A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


Showing posts with label God and Government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God and Government. Show all posts

January 6, 2023

The 118th Congress: A View of Our "Messy Democracy" Within The Framework of God's Law

 

If you care about the state of our Republic, then you can't help but be mesmerized by our front row seat to the vote for Speaker of the House on the floor of the 118th United States Congress. As I hope you understand, the United States of America is a republic, but how is that different from a democracy? If you Google that question, you will get a lot of answers that compare the two forms of government in the same terms. So, what is the difference between a Republic and a Democracy? As I understand it, here are the basic differences:

  • Republics and democracies both provide a political system in which citizens are represented by elected officials who are sworn to protect their interests.
  • In a pure democracy, laws are made directly by the voting majority leaving the rights of the minority largely unprotected.
  • In a republic, laws are made by representatives chosen by the people and must comply with a constitution that specifically protects the rights of the minority from the will of the majority.
  • The United States, while basically a republic, is best described as a “representative democracy.”

Confused? Did you know that when the delegates of the newly formed United States Constitutional Convention debated the question in 1787, the exact meanings of the terms republic and democracy weren't exactly clear, even in the minds of the delegates! And most of us are probably familiar with the famous story about Ben Franklin ...  upon leaving Independence Hall at the Convention, Elizabeth Powel, wife of Philadelphia Mayor Samuel Powel, asked the esteemed Dr. Franklin, "Well, Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?"  "A republic", replied the Doctor, "If you can keep it". Mrs. Powell immediately challenges Dr. Franklin: "And why not keep it"? Ben Franklin replies, "Because the people, on tasting the dish, are always disposed to eat more of it than does them good". 

Fast forward to the 118th United States Congress. As we watch the endless proceedings of vote after vote for the Speaker of the House, there are many decrying the "messiness" of it all. But the beauty of our form of government is this rather simple precept: We are blessed to be held accountable for who we elect as our representatives. In turn, we must expect [and demand] accountability from those in leadership, and insist on it from those who represent us. I think we have forfeited that blessing for too long, and that is at the heart of what you're seeing on the floor of Congress today. 

Two hundred thirty-six years ago, a group of disparate representatives of thirteen colonies who had, heretofore, operated independently of each other, came together to form a constitution that established laws that determined the powers and duties of our government and guaranteed certain rights to the people of our nation. But, alas, we have not held ourselves accountable for electing principled representatives, nor have we demanded these representatives fulfill their obligations to "do the work of the people". And as Ben Franklin predicted, far too many in the government have become addicted to the taste of power. 

And here is a fact that I was unaware of until reading it in an article in Christianity Today. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 completed its task well: it established a central form of government; it preserved the individual rights of the people; and it defined the powers of the states and the nation in their relation to each other. But, they failed to include God in their proceedings. In fact, they deliberately rejected His participation, and when the deliberations became difficult and agreement seemed far off, Benjamin Franklin proposed a motion, stating, "the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” A footnote to Franklin’s speech tells us that prayers were not thought necessary, and the motion was lost by adjournment.

Perhaps the 118th Congress should revisit Dr. Franklin's motion. If we truly believe that this nation was established through the favor of Almighty God, we must recognize that at the heart of a Christian nation, there is an indisputable tenet: "the Law of God is the Law of the People", NOT "the voice of the people is as the voice of God". I would like to conclude with this statement by the Gospel Defense League in their excellent article, What Does The Bible Say About Democracy? In stating that our nation is a Christian Republic, the article proclaims this form of government "protects basic individual rights derived from the Law of God. These rights are granted by our unchanging God, not by a changing majority vote. Thus these rights are inalienable and eternal. Christianity does not deny 'democratic processes'. A Christian people are to be governed through elected representatives, but only within the framework of God's Law. God's Law, and mankind's Gospel obedience to it, is the check against the tyranny which will inevitably come under a democratic regime".   

So, as we observe the "Messy Democracy" on the floor of Congress today, we contemplate just how far our representatives have come from being responsible to those who elected them. We must recognize that perhaps we are at a crossroads in this nation. Will we continue the status quo of the last 50 years, seeing our national debt rise astronomically; the poor become poorer, while the elite in government grow richer; and the citizens of this nation become increasingly apathetic about acknowledging the part God played in the formation of our great nation. Perhaps, it is prescient that in the final adoption of the Constitution, there is no mention of God, Christ, or the Law of God. While our Constitution is a fine document that seeks to protect the individual rights of all men, it is apparent that "trust was placed in the wisdom of men, rather than the guidance of God".

Interestingly enough, there have been attempts throughout the years, beginning in 1863, to amend the Constitution to "acknowledge God and the authority of His Law". A bill has been repeatedly introduced that reads: “This nation devoutly recognizes the authority and law of Jesus Christ, Savior and Ruler of Nations, through whom are bestowed the blessings of Almighty God.” To date, it has not been adopted. So, what do you think? Can this "Messy Democracy" on display in Congress these last few days be resolved to the benefit of this nation and its people? Can we expect to survive without the acceptance of the truth that God's Law supersedes man's wisdom, and the existence of His Sovereignty prevails over the will of men? I have not given up hope on this nation and its Christian identity. But it is time that we take responsibility and ownership of all that God has blessed us with, hold our representatives accountable, and become the nation we were meant to be.

Here are links to three excellent articles that influenced my blog today:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/messy-business-democracy-stephen-lange

https://www.gospeldefenceleague.org/index.php/articles/96-what-does-the-bible-say-about-democracy

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1957/july-8/god-in-constitutional-convention.html

 #118thcongress #messydemocracy #speakofthehouse #republicvsdemocracy #americanpolitics

Psalm 146:3   Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.

 

February 11, 2022

A Heavenly Reminder


Do you ever have that spiritual discernment when you know that God is tapping you on the shoulder and reminding you of something that He has disclosed to you long before? It's as if He's saying, "Do not forget what My Holy Spirit imparted to you; all revelation is for My purpose in due time". In fact, the Bible confirmed this for me in 2 Peter 1:19-21 ... So we have the prophetic word made more certain. You do well to pay [close] attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and light breaks through the gloom and the morning star arises in your hearts. But understand this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of or comes from one’s own [personal or special] interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 

So, I sit here today, amazed at the work of the Holy Spirit, connecting my time in prayer yesterday with four Godly women, to an anonymous comment on a post I was inspired to write nearly ten years ago to the day. Our prayer time yesterday was focused on crying out to the Lord in repentance for how far our nation has fallen from its original purpose in God's plan for the nations. We enjoined our Father to intercede on behalf of His remnant who still recognize who this nation is in the Spirit. We declared that we would not submit to the Enemy's agenda or strategies to destroy the holy covenant made at the dawn of this nation's discovery, nor the profound faith the Founding Fathers had in Divine Providence to deliver our new country of America from what seemed like certain defeat at the hands of the British Empire. 

We admitted that we were not blind to the sins of our nation or our fellow countrymen, and we were not naive regarding the unholy covenants and intrigue in which those placed in authority over us have engaged. But we confessed our belief in our God to restore and reestablish covenant with His righteous remnant. We asked for the Blood of Jesus to purify the land and cleanse the hearts of the wicked, returning it all back to God's original design for our Republic. We upheld the fervent prayers of our historical forefathers as they sought to establish what had never been accomplished before ... a land born for personal liberty and freedom; the same tenets that Jesus proclaimed as His purpose: setting the captives free; healing the blind to see; and giving liberty to the oppressed and downtrodden. We asked that our captivity in modern-day Babylon be ended, and we be allowed to receive His blessings of prosperity, hope, and a redeemed future.

As I drove home from that prayerful time, my spirit was refreshed, but I knew we could not let up. We have committed to consistently meet to hear from God on how we are to execute our assignments in His Kingdom and strategize as His spiritual army of Heavenly representatives on earth. I was reminiscing how far down this path we have come since the Lord spoke to me about writing this blog. He asked me to be obedient to share what I heard Him say in the times of disquiet and, yes, even despair in my soul. So, imagine my amazement when I checked my blog to see if there were any comments I needed to respond to, and I received this comment on a post titled, Jeremiah 2:20-21. The anonymous reader wrote these three concise sentences: "Ten years have passed since this posting and things are worse. God will not be mocked. He will always have the last Word".

I knew it was the Holy Spirit prompting me to revisit what He inspired me to write so long ago, and it is a message for all Americans. So, I wish to implore you with the same appeal as the Angel of the Lord spoke to George Washington in the middle of a bitter winter in 1777, "Son of the Republic, look and learn".  So, now, Sons and Daughters of this Republic and the Most High God, I invite you to read the following ten-year-old prophecy from the Lord that I have been reminded to share...

From March 4, 2012 ... Although God prophesied to the nation of Israel about the coming judgments due to their disobedience to Him, I sense that our own nation has fallen away from recognizing the part that Divine Providence played in the founding of this great nation.  Indeed, George Washington, himself, acknowledged this concept when he said in his First Inaugural Address, "No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the affairs of men, more than the people of the United States.  Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of Providential agency."

Alas, I am afraid, as Jeremiah 2:20-21 charges, that we have "broken off this yoke and tore off our bonds" to this "invisible hand".  We have removed Him from our schools, our town squares, our houses of Law, and are increasingly diminishing His true voice, even in our churches.  Within the halls of our Government, and throughout our Literature and the Arts, we have declared, "I will not serve You!"  

We have sacrificed our morals, values and principles for the sake of tolerance, greed, and popularity. Indeed, like a prostitute, we have cheapened and perverted who we were as a nation; we have abandoned the true meaning of "equality" and "liberty" and lowered the standards in which we were rooted. 

Divine Providence blessed us with a unique opportunity....we were planted "like a choice vine"; the first nation in the history of the world founded on the principle that "all men are created equal".  We have traded self-sufficiency and liberty for entitlements and servitude.  Is it really that hard to imagine God questioning, "How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?"  Can you deny that God has every reason to pull up such a profane and dishonorable root?  

As in the case of the nation of Israel, God will not be patient forever.  It is time to recognize our decline and set things back on the path towards reclaiming our heritage.  In the words of President George Washington, in his First Inaugural Speech, "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained."  

That is what I wrote then; it is not a prophecy that was imagined by my own mind or will; I did not not write my own interpretation of what I heard the Holy Spirit say, but just transcribed what I heard in my spirit on that day. And I have dutifully recorded a Scripturally sound comment from someone who stumbled upon a ten-year old post. Is that anonymous reader giving us a word of knowledge from God, Himself? I don't pretend to know that answer. But I do know that the comment speaks of God's truth. He will not be mocked. We have been created and placed here, in the greatest land on earth, in this particular time of history, to represent God's purpose in His plan of redemption. Those seeking to pervert His purpose and power can try to convince themselves that they have the better plan, but God will have the last Word! 

So, please .... wherever you are; whether you are able to gather in numbers large or small, please join our small group of praying women to ask Jesus to show us the way to reclaim our nation for His Glory! Let us be eyewitnesses to His miracles of the restoration of our land, the reinstitution of righteous government, and the realignment of men's hearts with the Father's. It's not too late! Maybe that's why I received that "anonymous" comment ...

Jeremiah 2:20-21     Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; You said, 'I will not serve you'! Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree, you lay down as a prostitute. I had planted you like a choice vine -- of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?   


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December 2, 2020

A Nation Divided -- Part Two


In the last post, I began my argument that we should take a good hard look at the dissolution of the ancient Kingdom of Israel for clues as to how a nation in covenant with God can find itself falling into apostasy and ruin. I see a lot of similarities between modern America and Solomon's kingdom of Israel. In this post, I will conclude my theory and then pray for our nation.

     When we last left Solomon, he was nearing the time of his death and we had a pretty good picture of all the ways that he had enriched himself at the expense of his citizens. And we mustn't forget that Solomon defied God's command [in Deuteronomy 17:17] to refrain from marrying foreign wives. And he didn't just dabble in his rebellion, he flaunted it! The Bible tells us in 1 Kings 11:1, Now king Solomon [defiantly] loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women. The Lord became angry because Solomon began following the foreign gods of these wives, so God declared, "Because you have done this and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.". That became reality when Jeroboam, a member of the northern tribe of Ephraim met Ahijah, the prophet, on the road from Jerusalem and it was revealed to him that God would grant him favor, "[taking] the kingdom out of his (Solomon's) son’s hand and give it to you: ten tribes".

     The prophet, Ahijah, effectively rendered God's divine judgment against Solomon for worshiping other gods and idols. These sins amounted to apostasy against God. So, when Solomon dies, and Rehoboam takes the throne, he has the opportunity to bring unity, reconciliation, and relief to the heavy burden of taxation placed on the people of the kingdom. When the people approached him for this relief, instead of listening to the elders who understood that granting relief from heavy taxation would result in a prosperous and happy citizenry, Rehoboam listened to his spoiled contemporaries who had grown up as recipients of the unfair and unequal taxation. They weren't about to advise the king to do anything that would decrease the riches they, too, were accumulating. This situation was in accordance with what was spoken to Jeroboam, so that God might fulfill His word spoken of by the prophet Ahijah.

     I don't think it's too hard to see that our own government machine, and the politicians that benefit from their position in that machine, resemble Solomon, Rehoboam, and his counselors. To their way of thinking, taxing the populace is more preferential to sacrificing the monetary rewards of the offices they hold. Add increased taxes on top of an ever-expanding gap between the rich and the middle class and the poor, and you have an unhappy citizenry, just as Rehoboam inherited upon his father's death. 

     And let's not forget the military/industrial complex, which like Solomon's war machine of armies, horses, and chariots must be maintained and the machine constantly fed. Then there's the situation of wedding yourself to nations whose goal is to infiltrate and conquer. Sound familiar? And Satan is working in the midst of all of this, pulling the nations away from their original covenant and purpose. Greed, power, and self-enrichment soon develops into an appetite for more of the same, and serving God becomes a distant thought.   

     And that's what happened to the peoples of the kingdom of Israel. The people of the northern tribes aligned themselves with Jeroboam, who had been a great military leader during Solomon's reign, and they made him king. When Rehoboam heard of this rebellion, he prepared to go fight against King Jeroboam and his forces. But again, God used a holy prophet (Shemaiah) to speak to Rehoboam, the king of Judah, who said, “Tell Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and all the house (fighting men) of Judah and Benjamin and the rest of the people, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You shall not go up and fight against your brothers, the sons of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing has come about from Me.”

     Can you see that God may be doing the same thing with this nation? No one can doubt the acute division between the people of our nation. We've nearly reached a boiling point. But does God desire that this happen; or is He also calling us to "return to our homes" and resist fighting our fellow citizens because He is trying to call our attention to the ways in which we've deserted Him? Will we acknowledge our apostasy, or will we continue in rebellion?

     Oh, Lord, let us learn from the rebelliousness that continued in the House of David! Do not let us be like King Jeroboam, of the northern kingdom of Israel, who doubted God's promise to him, and feared that if his constituents continued to go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at Solomon's Temple, their hearts would return to his son, Rehoboam, the king of Judah. So Jeroboam made two calves of gold for the people to worship, just as they had in the wilderness. Not only did he rebel against God's command to worship only Him, he appointed men as priests who were not from the tribe of Levi; he worshiped at "high places" and altars not sanctified to God; and held a feast, sacrificing to these golden calves at unholy altars, counterfeiting the holy Feast of Tabernacles, which was commanded by God.

     The idol worship and apostasy against the Lord continued under the reign of King Jeroboam until "this thing (idol worship) became the sin of the house of Jeroboam to blot it out and eliminate it from the face of the earth" (1 Kings 13:34). The ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel would go into captivity by means of the invading armies of Assyria. The people would be carried to the nations of the world, most of them losing their identities as the chosen people of God. The nation of Judah didn't fare any better. They would also go to Babylon in captivity. But God knows who they all are, and one day they will return to their homeland (as they are beginning to do) in time for Jesus's return as their Messiah.

     I've given you all this history for a reason -- are you able to see the downfall of the ancient kingdom of Israel; a division that would result in two nations, both of which eventually find themselves in open rebellion to God and thrust into captivity to invading armies? Perhaps that rebellion is the ultimate cause of all nations that become lost to history. Will it become part of our history? We can certainly see the similarities with where we've been and where we are headed... a nation that came into existence because men fled religious oppression, and as God's people, felt called to America as their Promised Land. 

     But increased prosperity and power in the world comes with a price. And our citizens are burdened with heavy [and inequitable] taxation. Our leaders have forgotten the promises of God and the purpose this nation was established. They have listened to bad counsel and lost sight of the needs of the people, while enriching themselves. They have gotten into bed with foreign governments, and have abandoned their obligations to their own people. Like Solomon, they have developed comprehensive and costly programs that result in a depleted treasury and mounting debt that is heaped on the backs of the citizenry. Solomon had multiple palaces built for himself; our politicians own multiple homes. The similarities are glaring!

     And the biggest renunciation of the One who set the boundaries of this nation according to His plans that we honor and uphold His Kingdom on earth, is this abomination ... In order to set aside their rebelliousness against the God who founded this nation (yes, go back and read Part One's citation of Deuteronomy 32:6-9), our law-makers remove Him from His position of authority in our government, our schools, and our way of life. The apostasy is as apparent as it was in the days of Solomon. And, if we are not deliberate in restoring it, our path is due to mimic the downfall of the kingdom of Israel.

     Our nation is already divided, and millions of people have been led astray. They worship idols of self,  destruction, and death. It's apparent in our policies of abortion, the handling of Covid protocols for the elderly, and in the growing influence of ideologies such as socialism and communism. Our status as a nation upholding the principles of God is in dire jeopardy of being lost. Invading armies are watching us closely to see if we will be able to survive as a unified and strong nation.

     And, yes, I hear the voices of today's "prophets"... some declaring that "revival is on its way" and "Jesus will deliver us from this chaos" ... while others warn that our sins are catching up with us, and our God is a righteous God who will not tolerate the evil of aborted babies, nor honor our free will choices to remove Him from all that is at the heart of this nation. So, what do you think? Will we follow in the footsteps of the kingdom of Israel? Or do we still have time (and the will) to return to being a God-fearing nation who can forgive our brothers and sisters for the evil we've done to each other, and restore our hearts and spirits as a Godly nation? Are we still entitled to the inheritance that God gave us when this nation was founded, as it is stated in Deuteronomy 32? And are we able to look in the mirror and see ourselves in the Light of Jesus? Do we have Leaders who are still clean in heart, mind, and spirit to lead us out of this darkness and division? I pray that we can look at the lessons of Solomon and the divided nations of Israel and Judah.

     One thing is crystal clear: God does not tolerate the transfer of the honor and worship that is due Him to any other being or object [or philosophy or ideology]. And He has no problem, in His Sovereignty, of disciplining a nation by sending it into captivity -- or even removing it altogether. Do I think America could play a part in transforming the world into the Kingdom of God? YES! But not as long as we ignore the commandments of our Holy God. And that goes for our government, our citizenry, and our churches. We all have to take some responsibility for where we find ourselves. I just pray that we recognize our sins before it is too late, and that we come together in true and authentic unity, harmony, and solidarity. We are on the edge of either divine restoration or diabolical destruction. Now is the time to get in the game if we are going to save our nation! 

     So, it is only fitting that I ask you to join me in the following prayer that is inspired by Asher Intrator, who leads a Messianic ministry in Israel. He has been leading a group in prayer for America, and I ask that we come together in agreement with them as they pray for us: We feel led to come together to stand as one family with the United States of America. We cannot let go of what God has gripped us with -- America was birthed out of covenant with the Lord. She has justice and righteousness engraved in her foundations. While our hearts are at rest, as we trust in Him, we take our place as His ambassadors on earth, declaring that the kingdoms of the world will become the Kingdom of God. Despite any earthly differences, we want to rise higher, pray for this godly nation, and declare that the Lord's purposes and dreams [for America] will be fulfilled. Who can stop the Lord Almighty and His family? So, we come together to stand with America as a representation of His heavenly government. 

     And all God's children said, "AMEN"!  

 

Acts 17:26-27   And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands and territories.  This was so that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grasp for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.


November 17, 2020

Are We On The Verge Of Destroying Our Nation's Pride?

 

Radio host and political commentator Michael Savage is quoted in his book, Trickle Down Tyranny, "Economies can be rebuilt, armies can be repopulated, but once a nation's pride is gone it can almost never be restored." In 2012, an article on the United Church of God's website quoted a Conservative Party member of the British Parliament, who wrote, "The Arab Spring, the threat of Iran as an emerging nuclear power, the continuing violence in Syria and the American reluctance to get involved there, have all signaled the weakness, if not the end, of America’s role as a world policeman." That statement was followed by a warning that this was just one aspect of America's waning national power, and the writer felt it served as a prophecy that was beginning to be fulfilled; a prophecy that "may be on the verge of accelerating with frightening speed if the nation doesn’t take drastic steps to repent and change its self-destructive course."  

What do you think? Do events seem to be accelerating to you? In the Bible, God spoke to the rebellious nation of Israel and said, "I will break your pride in your power." It was a warning for rejecting His statutes and commandments, and breaking His covenant with them.  It would be the penalty if they turned away from Him to follow after leaders who led them to worship pagan idols; and leaders who abandoned God to increase their own wealth and power; or leaders who neglected God's moral laws to serve their own lusts and flesh. And I look at the condition of our nation today, and it is so clear that there is a massive split along ideological, political, spiritual, and social/cultural lines. I'm not sure there has ever been a more clear delineation between good and evil. 

What I am seeing in my country today is no different than what the prophet Isaiah saw during Israel's prosperous reign.  He could just as easily have been speaking to us when he warned, "O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray and confuse the direction of your paths" (Isaiah 3:12). And isn't his admonishment of  “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20) just as appropriate for today?  The corruption, misconduct, and fraud in our election process is not only embarrassing and shameful [and may be criminal], it dishonors the efforts of our Founding Fathers to give us a Constitution that would protect the rights and freedoms of its citizens. The original intent of that distinguished group of patriots was to write a code of laws designed to allow the citizenry to live, work, worship and advance their lives while participating in the governmental process, protected by rights and freedoms that are natural, God-given and safeguarded by law. Oh, how far this generation of leaders have fallen in this election!

Leaders make a difference in the continued survival of their nations, and the Bible records that even the nations favored by God lived or died by the influence and actions of their leaders. The histories of Israel and Judah prove that. And now we witness our elected leaders calling for lists to be made of those who have differing political views. The free discourse of ideas are censored, and the First Amendment is in serious danger of being nullified. I want you to consider how much of this significant safeguard of our freedoms has been threatened in the last year: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

As I look upon the utter chaos that seems to be at the heart of governing leaders today, I want to thunder like Jeremiah, and shout at our misguided and hateful Congress. These are the leaders who have resented anyone who doesn't fall in line with the Anti-Christ agenda to subdue the world for the kingdom of darkness. These are the leaders "who try to make My people forget My name… and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness".  Yes, I know that this nation has made mistakes and our dream of building a country where all men live as equals has fallen short of that lofty goal. But what I'm seeing now is more like a nightmare! 

I believe it is incumbent upon us to revisit the heart of why this country was founded in the first place ... "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." That is an except from the Declaration of Independence and describes why the colonists felt driven to separate themselves from the government of Great Britain.

The problem we are encountering today is that we are divided into two camps who each think that the form of our government has become destructive to their existence; that they have the right to alter or abolish the government which threatens their safety and security. Each side believes there has been a long train of abuses, that they are being subjected to absolute Despotism, and it is their right to throw off this kind of oppression. This historical document also declares that long-established governments should not be changed [or discarded] frivolously. But we have come to the point where these two distinctly different factions are no longer willing to suffer silently or willingly. 

What we are seeing playing out before our eyes is the result of a prideful nation whose leaders strayed from the original covenant with God and sought to bless themselves and this nation through their own power. They abandoned virtuous and moral principles and joined with the citizenry to create laws that fed their own desires and lust for self-fulfillment. And now we see a rapidly accelerating deterioration to violence in the streets and a full-blown rush to a communistic form of government. UNLESS... the million people who descended on Washington D.C. in support of traditional values and a return to our Christian principles in government, in our families, in our society, and in every aspect of this nation's culture storm Heaven with our repentance, our confession of allowing wickedness to cover the land,  and our declarations for a return to the Lord's statutes and laws. 

Then I believe that God will remember His covenant with America, entered into with the Pilgrims, and He will not reject or destroy this nation. Then I believe we will once again find favor with God and He will restore our nation's pride. We will once again be inhabited by a righteous people who refuse to bow down before false gods or sinful leaders. But we must not grow tired in our efforts, nor become slow to respond to the Enemy's increased attacks. We must persevere, no matter how long it takes and how bitter the fight becomes. Then we must "clean up our act" and destroy the altars of abortion, sex trafficking, and wealth and greed. We must invite the Most High God to once again establish His statutes, ordinances, and laws in this great nation, and declare that He is our God and we are His people. Father, please forgive us of our sins and hear our prayers for Godly and righteous leaders!

Proverbs 14:34    Righteousness [moral and spiritual integrity and virtuous character] exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.

October 1, 2020

How I Am Praying For Our Nation


All of us who believe in the power of prayer can have a tremendous impact on the spiritual war being waged against America. It has become very clear that our country is under demonic opposition and attack.  The deterioration of our society is ample evidence of the Enemy's influence through the assignments given to Satan's provocateurs and generals.  However, if you have read my previous posts on Warfare in the Spiritual Realms, then you know that I have also come to know the importance of Prayer and the Word of God as powerful weapons in our battle to destroy Satan's strongholds.

I offer no formula or precise way to pray; just my sincere thoughts as to how we might join together to defeat The Enemy and those in agreement with his lies. So, what I offer are some tactics that I hope you would consider in your own prayer time with the Father. Meditate on these ideas in your spirit and then pray as you are led. Here are some strategies to take into consideration:

• We can humbly, yet boldly, approach God's throne as part of the privilege we have as His child. His Word tells us in Hebrews 4:16, that we can "approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor and power] with confidence and without fear, so that our nation may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in this desperate time of our great need. Not since the Civil War of 1860, has our nation been so polarized, and it is going to take God's intervention to keep us from repeating that destruction.

• We can bow down at YHWH's throne, and ask that He consider our request as He did the requests of Moses when he pleaded on behalf of the rebellious Israelites. Over and over again, when they turned their backs on Him, He forgave them and restored them to His favor.  We must confess that we have turned away from Him and opened spiritual doors for Evil to transform this nation in ways that dishonor Him. It is imperative that we repent of the sins of this nation, ask for forgiveness, and humbly request that God send His warring angels on our behalf. We cannot turn this nation around without His help!

• We can specifically ask that we be made into a strong, bold, spiritual army.  We can speak His Word into the spiritual realms: "We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use the mighty weapons of the Lord, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing the Lord!  We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ". (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). 

• In the name of Jesus, we can renounce the spirit of Anti-Christ and the demonic spirits of anger, hatred, racism, tyranny, anarchy, and murder that have overwhelmed our country in recent days. We can renounce, in the mighty name of Jesus, the demonic spirits of division and discord that feed upon our sins, and pray that the Heavenly Host would be put on assignment to place every spirit of disharmony and disunity under the authority of Jesus. We can invite Lord Jesus to take the throne of the realm of this nation, and rule over this territory with His rod of iron. In His mighty Name, we can bind all of Satan's gatekeepers and place each and every portal access point belonging to him and his followers under the authority and jurisdiction of the Kingdom of God.

• We can place the blood of Jesus upon every portal access point and open door of evil and seal them with the Holy Spirit. We can take the sword of the Spirit and the Word of God, which are the strongest weapons we have, and cut this nation free from Satan's realm and his promised inheritance. We can appeal to the Father's righteous justice, and declare that as a man sows, so shall he reap. Therefore, we can pray that Satan and his prince of America would now reap a hundred-fold return for all of the evil sown against us individually, and as a nation.

• We can, in the name of Jesus, take authority over every demon that has been operating under the authority of Satan and the rulers of Marxism, Communism, and Socialism that have been assigned to the United States, and we can declare that they are discovered, apprehended, bound, pierced through, and thrust out of our country for judgment. We can declare that these demonic spirits will be sent to wherever the Lord Jesus sends them. And we can place the Cross between them and this nation, so that they may never return.

• We can proclaim Psalm 18:2-3: "The Lord God is our Rock, and our Fortress, and our Deliverer. He is our strength, and our God in whom we trust.  He is our Shield, and the power and strength behind our salvation, and He is our tower of refuge.  We will praise the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised, and we will be saved from our enemies".  And we can declare Ephesians 3:20-21:  "Now, to Him, whose Power is at work in us; who is able to carry out His purpose (in our lives and in the world), and to do it more abundantly than we could ever dare to ask or think; to Him be the Glory in His Ekklesia, in Jesus, our Savior, and to all the generations to come". We can declare, "So be it!"

• And not least of all, we can put on the armor of God; the complete armor He provides us in these days of battle ... we can put on the belt of Truth, which is His Truth -- not the truth of the world, not our own truth, not the truth of the media or the political parties, nor the truth of the Enemy. It is the truth of His character and His promises; it is the truth that is the foundation of our life. Next, we can put on the breastplate of righteousness, which protects our hearts, where His laws have been written.  It is a free-will choice that we make to put that breastplate on and to determine to walk in the footsteps of Christ.  And in the midst of heated battle, that breastplate is also a symbol to those in the spiritual realm -- they recognize which side we belong to, and Whom we obey.  We can also strap on the sandals of the peace of the Gospel; the Good News that Jesus has returned the dominion of the earth to His followers, and we are Kingdom ambassadors. We can shout, "He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"! We can also embrace the peace that comes from knowing Jesus is forever with us; He will never leave us nor forsake us. We can then pick up the shield of Faith, which is our trust and confidence in Jesus Christ as our Savior.  It is also the faithfulness of our Father, in protecting us from the fiery darts of the Enemy. We can praise Him for the countless times we have been protected and shielded without even knowing it. And lastly, we can wield the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, who is Jesus, our Savior, and the Lord and Master of our soul. When we speak the Word of God out loud in this physical realm, it is a mighty weapon to defeat any spirit that might come against us. When our spirits speak the Word into the spirit realm, it may not be heard in this world, but it destroys strongholds in the spiritual world.

So, these are some of the tactics that we can employ in the momentous days to come. There has been a battle in the spiritual realm over ownership of this earth since the Garden. And it is our time in history to join that battle as part of the Lord's earthly army. We fight alongside the angelic army in the Second Heaven, and our prayers have consequences in both this heaven and the next. We must stand up and be counted as we join our voices in forceful and urgent prayer! We must drown out the voices of those who call for division, destruction, and ruination of our country. 

As you contemplate these battle plans, I want to share what might seem like a trivial comment, but it is the farewell message of the Ambassador from the Philippines, General Romulo, as he returned to his home after 17 years in diplomatic service in the United States: "Never forget, Americans, that yours is a spiritual country. Yes, I know you're a practical people. Like others, I've marveled at your factories, your skyscrapers, and your arsenals. But underlying everything else is the fact that America began as a God-loving, God-fearing, God-worshiping people, knowing that there is a spark of the Divine in each one of us. It is this respect for the dignity of the human spirit which keeps America invincible. May you always endure and, as I say again in parting, thank you, America, and farewell. May God keep you always, and may you always keep God." 

That statement was made 58 years ago. Does his description of our country still apply? Did we keep God? Are we still a nation that loves and fears God; are we still a nation that worships the Most High God? Or have we allowed the Anti-Christ spirit to invade our land and sow the seeds of Marxism and rebellion? Do we still respect the dignity of the human spirit, and believe there is a spark of the Divine in each one of us, or have we abolished that notion through our worship of abortion? If so, then perhaps we are no longer the invincible nation we once were. Perhaps we better declare that our failures have made us vulnerable to the lies of the Enemy and that our youth are drinking from the cup of our disobedience and rebellion. Are we, the Ekklesia, joined with the true followers of Christ, enough in number to forestall the discipline and judgment that we are due? Can we avoid captivity and enslavement to unjust forces, and can we hold on to our freedoms? 

Our Father in Heaven is not insensitive to our needs. I believe He hears our cries. But I know that His Word says there comes a time when the powers of darkness begin to take over the governments of the world, and the voices of the righteous [in Jesus] will be suppressed. I don't claim to know where we are on that timeline, but my spirit senses the birth pangs of that reality. This nation's Declaration of Independence says that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of our rights to pursue Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government. In this election cycle, we can see the unrest and rebellion against our foundational principles of government and a desire to institute a "new" government. And it is not hard to see that it is not a God-loving, God-fearing, or God-worshiping style of governing system. 

So, are we at a point of no return? Nothing is impossible when we side with God! Please join me in praying that He is not through with America; that we can still be His instrument of righteousness and justice in the world. Take these strategies of prayer that I have presented and add to them as the Holy Spirit guides you. Trust in the Lord to deliver us; and if we are to go into captivity, trust Him to use you to put His Light upon a stand, so that all may see it and come to it. Be the one who lifts that Light on high, and announces that the darkness can never extinguish it!

Matthew 6:13     And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. Amen!


September 9, 2020

Ekklesia, Covid, and The Separation of Church & State


I know the title of this post sounds like incompatible pieces to a mismatched jigsaw puzzle. But let me see if I can tie it all together. Today, I asked the Lord what He wanted me to write about and He brought these disparate and distinct topics to mind. I mean, what do Covid and the separation of church and state have to do with each other? Nothing that I could see until He showed me that His Ekklesia is to relate to both.

Here's how it all fits together... Let me begin with Covid. Our nation has been in the grips of Covid-19 since mid-March. This pandemic has literally stopped us in our tracks. All of us have been affected by it and it has dramatically changed the nature of this country. I don't believe we will ever be the same country as we were at the dawn of 2020. And while many may mourn this notion, I actually join with those who discern that God is using what Satan meant for evil to accomplish a Godly reset ... if we will cooperate with Him. 

You see, many Christians were forced to be separated from their Church buildings and Church families by the lockdowns imposed by state and federal governments. For some, who were willing to see and hear from the Lord, they were shown not only the emptiness of their buildings, but the emptiness and shallowness of the message about God inside those buildings. They discovered they were actually hungry for something they had not tasted -- the fullness of the Word of God and true interaction with the Holy Spirit. Being forced to isolate, they learned the value of true intimacy with the Lord and their spirits were awakened to what a true relationship with their Savior looked and felt like. 

Not content to wait for the doors of the Church building to open up again, and dissatisfied with online sermons that did not ignite their hearts and spirits, small groups and home churches have begun forming in a new dynamic; they are discovering and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit to stimulate change and progress in their walk with Christ. They are learning the power of intimate prayer with each other, and the profound and personal connection of taking communion as a bonded body of believers. Returning to the old paradigm and model of "Church" might not seem so attractive.

And so I see that Covid-19, meant for evil by the devil, has become a transformative agent for personal revival. And this is the kind of revival that I think the Lord has had in mind -- one believer at a time until the fullness of His remnant to discharge the purpose of the Ekklesia within the Body of Christ becomes a reality. As I have long espoused, Jesus never said He would build His "Church", but an Ekklesia, and it would rest on the foundation of His teachings and authority and power. We, as committed Believers are to be agents of His kingdom government to transform earth to resemble the kingdom of Heaven.

And like Jesus, we are to continually encourage people to change their way of thinking [Repent!] because the Kingdom of God has arrived -- there is a new kingdom come; with a new way of ruling; and He intends for us to be His legislative body; called to defeat the gates [ruling power] of the one who has ruled with the power of Death. Furthermore, He is giving us the key of authority to open or close [loose or bind] God's heavenly principles on the earth, thereby offering Jesus as the gate [or doorway] into the kingdom of God. Jesus perfectly models for us God's design to establish His people, in His place, under His rule. 

And this is where the Ekklesia intersects with the concept of "Separation of Church and State". This nation has been deceived for too long on the idea that we were founded with the belief that Faith and Government are to be separated in our lives. How many of us have grown up with the wrong ideology that religion and politics don't mix? Nothing could be further from the truth! In fact, this concept of "separation" has been wrongly applied to the First Amendment, whose purpose in the "establishment" and "free exercise" clauses concerning religion were meant to ensure both that the government does not show preference to a certain religion and that the government does not take away an individual’s ability to exercise religion. 

But here's where Ekklesia busts down that counterfeit wall of separation! Our faith is supposed to interface with government. As ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, we are to influence the laws of this nation to reflect the moral laws God has instituted in Heaven. Because we have acted as "the Church" instead of "the Ekklesia", we have allowed a man-made government model to supersede God's intended heavenly model on earth, and to suppress our role as righteous legislators of God's law. We have stood silent and subdued while prayer to God was removed from our schools; while abortion became the law of the land; and God's definition of marriage was subverted and corrupted. We have allowed human trafficking to become a $150 billion a year business -- with $99 billion from commercial sexual exploitation -- without demanding that our lawmakers stop this evil industry. We have believed the lie that our faith has no place in man's government, and that we are to follow the laws of that government without interference.

It's time we walk in our identity! We were created to represent God in all facets of our life. Our politics should reflect the righteousness and principles of a Biblical worldview. And  our government should reflect God's nature, His will, His purpose for mankind, and His Heavenly Kingdom model. And Christians should be heavily involved in all of that! The Ekklesia needs to walk in its moral authority; we need to be praying fervently for God to heal our land and change the hearts of all who are standing at the gates of hell. 

Covid-19 is a diversion, and so is all the violence stemming from social injustice and the upcoming election. We have been essentially neutered from involvement in our worldly government. Satan has been effective in using them to get us to act out of our humanity. Let's stand up and show him who we really are! We are citizens of Heaven who rule from spiritual authority given to us explicitly by our Father in Heaven. And we are here to defeat the schemes and strategies of our spiritual enemies and establish our Father's government on earth, as it is in Heaven. We are throwing off the false identity of being the Church and putting on our kingly and priestly robes and ruling earth as Heaven is ruled. We praise you Father for all you are doing in the midst of the chaos. We trust You as you strengthen and fortify us to be the Ekklesia! Amen!

2 Timothy 2:15   Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.  

June 24, 2020

This Is Nothing New Under The Sun ... It Has Been Already In The Ages Before Us

    
     Knowing that I cannot trust the media for truth in these daunting days, I have been even more diligent in searching God's Word for answers to the growing rebellion and discord in our nation. I know that what we are seeing played out on our computer and TV screens is the subversion of the worldly government by agents within that very system they claim to serve; men and women who serve their fleshly desires for money, position, and power while selling jealousy, envy, division and hatred to the masses.
     If we truly want to know the source of our disunity and division, we must look beyond the convenient identifiers of Republican vs Democrat; Black vs White; Patriot vs Traitor; Young vs Old. The truth is that this country has been attacked by an insidious Enemy who has been working under the guise of social and political revolution since the founding of this country. Call it by any of its secular names ... Freemasonry, the New World Order, Socialism, Marxism, Communism, Progressivism ... they all serve the same Master: the Anti-Christ who seeks to establish the Beast System, an end-of-the-world kingdom that controls the globe and serves his selfish desire for power.
     But Christians should be able to see that this same Enemy has been active in the world since the Garden, and again at the Tower of Babel, when men believed the lies of Nimrod, the king of Shinar, who among his many names was known as "One Who Speaks of Dark Things". So God came down and confused man's common language because His purpose for mankind was to live for HIS NAME, scattering over the earth proclaiming HIM! But what we see playing out before us is people whose love of self, power, and greed have supplanted any love for the One who created them to serve HIM.
     I am not denying that grievances are real; that sins have been committed throughout our history. But  destabilization and violence; the perpetuation of intolerance and biogotry (by everyone involved); the struggle for political and social power through civil unrest; a passive government and pulpit -- all of it plays right into the Enemy's hands.
     But, just as Solomon spoke in the Book of Ecclesiastes, "What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun... It has been already in the ages before us." The rebellion we see in the streets of America is, in reality, a rebellion against God, and is as old as time. And the Bible clearly warns us that we must be alert for such strategies ... But [in those days] false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will subtly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned. And in their greed they will exploit you with false arguments and twisted doctrine. (2 Peter 2:1-3). We could easily apply that passage to our college campuses and the twisted set of beliefs often proposed as education -- or the deceptive discourse that our politicians peddle as they try to convince us they are serving us, their constituents. 
     We must recognize that the Beast System has been given the opportunity to establish itself because we have not stood in our identity for which we were created -- as Ambassadors of the Kingdom of God on Earth. Every man, woman, and child is here on the planet to represent their Creator; to refute the lies of the one who seeks to poison their hearts and minds with false identities. Whether it is the rioters in the streets or the government officials who struggle for solutions, people and events have spiraled into a state of confused and violent turmoil.
     But what can we expect when we, the representatives of God's Kingdom, have allowed the citizens of this world's kingdom of darkness to censor God's presence? Prayer has been removed from our classrooms, and college campuses are nearly devoid of any mention of Him. The Ten Commandments have been removed from parks and courthouses. Churches have become businesses in the marketplace, tied to a secular government by their 501(c)3 charters. Christian views are heavily redacted on social media platforms. And to self-identify as a Christian is often met with fingers pointing to our hypocrisy and false righteousness.
     And, sadly, the Church has relegated its authority to secular government. I'm sure you've heard the oft-quoted excuse of Romans 13:1 ... Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist have been put in place by God. That verse has been so misunderstood, and the Enemy has been so successful in convincing Believers that we are subject to all government because it all has been put in place by God. But I submit to you a different  perception of the verse ... No one has authority [in government] except those who have been granted authority by His permission and sanction! Any other authority gained [without His sanction] does not come from Him! And if they have His sanction, then we are to be subject to that authority, which comes from Heaven.
     How will we know? By their fruit! If you are seeking the Kingdom of God, then you will recognize those who come in its authority. Governments who pass abortion laws allowing babies to be killed in the womb are not sanctioned by God. Governments who institute Welfare laws that enslave generations to their hand-outs instead of encouraging and establishing paths out of poverty are not sanctioned by Him. Governments who build and feed a nexus of military-industrial conflicts to maintain global power are not sanctioned by Him. And men who enter the halls of Government for personal greed and power are not sanctioned by Him. As Ambassadors and representatives of the government of the Kingdom of Heaven, our answer should be the same as Peter and the Apostles in Acts 5:29, "We must obey God rather than men [for we have no other choice]."
     Now we see statues commemorating our national history being defaced and destroyed -- as if that wipes out the sins of America. When we decimate [destroy or remove] our history -- flawed, or not --, how will future generations recognize when they are close to repeating it? And I am perplexed at the lack of knowledge and understanding of our history that I see in this Millennial generation! True, the Civil War was a blight upon our country's history, but we cannot ignore that it righted a wrong in our nation's moral conscience, and it is a reminder of just how fragile our foundation is. That fragility is still quite evident.
     So, as children of the Light, we must become more vocal than the children of darkness. We must speak the bigger truths of the spiritual strongholds of Power, Greed, and Deception that are behind the scenes of the protests and division. Our pulpits need to be thundering the message that Satan deflects responsibility on to others, thereby creating victims that serve his purposes. Jesus puts the responsibility right back on us... if my fellow man hates me, I am to love him. If he persecutes me, I am to pray for him. We may not be able to control everything that the Enemy throws at us, but we are responsible for how we react to it.
     So, how are we going to react to what we see in the streets of America and on Capitol Hill? We pray fervently, and we wage war in the Spiritual realms! Let the world compare our fruit with the fruit of those causing destruction. Let us take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. Do not get discouraged and don't be dismayed! We must stay strong in the Lord, no matter what comes. We may be the only image of Christ that those in darkness will ever see. The false prophets and teachers will reap what they've sown, but let us act out of unselfish concern for the lost. God is not silent and He is not absent. And the Lord expects us to endure until He comes. Let us not waver.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9     We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
    
    
    

August 21, 2019

Romans 13 And The Kingdom of God

    
     There is no denying that our nation has been in turmoil over the past few decades in regards to deciding how we want to be governed. The Presidential cycles are becoming more and more hostile; and citizens are aligning themselves along polar-opposite political lines, leading to aggressive and combative attitudes and actions -- not exactly following the commandment in Ephesians 4:32 to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
     But we can hardly say that the world's governments follow the dictates of the Heavenly government can we? And how many people -- even Christians -- understand that how God governs in His Heavenly domain is to be the role model here on earth? I suppose secular people, who have no relationship with their Creator, can be forgiven for not asking those questions and seeking the answers. But, if you call yourself a follower of Christ, it is incumbent upon you to read His Word, taking the whole counsel of it and study what He had to say about how mankind was to be governed; and then pursue an understanding of how His Disciples interpreted government. If not, your opinion is not Christ-oriented.
    All that being said, I would submit to you that most Christians look to Romans 13:1-7 to try to define how we are to regard government. So, let's consider that passage: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
     Before we dive into an expository on this passage, I believe [as always] that it is important to look at what is spoken within context of the bigger picture. It can be a mistake [in understanding] if we let these seven verses alone determine our doctrine on what God thinks about earthly governments. So, let's look at who the Book of Romans was written to, and see if that gives us a clue where to start, because all 16 chapters would have been written as one long letter, without the chapter divisions that modern Bibles include.
     Romans, Chapter One, verse 7 says [in the Amplified version], [I am writing] to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called to be saints (God’s people) and set apart for a sanctified life, [that is, set apart for God and His purpose. So Paul is writing to "God's people", not the general secular population of Rome. Furthermore, the Bible records this letter [to this particular group of people in Rome] right after the last two verses of the preceding chapter. Acts 28:30-31 says Paul lived in Rome two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
     Can you comprehend that when Paul writes in Romans 13:1, Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God, that "every person" refers to every Believer [his audience as stated in Romans 1] and he is reminding them to submit to the kingdom of God's government? 
     There is no reason to doubt that Paul understood that Jesus came proclaiming that the Kingdom of God had arrived [and along with it, its government]; Paul wrote about the kingdom 17 times in the 13 books of the Bible that bear his signature. Since he was writing to Christians and understood that Jesus came to establish God's governing principles on the earth, the "governing authorities" he referred to should be understood to be godly men entrusted to execute Heaven's government on earth. When you understand Romans 13 from the kingdom perspective, then you know who these authorities are, and who they represent. Then the statement "there is no authority except from God" makes perfect sense, and "those who exist have been instituted by God", should tell us that God is establishing an earthly kingdom that resembles His heavenly kingdom [through chosen Believers that will legislate according to His purpose]. And what was God's purpose for man as stated in Genesis 1:26-28? To rule the earth in His stead!
     That makes verse 2 even clearer: Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. Whose judgment? God's! And the next three verses make more sense from the kingdom perspective as well. The rulers who are appointed by God to administrate His kingdom government on earth are not to be feared if you are walking in the ways of a citizen of the kingdom. Only those Believers who stray from the righteous path should be concerned about the authorities of the kingdom. I invite you to think from a renewed mind [one that thinks from God's perspective and not the carnal mind] -- Romans 1:7 establishes that this letter is written to Christians, right? If you read this passage from the commonly accepted viewpoint, you must ask yourself this question: why would God give "worldly" authorities power over righteous Christians? Does it make sense that He would tell us to be subject to them above Him? 
     And I know that verses 6 and 7 might cause confusion because they tell us to pay our taxes to the ministers of God. This has long been interpreted from a secular government frame of reference because we all pay taxes to our nation's government. But when we stop to realize that Jesus came to re-institute God's kingdom and its government here on earth, He was fully aware that He was bringing a new kingdom that would have to exist here in the world; think "in" the world, but not "of" the world. That means God's righteous ministers of His kingdom's government would need to be supported to do God's work here on earth. Since we are in this world, that requires support by earthly means ... taxes and revenue; but all for God's purpose [establishing righteousness among His people], and showing respect and honor to whom it is owed.
     A very dear friend sent me a link to a website called EmbassyofHeaven.com which gives a very good and concise summary of Romans 13: "The best way to understand Romans 13:1-7 is to read it as a blueprint for Christian government. Paul was not telling us to obey Caesar or the Roman State. He was giving us a definition of lawful [kingdom] government. Punish the evil and reward the good ... Jesus did not come to earth to put us under governments of men. He came to bring us a government to replace the governments of wicked men."  
     We must look at the big picture! Paul was beheaded for promoting a rival government to Rome's government. In Romans 12, Paul tells us "do not be conformed to this world." If, in Romans 13, he says to be "subject to the governing authorities", and is referring to the governing authorities of Rome, wouldn't that be hypocritical? No, Paul is presenting a very important argument in favor of the Kingdom of God. It is critical that we recognize our Father in Heaven's government is here NOW -- and that we share the Good News, encouraging every nation, tongue, and people to stop seeking the kingdoms of this world. Let us rejoice that we, in this time and age, are seeing this truth, and let us step into our purpose and destiny as the sons and daughters of the King. Partake of the government Jesus promised His disciples [and all who follow Him]...

Luke 22:24-30   The disciples bickered over which one of them would be considered the greatest in the kingdom. 25 Jesus interrupted their argument, saying, “The kings and men of authority in this world rule oppressively over their subjects, claiming that they do it for the good of the people. They are obsessed with how others see them. 26 But this is not your calling. You will lead by a different model. The greatest one among you will live as one called to serve others without honor. The greatest honor and authority is reserved for the one who has a servant heart. 27 The leaders who are served are the most important in your eyes, but in the kingdom, it is the servants who lead. Am I not here with you as one who serves you?
28 “Because you have stood with Me through all My trials and ordeals, 29 I give you your destiny: I am promising you the kingdom realm that the Father has promised Me. 30 We will celebrate in this kingdom and you will feast with Me at My table. And each of you will be given a throne, twelve thrones in all, and you will be made rulers on thrones to judge the tribes of Israel.”


       
    

June 14, 2017

"I Will Break The Pride Of Your Power"

     This is the warning that God gave the ancient nation of Israel should they be rebellious and reject His statutes and commandments, and break His covenant.  This would be the penalty if they turned away from Him to follow after leaders who led them to worship pagan idols; and leaders who abandoned God to increase their own wealth and power; or leaders who neglected God's moral laws to serve their own lusts and flesh.
     You know, I've had good reason to take my eyes off the world stage for the last year or so.  And it was never made clearer than what I've witnessed happening in our own nation in the past couple of months.  The leaders of our country seem to have lost all sense of decorum and legitimacy.  There is no respect for the duly elected President of the United States -- and whether you like him or not, the idea that it is entertainment to promote his beheading or assassination should be repugnant to every law-abiding citizen and person of faith.  The fact that this repulsive image is welcomed by both media and politicians should tell you the rate of the decline of our republic.
     History is said to be a great predictor of the future.  And as a Christian, I am appalled at the state of my nation.  But I also see a clear parallel in the history of ancient Israel and Judah.  The success and well-being of a nation and its citizens is greatly impacted by what kind of men are in leadership roles.  Today, our leaders are more focused on secularism, consumerism, and moral relativism than Jesus's teachings and living by the principles established by God.
     What I am seeing in my country today is no different than what the prophet Isaiah saw during Israel's prosperous reign.  He could just as easily have been speaking to us when he warned, "O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray and confuse the direction of your paths" (Isaiah 3:12). And isn't his admonishment of  “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20) just as appropriate for today?
     Leaders make a difference in the continued survival of their nations, and the Bible records that even the nations favored by God lived or died by the influence and actions of their leaders.  Both Israel and Judah had every advantage from being in close relationship with YHWH, yet their leaders ultimately led them to adopt pagan ways, to worship false gods, and to reject God's commandments.  When looking at a rating chart of the Kings of Israel, it is astonishing to see that from Jeroboam to Hoshea, a matter of 207 years, they were all rated as some degree of Bad.
     The Kings of Judah didn't fare much better.  Although Judah existed for 344 years, the reigns of its kings, from Rehoboam to Zedekiah were rated Bad, Devilish, Worst and Wicked; although six kings attempted to reform the nation and return it to God's ways, receiving a rating of Good.  But, ultimately, the nations of Israel and Judah were both taken into captivity -- with the ten tribes of Israel vanishing into history.  The nation of Judah was resurrected by King Cyrus and it is generally accepted that the descendants of that ancient nation are among the inhabitants of the modern nation of Israel.
     As I look upon the utter chaos that seems to be at the heart of governing leaders today, I want to thunder like Jeremiah, and shout at our misguided and hateful Congress. These are the leaders "who try to make My people forget My name… and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness".  Yes, I know that this nation is a melting pot and we are to respect and help all people try to achieve the "American Dream".  But what I'm seeing now is more like a nightmare! And the fact that everything Christian is excoriated, and the ways of God are ridiculed, warns my spirit that this nation will also pay a penalty for its disobedience to the God who so richly blessed it at its founding.
     I confess that I am embarrassed and ashamed of how the leaders of my country are acting.  It's as if all common sense and decency have left our shores.  The Bible makes it very clear that the nations who obey God will be blessed.  I'm afraid that our leaders have been deceived into thinking it is by their own power and abilities that we have become a prosperous nation. I'm afraid they have forgotten the statutes and commandments of our God who judges between the nations, and either raises them up or destroys them.
     I would advise our leaders to read Leviticus, Chapter 26 and hearken to what God says He will do to a nation that walks contrary to Him.  If He was willing to execute His wrath on His beloved nations of Israel and Judah, what makes our leaders think this nation will be immune?  And, yes, Leviticus is an ancient book of the Old Covenant, but for those of us who know the God of Leviticus to be the same God as today, we regard Him with Awe, Reverence, and an expectation of His Righteous Judgment.  There is a definite spirit of Unrighteous Pride in our nation's capitol and I pray that corrupted minds and hearts will be renewed, so that men's pride in their own power will be broken by contrite and repentant hearts, and this land can once again walk erect with our God.  I know the following Scripture is in vogue these days, but it has never been more true. Please seek His face!

UPDATE:  As evidenced by the violence in Alexandria, VA against members of Congress this morning (June 14), this nation is reaping what it has sowed.  Among our many sins, men have become lovers of self, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, fierce, despisers of those that are good, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. May God have mercy on us and hear our prayers for Godly and righteous leaders!

2 Chronicles 7:14    "If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land".   

January 22, 2017

Psalm 33:12

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...


     I have tried to stay away from political commentary and concentrate on what the Holy Spirit reveals to me.  But in the wake of Friday's inauguration of our 45th President, I was quite moved at the emphasis on our God in the opening prayers.  I will leave the commentary on the President's inaugural speech to those who are more astute at political analysis than I.  But I do want to give a short and visceral response, prompted by the reaction of my spirit.
     First, let me say that I knew on Thursday afternoon, as the pre-inauguration concert came to an end, and the Marine Band sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" with all the reverence and respect that those words evoke, that perhaps we were going to see this event in terms that transcended politics.  I will honestly tell you that when the last verse was sung. slowly and deliberately ... In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me: As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free, While God is marching on ... I felt my spirit stir, and I could not hold back the tears -- not because I was stirred by the patriotism, but because there was such honor and reverence for our God in picking that song to kick off our nation's transference of power weekend.
     I will say that post-event, in spite of all the attempts by political wonks and hacks to derail the power of President Trump's inauguration speech, I was more focused on the opening prayers.  For the first time, in a long time, there did not appear to be an effort towards ecumenicalism, or a global inclusion of false gods.  The Christian-Judeo God was at the center of each prayer; the One True God, and I can't help but think that Satan, the Enemy of YHWH, was dealt a tremendous blow. For the first time -- in a long time -- it seemed that there was a declaration that we are a Christian nation!
     Cardinal Timothy Dolan offered the first of six prayers by various faith leaders, praying from King Solomon's Book of Wisdom:  "Lord God, God of our ancestors ... in Your Providence, You have charged us to rule the creatures produced by You; to govern the world in [Your] Holiness and Righteousness, and to render [Your] Judgment with integrity of heart.  Give us wisdom, for we are Your servants ... Send Wisdom from Your Glorious Throne in Heaven; dispatch her to us that we might discern what is pleasing to You...".
     The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez incorporated Jesus's Sermon on the Mount in his prayer offering, emphasizing God's desire that His people represent His Kingdom on Earth.  Paula White, whom the press has labeled as President Trumps's "spiritual advisor" began her prayer with "Dear Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus, ... we recognize that every perfect gift and purpose comes from You ... Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done ... Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit... we pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
     Bishop Wayne Jackson of Detroit prayed that God would give President Trump the wisdom of Solomon, the vision of Joseph, and the meekness of Christ. And then he bestowed the Aaronic blessing upon the President and the nation:  The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His face on you and give you peace.
     Rabbi Marvin Hier invoked the blessings of the Eternal God: "May the days come soon, when Justice will dwell in the wilderness; and Righteousness will abide in the fertile fields; and the work of Righteousness will be peace, quietness, and confidence forever. Amen."
     The Rev. Franklin Graham quoted from 1 Timothy, Chapter 2:  "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth.  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all...".  And then to make sure that we heard the Divine Truth, he repeated one verse: For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.  He continued:  "Now to the King Eternal; the only God; Honor and Glory forever and ever.  In Jesus's Name. Amen".
     To be honest with you, I couldn't quite believe my ears.  Only one God was magnified on Inauguration Day ... YHWH, who is the God of Israel, the Most High God, and the One True God!  There was no attempt to make Him equal to the lesser gods of the world; nor to diminish His Authority or place in our history.  I heard the Word expressed in all its infinite Power, and it felt good to my spirit!
     But I want us to be mindful.  Before the Inaugural event even began, the Enemy has infiltrated the media and there were undisguised attempts to cast doubt on the characters of those pastors who spoke Biblical Truth.  I am not going to attempt to defend or deny these men and women.  I am only assessing the faithfulness and trustworthiness of their prayers.  
     No one can say if this turning towards God will last for our generation and into the future, or if it will be fleeting.  But for now -- for this moment in time -- the magnificence of my God was glorified, and I felt He was pleased.  May we continue to exalt Him, and may His Name be preserved in the government of our nation forever.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:  As I consider the Prayer Service that took place the next morning at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., my spirit is somewhat troubled that the Service included prayers on behalf of faiths not recognized by YHWH.  And I fully understand that my comment would be seen as politically incorrect by most secularists, and some Christians. But I am not concerned with how the world looked upon this holy occasion; I am only concerned with how my God regarded it. In light of the fact that the Inauguration praised and magnified Jesus Christ, and the God of Israel, how would YHWH look upon exalting other gods the very next morning?
     I understood that as the Leader of the United States, our President is expected to honor all the peoples of this nation; peoples of different ethnicities and faiths.  But how did YHWH look upon those prayers to false gods?  Then my wise husband reminded me of Revelation 5:10:  You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.  
      I know that we are called to rule and reign [in partnership with Jesus] in establishing God's Kingdom here on earth. But we are also called to be priests.  And what did God establish as the role of a priest? It is to atone for the sins of the nation.  So I can pray to my God, and as His priest, I can ask that the sins of praying to other gods be transferred to me, whereby I will repent of them, and asking for forgiveness, trusting that they will be covered in the blood of Jesus. This Prayer Service could then be cleaned and purged of all unrighteousness. It in no way excuses or approves of the sin; but in fact, shows recognition of the affront to my God, and a willingness to atone for the iniquity. Please, Dear God, forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.