Applications from Luke 6 to Help us Endure the Election Year 2020 Chaos

The Bible passage for today (Luke 6:1-26) from the reading plan our church drafted over 18 months ago seems to apply to what we are facing as a nation today, which will surely escalate in severity and intensity as Election Day approaches and as we navigate whatever is planned for the "October Surprise".

The legalistic Pharisees had been watching and waiting for an opportune time to accuse and overthrow Jesus. While scheming to do evil on the Sabbath, these virtue signaling hypocrites attacked Christ for doing good (healing) on the Sabbath while failing to acknowledge Christ as Lord over the Sabbath. They were offended by his teaching, so they, being the thought police of their time, were filled with fury and outrage, so they conspired against him, which ultimately led to the crucifixion of our sinless Savior.

Then Jesus "went out to the mountain to pray, and all night He continued in prayer to God." (Luke 6:12) When He returned, he called 12 disciples to follow Him, to learn from Him, and to become leaders/apostles for the early Christian church.

Jesus went away alone to pray fervently before any big event. That's where we need to be right now.....on our knees in prayer. We need to confess, repent, worship, express gratitude, pray for His mercy, guidance and strength, and ask Him to appoint for us leaders who love and obey Him, according to His will.

Then Jesus ministered to the multitudes (with teaching and healing) and delivered the Beatitudes and the Woes (Luke 6: 20-26). Those promises should encourage and strengthen us as we face the trials ahead.

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. (Luke 6:20-23)

When Persecution Backfires: Trump Impeachment Scam

God uses adversity to strengthen us for His good purposes. Clay, molded by a craftsman, is strengthened in a fiery furnace to turn it into strong pottery that can withstand the fire day after day without cracking. Fire-danubing is the process of hardening wood over a fire or bed of coals to make a spear point. In metallurgy, fire is also used to refine or remove all impurities. Turn up the heat, and we only get better.

“Temper us in fire, and we grow stronger. When we suffer, we survive.” - Cassandra Clare

The left, in partnership with the mainstream media, international billionaire globalists, enemy nations, the FBI, etc. has been launching a massive, exorbitantly expensive (paid by taxpayers), coup against Trump since he campaigned for POTUS. The attacks have been brutal and relentless. They have falsely accused him of countless crimes they have already committed, repeatedly without legal consequences. Three years of investigation at the highest levels, illegal spying, and set-ups have delivered no evidence of crimes whatsoever, which is a most surprising for the best of men, for all have fallen (Romans 3:23), much less for someone with Trump's moral history. Yet just like the odds of tiny Israel surviving all these years while surrounded by much larger, powerful enemies unrestrained by common codes of ethics or war rules are nearly impossible were these people not chosen and protected by God, Teflon Don appears to be under similar protection, with each attack backfiring and strengthening his position.

The left fired their most powerful weapon this week through the House impeachment sham, yet Trump is now more popular and stronger than ever with his supporters and his party more unified. While many still question if Trump has any saving faith in God (myself included), God's hand in his work as POTUS is hard to deny. Trump has been a tremendous ally to people of faith and especially to persecuted Christians in America and around the world. He has fought for the right to life for the unborn, defunded the evil power player Planned Parenthood, greatly improved the care given to veterans, helped reduce human trafficking, provided resources to fight and prevent drug addiction, raised income levels for all, especially the poor and the middle class, provided more jobs than any POTUS before him with women and minorities benefiting the most, improved national security for the US and her allies, enabled the USA to become energy independent, won trade wars previously believed to be impossible, initiated peace discussion between North and South Korean for the first time ever, called out the corruption and abuses by the UN and foreign nations while holding corrupt US government entities accountable (I'm still waiting on the DOJ to deliver indictments though), and lifted up the nation of Israel more than any POTUS before him - all while under relentless attack. I pray that as he considers all these things, he comes to true saving faith in the one and only God who is his true strength and shield and who is guiding/equipping/helping him to do great things for America.

The left's greatest weapon made him stronger than ever while greatly weakening and dividing their party and exposing their own corruption. If that didn't take him down, then what hope do they have of undoing the will of the people who elected him? So let us not fear adversity but welcome it and allow it to make us stronger in faith, conviction, courage, and resolve. And let us be faithful to pray for our President and for all our leaders.

Trump Was Not the Real Winner in the Mueller Investigation

Source:  truthfeed.com

Lots of people are calling the Mueller report a win for Trump. I'm certainly glad all the illegal spying and Mueller's part of the ridiculously expensive witch hunt (most comprehensive investigation ever), which was based on pure slander (even the most liberal medial moguls admitted behind closed doors that the Russia collusion story was completely false from the beginning), to overthrow a surprisingly successful POTUS, is finally over and that his innocence has been upheld.

But I don't see how Trump was truly a winner in this investigation. Trump was rightly exonerated, but he has been denied the presumption of innocence by the powerful mainstream media and most Democratic leaders for years. Trump, his family, and hundreds of associates or contacts have suffered more for crimes they did not commit than the political elite before them have ever faced for heinous crimes we know they committed such as Benghazi, Uranium 1, Pay-for-Play, Clinton's emails, rigging the Democratic primary, illegally redirecting DNC contributions into Hillary's campaign and the subsequent DNC buy-out & takeover, etc.

I'm relieved that the mainstream media and both the Democrats and Deep State Republicans who have been conspiring for the past two years to overthrow Trump have been exposed for their repeated slander. They hoped to falsely create a dark shadow over Trump's presidency and to distract from all his achievements for the good of the majority of Americans. I hope those who actually believed all the lies are more discerning now and recognize the hatred and coup attempt behind so much of the media's words and works.

If there is a real winner in all this, it's Russia. Russia has been using social media and hackers to interrupt our elections for many years. That much is no new revelation. They spread lies through these platforms that hurt both political parties because Putin's goal isn't to side with one party or the other, but rather to stir up hatred and dissension which ultimately divides and weakens us. The mainstream media, Democrats, and Trump haters from every political persuasion have thrown our nation under Putin's foot by believing and spreading this slander. Instead of working for the nation's good, they have torn it apart. Visit Democratic led cesspools like Chicago, Seattle, New York, and San Francisco and talk to the homeless and drug addicts living in the excrement covered streets or in the desperate neighborhoods consumed with gang violence for a few ideas of where these leaders should have been spending their time and taxpayer money instead of attacking Trump's family with false accusations and unjustified investigations.

Consider all the lies hurled at Kavanaugh and what he and his family suffered for months during the judicial hearings, not based on any evidence, but purely on political hatred. The Trump family and all associated with them have been through similar persecution for over two years. Some are rotting in prison for lesser crimes that had nothing to do with Russia collusion. When will it end?

Until we can move past our hatred, demand an honest press, and uphold truth over our personal political preferences or vendettas, America will remain the loser. The only way that Americans can truly win is to come together as one nation under God again.

Reasons for the Rising Popularity of Socialism

Why has socialism and government dependence (for everything) gained so much popularity despite socialism's perfect record throughout history of destroying every civilization that tried it. Why are these Marxists/socialist ideas becoming so popular in America, especially among young people, when our nation was founded to be the antithesis of socialism and political tyranny? A few reasons that came to mind follow.

Many friends, parents, and educators have noted that government mandated curriculum pushes socialist indoctrination in the schools, especially at the university level, but the roots of rising socialism go so much deeper than the education system.

When considering the Judeo-Christian values that guided our founding fathers when drafting the Constitution, the depravity of the human heart emerges as a predominant theme underlying the carefully designed balance of powers Our founding fathers, deists and Christians alike, knew the sin nature would drive people to abuse their power and that unchecked power will always corrupt the motives of the heart. So they developed a system of checks and balances to ensure the government was big enough to protect the nation from her enemies without becoming powerful and corrupt enough to self-destruct.

The secularization of society and the false idea that morality is relative have certainly contributed to this failure to recognize mankind as fallen and prone to corruption. If each person's morality is individually chosen instead of determined by a universal law written into the hearts of all mankind by a creator God, then no action by one person can be judged as right or wrong by another person, not even rape or murder.

I spoke with an agnostic who was an ardent Bernie supporter during the last presidential election. He could not stand Hillary because of her corruption. Her crimes seemed to grow in number and degree as she gained power. She was among the most powerful women in the world as evidenced by her lucrative pay-for-play deals through the Clinton Foundation and her career long history of living above the law, never facing just consequences for her crimes which were evident to all and would put anyone else in jail. This young man insisted that Bernie was different, and that he could manage the power benevolently, without caving to corruption. Shortly after our conversation, however, Bernie took the bribe from Hillary's campaign and bowed out of the race without contesting the obvious illegal campaign fixing to prevent him from ever having a chance. It only took him enough hush money to buy a beach front home to abandon his cause. Bernie has been bought off for most of his political life. He even got kicked off a commune for failing to contribute, sucking them dry, just like socialist tyrants do to every nation they rule. But I digress...

Helicopter parenting also seems to be a contributing factor. Kids are raised believing they have no sin nature.Their parents swoop in and remove any consequences before their children have a chance to acknowledge their wrongdoing. Parents threaten teachers and school administrators who dare write their kids up for behavioral issues or give them bad grades. This new generation isn't being taught a decent work ethic because everything is given to them from participation trophies in sports to parents fraudulently buying them admission into prestigious universities. Undeserved passing grades are given out like candy in universities which are graduating people like Ocasio-Cortez with economic degrees when these students have no comprehension of the most basic math concepts and cannot discern between fantasy and reality.

Kids aren't taught how to wrestle through their struggles or to own their shortcomings and wrongdoings in a way that is productive. Mass shootings are blamed on guns, mental health issues, or the drugs used to treat depression, but the shooter isn't deemed a sinner, capable of great evil. Ilhan Omar blamed her constituents' decision to join ISIS on a society that failed to include them or show them compassion instead of acknowledging their choices as wrong.

Our culture sees no sinners from a Biblical perspective who can only be saved by Jesus. Progressives instead make up other sins like political incorrectness or global warming to gain power over voters. Socialists want people to view the government as their god, savior, and provider who will take away their guilt (falsely imposed by the government itself). But only a perfect, holy God can possess all power and remain perfectly loving, just, and righteous. The Tower of Babel account illustrates what happens when government power tries to replace God in the heart of man.

If we constantly make excuses for others' wrong choices, refusing to acknowledge the sin nature or the ability of power to corrupt, and if we raise secularized, entitled children who are not motivated to work for anything, then it's our fault when they vote for socialist candidates who will inevitably take and squander our freedom, our money, our prosperity, our livelihood, and all that is good about America while giving us nothing in return.

Usurping of Inalienable Rights

A brief history refresher for our elected representatives and career politicians follows:

The first sentence of paragraph two of the Declaration of Independence describes the quintessential heart of America.

"America was established on the fundamental belief in a Creator God, the sanctity and equality of all human life, and the God given right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

That one quote describes what most Americans want and what every U.S. citizen should demand that their leaders consistently strive to uphold.

 The next sentence in the Declaration notes that the role of government is to secure those rights and notes that government power comes from the "consent of the governed."

 Sadly, many of our government offices are held by those who not only refuse to uphold those inalienable rights, but who have abandoned those values completely, replacing that famous quote from the Declaration of Independence with a twisted version that would read something like this:

"Truth is relative; it’s whatever benefits my own interest. I am my own god. I am superior to my deplorable constituents, who are too weak-minded to think for themselves, so I shall direct every detail of their lives for them. I am superior to my deplorable constituents who are too weak-minded to think for themselves, so I shall direct every detail of their lives for them. I will pretend to care about special interest groups and promise them special privileges as long as they serve my power grabbing purposes. Only those born into wealthy, healthy, well- educated/indoctrinated families or into propaganda filled environments that will certainly convince them to serve my purposes (particularly at the ballot box) shall be allowed to be born at all, and once they are no longer able to contribute significantly to the public ("my") coffers, we shall cut entitlement expenses via death panels and euthanasia. I will tax them unjustly and give their money to Planned Parenthood which shall abort the rest of the unborn children who stand in the way of my goals so as to create my own version of a Utopian society over which I shall reign as lord and master. Only the political elite possess inalienable rights, among these are freedom from prosecution when guilty, exemption from all the harmful laws we pass, the right to amass our own fortune by raping the nation’s greatest assets, and the pursuit of ever-increasing dictatorial power." 

This new "version" embodies the socialist/Marxist thinking so heavily promoted by the new Democratic party. (Although there are plenty of establishment Republicans who are contributing to this massive disconnect between voters and politicians as well, which has greatly contributed to the Trump phenomenon.)

Perhaps our elected leaders should read the rest of the Declaration of Independence as a reminder of what will inevitably take place if the government continues to undermine and usurp our God given inalienable rights.

The Vanity and Irony of Progressive "Feminism"

I find it ironic that progressives claim to be pro-woman, yet they continue to so cruelly abuse some of the strongest, most respectable and influential women in our nation, simply because they work for Donald Trump. Few could withstand the daily harassment and vindictive commentary aimed at Sarah Sanders, who sat quietly throughout the White House Correspondents' dinner whiles the news outlets' paid comedian viciously belittled her for her outward appearance (something a misogynist would do) while failing to notice her impeccable character through it all. Sanders could have brilliantly defended herself, launching sly verbal punches that put them all in their place. Instead, she chose the high road and committed to pray for them.

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

When vindictive mobs attacked Sanders at a restaurant while she was trying to enjoy a dinner with her in-laws (who are registered Democrats), she left without retaliation.  She hoped by missing out, her family could eat in peace, but the mob still followed them while volleying continued insults.

A progressive mob at a Mexican restaurant acted like wild animals in an effort to shame Kirstjen Nielsen over misinformation spread by the corrupt media, ruining a rare evening out with her husband. Yet, Nielsen exercised self-control, refusing to return evil for evil.

Nikki Haley has boldly confronted the entire United Nations when repeatedly when delegates have ganged up against her. She refused to back down, no matter how many threats they made and without fear of the powerful ties to terrorists they may have. Other nations who may not have had the courage to stand alone as she did, but they have followed America's lead. Recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capitol is just one example.  Unlike Clinton and Kerry, she isn’t trading our national security for cash, caving to their pressure, or inventing fake theories to line her own pockets. She is an unstoppable force, driven by American patriotism and love of virtue.

Kellyanne Conway has also exhibited this same level of integrity and tough-mindedness displayed by these other women in Trump’s administration. Such strength, courage, and integrity should make every woman proud, yet progressive feminists hate these conservative women with a vengeance, for progressive feminists are not pro-woman at all. They are loyal only to their political cult, throwing any woman under the bus who does not support their socialistic, oppressive, misguided agenda.

Progressives call Trump a misogynist and a sexist. These terms describe someone who despises, dislikes, disrespects and discriminates against someone based on gender. Even with all of Trump’s past immoral conduct toward women, at least during his tenure as POTUS, he has shown far more respect for women than the progressive feminists who continuously attack him and the courageous women he has chosen.  

He has appointed more women into higher government positions than any POTUS before him. He hasn’t appointed them simply because they are women, so he can check a box to curry favor with voters, as did his predecessor. He appointed them because they are extremely qualified for their respective roles. Kellyanne Conway turned his campaign around delivering a surprising victory. She was the first woman to achieve that milestone. Sarah Sanders may very well be the most gifted press secretary in U.S. history, handling the most ferocious attacks on the president with sound reasoning, calm composure, and skillful rhetoric. Kirstjen Nielsen is holding up well under unprecedented pressure which includes threats of bodily harm and extreme verbal abuse. Nikki Haley's work with the UN is so unprecedented many predict she will become America's first female president.

It is uncharacteristic of a misogynists or a sexist to appoint such strong and accomplished women. If a misogynist were to appoint any woman at all, he would choose a weak woman who would make him look strong in comparison. He would choose women he could easily control. That’s what insecure, weak bullies do, after all, from the kindergarten playground to the White House.  Bullies surround themselves with weak, incompetent people and attack those whom they fear may overshadow them.

Progressives are especially irritated by these conservative women because they aren’t suffering or caving to their harsh criticisms or public abuse. Each arrow progressives shoot at these women has a boomerang effect. Just as fire refines gold and hardens clay, the progressive attacks only make these women stronger. None of this persecution can shake these women, nor can they break any devoted Christian for a crucial reason that secular progressives cannot understand.

Strong Christian women aren’t defined by the opinions or criticisms of others. They never give anyone else that power over them. Their identity and worth are secure in Christ, who treasures them infinitely, having paid the ultimate price for them. And unlike the fickle opinions of others, His love and His truth never ever change. Their lives have eternal significance and great purpose, and they are faithful to their calling. True believers need not fear nor be  dismayed because the Lord is their God. They know He will strengthen and help them by His righteous hand. (Isaiah 41:10). They know He will never leave or forsake them. (Deuteronomy 31:6) They confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6)  Their power comes from an infinite source, so no one can vanquish it or crush their spirits.

They build their lives on the rock, not on shifting sand. Thus, when the storms come, they continue standing tall and secure like a lighthouse giving truth and light to warn and to save the lost. (Matthew 7:24-25)

Godly women are responsible and wise stewards of all God has entrusted into their care. They do not rely on the government for all their needs.  Anyone may need some assistance from time to time, but conservatives do not take advantage of the system. Christian conservatives trust in God who provides and equips His people with everything good that they may need do His will, working in them that which is pleasing in His sight through Christ for His glory. (Hebrews 13:21) Faithful conservative Christian women do not force other people to fund their birth control or make taxpayers pay their preborn baby assassins (aka Planned Parenthood). They take responsibility for themselves and exercise self-control. They are wise enough to avoid an unplanned pregnancy whenever possible. They refuse to let others convince them that they are to too weak to either place a child for adoption or to nurture, protect, provide, and parent anther sacred human life. 

Women of God are free from others' control. They don't let oppressors make decisions for them. They seek truth and wisdom from God so they can make right choices on their own, without allowing the whims of others to enslave them.

Godly women do not tear down others to make themselves look better. Women aren’t lifted up when men are torn town. Women aren’t given value by pretending they are the same as men. Their value is intrinsic and comes from God, but their greatness is most evident when their unique differences are celebrated and both men and women exercise their different qualities in complementary, synergistic ways to build up the community as a whole.

Women don’t earn respect when quotas and EEO laws give them untouchable status in jobs they are unqualified or unwilling to perform well but receive simply because of their gender. Women grow in  self-respect as they achieve without handouts or free passes. Women who respect themselves and clothe themselves with dignity are more likely to gain the respect of others and be treated likewise.

If we want to elevate and esteem women in our culture, let us lift up as role models strong, confident, courageous, women of faith who demonstrate true integrity, service, humility, self-discipline, and respect toward others and themselves. Let's provide them with equal opportunity instead of guaranteeing unmerited equal outcomes to the detriment or our entire society.

Those who refuse to lift others up or who ruthlessly tear down those who intimidate them actually expose the true greatness in those they attack while revealing their own immature, insecure, selfish hearts. Let us leave the childish bullying days behind us and begin strengthening one another, nurturing faithfulness, encouraging personal responsibility, respecting human dignity, and showing mutual respect.

But to those who insist on continuing the bullying, name calling, and childish ways, know that it's all in vain. Your lies and your insults will never to stick to those who are His.  

After 45 years and 60 million murders, will Roe v. Wade finally be overturned?

There was nothing constitutional, ethical, or American about the Roe v. Wade decision. It is at least as bad as the Dred Scott Case (which was also passed and defended by Democrats) in terms of it's outright bigotry. Both decisions deemed the convenience and preferences of one person as superior to the freedom of another, except Roe v. Wade takes hatred of another human being to the level of barbaric murder, inflicting excruciating pain on the most fragile human life, often when that life can feel pain at the most heightened level in all his or her existence. Abortion is no less barbaric than ISIS beheadings, yet misguided judges rendered it legal by making up an implied right to privacy that isn't stated explicitly in the Constitution and then declaring it more important than a child's right to life, to a voice, or to freedom or opportunity. Why have we allowed 60 million children to be tortured and killed simply because their parents chose to be irresponsible or because an evil person chose to defile and abuse another?

Roe v. Wade set a precedent which began the tsunami of judges legislating from the bench so as to tear down the Constitution instead of upholding it as they were sworn in to do. As with Roe v. Wade, they often don't even use legitimate cases to change law through judicial decisions. Just as Norma McCorvey was manipulated, lied to, and treated as a mere pawn to get abortion legalized without giving her any of the help she was promised, proponents of the new social order are ever on the prowl for an opportunity to do the same so as to dismantle American laws and values.

Roe v. Wade also set in motion America's moral erosion straight into the pit. Once the courts had deemed life no longer sacred or worth protecting, the prevailing worldview changed. Human life became disposable and disrespected. The marriage sacrament was deemed no longer necessary and a father's presence in the home devalued and disregarded.

New scientific technology has only provided further evidence dispelling the myth that the baby is just a clump of tissue, while confirming the tremendous pain these unborn children feel. Post-abortion syndrome and all the other physical and psychological consequences of abortion have been well documented, proving that birthing the baby is almost always in the best interest of the mother, even in cases of rape. Undercover investigations have exposed the escalating criminal activity taking place on a regular basis in abortion centers (covering up sexual abuse and trafficking, selling baby body parts) and the incessant lying and bullying of young mothers to convince them that abortion is the only option. (So much for being pro-choice; abortion is the only choice given by greedy abortionists.) Planned Parenthood propaganda urges children (as young as 11) to engage in risky sexual activity for the admitted purpose of increasing demand for their abortion services. The contraceptive products they dispense for profit give clients a false sense of security, but the brands dispensed have the highest failure rates. Abortion centers are constantly working to grow demand for their services which is extremely damaging to everyone to society as a whole.

Without the unconstitutional Roe v. Wade ruling, there is no moral, legal, scientific, rationale whatsoever for abortion on demand. Dear SCOTUS, once you have a legitimate case, remember Queen Esther's famous refrain. You were appointed for such a time as this. That will be your chance to stop the largest and most horrific form of genocide in world history from continuing in America. Please stop the brutal killing from our sin stained land. To do any less would be to side with terrorists.

The following article is old, but it provides an easy to understand explanation of the case.

"Roe v. Wade: Unjust, Unconstitutional, and Undemocratic"

The Outrage over Family Separations at the Border Exposes our Deeper Problem

The current public outcry about families being separated at the border (not a new problem by any means as the Flores Consent Decree was enacted in 1997 when Bill Clinton was president and expanded under Obama's administration) seems at the heart to be a question of how to best balance justice and mercy.  How do we open our borders to fleeing refugees and hurting families who want to assimilate and build up our country without letting in those who seek to destroy us?  How do we process families quickly while making sure that children are entering with their actual parents instead of child traffickers or those using them as golden tickets only to be abandoned later?  How do we discern between the real refugees and the posers?  How do we make the path to citizenship simple and affordable without that path being manipulated by drug lords, terrorists, violent gangs, and serial criminals? How do we convince immigrants to come here legally and inform those seeking asylum about the no cost refugee pass that gets them inside the border safely and legally instead of encouraging them to put themselves and the minors with them at great risk by coming here illegally?  What do we do with children of criminals whose families will not claim them or fail to show up in court? If our family could not even board a plane for a domestic flight without our diapered baby being violated for a diaper search by TSA agents while the rest of us endured the humiliation of body scans and pat downs because of the horrific acts of a few who have nothing in common with us, how can we expect our border agents and government officials to figure out the best way to balance justice, mercy, and national security when so many people, including drug dealers and human traffickers, are crossing our borders illegally each day?

Only God has ever achieved that perfect balance between justice and mercy (Isaiah 30:18, Hosea 2:19), but He calls us to seek both as well (Zechariah 7: 8-14, Matthew 23:23).  How can we expect to appropriately deliver justice and compassion with wisdom when our nation has forsaken God and His precepts?  We should be crying out to Him for help in resolving these issues and studying the Bible which provides the wisdom we need, but we have kicked God out of our schools, governments, and marketplaces. The new social order persecutes, bullies, and files lawsuits against those who dare to live out and defend the Christian faith in their daily lives. Yet, a brief review of world history indicates that anti-Christian, atheistic governments not only lead us in the opposite direction from justice and mercy, but they are usually connected to ruthless, tyrannical, murderous regimes. "Atheism was an integral part tenant of Marxist-Lennism/Maoist/Stalinism communism....which caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917-1987." (Source)  Consider also the dire consequences of forced secularization of Soviet Russia, China, and North Korea.

Planned Parenthood Federation condemns this separation of children from their parents while lobbying nonstop for the right (with government funding) to rip children out of their mother’s womb without the father’s or grandparents' consent and often with the mother's consent which is only obtained by coercion or from her pimp. Often Planned Parenthood will then sell the baby body parts for profit.  Our nation’s judges have legalized this barbaric practice of child sacrifice and dismemberment while Congress continues to fund it and while the courts choose to ignore the fact that body parts are sold illegally.  Planned Parenthood also chooses to look the other way when their clients have been abused or when their payers are pimps, pedophiles, and traffickers instead of reporting the inhumane, illegal activity to the authorities, so it continues unabated. Where is the justice or mercy in any of that?  How genuine is their outrage over families being separated temporarily during due diligence and legal proceedings following illegal entrance into the USA while they separate children from their parents permanently by killing the children in the most painful, violent way possible? Is Planned Parenthood afraid the increased protections at the border will curb their revenue stream?

There is also public outcry over our nation’s history of slavery, yet many of the same people upset over black slavery dismiss or ignore human trafficking, which is the most prolific and vile form of slavery that continues in record numbers to this day! Trafficking of both women and children into sexual slavery is largely aided by illegal immigration and Planned Parenthood!

We express great condemnation for racism while the culture continues to praise Planned Parenthood, whose founder was a racist eugenicist (she sought to exterminate "inferior" non-Anglo races) whose writings largely influenced Hitler’s extermination protocols. Planned Parenthood still targets minority communities with abortion having reduced the black population by over 16 million people since 1973. There are at least 36% fewer black Americans today because of abortion, not counting the children those 16 million could have birthed.

Darwin’s theory of evolution and survival of the fittest led to the common notion that some people are much more valuable than others.  Darwin's utterly flawed theory, with mathematically impossible odds no matter how old people pretend the earth may be and with countless holes requiring constant modification to the theory to account for contradictions as new evidence against it continues to be found (whereas the Creation account has never ever needed revision, for God's word is always true), was what helped slave owners justify their mistreatment of slaves. Darwin’s theories convinced slave that they were superior and that their convenience justified their mistreatment of African Americans.  That same logic is used every day by Planned Parenthood to convince women to prioritize their convenience over their innocent child's right to life.

It took Biblical truth, religious faith that instilled great courage, and a bloody war to finally overcome such misguided and evil thinking regarding slavery and to finally put an end to the Democrats’ slavery practices. Yet, Darwinian theories are still presented, taught, and even preached in schools across our nation from kindergarten through post graduate schools as if they were proven facts.

The truth is that all human life is sacred, made in the image of God.  From the womb to the tomb, no matter which nation, tribe, or tongue that life may represent, human life is infinitely valuable.  While everyone may have a different set of gifts and a unique purpose, no life is any less precious than any other.  Some people need education, training, discipline, and justice before they can assimilate into American society without destroying it, but all are valuable.  The family unit is also sacred, ordained by God from the beginning for the good of society. The family should be protected and preserved unless a family is corrupted by abuse which harms those within it.  Until we collectively uphold the sanctity of human life and the sacredness of the traditional family consistently in our hearts and in our public policy across all issues, regardless of political implications, we will continue to fail in our efforts to preserve justice and mercy.  Our nation's deeper problem is an abandonment of God and these core values.  We have traded the truth for a lie. (Romans 1:25) We must turn back to God and to His absolute truth.  

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:13-16)

Let us seek Him for wisdom instead of pointing fingers, feigning outrage for political purposes, or simply trying to figure this out on our own without acknowledging the deep rooted hypocrisy within our own hearts. Let us recognize how our confusion and hypocrisy escalates when we allow our firm foundation of moral truth to be supplanted by the new social order being pushed upon us by secular progressives with little resistance from the family of faith.

America needs God desperately, so let those of us who have chosen to follow Him not forget to turn to Him first for wisdom in all these issues and to seek His righteousness, justice, and mercy in every area of life and policy.  May we uphold His precepts and fight for what is true, just, and right. May we courageously stand against abortion, human trafficking, and unjust treatment of immigrants.  Let us seek Biblical solutions for crisis pregnancy situations, orphans in need of families, the afflicted and poor in need of safety, shelter, and employment, and our many border problems in ways that preserve justice and offer compassion for the best long term interests of all. Let us never stop praying for our nation, for America is the only real hope for freedom and refuge left on this planet.

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

8 

___________________________   

Addendum:
I am not suggesting that we abandon our freedom of religion and force everyone to become Christians.  Forced belief is not genuine or life-changing, so forcing any belief system on someone not only flies in the face of the freedoms America was founded upon that our heroes fought and died to preserve, but it also goes against the entire foundation of Christianity. God wants a genuine, authentic relationship with us that comes by choice. If He just wanted autonomous robots who serve Him, he never would have given us free will, and there never would have been a fall in the garden which brought sin into the world.

I am advocating that believers stop giving way to fear and stand up in defense of our freedom of religion which was established to preserve our freedom to live out our faith without government interference.  We have to stop accepting the progressive distortion of the founding fathers' intent.  They want us to believe that we should have "freedom from religion", which is to suggest that the government should stop any attempts to practice religion in the public square. That false notion is being pushed into law by the ACLU and other heavily funded extremist groups. 

The State of the Union Address 2018 Reveals Trump's Heart

Before the State of the Union Address, I considered some of the glaring contrasts between Trump's first year in office and Obama's eight.  Here is just a sampling:

• Trump worked to restore America; Obama sought to destroy our great nation.
• Trump's actions helped stimulate the economy while Obama told Americans to just adjust to the economic downturn, for Obama's economy was as good as it would ever get.
• Trump restored relationships with America's allies while taking a firm stand against those who threaten our security.  He freed up our military to defeat most of ISIS. Obama, on the other hand, expressed hatred, disdain, disrespect for America's allies while pretending to negotiate with terrorists. Obama and Hillary armed and illegally funded terrorist groups and built up Iran's nuclear capacity. Meanwhile those same terrorist groups killed and/or raped both our people and our assets.
• Trump defended the right to life for our most precious and innocent children while Obama promoted and significantly expanded federal funding of the murder of millions via abortion.
• Trump sought to shrink the government while Obama grew it far beyond the founding fathers' worst nightmare.
• Trump significantly decreased the deficit within his first year in office; Obama raised the national debt more than all previous presidents combined.
• Trump acknowledges that America was established under God and for His glory and attributes our greatness to God's goodness. Meanwhile, Obama continues to hate and blaspheme the Almighty.
• Trump upholds freedom and the American dream. Obama pushed for a socialist state in which each person depends upon the government for everything, even their own thoughts.
• Trump's leadership helped dramatically decrease unemployment, which especially benefited hard-working minorities and women, resulting in the lowest unemployment rate for blacks in United States history. Conversely, Obama paid states to increase their welfare doles to ensure government dependence while suppressing GDP, job creation, and innovation and crushing the human spirit by depriving gifted Americans of the dignity, self-respect,  and confidence that meaningful work brings.
• Trump put more money back into the pockets of hardworking taxpayers and brought back tremendous investment to the United States. Obama robbed every taxpayer to put money in the pockets of corrupt cronies and into the coffers of those who hate freedom.
• Trump has sought to uphold the Constitution while Obama strove to dismantle it.

After the State of the Union Address (SOTU), there is much that could be said about Trump's awesome speech, which may very well be the most inspiring SOTU in my lifetime (or at least on par with Reagan's), but instead, I just want to point out one key takeaway from his speech that gives me the most hope.

With this speech, Trump revealed his heart. Trump may be rough around the edges and speak his mind without a filter, but there is no longer any doubt now that he loves America. He loves Americans of every economic, social, ethnic/racial, political, and religious background and wants to do whatever brings about the most good for them. He loves the faith and values upon which America was founded and understands that America and all she represents would come crashing down if those foundations are shaken or removed. Trump loves liberty and all who seek it and preserve it. 

Source:  The Federalist https://goo.gl/images/LXHxJ3

All the hatred, vitriol, slander, false accusations, illegal spying, attempted set-ups, and constant, coordinated attacks to bring him down have not hindered his love or stopped him from pursuing that which is good for America. These attacks would be an enormous distraction for anyone else and have surely kept him from accomplishing much more, but none of those assaults ever seem to stick to Trump because they are hurled out of hatred which is no match for love.

We can have hope because our wrecking ball POTUS loves America more than he loves himself. And he is inspiring American dreamers to also overcome hatred with love, to build each other up when the haters try to tear us down, to defeat fear by holding on to faith, to come together when the haters try to tear us apart, to rise to greatness instead of bowing to statists, and to stop obsessing over what others may think of us and simply do what is right.

Trump is a unique and complicated package with traits we like and those we find repulsive, but let us not forget that the greatest of all these qualities is love. Love conquers all.

If the foundations are removed

Massive earthquakes around the world have shown us the destruction that comes when the foundations are shaken. We know the foundation is the most important design element of any building. So imagine what would happen if the foundations of a nation were not just shaken but completely removed.

America was founded upon faith and total dependence upon God for the purpose of spreading His truth and giving Him glory. Stacked upon this core foundational layer are common moral law, rooted in the Bible, and preservation of life, liberty, and the rule of law. These are what uphold our nation and keep us united.

 

The new progressive movement sweeping through our country has one primary goal which is to completely remove America's foundations. The result will be America's great downfall, and we've seen harbingers of this coming calamity over the past 30+ years (9/11 was a big one) warning us to repent and rebuild our crumbling foundations upon God. The largest financiers (George Soros & his Open Society Foundation) and proponents (Obama and the Clintons) of this progressive, leftist movement know precisely what the outcome will be and have followed Saul Alinsky's playbook exactly to ensure America's downfall.

Wake up, America!  Repent before it's too late.

Drain the Swamp the Way Judge Aquilina Sentenced Nasser

Nasser is surely one of the most depraved and wicked men on earth, and we all rejoice that he has now been locked up for life where he cannot abuse another child.  However, key questions must still be addressed following his sentencing:

• How was he allowed to do this for so long to so many people?
• How could so many university officials, gymnastic club owners/operators, coaches, and the entire USAG administration continue to cover-up and dismiss all the allegations and evidence brought against him year after year?
• Why wouldn't anyone speak up for the children he violated?

At least 159 women that we know of could have been spared his horrific abuses if his first victim had been heard and justice meted. Yet, cover-ups, concealment, flat out refusal to call evil what it is, or the inability of hardened hearts to even discern the difference between right from wrong are the norm in our post-Christian culture that preaches moral relativism and tolerance for all that is harmful and profane. Victims are silenced, and justice is withheld simply to protect one's reputation and powerful position or for cash bribes.

The Nasser case got a lot of publicity and should embolden survivors to speak out while catapulting the nation's willingness to listen and to demand justice for abusers. I pray it will ignite investigations and prosecutions of those who aid, abet, and protect pedophiles & other felons with judges rendering punishments fully befitting the crime. Dear Lord, may this case prompt swift and effective action to stop and prevent the abuse of our nation's precious children.

While I would never want to minimize the suffering of any of Nasser’s victims, the way that case was handled provides a powerful example of how other cases of abuse and injustice should be addressed so as to significantly curb and prevent future corruption which brings national calamity.

Other instances of selfishly motivated abuses of power and position have also continued for well over 30 years, resulting in far more victims and plenty of long-term damage. Illegal activities by an unaccountable elite in the highest positions of power have resulted in decades of painful consequences, some of which include:

• the loss of countless innocent lives
• the slaughter of patriots & local heroes
• numerous cold-blooded murders masked as “suicide”
• multiple rapes
• suspected child abuse/trafficking
• severe compromise of national security
• economic disaster
• evil regimes gassing their own people
• massive funding of terrorist activities
• large-scale expansion of nuclear weapon capacity by enemy nations (Iran & N. Korea)
• the decimation of national morality and the rule of law
• compromised, dishonest justice departments (FBI & DOJ)
• the rigging of elections at the highest level

Until these wicked, unlawful deeds are called out for what they really are and until justice is meted to the fullest extent of the law at the highest offices in the land as we saw with the Larry Nasser case, the number of victims & damage will only continue to multiply exponentially.

Rachel Denhollander kept asking during her impact statement, “How much is a little child worth?” So I ask, “How much is America worth? How much is our freedom, our security, our military, our children, our heroes, and each and every citizen worth?”

"20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,
who put darkness for light and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks,
23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.
24 Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw
and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust;
for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty
and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 5:20-24)

#DraintheSwamp #ReleasetheMemo #Prison #theTruthwillSetUSfree #justiceforall

A letter to USA protestors and a warning to globalists (which includes the Pope)

Dear USA protestors and NFL national anthem kneelers,

If some distant relative wrongs someone you don't even know, and you find that offensive, would you disown your entire family, including your mother, who endured great suffering to bring you into the world and then continued to sacrifice her own needs and desires to nurture you instead, and your father, who risked his life on numerous occasions to protect you and toiled day and night for decades to provide for you? If not, then why would you forsake your country in which countless heroes have died for you, whose history includes some tainted tales but also tremendous good including great liberation not only for her own diverse people, but for oppressed people around the world? Is it wise to dishonor the flag and the national anthem simply because you disapprove of one small thing that doesn't even affect you when that same collective nation is a beacon of light, hope, and freedom for the entire world? Will you choose to forsake it all because you cannot forgive the one? 

"I don't know if the most effective way is to sit down during the national anthem with a country that's providing you freedom, providing you $16 million a year ... when there are black minorities that are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan for less than $20,000 a year."

(Quote by Alejandro Villanueva, a U.S. Army veteran, who was the lone Steeler on the field during national anthem)

Have you no gratitude for what your nation has given you while you give nothing but disrespect in return? Take your grievances to those personally responsible without dishonoring all that is good, right, and just. As my Granny liked to say, "Be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water." For what has been birthed in America is valuable beyond measure, and when grounded in God's word from which true freedom flows and established in faith as the founding fathers' intended, good will triumph over evil. Remove that foundation, and the tragic, wrongful actions of a few police officers could be the least of your concerns.

From a practical perspective, does anyone really think people are going to listen to NFL protests when the NFL is filled with criminals who have already accrued 32 arrests within the first 3 weeks?

• Assault and battery - 7
• Drugs - 6
• DUI - 5
• Domestic violence - 5
• Disorderly conduct - 4
• Resisting arrest - 2
• Gun violence - 1
• Traffic violation - 1
• Other - 1 (Source: Joseph Curl, Dailywire)

They aren't exactly the best spokespeople against acts of brutality, when they have a long history of violence themselves. Yet, some are foolish enough to let a few extremists use and abuse them at great personal cost without doing anything constructive to correct the grievance at all.

To the NFL players who took one knee,
Next time, kneel on both knees and thank God you are free.

Consider how the globalists who seek to destroy America so they can rule it benefit from your protests.  No one can control America, much less the entire world, until they tear down our foundations and the pillars that strengthen and uphold us.  Marriage, family, faith (or common, shared values which flow from Judeo-Christian precepts), liberty, and our law (the U.S. Constitution) are our bulwarks.  They take priority over the whims of the state, and they guide our votes.  The globalists must remove these foundations to gain power over us. Their hope is that your protests will remove statues, emblems, Biblical references, our flag, and our anthem from the public square, marketplace, and sports arenas, for these serve as reminders of our history, our heroes, our holy allegiance, and our purpose.  They expect the NFL controversy to be resolved by removing the anthem and the flag from these venues, just as they have already removed prayer.  With marriage and family under decades of assault, churches infiltrated with false doctrine and wolves in sheep clothing (paid by the DNC to deceive and divide the church from within), the next targets are patriotism, the flag, and the national anthem.  Ultimately, they seek to dismantle the Constitution and the rule of law which has been happening at an increasing rate since Roe V. Wade elevated the right to privacy (which was added through a constitutional amendment) over the basic right to life which our nation was founded to preserve.  The failure to render justice on the Clinton family for dozens of serious crimes over at least three decades which culminated in the Benghazi cover-up and then the handling of HRC's email scandal in which Comey listed numerous proven legal transgressions, deserving of lifetime in prison for anyone else, while failing to prosecute has removed respect or trust in the rule of law from society.

Even the Pope is now pushing for this one world government concept while flat out ignoring the entire Old and New Testaments.  The Old Testament history flatly condemns global power with the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) account and Nebucadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2) of the statute depicting powerful civilizations, each of which must be toppled to save the earth from the destruction that ultimate power brings, and following throughout history. The New Testament repeatedly describes he end times judgment coming as the world tries to unite under one corrupt power.  Power corrupts, and ultimate power ultimately corrupts. In His mercy, God has repeatedly saved mankind by bringing down these corrupt superpowers. The only global leader who can and will rule us in perfect righteousness and love is the perfectly holy, all knowing, Lord God Almighty.  Only Christ can reign over us in perfect justice without oppressing His people. Only Christ reigns selflessly, sacrificially, with the greatest long term common good in mind.  Only He is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent.  He wants for nothing and needs nothing, for He is the owner, creator, and sustainer of all created beings and things.  Only He is perfectly good.  Any other power on earth who seeks ever increasing  power, even global power, is driven and possessed by evil, for such is the spirit of the antichrist.  Beware of globalism, hypocrisy, and false teaching.  Be students of God's truth. Reject the lies, false promises, and folly of this lost, dark, and dying world.  

Examining our own hearts in light of continued racism, hatred, and violance

As hatred, violence, division, and accusations mount (according to plan), perhaps we should first honestly examine our own hearts in light of God's truth before reacting in unhealthy, destructive, volatile ways, fueled by the heightened and irrational emotions evoked by the media's false narratives, angry attacks, distortions, exaggerations, and outright lies. I have written in second person to engage others, but only after asking myself each of the questions below.
_________________________________________________

"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses." (Proverbs 10:21)

• Is your heart consumed with hatred or with love? 
• Are you praying for God's love to touch and redeem your enemy, or are you praying for him to suffer?

_________________________________________________

 "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives..." (James 4:3)

• Do you really expect God to hear your prayers if you pray outside of his will....wishing harm on others instead of good, simply because the media or some well-funded radical group told you that you should hate them? 

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” (Psalm 66:18)

Note:  Regarding iniquity refers to deliberate, habitual, unrepentant sin.  It is placing one's desire to sin over their desire for God.  We all fall short, and God's grace is not dependent upon our works, but a truly repentant heart that receives the grace and redemption of God will hate one's sin and ask for God's help to overcome it instead of shaking one's fist at God and insisting He can't have that area of their life.  Such defiance is rejecting the Lord, not receiving Him.

_________________________________________________

2 "For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
3 They encircle me with words of hate,
and attack me without cause.
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
but I give myself to prayer.
5 So they reward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love." (Psalm 109:2)

• Are you slandering and attacking others without cause? Whether or not you agree with them is irrelevant. If they have offended you, then that is your problem, not theirs, for we are each individually responsible for how we respond to the words and actions of another. No one has the power to offend us unless we willingly give it to him. 
• How has the subject of your ire legitimately and truthfully (media narratives do not count because they are often unreliable) harmed you to warrant your attacks? 
• Are you returning evil for good or good for evil? 
• Are you seeking vengeance or trusting in the Lord's justice and goodness?

"Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" (Romans 12:19)

_________________________________________________

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." (Romans 13: 1-2)

• Are you mad at God for allowing Trump to be elected? 
• Or are you a Republican upset over the fact that your state elected a DNC pawn as it's governor?
• Do you really think God makes mistakes? 
• Are you suggesting that you know better than the omniscient One who made you and who is the source of wisdom and truth? (John 14:6, Proverbs 2:6) 
• Are you subjecting yourselves to the authorities God has established or rebelling against them out of selfishness and without Biblical mandate?

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2: 1-4)

• Are you praying for your leaders and seeking peace with your brethren, or do you wish injury and shame upon him?

_________________________________________________

"31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4: 25-32)

"6Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3: 5-17)

• Are you verifying statements before repeating them in slander?
• Are you ready to forgive, or are you storing up resentment?
• Are you choosing to be thankful or bitter?
• Do you view all people, regardless of social class, race, or gender as your brother or sister, worthy of respect, acknowledging that you are nothing without Christ and no better than anyone else?
• Do you strive to obey God in all things, asking Him to help you when you fall short, ever grateful for His mercy and grace?
• Are you opening your entire life, every decision, word, thought, action, and heart's desire to Him so that He can redeem and transform you? Alternatively, do you only obey Him when it is politically correct or convenient? 
• Is He Lord over your life or do you think you have authority over Him and are thus better able judge what is right and wrong, just and unjust? 
• Do you insist that you know better than God does with regard to His word, omitting the parts you find uncomfortable and clinging only to those that fit your narrative and make you feel good? 
• Is your life consistent with the knowledge that we will never experience freedom from sin, lasting joy, or peace until we become so uncomfortable with the reality of our sin that we choose God over our unholy lusts and humbly repent? Until He is Lord over all, He is not your Lord at all.
• Do you do all things to honor Christ or to exalt yourself?
• Are you a peacemaker? Do you put the interests of others before your own? (Philippians 2:4)
• Do you acknowledge that Christ is the only one who can unite us all and give us peace? Is He your only hope and heart's desire, or are you still trusting in earthly powers and fleeting carnal enticements?