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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In a civilized society, those with conflicting objectives, worldviews, or opinions openly and respectfully present their different perspectives. Each party will prioritize his or her goals and look for some common ground with the other party, be it a similar goal, shared value, or trade arrangement that is mutually beneficial. If one party wants something the other party has, then that party will either develop the skills and expertise to develop it internally, or they will work out a trade agreement. In civilized negotiations, there will be compromise on both sides, with each party giving up some lesser desire(s) to achieve the greater desire. Successful negotiations are built on trust, mutual respect, and a win/win or even exchange on both sides with the shared goal of preserving or achieving long term peace.
In an uncivilized society, there is no negotiation or compromise. One party may deceitfully promise concessions with no intention of fulfilling those promises, or they may simply steal what they want by force, which may involve brutal, barbaric, inhumane acts. It is impossible to negotiate with a psychopathic liar, lunatic, or terrorist, for there is no trust, no shared goal, no mutual respect, and no acceptable compromise. Radical jihadists are an example. They will not settle for anything less than a global caliphate that rules the earth. This goal requires the absolute annihilation of the United States, which they call "the Great Satan", and Israel ("the little Satan").
A wise, civilized person knows that all efforts to negotiate with, advise, appease, or seek peace with a lunatic, terrorist, and/or uncivilized nation or individual is not only pointless, but harmful. (Proverbs 23:9, 26:4) England's attempt to appease Hitler and Obama's Iran deal are examples of how foolish and costly such efforts may be.
What concerns me most about the continued spread and increasing momentum of the progressive worldview across Europe and North America is how it is turning civilized nations (particularly America, which was founded upon Biblical morality and the common goal of preserving life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) into uncivilized, barbaric nations.
What could possibly be more uncivilized or barbaric than the abortion procedure? Yet, in 1973, progressives made this practice, which involves ripping off an innocent child's limbs one by one and then sucking out his or her brains, legal in America. Unwilling to settle for that huge win, progressives have worked to expand abortion into the largest form of genocide in world history with the U.S. government helping fund over a million abortions in the U.S. and around the world every year. Progressives continue to battle against state bans on partial birth abortion, which involves fully delivering a child feet first except for the head and then cracking the skull just before it exits the mothers body. Seven progressive leaning states and the District of Columbia have no state bans on late term abortions.
Progressive professors have written extensively in support of infanticide, insisting it is morally acceptable and at times necessary for progress. We have already seen Britain's socialistic healthcare system hold children like Alfie Evans hostage in hospitals where they let them die while refusing other nation's offers to fly them overseas to receive lifesaving treatment abroad at no cost to Britain. The UK also has no problem leaving the elderly to die since they are viewed as a financial burden. Apparently, some human life (an unborn fetus, a sick child, an elderly person) just isn't as valuable to progressives as that of an elephant or a dog. To return to Hilter and Margaret Sanger's eugenics policies is certainly regressive, barbaric, and uncivilized, but societies readily accepts it when it is reclassified as progressive.
There was nothing civilized whatsoever about keynote speaker Michelle Wolf's address at this year's White House Correspondence dinner. Her comments were cruel, raunchy, vile, and crude. She tore apart Sarah Huckabee Sanders as Sarah sat nearby. Similar vulgarities have characterized the progressive event for years, offering no mercy or compromise.
Professor Robert George stated the obvious with this quote: “When students have an opportunity to engage in civil discourse, they don’t feel compelled to engage in uncivil discourse.” However, most secular colleges and universities are going to great extremes to remove the opportunity to engage in civil discourse, primarily by banning differing viewpoints. With faculty members leaning Democrat at ratios as high as 23 to every 1 Republican (UNC Chapel Hill) or 11 to 1 on average, followed by decades of bullying and persecution to suppress conservative ideas and to expel Judeo/Christian or faculty (Reference: Expelled documentary), and given the banned words lists and systematic indoctrination throughout classroom instruction, Christians and conservatives have little to no voice on college campuses. Deprived of the opportunity to practice civil discourse, students are encouraged to become radical social justice warriors who skip class (or tests) to mourn or protest what they cannot change, even as the outcome of a presidential election. #NotMyPresident
Google, Twitter, and Facebook intentionally limit viewer exposure to conservative viewpoints, and/or deny Christian websites permission to advertise. Most mainstream media outlets spin stories, print fake news, or omit any newsworthy story that does not support their progressive narrative. They have become propaganda mills, not reliable news agencies. Every day, progressive thought continues to dominate the internet, marketplace, and all media platforms, apparently hoping to take over the thoughts and steal the hearts of all people everywhere.
When radical progressive groups bring lawsuits against a conservative and/or Christian, the goal isn't simply to right a wrong or fight for justice. Their goal is total destruction. Bakers, florists, photographers, and wedding venue owners have all been persecuted, severely fined, bankrupted, or forced to cease and desist activities that the U.S. Constitution was designed to protect simply because they refused to participate in progressive venues that were contrary to their religious convictions. Business owners in Charlotte, N.C. were forced by local ordinance to allow men in women's restrooms, in direct opposition to their values and the best interests of their female patrons, until the state legislature intervened. But then progressives from around the nation, including the Obama administration, threatened, bullied, and chastised the state for daring to uphold long held standards to protect the greater majority. The NCAA refused to hold high revenue tournament games in N.C. and various large businesses threatening to locate elsewhere. Even the Attorney General at the time, now the current Governor, secretly met with businesses to put pressure on the Governor and state legislature to overrule H.B. 2, after he had pledged to serve the governor and N.C. residents. In this case, the media played a powerful role spreading propaganda across the nation which also captured negative attention from foreign leaders. Uncivilized people do not allow differing opinions and will bully or destroy to suppress them.
Each of these progressive "victories" was not viewed as a settled case or a compromise. They were merely steps forward toward their goal of totally wiping away traditional American values. They aren't interested in logical or reasonable discourse. Give them an inch, and they will take a mile. They will not stop until they destroy anyone and anything that stands in the way of a complete takeover of our culture. The Boy Scouts of America resisted progressive pressures to admit gay troop leaders for a time, but they eventually compromised, hoping to appease their progressive bullies. That was a tragic mistake, however, because once progressives got a foothold, they demanded more. Then instead of seeking to reform the Girl Scouts to make them equal to the Boy Scouts in every way (programming, opportunities, reputation, etc.), the progressive went after the Boy Scouts again, demanding that they allow girls to join their boys' organization. As expected, the Boy Scouts caved again to progressive demands. Then this week the Boy Scouts agreed to change their name to "Scouts", which signals a complete overhaul of the Boy Scout's identity. Soon, the Boy Scouts will wither and die, having contradicted their original and fundamental values, purpose, and oath. Progressives do not agree with the Boy Scout's oath or values. They aren't seeking to be included and assimilated. They want to seize control and destroy anything that builds, nurtures, and protects (in this case, Biblical manhood and morality) what they hate. Progressives also tend to oppose Christianity and the Bible because it stands in the way of what they intend to accomplish, which makes them useful tools of the enemy of our souls. When one honestly considers what the Bible teaches and the impact it has had throughout history, it's impossible to deny that the Bible played a huge role in civilizing the world. Remove the Bible from schools, the marketplace, and the hearts and minds of citizens, and America will crumble into a hopelessly uncivilized, barbaric nation,not unlike the Mayans, Babylonians, and other pagan cultures of the past. Will we stand by and watch our great country regress into a Nazi regime or a pagan culture that burns our first born children as sacrifices to fake gods carved out of wood and stone or to corrupt dictators who enslave us?
Dear friends, leaders, and brothers and sisters in Christ, do not try to negotiate with uncivilized, irrational people who reject America's founding principles, traditional morality, and the Lord, our Creator God and King. Let us make it our aim, through both words and actions, to share the love, joy, and hope found only in Christ Jesus. He is the only answer to our heart's desire for peace and our culture's plea for civility. Pray for the lost who persecute you. Resist false doctrine. Stand firm in the faith. Hope in Christ. (John 10:10)
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:5-7)
Do all these people who are crying out for equality, world peace, open borders, equal outcomes, distribution of wealth, and one unified global government realize that what they are truly longing for is Heaven? None of those things are fully possible unless sin is absent and resources are limitless.
God initially gave us Heaven on earth, but Adam and Eve were not content with perfection under the authority of God, so they chose to disobey God, tempted by that which promised to make them like God. God's punishment on man included painful toil. Provisions would no longer come easily, and never again would there be sufficient resources readily available for everyone (Matthew 26:11). Since Adam and Eve sought to dominate instead of assimilate, they were deported from paradise, and a cherubim with a flaming sword was set up as a type of border patrol, blocking the way to the tree of life, with the strictest vetting protocol. (Genesis 1-3)
Under Nimrod, mankind tried to set up another global utopia at a plain in Shinar where they cried, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4) Knowing the wicked corruption that the lust for power brings and the folly of misguided worship, God confused their languages and scattered them into different nations and cultures so that no one man or government body would rule the whole earth. God established the different nations for our protection and for the greater good (Acts 17:26-17).
God loves the nations. He established clear boundaries for the nations and gives specific commands for protecting them (which do involve some massive walls), and for preserving their unique identities. (2 Chronicles 14:6-7) He gives instructions regarding who to include or exclude (Deuteronomy 23:3, Exodus 23: 32-33). He teaches families and nations to look out for their own first (1 Timothy 5:8, Deuteronomy 15:11, Romans 12:13), but he also commands us to also show love and hospitality to sojourners (Leviticus 19:34, Leviticus 23:22, Leviticus 25:35,Deuteronomy 10:19, Deuteronomy 14:29, Deuteronomy 24:19-21, Deuteronomy 26:12-13, Matthew 25:35-40, Romans 12:13, Hebrews 13:1), with the understanding that those who stay should assimilate into the culture, adhering to the laws of the land (Deuteronomy 31:12-13,Leviticus 18:26).
(For more information on how the Bible instructs us on issues of immigration, reference Danny Carroll's article found here.)
While God loves all the nations, He established Israel to be a light to the nations, sent Christ to be the Light of the world (and the fulfillment of Israel's calling), and commissioned the church to take the Gospel of Christ to the furthest corners of the earth. His Gospel is for all the nations. However, God does not support globalism established by man for the glory of man, for as we have seen throughout world history with the rise and fall of kings and nations, ultimate power ultimately corrupts. Only God possesses that power, deserves that honor, and can rule with perfect righteousness, but mankind rejected His authority.
By His goodness and grace, God set His redemptive plan in motion when He cursed the serpent at the fall as described in Genesis 3:15. The seed of the woman, Christ Jesus, would crush Satan's head and strike his heel. God planned from the beginning to restore all that was lost and to reestablish all He intended for His creation (see Isaiah 11:9, Isaiah 25, Matthew 5-7, Revelation 7, 21-22). God is the One who will bring about this new kingdom, not man, for only God is perfect in holiness and justice, infinite in wisdom and love, limitless, omniscient, omnipotent, and eternally good.
So please consider, social justice warriors, that while we should all strive to make the world a better place and while God uniquely called us to be wise and faithful stewards over the earth (Genesis 1), what your heart truly desires is His everlasting kingdom (Ecclesiastes 3:11). No amount of good works, activism, or passionate protests will get you to that perfect place your heart desires. The narrow way to Heaven (Matthew 7:13-15) is found by trusting in Jesus's redemptive work on the cross and by believing that He is God's son who bore all our sins in our place. Jesus is the only way to Heaven.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
In His word, God gives us a glimpse of this new heaven that awaits all who believe. How glorious it will be!
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.3 And
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling
place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.8 But
the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually
immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death....
...It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits[thick.18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. 22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21: 1-8, 11-26)
Eden Restored
22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)
9 After
this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one
could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)
‘Never again will they hunger;never again will they thirst.The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the thronewill be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7: 16-17)
People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. (Luke 13:29)
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tearfrom all faces; he will remove his people’s disgracefrom all the earth. The Lord has spoken.
9 In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
10 The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain; but Moab will be trampled in their landas straw is trampled down in the manure. 11 They will stretch out their hands in it, as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim. God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands. 12 He will bring down your high fortified wallsand lay them low; he will bring them down to the ground,to the very dust. (Isaiah 25:8-12)
Brave men and women serving in the armed forces and police and fire
departments put their lives in danger every day out of love for their
fellow men. Soldiers pay the ultimate price to preserve our freedom as
Americans. Police officers are blown to bits in an effort to save one
person from the fires of another person while the public casts stones,
calling them racists. Firefighters stand ready to touch the flames of
death in an effort to save a single life or a home. The value of
something is measured by what someone is willing to pay for it, and
giving one's life is the highest price we can pay. The principles upon
which America was founded are dying out across the globe. If we lose
our freedom, self governance, preservation of life, and Constitutional
law in America, there will be no where else to run. We are the last
hope for the world, and we are squandering it. By electing Hillary, we
would be handing over everything our servicemen fought for over the past
240 years.
Patrick Henry convinced Virginia to join the Revolutionary War with this famous quote: "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the
price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not
what course others may take; but as for me, Give Me Liberty or Give
Me Death!" As America teeters on
the brink of forfeiting all her freedom to a godless, totalitarian
state, to vote for Hillary Clinton is to choose the death of liberty and
to betray the founding fathers and patriots who served, sacrificed,
and suffered for the liberty Americans are forsaking.
But what about the
system of checks and balances? How could I possibly expect
one branch to tear down everything America stands for when the other
branches were established to hold the executive branch accountable? The system of checks and balances is broken, particularly when it
comes to the corrupt and lofty power of the Clintons. We have a vacancy
on the U.S. Supreme Court, but five of the eight members of the court
currently presiding have started rewriting the Constitution to suit
their whims and legislating from the bench. Hillary is determined to
appoint a liberal justices who will continue the systematic
dismantling of the U.S. Constitution and the degradation of it's authority over
the government elite. Congress cannot agree on anything that will
pass socialistic minded officials like Obama or Hillary, nor have they been successful in convincing the AG to prosecute Clinton or her
untouchable cronies, although they certainly have tried. The current ruling from the SCOTUS on Texas'
abortion safety regulations and the failure by the FBI and AG to indict
Hillary Clinton for a lifetime of felonies, with the most recent felony
putting national security at great risk, while ignoring her incessant
lies, both under oath and to the public, have shown the utter contempt
for the rule of law in America and proven just how powerful and corrupt
the Clinton machine has been in nullifying any efforts to hold them
accountable or bring them to justice.
Hillary is the
antithesis of all that America represents, so it would be better to take
a bullet as a patriot than to vote for the one who would undo all that remains of American liberty. I could never vote for her with a a
clean conscience because she is profoundly corrupt. She is a liar, murderer,
and traitor. She defies the U.S Constitution and the system of checks
and balances established by our founding fathers, and has illustrated
her lust for totalitarian control by placing herself above the law instead of being
subject to it, throughout her years at the White House.
"Wait
a minute," you say, "if this is a Christian blog, you should not be
saying ugly things about her." Indeed it is wrong to slander, but is it not loving to point out the truth when the truth can set us free. Armed with the truth, voters can protect and preserve liberty and life for all Americans. Real love sacrifices for another. (John 15:13) Fake love says whatever someone wants to hear and avoids uttering anything that could put him/her in disfavor with authorities, no matter how corrupt those authorities may be, for fake love serves self. Fake love seeks the approval of others and lacks the courage to stand for truth and justice. As I recall how beauty pageant winner, Miss Turkey, was thrown in jail for words spoken against a current leader years before he came into power, I remember similar comments spoken from Clinton, seeking to silence anyone who would say anything negative about her. It's a risk to speak out, but it's a risk worth taking out of love for Americans and for all who may seek to flee to the U.S. for shelter, liberty, and opportunity to start a new life.
So the truth is that even Hillary Clinton
was made in the image of God, but she has spent her life as an
idolator, bowing down to the gods of power and narcissism. No man can
see her heart, but we can see her deeds which reveal the substance of
her heart, and her deeds are evil.
43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.45 The
good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and
the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the
abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:43-44)
Her
deeds show her to be an enemy of freedom, American values, the rule of law over the political elite, and the
American people. I see a vote for Hillary as an act of treason for the
following reasons which I would support with recent examples below.
She is a liar and a murderer of children.
She is a liar and murderer of American men and women.
She is a lifetime criminal and traitor with no regard for national security.
She has repeatedly abused her power and squandered taxpayer dollars for selfish gain.
Due to corruption and fraud, she is above the law, accountable to no one.
Despite
her many powerful government positions, she has accomplished nothing to
benefit Americans. Her only accomplishments involve her mastery as a con-artist with some sort of immunity to legal justice.
She is a liar and a murderer of children. She not only supports abortion, she defends it with lies while
seeking to expand abortion services and taxpayer funding for such
services.Her
campaign ads suggest that she cares about women, children, and
minorities, but her infatuation with Planned Parenthood proves
otherwise. It is impossible to care about about children, minorities,
individuals with special needs,and the poor, while continually fighting for
more taxpayer funding of the abortion industry. If
Hillary really cared about children and orphans, she would tell and show
the world that all life is sacred and that children are a reward (Psalm 127:3) worthy of protection and love. She would not keep insisting that the best way to
help minorities or kids with special needs is to kill them before they
take their first breath.
She
spews forth outrageous lies in her efforts to defend the brutal
dismemberment and the sucking of babies' brains while in the womb.
Consider this screen capture from her own Twitter account. Anyone who has read the Texas law (HB 2) the SCOTUS shot down knows that it
simply required that abortion facilities meet the same regulatory
standards that other medical facilities must meet. The law was designed
to make this barbaric procedure safer for women. A law like this one
could have prevented the horrific abuses against women performed by
Gosnell and others. Wasn't the whole justification for Roe vs Wade to
move "back alley coat hanger abortions" to safer conditions? So what
kind of conditions do these abortion clinics provide if the Texas
regulations would have shut down half of the abortion clinics in the
state?
If Hillary truly cared about women's safety, then she would support the Texas regulations that were written in the interest
of women, and she would stop trying to push baby killing, particularly among the
non-white, as they are the primary recipients of abortion propaganda and
abortion services. Abortion kills minorities at three times the rate of
non-Hispanic white children, just as Planned Parenthood founder,
Margaret Sanger, mother of eugenics and extreme racist, intended. As the recipient of the Margaret Sanger award, Hillary knows exactly what Sanger stood for, and she praised her!
As
is typical of Hillary, her celebratory post is a
bag of lies intended to mislead the people. There is one truth in her
statement, however. She did rejoice over this ruling just as ancient
Babylonians celebrated as they threw their first born children into the
fire as a sacrifice to Molech. It really isn't all that different. Abortion
sacrifices children on the altar of personal convenience or bigotry
whereas ancient pagans sacrificed their children with the hope their
false gods would bring them something they selfishly desired. The ancient pagans through their children into the fire. Modern pagans (abortion doctors) through other people's children into the toilet or trashcan.
Hillary's support of partial birth abortion (the procedure is described here
but it basically involves delivering the baby's body with arms and legs
moving outside the body but then stabbing the head with scissors and
sucking the brains out before pulling the head out) proves how little
she cares about how barbaric the procedure is, and her opposition to
standard safety regulations on abortion facilities shows that should
doesn't care about the mother either. Apparently, Hillary does not care
if the woman starts hemorrhaging or develops a serious infection and
cannot get to a hospital in time to save her life. Margaret Sanger
would not have cared either, especially when the woman having the
abortion was of "lesser stock" according to her wicked
assessment. It is fitting that Hillary received the Margaret Sanger
award, for they are two peas in a pod, but at least Sanger was honest
about how she felt, depraved as her opinions were.
Hillary
likes to say that women need access to abortion everywhere regardless
of the abortion facility's conditions because abortion
saves women's lives, but even Hillary is intelligent enough to know the
truth.
44 million babies died via abortion during just the first 30 years after
Roe v Wade, and 47,000 women die each year from unsafe abortions. But
only
in rare cases is an early stage abortion a threat to a woman's life.
In the few cases where a late term pregnancy puts the woman in any
danger, it is almost always safer to deliver the
baby or perform a C-section than to put the woman's body through the
abortion procedure. Then there are all the other risks and side effects on the mother
following the abortion procedure itself. These are life long implications that
far exceed any inconvenience the pregnancy and delivery may have
incurred. But women aren't told the truth in abortion clinics, and now
that this law has been shot down, they will continue to be fed lies and
treated as revenue streams instead of hurting souls in need of life
giving hope and love.
This past week, we celebrated our national independence. The Declaration of Independence states our
founding fathers' intent, to preserve the right to LIFE, LIBERTY, and
the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS. The Constitution was written to protect these
rights, not to make sure baby butchers can set up abortion clinics at
every street corner without meeting basic medical regulations. As for
liberty - for those who claim, "It's my body, my choice!", yes, that is
YOUR body and except in cases of rape, you chose actions that enabled
conception, but that baby growing in YOUR body is not YOUR body. Last I
heard, humans only have one heart and one brain. That little life
growing inside of you is a unique and precious soul who will be denied
the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness when severed
into bits by the abortion provider. Abortion sends many women into
deep depression, but bringing a new life into the world is one of the
greatest joys on earth.
The
SCOTUS clearly and blatantly obstructed
justice with this ruling. They acted as judicial dictators rewriting
the law instead of interpreting it. Read Clarence Thomas and Alito's
dissents for more evidence proving this point. The founding fathers
established America as a country where life is protected and where
children can live and grow, but Hillary's stance on abortion reflects
contempt for any life that is inconvenient which evidences her humanism
and worship of self. Clinton wants to remove religious liberties for Christians.
Hillary is so set on expanding abortion that she has insisted that Christians will have to change their religions views to accommodate more abortions.“Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will. And deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed" in a speech at the 6th annual Women of the World Summit. Obama and Hillary have both pushed for Christians to fund abortions through Obamacare which violates religious liberty, and both have sided against Christians in cases where business owners refused to provide products/services for gay weddings while gladly providing services for any other venue gay couples may have that does not violate the shop owners' religious convictions. There were plenty of other competitors nearby who would provide these services but in each case, the gay couples targeted the Christians in search of law suit money.
She willingly let four heroic American men die at Benghazi and lied about it.
Plenty of evidence brought forth from the teams investigating the Benghazi attack prove Hillary's despicable betrayal and dishonesty before, during, and after the attack. She
knew security was inadequate and refused to increase security
measures after repeated requests from the ambassador at Benghazi. She knew a terror attack was highly
likely, yet she continued to do nothing as if wanting the men to die. Troops were close enough and eager
to come
rescue our men at Benghazi but they were ordered to stay, allowing our
heroes to perish at the brutal hands of our enemies along with evidence
that would incriminate her. Investigations have proven without a doubt
that she knew the attack was
premeditated terror, yet she called it a retaliatory attack due to a YouTube video. Susan Rice was instructed to continue spreading that lie
to conceal the fact that the administration was running guns to
terrorists.
She
continues to lie and let men die to cover her own skin. She has no
allegiance to Americans, liberty, justice, or her own
job assignment. She has proven over and over that her only concern is
amassing more power for
herself. Our founding fathers risked
everything for the sake of the country they loved. Our early presidents
served humbly, sacrificially, and out of love for country, not love for
self. Hillary belongs at an AA meeting for her addiction to the drug of
power which compels her to lie, steal, kill, and destroy for the next
hit that will make her high on power. Putting her in the presidency is like putting every
American
in a car with a drunk driver. A wreck is inevitable; something will be
destroyed; and people will
surely die.
Hillary oppresses women and brings shame upon the female gender. Hillary's
primary selling point for her campaign is that she is female. The
women's suffrage movement was all about elevating the rights and value
of women in society as being equal with men. Those of equal value should be given equal opportunity, but when equal outcomes are guaranteed instead without actually earning that outcome or demonstrating the skills and knowledge required, then the one who cheated is cheapened. Any position a woman holds simply because she is female without earning it the same way a man would is oppressive and degrading to women.
True feminism supports
women as being valuable, concerned contributors to society, not merely
as objects to ogle. True feminism values a woman as a whole person
with a heart, soul, mind, and body. I find it highly insulting that
Hillary would suggest that women vote for her simply because she has (or had) a uterus without considering her qualifications or her character. A strong woman
of dignity votes with the collective union of her heart, mind, and soul,
evaluating candidates based on track record and integrity. No
thoughtful voter only looks at gender or believes whatever a politician
who lies far more often than she tells the truth says during her
campaign events.
As a woman, I want the first female POTUS to be someone who represents
women with responsible leadership, wisdom, selflessness, honesty, and
integrity. Let her be someone who loves America and seeks to protect
and preserve both Americans and the core values that founded our nation.
Hillary is the polar opposite of what a woman and a leader should be and brings great shame to our gender.
She has zero regard for national security or the rule of law, even when
her job description ultimately requires that she protect both.
Costly legal battles and criminal investigations have been a constant
companion throughout her career, yet rarely, if ever, has the full
measure of justice been meted against her. With the recent Benghazi and
email scandals, she received no punishment whatsoever, and those were possibly her worst scandals to date. She
should be rotting in jail for life, but her power is greater than that
of the justice system. Leaders lift up their
constituents for the greater good. Criminals destroy their fellow citizens for their own selfish gain.
The FBI described in great detail all the evidence proving that
Hillary Clinton is GUILTY of violating the espionage act. Add that to
the long list of felonies in her past which all went unpunished. Her
crimes are far worse than those committed by military officers whose
innocent mistakes, which did not compromise national security in any
way, have them locked behind bars. Because of her crimes, innocent
lives of some of our best officials have been lost (Benghazi is only one
example), and now the identities of undercover agents around the world
and of everyone close to them have been leaked to our enemies. Their
lives and the lives of their family members are in great danger thanks
to the Clinton machine. She has made herself an easy and prime target
for blackmail! Try to imagine what damage can be done if she is elected
POTUS while blackmailed ... totally under the manipulation of our
enemies!
The government's #1 job is to protect Americans, and she has spent
her career compromising national security, sacrificing lives of American
heroes, and throwing anyone who stands in her way under the bus for the
sole purpose of protecting her own narcissistic lust for power. Throw
in the secret conversation between the highly corrupt AG and Bill
Clinton just before the FBI's pronouncement and you have the most
obvious and ridiculous case of obstruction of justice imaginable. But
Clinton will not be charged for any of the grievous crimes of her past,
you see, because she is above the law, and no one else matters except to
the extent she can use them for her own selfish gain. The FBI
says she did not intend any harm, and I'm sure she's promising not to do
it again, but that's like Bill Clinton saying he never intended to
become a womanizer, violating hundreds of women, and that the Monica
thing was just one more honest mistake and that he'll never look at a
woman lustfully again. When your most predominant characteristic is
"scandalous liar", such an excuse is laughable. If even the most
upright citizen, someone like Billy Graham, commits a felony
accidentally (and we all know Hillary knew exactly what crimes she was
committing - she was warned by staffers and was the Secretary of State
for crying out loud), they go to jail. End of discussion. Yet the FBI
accepted her lame excuse even though intent is not even a consideration
in the law, nor did it keep others from paying harsh penalties for
lesser crimes.
If the FBI, AG, and SCOTUS will not stop
her tyranny, then voters, it's up to you! I know Trump is a jerk, but
at least he is willing to surround himself with wise counselors and is
not above the law. Look how things went for the Egypt when Pharaoh
followed Joseph's advice or for Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar listened to
Daniel. We can count on Hillary surrounding herself only with these
same corrupt, cowardly officials who are already squashing justice while
under her thumb.
If we have no accountability and no justice,
then we have no law, no freedom, and no Constitutional republic. We are
but pawns under the iron fist of a mad woman. Ask Germans what that
was like before and during WW2.
It's time for the people of America to stand
for truth and justice. Express your outrage with courage and
conviction. And for the love and honor of every soldier who fought for
your freedom, please do not vote for her. A different POTUS would choose
a different AG (Cruz would be my pick) who would likely indict her
bringing some semblance of law back to America. This is so much bigger
than party allegiance. No matter which party holds office, we must have
law and justice equally served to all citizens or we have nothing.
Hillary must be held accountable.
So no one truly expected Hillary to be indicted for her felony. The
Democratic machine would not have made sure she got the nomination if
there was even a hint of fear she could go to jail. But knowing what
will happen does not remove the outrage upon seeing it happen. However, when we consider the in-your-face blatant fix put in place through the
series of events (Bill meets privately with Lynch, Lynch is assured
she can remain as AG if Clinton is elected, Obama hops on a plane to
help Hillary campaign, suits are filed against the head of the DNC for
rigging the primaries, etc.), it shows how unnecessary it is to bother hiding the corruption. The voters expect it and seem not to mind at all anymore. To continue supporting Hillary now is a betrayal of justice.
As Comey
detailed each of her crimes, clearly and seemingly deliberately pointing
out each of her lies to the public throughout the investigation, yet
refusing to indict....it reminded me of those cases where those held
hostage sent cryptic or blatant SOS messages via on-line pizza orders
begging for help. He obviously wanted the whole world to know that she
is guilty, presumably to preserve the integrity of the FBI to carry out
the investigation thoroughly (costing taxpayers millions) but to what
end? Maybe detailing her guilt was also his way of assuaging his guilt
when he did not indict. But could it also be an SOS - as he felt
trapped, held hostage by whatever powers constrain him - with the hope
that someone with more courage and power would indeed indict her - such
as the next AG when Hillary loses? It's all speculation, but I can't
get the image of a hostage sending out a secret 911 message out of my
mind when I hear his testimony. There has to be more to it than just
another fix to protect Hillary. I think it's a cry to every American
voter to stop her and her socialistic regime. We are the only EMTs
left.
The double standard is appalling. Nixon, Petraeus, Snowden, and Martha Stewart all paid for their much lesser crimes while Hillary, whose crimes far exceed all of theirs combined, goes free.
Early last June, I shared a news story about a major OPM security
breach. OPM maintains extremely confidential, highly detailed personal
information for all who obtain federal security clearance. The records
for over 21.5 million people were stolen during a cyber hack in early
2014, yet OPM did not discover the hack until April 2015. The
announcement of the breach in June 2015 was not carried by most
mainstream media, likely because the news story casts Obama in a negative
light. Obama had appointed the head of OPM at fault who had ignored
earlier warnings regarding the compromised security of OPM systems primarily because she was a minority female and would be the first Latina Director of OPM. He continued to defend her even as both Republicans and Democrats in the
House of Representatives forced her to resign.
Those records provide everything needed to commit identity fraud or to
hunt down and take hostages. At risk are not just federal agents whose
info was stolen but also their family members, children, and
significant others. The damage that can be done with that information
is beyond measure. The story received so little media coverage
that few heard about it and even fewer actually believed it. But you
better believe it happened because over 21.5 million people have
received letters from OPM just like this one we received.
We just saw how inept Hillary Clinton is at
handling classified information and our national security, and since she
was not punished we can expect her to continue compromising our
security and our privacy for the sake of her own convenience for as long
as she has the power to do to so. Voters must stop this inept, corrupt madness in the White
House for the sake of national security, personal freedom, and each
person's own identity!
Hillary's entire career is consumed with traitorous acts, gross abuses of power, fraud, and ongoing criminal activity.
This video has been updated to include her tenure as Secretary of State
and cut from the previous version which was over an hour, so this 20
minutes only covers a small portion of her career of corruption. For
those who do not remember her past or were too young to be aware, please
watch this video for all the evidence needed to understand that her election would be a treacherous act of treason.
Should she win the election, there is every reason to believe it was
through outright fraud using the resources gained by a lifetime of
criminal activity and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Fools believe a liar's
lips when the truth is obvious through the con artist's actions.
