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.

Homosexuality and the Sin of Sodom

In her book entitled, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Champagne Butterfield notes that homosexuality is only a symptom of the condition of one's heart, reflecting where someone has been. It is not the root problem itself, and in fact, the sin of Sodom (which is often assumed to be homosexuality based on the narrative of Sodom's judgment by God in Genesis 19) is not as offensive to God as those of His chosen people, the Israelites.

The root sins of both Sodom and Jerusalem are actually very similar, but Jerusalem's is more offensive and more dangerous because unlike the Sodomites, the Jewish people had seen the power of God on display and had been the recipients His mercy and other spiritual blessings.They knew God's power and mercy, so they knew better, yet they forsook Him anyway, whereas Sodom had not received the spiritual blessings bestowed upon the nation of Israel.

"And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day." (Matthew 11:23, NIV)

Ezekiel 16 clarifies the sin of Sodom as being something to which we call all relate, for while we may not all struggle with homosexuality, we are all tempted by the same root sins that were merely manifested as homosexuality and violence in the Sodom account. God references the sin and judgment of Sodom to reveal the greater sin of the Jewish people.

48 "As surely as I live," declares the Sovereign Lord, "your sister Sodomn and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.49 Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant,overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did destable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.."  (Ezekiel 16:48-50, NIV)

Rosaria Butterfield summarizes the fundamental "sins of Sodom" described in Ezekiel 16:48-50 as follows:

1. Pride, which puffs up and provides a false sense of independence (when we should be completely dependent upon God) and entitlement, is the root of all other sins.
2. Materialism/Excess:  Focusing on acquiring increased wealth, being entertainment driven, refusing to live below your means, and having an overabundance of idleness will lead us away from God's standard.  Rosaria explains that we develop an acquired taste for God’s standard as we discipline our minds, hands, time, and money. Rosaria writes, "Undisciplined tastes will always lead to egregious sin, slowly and almost imperceptibly.
3. Lack of Mercy: The first 52 verses of Ezekiel 16 describe the sins and subsequent judgment of Sodom, Jerusalem, and Samaria, but five of the last 11 verses explicity speak of God's mercy, restoration, and atonement as these nations acknowledge their sin while experiencing the consequences of those sins. God offers hope and compassion despite the long list of ways they have repeatedly betrayed their holy God. God calls us to be merciful to others just as we have received His mercy. The call to offer mercy, compassion, and charity is both for our own good and for the good of the community.
4.  Lack of Discretion or Modesty

After considering and summarizing Rosaria's insights referenced above, I considered how those core sins are obviously at the root of many of the social/political issues evangelical conservatives speak out against today, such as abortion, gay marriage, pay-for-play, media deception to serve political interests, IRS targeting of conservatives, illegal spying, refusing to apply the rule of law to the Clinton scandals, entitlement mentality, socialism, transgender ideology and the child abuse inherent in medical group advocacy of chemical and surgical gender transition. But then I had to consider that Christians also manifest these same core sins with behaviors that do not seem as appalling to the church community, yet they are just as repulsive to God (and even more so) than those of unbelievers, even radical pro-abortion, atheistic, progressive lesbians like Rosaria was before Christ completely transformed her heart, mind, and life.

Consider the following sampling of behaviors, actions, or choices in light of the four core sins of Sodom:

• Taking advantage of meal deals, coupon programs, or loop holes in a way never intended by the business provider
• Overstating tax deductions when filing income taxes
• Refusing to engage in your community because you require copious amounts of "downtime"
• Excluding neighbors, classmates, or other acquaintances from a social function you are hosting because you do not want to associate with or be seen with people who are different from you or who are not as classy or affluent as you would prefer
• Skimping on your tithe to the church by redirecting that money to a charitable organization where your name or business will be promoted as a result
• Reading Fifty Shades of Grey or viewing pornography for pleasure or simply out of curiosity or peer pressure
• Virtue signaling on social media with demands for large government funding of programs and entitlements for illegal immigrants or refugees while refusing to welcome strangers into your own home
• Gossiping about or even slandering those who are different from you, who have inadvertently offended you, or who you envy 
• Claiming to be a victim entitled to special treatment instead of taking personal responsibility and asking God to give you resilience or help you overcome 
• Bearing false witness to accomplish an earthly goal while justifying your deception with the false notion that the ends justifies the means.
• Committing gluttony at every church potluck in the name of "spiritual fellowship" or in the privacy of your own home for "comfort" 
• Softening and distorting the gospel to win more "converts" without sharing the truth that Christianity involves suffering, sacrifice, and full surrender of one's entire life to Christ, giving these so called "converts" false hope that a simple prayer offered with questionable sincerity is all that is required for salvation and sanctification
• Posting pictures of yourself in a skimpy outfit on social media to show off your new toned body following a rigorous diet/exercise program
• Spending far more time and money on your outward appearance, vacations, entertainment, or on acquiring expensive material possessions than you invest in God's kingdom
• Church and ministry leaders focusing more on being relevant and entertaining than on delivering truth and compassion
• Church and ministry leaders spending more time and money on externals (facilities, audio/visual equipment, coffee and doughnuts) than on meeting physical and spiritual needs
• Rejecting accountability
• Refusing to make Bible study and prayer daily priorities because you are "too busy" with lesser things
• Relying on Ted Talks, business tools and metrics, secular advisers, financial resources, and other worldly means for knowledge on building healthy marriages, families, ministries, and businesses instead of relying fully on God and His word for wisdom and guidance
• Brushing off or concealing legitimate sexism or abuse with the dangerously deceptive mantra, "Boys will be boys"
• Laughing at crude or defamatory comments
• Refusing to stand up and pray for those who are being persecuted for Christ's sake

When we Christians speak out against gay marriage, abortion, greed/entitlement centered socialism, or any of the other secular progressive issues listed above, do we first acknowledge our own behaviors which are rooted in the same sins of pride, materialism, lack of mercy, and/or immodesty?

Are we humble enough to realize that we are only able to overcome our sin struggles as God's word in us becomes bigger than ourselves?

Are we seeking to win converts to our opinions or political preferences, or are we seeking to introduce the lost to the only hope of the world, Christ our Savior?

Are we seeking to condemn the world (John 3:17) or to show the lost the unconditional love of Christ? Without receiving God's love, no one can truly love God or others according to God's perfect standard, and without love, there is only death. (1 John 4:8, 1 John 3:14)

After her radical conversion from atheism, lesbianism, and radical leftism to becoming a fully devoted Bible believing, faithful follower of Christ, Rosaria wrote, “My sexuality wasn’t sinful because it was lesbian per say but because it wasn’t Christ controlled." 

What areas in our lives are not Christ controlled?  Until every area of our lives are surrendered to Christ's lordship, we cannot judge the homosexual's sin as being any worse than our own, but we can offer them hospitality, compassion, and God's uncompromising truth with humility, impartiality, and love.

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.  

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)

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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. 

Cultural Wars - Lesson from the Past to Guide Us in the Present

I have learned so much about modern times by reading the history of Israel & Judah from the Old Testament (which is consistent with other historical texts) and watching the same patterns playing out again and again to the smallest detail here in America. There are so many lessons to learn from both the wise choices of the past and the great mistakes which brought about their ruin.

The current polarization of worldviews we are experiencing in America is resulting in the traditional Judeo-Christian values upon which America was founded being attacked and overthrown by the progressive, moral relativism and idolatry of surrounding nations.  Similar cultural wars occurred when Ahab, Jezebel, and Joram replaced Judaism in Israel with Baal worship and when Ahaz did the same in Judah. Their reigns were followed by Jehu in Israel and Hezekiah in Judah who radically reformed their nations, overthrowing Baal worship and it's chief sacrament, child sacrifice (which is the moral equivalent to abortion today as both involve the killing of children in exchange for some expectation of convenience or increased prosperity, and abortion proponents have referred to abortion as a sacrament on more than one occasion). But then pride entered their hearts. King Hezekiah was so close to God one minute....faithful to carry out every command, leading his nation back to Yahweh by example and decree, humbly bowing in worship and writing songs of adoration, and then the next moment, pridefully taking credit for all he possessed and all he had accomplished as if he earned it by his own effort instead of acknowledging it all as a gift from the one true God. His momentary pride led to Judah's demise. Jehu was an even more complicated and contradictory figure, so his reforms did not last either. 

I highly recommend Jonathan Cahn's book The Paradigm for a detailed explanation of these parallels between Israel's history and modern American times.

I think a very important lesson to be learned from this history that is extremely applicable today in our polarized political landscape is that we most guard against both extremes:

1.  Idolatry - Worshiping the government or other human authority over us.  This form of idolatry depends upon the government (or other authoritative body) to meet all our needs and solve all our problems instead of accepting our own responsibility for ourselves, our families, our communities, the greater good, and God's specific calling each of our lives as "stewards" over the earth. There are many in positions of power, in governmental, financial, and even religious realms, who want to lord over us like gods, and they foster dependency among their subjects to maintain and build their power.
2. Pride - Worshiping oneself, i.e. trying to make America great again in our own strength, without relying on God or acknowledging that every good and perfect gift comes from Him alone

Let us not allow our focus to shift away from the only One worthy of our worship. We will never be great in any sense that matters until He is our heart's greatest desire.

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.  

Hollywood Hypocrisy

Regarding the Emmy awards and the ensuing political banter about Trump & Spicer:

I could care less about the Emmys and have no desire to defend Trump or Sean Spicer, for lies and corrupt speech should never be normalized. However, for Hollywood to be calling them out with blistering insults is like ISIS killing one of their own members for stepping on an ant. Hollywood elites should consider that Trump is only a symptom of the disease they spread for big bucks. He is one of their own after all, yet they eat their own when their own chose a different political party, especially one that defends human life (from the womb to the tomb), liberty, human equality (vs. special privileges for special interests groups), the traditional family, and economic growth for all Americans.

I am greatly concerned by the way both Hollywood and the music industry (we thought Miley Cyrus and Beyonce were bad...but now a rap video features the demonic hanging of a child!) are leading the naive and unenlightened members of our society into the dark abyss of utter moral depravity, much like Sodom and Gomorrah. They are still losing their minds over a few stupid comments by Trump & Spicer but have no problem with director Roman Polanski sodomizing a child, Woody Allen molesting his own adopted daughter, or their own pornographic films (like 50 Shades of Grey) which glamorize physical, emotional, and sexual abuse or the movie coming out soon that normalizes pedophilia. They praise musicians and producers who sell lyrics and scripts that endorse rape, promiscuity, murder, drug abuse, and all sorts of violent, deviant behavior. They unclothe, use, and abuse desperate desperate young women in pornographic films, which is a crime in and of itself, but in so doing, they fuel wicked desires which drive pedophiles and rapists to commit more despicable deeds.

Where was their outrage over the Democratic politicians who committed sex crimes that make Trump's comments seem tame in comparison? Examples: Bill Clinton, Ed Murray, Anthony Weiner, Jacob Schwartz, Sen. Robert Menendez, Jeffrey Epstein, Scott Chamberlain.

Ashton Kutcher is one beautiful exception. He is using his wealth and influence to make a significant difference. His organization, Thorn, is successfully fighting sex trafficking.

As for the rest, if you have a problem with Trump, then stop attacking the symptom and start working to eliminate the root cause upon which you have amassed your own fame and fortune. Stop selling smut and glamorizing evil before pointing fingers at the milder, though still seemingly rotten, fruits of your own sowing. If you want to bring about positive change, use your resources to join Kutcher's humanitarian work. Instead of attacking Trump, how about directing all that passion and hatred toward bringing down backpage DOT com, a website linked to child prostitution and trafficking (which also happens to give large financial contributions to DNC politicians) or to financially supporting and promoting safe houses and counseling/rehabilitation centers for abused and battered women and children. Do something constructive instead of continually tearing our nation apart!

Why We Must Be Diligent in Discerning the Truth in a World Filled with Lies

Astute people often ask, "How do I know if what I'm reading on the news or in a nonfiction text is true?" (Whereas, fools will believe anything, without concern over whether it is true or false, to their own great detriment).   (Proverbs 14:8, Proverbs 17:24, Deuteronomy 32:28-29)

I often remind myself to pray for God's discernment first and then fact check everything before assuming it as true. In so doing, I have determined approximate reporting error rates for each of the following:

• Politicians: Usually unreliable; better to ignore most of what they say but pay close attention to what they do and to who they listen to most

• Mainstream Media: Even more unreliable; false reporting evidenced on a near daily basis

• WikiLeaks: Has not been proven wrong in over 11 years (though people have been murdered for supposedly leaking this accurate information illegally)

• The Bible: Has never been proven inaccurate even though the first histories were written ~3460 years ago with the collective work written over a period of 1400 to 1800 years by more than 40 different authors, all of whom were inspired by the Holy Spirit 

So if we want to know and live according to the truth, we must stop spending so much time blindly consuming and obsessing over media lies and fill our minds with God's word which is Truth (John 17:17). Inviting His Spirit into our lives by first accepting Christ as Savior & Lord is the first step (Romans 10:10).  Then we must spend time in prayer and reading His word, and He will help us discern the truth from the lies.

As long as the mainstream media profits from publishing hyped up hit pieces, violence, and vulgarities, by sowing hatred, sexuality, immorality, anger, and deception, and by stealing readers' purity of thought, peace, and joy, they will continue to deceive, divide and destroy us.

It is long past time that we all take a media sabbatical. STOP reading, clicking on, subscribing to, sharing, commenting on, and buying all that is false and profane. If enough readers demand the truth in a way that hurts their bottom line, we could see a return to more accurate reporting.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you

How serious is the influence of the lies dominating our culture? Why does it matter if we believe the truth or the lies?   It matters because what these liars spin will entangle and could eventually destroy those who feed exclusively on it.  At a minimum, they will waste their lives, consumed with anger. These deceivers will trap their victims into a web of sin and bitterness.

 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵ Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
(John 8:31-36)

Deceivers will teach their prey to manipulate others by calling themselves the victim, when the truth is that the only one pursuing them as his victims is the devil, the father of lies.

Liars will steal our love and peace and fill us with hatred and fear.

They will keep us from moving forward and doing good for humanity by paralyzing us with feelings of being perpetually offended.

They will replace our desire to build, nurture, create, and contribute to the greater common good with a desire to protest, shout obscenities, shatter Starbucks' windows, detonate bombs in the streets or in the White House, and even tempt some to murder our nation's heroes dressed in blue.

They will destroy our ability to think rationally and to respectfully discuss different ideas in a thoughtful and mutually beneficial way. Instead, they will train us to silence dissent with false, harsh name-calling, herd bullying, and pronouncements of judgment with relentless witch-hunts on all who dare defend a contrary position.

They will kill our God given courage, valor, and respect for all human life, and bury whatever is left of us in a "safe" space.

Those who are white, male, or heterosexual, identify in gender as their biological sex, posses U.S. citizenship by birth or legal immigration, work for a living without receiving entitlements, or heaven forbid, are labeled by combination or all of the above willreceive a scarlet letter.  This label will condemn them to a life of self-hatred, self-deprecation, broken relationships, abandonment of familial duties, paranoia, and condemnation by their segment of society.

These haters of the truth will teach their followers to to call what is evil "good" and what is good, "evil".

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. (Isaiah 5:20)

They will lead others away from God's amazing grace and light and down the path of darkness, which leads to judgment. (Revelation 22:15, John 14:6).

Beware of those who consistently and intentionally devise evil and deception, for such are sons of the devil who holds not to the truth, for there is no truth in him (John 8:44). Their father is the enemy of our souls who seeks only to deceive, kill, steal, and destroy. (John 10:10) For those who choose the world's lies over God's truth, deceiving themselves, will find that the destruction they wrought will return fully on themselves. (Revelation 20)

However, those who stand firm in the truth will be saved from judgment and death and enjoy victorious LIFE forever in the presence of the Lord God almighty, who is the embodiment of goodness, truth, love, grace, and righteousness. (Matthew 10:22, Ephesians 6:14, 1 Corinthians 6:13, Luke 21:19)

"²⁵ They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen....

²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹ they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."  (Romans 1: 24-32)