehood at cross-purposes with God (Ezekiel 13; 2 Peter 2:1-17; Jude 10-13, NKJV).
Seeing then, that false prophets are and will remain among us until the end as forewarned by our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles, the faithful must be vigilant in discernment to recognize and deal with them (Matthew 7:15-23, 24:11, 23-28; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22; 1 John 4:1-6; Revelation 13:11-18, 16:13, 19:19-21). Finally also, as a wrap up to this series receive the Word the Lord gave me back on September 6, 2020 for our times. In reply to and firm rebuke of my prayer offered in frustration from a long wait on His guidance for my life circumstances, the Lord sent me to hear Him from Jeremiah 45. I was humbled, repentant and good! The next day the globally heard about fierce winds and firestorms descended upon our Northwest region that brought choking smoke for weeks.8
1 Read the January 10, 2021 post, Praying At Cross-Purposes With God, under the category, Bible Prophecy and the one following on January 17th entitled, Teaching At
Cross-Purposes With God, under the category, Instruction.
2 See the October 2, 2016 post, Gifted With A Prophet’s Heart, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 Read the October 30, 2016 post, No One Speaks For God?, under the category, Instruction. Also, the three-part repost beginning November 13, 2016, Without Honor
In The Churches, under the category, Glory To God!
4 Read the November 8, 2020 post, Why So Easily Deceived?, under the category, Instruction.
5 This is beyond incredible in this land of majority rule! For this cause all of the Lord’s faithful prophets and prophetesses in the Bible fulfill the definition of the aspiring
strong man and great woman of God I write about respectively in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics published by Open Door Communication Minis-
tries, Inc. It is available in print or digital formats at major internet booksellers. You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
6 View the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) produced Christian World News story, Prophets Say They Did Not Get It Wrong: ‘It’s Not Over’ that aired the day after
the election, November 5, 2020 and includes the supposed word from the Lord to CBN founder, Pat Robertson, Trump would win re-election. They were all deceived!
To the credit and integrity of CBN News, though it puts their founder in a bad light, they have left the story intact and available to view.
7 1 Corinthians 14:29-32. It is situations like this that the Lord shows His amazing grace and another of His tough standards: love (2 Corinthians 2:1-11). For here He
has me calling for the faithful to show mercy to largely guilty whites that repent from sin (imperfection does not give Christians a pass from sin guilt that must be con-
fessed and repented of to be forgiven by God) knowing that if it were me as a black man, it would not be as readily forthcoming. As a matter of fact, though the Lord
has caused me to accurately declare His written prophetic Word as well as that which has been extemporaneous, I have been treated as if I have been a guilty false
prophet especially by many whites that consider me inferior because of my black skin, but not to exclude the many who share my skin color out of pride and the psy-
chological legacy of self-hate (removable in Christ) from our American experience to date that will not allow us to easily regard one another.
8 It turns out the multi-year wait for the Lord’s guidance from Jeremiah 45 had been before me all along. I was just not willing to receive it. What about you?
Why is there still apparently so much angst and now, tumult among many that are politically conservative and profess to be Christians including those self-identified as evangelicals after this year’s Presidential election? Is it not because a year after the Coronavirus pandemic that persists, social unrest and political losses many are squaring up with the reality conservatism as it has been practiced in America may not endure? This is truly a frightening prospect to those that have rested their hope in this life almost exclusively on the control of human institutions of society to perpetually ensure their religious, moral, social and political values, dominance as well as prosperity. I get it.
Indeed, this line of thinking is by no means unique to American conservatism. It has been displayed by the peoples, nobles and royals of every nation and kingdom of men since the beginning. However, from the beginning also, the Almighty God, man’s Creator has been involved and at work in the affairs of men as His Word affirms (Genesis 3:9-11, 17-24, 6:5-22; Job 12:13-25). It is certain that neither Adam nor the people of Noah’s day that perished in the flood wished for an end; nor did king Nebuchadnezzar to whom God through the prophet Daniel revealed the future of His work to raise up and bring down kingdoms starting with Babylon until the coming of His own (Daniel 2:14-45).
The sovereign God has been in charge of the rise and fall of kingdoms up until now, and still is! Grasping this truth, the faithful in Christ understand our times are in His hand and accept His will to move them along even with judgments in accord with His plans and timing no matter how inconvenient, troublesome or adverse to our own plans, hopes and dreams (Psalm 31:14-15).1 While in general it is not wrong to pray for God to continue His gracious and merciful acts to preserve our nation and way of life as they are, it is to pray at cross-purposes with Him if it is abundantly clear as it is today, that the early warning judgments of His foretold end have begun to come upon the earth!
The generation that perished in Noah’s day had 120 years of his preaching as warning to prepare (Genesis 6:3; 2 Peter 2:4-5). Israel had all of the prophets from Moses and finally, Jesus of Nazareth, God’s Son--some 1,400 years--to warn them before their nation was destroyed and the people scattered a generation after His death, burial, resurrection and ascension (Ezekiel 7; Luke 19:41-44, 21:5-6, 21-24). Now, God has patiently given the world nearly 2,000 years since those days; time lengthy enough that some foolishly dare to scoff at us who continue to steadfastly wait for Christ’s promised glorious return and wrath as foretold (2 Peter 3:1-9; Revelation 6:12-17).
That a holy God has given sinners even one day is gracious and merciful (Ezekiel 18:4), but almost 2,000 years with the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 17:30-31)? As the Lord led me to write last year, the prayers of those professed Christians that He move His Coronavirus judgment and save our republic for among the emotionally manipulative and selfishly hypocritical reasons “the sake of our children and future generations” will not be answered by Him the way they want.2 If you truly cared about the children’s future, then, you would have fully repented from all of your biblically defined sins, rebellion and wickedness by now as God calls for (Numbers 14:1-3; Jeremiah 8:4-7).
Instead, by your refusal to repent, cavalier attitudes about and disbelieving denial of the consequences until now, it is too late to delay His on the way judgments more severe than losing elections, a nation and way of life (2 Kings 20:12-19; Ezekiel 12:21-28).3 And though they will suffer short-term, the eternal fortunes of our saved children will be infinitely greater than the inheritance of a crumbling nation and world facing divine wrath (Numbers 14:26-33; Hebrews 3:7-19). This is why the best inheritance to give our willing children is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they might be saved and instruction about how to faithfully endure suffering persecution to the end (1 Corinthians 15:19)!4
It is time to stop denying the present and warnings about what is coming we Christians have as a legacy of hope from God through His prophetic Word; His plans and purposes now, in play! Therefore, let those that repent of all selfishness and rebellion pray in accord with His will for God to restore you through the Holy Spirit. Pray for strength and wisdom to be a bold witness for Christ. Pray to stand firm in faith throughout all that is unfolding against believers in the darkness as trouble and be encouraged in it (Psalm 46; John 16:33; Philippians 4:4-6; 1 John 5:4-5).5 Pray for all your sustenance. Pray for and support fellow persecuted brethren everywhere. Pray for the expeditious coming of our God’s Kingdom to the earth (Matthew 6:5-15; 1 Peter 5:5-11; Revelation 6:9-11, 7-8:6)!
1 This is a reality the Lord had me address early on during the spread of His Coronavirus judgment in a May 3, 2020 post, Why Now, Lord?, under the category, Encour-
agement.
2 See the April 5, 2020 post, God Is Speaking and that of April 19, 2020, Does Anybody Repent Anymore?, both under the category, Call To Repent.
3 In a chapter aptly titled, God And Politics in his 1989 book, Against The Night, (Vine Books, Ann Arbor, Michigan), political and biblical conservative, Chuck Colson, is
unambiguous in asserting the 80’s Reagan Presidential era and height of evangelicalism’s Moral Majority had “failed” in the attempt to effect a swing in our nation to a
decidedly Christian morality. Religious conservatives, he contends, ignored “two key truths” as reasons writing: “first, the solutions to all human ills do not lie in political
structures; and second, it is impossible to effect genuine political reform solely through legislation,” (p. 117). Colson ought to have known since he came to know Christ
while incarcerated for crimes committed carrying out political dirty tricks in the cause of a conservative President. Too, the historic sinful duplicities of religious conser-
vatives such as upholding systemic racism also contributed to their failure. The failure of the 80’s continues into the present hour where a divided nation is crumbling
into ruin as the Lord led me to warn in a two-part post beginning September 11, 2016, American Culture’s Religion, under the category, Call To Repent. Consequently,
Colson also affirms my conviction from the Lord that any real national reformation would have begun with individuals which only He can effect through Holy Spirit em-
powered salvation (Titus 2:11-3:8).
4 My book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics can help in this instructional effort. A print copy or digital download of the book published by the Publishing Division
of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clarity and updated web addresses in the footnotes is available at major internet
booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store. Too, parents
and church leaders can teach, disciple and equip the next generation through The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and The Great Woman Of God Women’s
Group Study also in the Strong Man Store.
5 Colson in his book earlier referenced and others that followed is not calling for disengagement from culture, but for the Church to be the Church as salt and light serving
God’s Kingdom purposes which include holding up “the blood stained banner” of Christ and His transcendent morality, (pp. 118-121, 135-137). This is not possible to
any effective extent of course, if the many that profess to be Christians are corrupt and complicit with this dark world in its rebellion against God. For this reason, Colson
also calls for repentance among guilty professed Christians and their churches, (Chapter 15 and beyond).
Let no one believe I spoke of the death penalty for gang bangers found guilty of murder in some cold, heartless religious detachment in my 2012 Commentary “Curtailing Gang Violence,” under the category, Call To Repentance posted August 12, 2018.1 In the warmest love of God, I am for human life and fervently preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to see dead souls live (Ephesians 2:1-7)! However, urban communities across America are lawless killing fields where too often those not involved in gang conflicts such as children going to and from school are murdered. We all cry and cry and cry, but our sons and some of our daughters too, continue to hurt, maim and kill one another.
As I write in this edited, 2012 follow up Commentary, God has authorized human government to punish evildoers to include putting to death those that murder. This is because human life is of high value to God and He wants us to share His view of ourselves. God knows the horrible track record our nation has with minorities in its justice system and I do too. So, I am surely also calling for reform that brings it into line with His Word and the engagement of revived Christians in advance of prosecuting our sons in death penalty cases. It is hypocritical for us to insist to the world that black lives matter and we do not care enough to turn in and righteously punish our sons that cheaply murder them. The bloodshed in our streets as judgment proves God does not share in this hypocrisy!
Originally Published September 2012
I am not unaware of how those without a biblical worldview among professed black Christians processed advocating the death penalty as a means to deter and curtail gang violence in my August 2012 Commentary. Say what you will about the way of suffering our people have endured, self-destruction through murder as victims is not an appropriate response. This may be what is happening for many, but any so-called Christian and preacher that is only content to rationalize the slaughter rather than preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and enforcing the divine value placed on human life to curtail it is in complicity! Still, the death penalty is to be done God's way also.
It is true that the devaluing of human life in this land has been going on since the colonizing of what was called a “New World.” Violence played a major role in subduing the Indians and turning captured Africans into slaves. These souls were treated with the utmost contempt in violence and murdered with impunity. After this came the dehumanizing Theory of Evolution and Margret Sanger who wished to control population by way of eugenics. Through the deceitful advocacy of women’s reproductive rights, feticide became national law and blacks now murder our own children in the womb at a higher rate than other groups. Survival in a harsh, often violent urban setting is daily life.
Daily too, is the saturation of violence in the media. Contrary to what a real "Christian nation" with a biblical worldview would look like, America has a history and culture of violence, murder and death that serves as a broader context and contributing factors for gangs among its many outlets. While there is always an outcry when an increase in gang violence and murder occurs, a couple of arrests and short prison terms later rather than being deterred in the main, these men are released morally unchanged to do it all over again. This is a vicious cycle that must and can only be broken when faithful Christians get involved with the Gospel, God's Word, power and accountability.
God Almighty, who declares in His Word without equivocation that He is man's Creator (Genesis 1:26-27), made him and all of creation at the beginning "very good," (Genesis 1:31, NKJV). Made in the image and likeness of God, human life is esteemed by God as the most precious of all since man is to be an eternal son. When man sinned, God, the Son of God and Word wrapped Himself in flesh to effect man's redemption that men of faith may even be raised from the dead to live with God forever (Psalm 49:1-15; John 1:1-5, 14, 10:10, 11:25-27; Hebrews 2:5-18).2 The death of Jesus Christ on the cross thunderously exclaims human life is of inestimable value to God!
Having such esteem for the life of man, after destroying a world of evil and violence (like our own) in Noah's day (Genesis 6:5-22), God gave him and all mankind an irrevocable edict. Man's life is so precious to God that not an animal or any man is to willfully shed his blood. If either creature does kill a man, as governing authorities men under God are to shed that creature's blood; that is, take the responsible animal or man's life as a statement of absolute opposition to the willful killing of a human (Genesis 9:4-6). Later, God in the Ten Commandments declares, "'You shall not murder,'" (Exodus 20:13, NKJV) which Jesus affirms and expands in application (Matthew 5:21-26).
God gave Israel just commandments, laws, statutes and ordinances (and thereby all mankind as a blueprint) for righteously dealing with those who murder. All persons accused of murder must first be given a trial where the facts of the case are determined. Given the historical and blatant corruption of American jurisprudence in the cases of minorities, every jury of peers in murder trials must include a fair number of the accused person's ethnic group or other minorities. There must also be a minimum of two eyewitnesses to consider the death penalty. All penalties must be handed out consistently to be an effective deterrent. Accountability and deterrence are the Lord's goals in the death penalty for murder (Exodus 21:12-14; Numbers 35:9-34; Deuteronomy 19:15-21).
It is now far past the time for Christians to have a biblical worldview on crime in general and gang violence in particular. Our compassion for the community ought to be displayed first in proclaiming the Gospel and God's Word on sin in unity. Our church ministries should be proactive in reaching our boys before they are introduced to gangs.3 They must be taught the truth that a holy God loves them, but hates their sins. Also, they are to value human life as God does or face man's justice and without repentance, His eternal condemnation (1 Peter 2:13-14; Revelation 21:8, 22:12-15). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Have I not confessed to murder in allowing the death of my unborn children as an unsaved youth? Back then I would not have understood why I merited the death
penalty for my crime against humanity, but I do now and appreciate to the fullest measure the grace of God that did not treat my sin as it deserved in the midst of a
society that had legally and falsely decided aborting the unborn is not murder. I did not get away with anything since until my last breath, though forgiven, I must
endure public shame while with others, fighting to persuade our society to return to God’s view of murder in the face of His staggering judgments for refusing!
2 As the Lord leads, I present the reality of the divine eternal purposes and destiny of man as God’s redeemed creature in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back
To Basics. It is available at all major internet book sellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
3 Our Ministry is doing this through our Urban Radio Campaign and its Strong Man Minute Page as well as the Strong Man Academy. We welcome Kingdom dri-
ven Christians and churches that want to support us in the work! This can be securely done on the Give Page of our Web Site.
The violence and lawlessness that has been displayed both in the aftermath of the shooting death of Michael Brown by then Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson and the Grand Jury decision not to indict him for it is evil in the sight of God. Having once been a deeply embittered young black male against the legacy of America’s racism and contempt of black lives by all of its societal agents including the police, I fully understand the anger aroused when it apparently continues. However, in coming to Christ and His Word, I have renounced bitterness toward worldly injustice and have instead embraced hope in the God of justice (Isaiah 30:18, 42:1-4; Matthew 12:9-21)!
As the Lord has taught in His Word, so, I teach males aspiring to be strong men of God in the image of Christ that we are to respect not resist the governing authorities as a general rule (Romans 13:1-7). Many of my forefathers gave this respect and were still treated unjustly. I get that. Yet, when Michael Brown reached into the officer’s vehicle to punch him, he crossed the line and invited the officer’s Heaven and earthly granted right to kill him. The only exception to God’s general rule for obeying authority is when it calls for us to disobey Him (Acts 4:13-19, 5:27-29). Even then we are to follow the non-violent example of our Lord and His apostles and prepare to suffer (Acts 5:30-42).
Unjust, intense suffering and martyrdom are being endured at this hour by the saints in many nations and soon--as is foretold--globally. Few--to include professing Western Christians many of whom are busy fighting each other over human invented doctrines and protocols--are marching in moral outrage about this! Nevertheless, as the Lord led me to warn in this week’s blog repost from 2012, global Christian suffering is moving closer to reality and we are expected to be ready to face it with the heart of a lamb like our Lord not anger, violence and lawlessness (1 Peter 2:18-23).
Originally Posted December 2, 2012
Ah, the joy of the season; Christmas is near! I am no Grinch and enjoy the holidays as much as anyone. In fact, if it were God’s will, I would want to bring you nothing but glad tidings and promises of hope for unending tomorrows of warm, holiday bliss. However, if I did so as many do claiming, “The people need hope, not negativity” I would be disobedient to our God and truly a false
prophet and teacher meriting His just punishment (Jeremiah 6:10-15; 23:30-32; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
Let the faithful saints always remember our hope is One that lives eternally and He transcends, space, time and circumstances of all kinds (1 Timothy 1:1; 1 Peter 1:3). Therefore, we possess and maintain hope regardless of what is going on circumstantially in our lives and the world. This said, we should want God’s servants to teach and tell us the truth from His written Word and mouth respectively at all times even if it spoils our temporal aspirations and activities in this life. Of course, God’s truth is never a spoiler to those who love Him and His Word!
Scripture is clear; the faithful saints of God are to understand ourselves at all times as “sheep for the slaughter,” (Romans 8:36, NKJV). While the ultimate sacrifice in martyrdom may not come at this moment, we are nevertheless to live as though it could happen and be prepared. As was pointed out in my blog entitled, Great Women Of God Martyrs under the category, Glory To God, violent persecution and martyrdom are on the increase around the world in non-Western nations.
As I have warned in my book, The Strong Man Of God and this blog, Christians in the West need to prepare for the same because though violence is at a minimum presently, hostility toward believers and the faith by once welcoming government authorities and secularists is steadily rising. This could be temporary as many worldly Christians with their heads buried in the sand want to believe, but not likely (long-term anyway) if prophetic signs the Bible gives to alert us are taken seriously as they should be.
Truly, a post-Christian West now is a powerful sign of the nearness to the end of the entire so-called “Church Age.” Western European Christians and their scattered descendants have been prominent in history after the first century and particularly the last 500 years in taking the Gospel to the rest of the earth. Even as that is nearly accomplished and many now send missionaries to the West, we are clearly moving into the next foretold spiritual paradigm of Christian apostasy along with increasing hostility toward the true faith and the faithful (Matthew 24:9-12; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:1-13).
This reality must not be left unaddressed by Western church leaders that wish not to alarm their people and keep offerings coming in. Unfortunately, the days that are now unfolding will expose this effort at blocking out negativity for the selfish deception it is. Indeed, the days of apostasy and increasing hostile persecution now descending upon especially Western forms of professing Christianity will expose all of the self-spun deceptions in doctrine, tradition and practice that exist for what they are.
While it saddens me that it will take this to finally strip many of their pride and arrogance in their religiosity, endless opinions and expertly devised systems of sinful human reason within Western Christianity, I am pleased that God--ever the revealer of hearts--will clearly show who was right or wrong, true or false, faithful or unfaithful and reward each accordingly (Jeremiah 17:9-10; Malachi 3:13-18; Romans 2:1-11; Hebrews 3:7-19; 1 John 2:18-29; Revelation 14:9-13). Also, persecuted Christians facing the same certain end for the faith (i.e. “sheep for the slaughter”) are not likely to still be quarreling over their differences as the foretold morphs into reality before their eyes. It is all uncomfortably closer than Western Christians are ready to believe.
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