“Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.” -Doxology
In the early morning hours after Election Day, Donald Trump was declared the 47th President of the United States of America. A group of his supporters broke out in praise singing the hymn ‘How Great Thou Art’. Along with a Republican presidency, the party will gain control of the Senate and most likely the House of Representatives. It was a clean sweep. If the elections results had to be summed up in a few words it would be this: God spared us. He spared us from a Harris administration that would have signed abortion back into federal law. Notably, Trump out-performed all across the board with Hispanics, African Americans, Orthodox Jews, young men and women, and voters with no religious affiliation at all. Even pagans can see that inflation, open borders, boys in girls’ sports, and sex change operations on minors is a bad idea!
Donald Trump is still a flawed candidate, namely because he is a sinner just like everyone else. So I don’t think it is appropriate to assume he can do no wrong and now the country is “saved”. But we can celebrate this earthly blessing rightly viewed, as God’s mercy on America. He could have handed this nation over to the most liberal, progressive and wicked agenda in the history of our country, and be right in doing so. But the Lord in His grace did not. Just as we celebrate weddings, the birth of our children, getting a new job or promotion, and birthdays, this political win is cause for thanksgiving. I don’t believe that is considered idolatry. As Christians, we get to enjoy our temporal blessings, while keeping an eternal perspective.
I also think this does not mean Christians can check out and coast the next four years. Sadly, the majority of states which voted to keep abortion practices in place succeeded. There is still work to do in swaying public opinion on the evil of the Silent Holocaust. Believers are salt and light whenever and wherever God has placed us, which means we pray and speak. Those who hate the outcome of this election are already speaking (yelling and crying) loudly, so it is prudent for Christians to pray. Here are a few things to pray for:
-Salvation for Donald Trump and all elected leaders
-Wisdom for him to lead this country in peace, prosperity, promoting good
-To surround himself with godly counsel
-An end to abortion
-Repentance and spiritual revival in America
-bold and humble Christians
Of course there are many other things we can and should pray for in this country, but this short list can serve as a guide. Never have I been more convinced of the spiritual warfare being played out right before our eyes. Satan is at work, but so is God. The Lord’s purposes will not be thwarted. He uses whatever means to accomplish His will, for His glory and our ultimate good. Praise God.
Grace upon grace,
April
*This is a testimony from a woman who survived a saline abortion when her mother was 7 1/2 months pregnant with her. It is an amazing story. She is using her story to tell others the horrors of infanticide and glorify Jesus.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” -Matthew 5:13
Imagine with me for a moment there was no such thing as salt. No salt to flavor your food. No salt to preserve meat, heal wounds, or use as a cleansing agent. Now imagine there were no such thing as Christians. No one to tell you, or anyone, about the remedy for our sinfulness. No one to be used by God as His hands and feet, restraining evil, healing, serving, or ministering to others. The world would still go on, but in a very shallow, hopeless, chaotic existence.
But God had a plan. Not only did He make a way for sinners to have eternal fellowship with Him through the blood of Jesus Christ, He then gave those same redeemed sinners a job to do. The Lord equates believers with salt in the Bible, because we are to be preservers of righteousness in the times and places God has put us, from worldwide apostasy.
In the book of Esther, the name of God is never mentioned, yet His providence is on full display. Queen Esther has been told by Mordecai of Haman’s wicked plan to slaughter all Jews in Persia. She responds with trepidation, knowing that anyone who approaches the king unannounced is liable to death. Mordecai answers her, “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (4:13-14).
Esther then asks Mordecai and all the Jews to pray and fast for three days, then she will go to the king. She ends her speech with these famous words, “And if I perish, I perish.” In this historical account, God used a Jewish woman blessed with a position of influence, to deliver the Jews from annihilation. Orthodox Jews today celebrate this momentous occasion with a festival, known as Purim.
God used Esther as a means of restraining evil in her time, and He does the same today with His people. Christians are tools in the hands of God to be used by Him as He sees fit. This includes evangelism and discipleship, but also living faithfully in your own home, raising children in the fear of the Lord, stewarding the time and resources you have to glorify God. The prophet Jeremiah told the people of Israel to do this while living as exiles in Babylon. He also told them to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I (God) have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7). They were living in a pagan place and yet God commands them to do good right where He planted them.
Americans have been abundantly blessed with prosperity and personal freedoms. Sadly, those privileges are often taken for granted, compartmentalized from the Christian faith. Who allowed these blessings in the first place if not God? It is not unspiritual or doltish to be concerned with the affairs of the public sphere. Every Christian has a duty to be aware and informed so that we can rightly promote peace and prosperity where God has placed us. If believers are to be salt in a tasteless world, then we are to use the means given to us to be preservative agents of righteousness. Under the constitutional republic, voting is one of the privileges we have in this country to do the best good out of the choices given. We need to pray for godly leadership in government. But if godly people neglect their spiritual responsibility to lead, the godless will. To “let go and let God” is a passive attitude many Christians take, even though they would never utter this unbiblical saying. It is exactly this worldview that has led our country to choose between two immoral people.
The judgment on our country should shake every believer awake. Have we been the salt God commanded us to be? Are we growing in our personal fellowship with the Lord? Or do we distract ourselves with lesser things? Have Christians spoken against the slaughter of children in the womb or kept silent? Have we openly shared our faith in the public square or left that up to other Christians? It might be costly. In fact, I’m sure it is, but that doesn’t mean we shy away from what God commands. Every single Christian is called to live as ambassadors in a pagan land that will mock, reject and push back against God’s laws.
In our sin nature, anything can become an idol. Our spouse, children, material wealth, job, reputation and even politics. All Baals must be smashed and all blessings viewed in their rightful place. A right order of affections is required, with God above everything else. However, you and I have been born in a time and place where we are to be salty Christians. Be an Esther. This includes voting the lesser of the two evils on Election Day. We are not voting for a pastor, but a politician. It is disheartening that Donald Trump has waffled on conservative issues, like abortion, and moved to a moderate position. But he did appoint three Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. He is strong on issues like the economy, immigration and foreign policy. The American people have already had a taste of what a Kamala Harris term looks like under the current administration, who views all Trump supporters as “garbage”. Harris’ record bears out her harmful progressive values and she stands behind them.
We should not naively think that because this is America we are immune from having all our liberties stripped away. God can do what He wants. This may include the fall of America, and it might be for our good. Americans have rejected God for so long, doing what is right in our own eyes, that repentance and revival come by way of bringing the nation low. But if God should choose to have mercy on us, He will do so and Christians can take part by carrying out our civic duty in voting and through prayer. Since all of life is worship, then our actions through voting and prayer are both important.
Even as I make this argument the obvious needs to be said: This world is not our home, and yet, we do have to live on earth until Christ returns or we go to be with Him through death. Only Jesus can save, satisfy and sustain us completely. But in His wisdom, God uses people to bring about His purposes. The mystery of God’s Sovereignty and man’s will means we cooperate with Him, leaving the results in His Hands. Even if the election outcome is disappointing, we can have a clear conscience knowing we voted for the better option. Choosing not to vote isn’t neutrality, but a passive choice of escaping responsibility to steward a privilege all American citizens have.
If Esther had chosen to shirk her responsibility, the Lord would have used another way to deliver the Jews. The same is true for Christians today. Whether you choose to vote or not, God’s purposes will be carried out. Yet every one of us will have to give an account for our actions here on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10). Dear Christian, live salty lives so that no one will mistake you for anything less than a hope filled Christ follower. We are called to preserve our culture from societal decay. This includes promoting the welfare of others in the Babylon we live in by voting for the best candidate who will restrain evil. As J. I. Packer once said, “Trust God and get going”.
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates day and night.” -Psalm 1:1-3
In the Gospel of Mark (11:27-12:12) the Jewish leaders challenge Jesus’ authority. Jesus drove out the money changers and people using the temple as a marketplace the day before. After their initial shock wore off these men confronted Jesus in a more aggressive manner. In the Lord’s wisdom, Jesus responds with a question concerning John the Baptist’s authority, which the Jewish leaders did not want to answer. They feared the people who viewed John as a prophet, nor could they admit John’s authority came from heaven thereby discrediting themselves for not acknowledging his legitimacy when John was still alive. Jesus knew this. Jesus was confronting their own spiritual hypocrisy for not acting like the spiritual leaders they claimed to be by shepherding the people, directing them to hear God’s wisdom from someone like John. These men were so caught up in their position and power they lacked discernment to see God’s truth and repent.
It’s remarkable and disheartening to see Christian leadership can also be as flawed and blind to Biblical truth today. This year has unraveled leaders in the church, exposing them to be in err or lack backbone to stand up for Biblical justice. In our cancel culture, determined to drown out common sense and Biblical wisdom, Christian leaders are capitulating instead, for fear of…. being called out by the media? culture? unbelievers??
I’m afraid we have compromised for too long with the world and now we can’t turn back. There seems to be no distinction between Christians and unbelievers today. When we can’t say Critical Race Theory is satanic, and by its very definition shows partiality when the Bible is clear to not show favoritism (James 2:1-9). When CRT teaches that whiteness is evil and people with less melanin are intrinsically racist. How has CRT seeped into evangelical teaching? Quite easily actually, when for decades leaders in our churches have given way to secular culture in order to stay “relevant” and morphed into human jellyfish instead of standing up for God’s truth. The Church is known more for political correctness than Biblical justice.
It is not sinful to point out sin. As Christians it is how we love sinners like us, directing them to Christ. The argument that we are opening the door to the gospel by meeting people where they are is a theory that has not worked well in practice. If anything, compromising with sin is what has the Church in this confused position. Churches that partner with CRT, LBGT, and abortion rights are devoid of love. That is enabling sin to spread like the cancer it is. So what should our response be? Speak truth in love. Always. Boldness among Christians is sorely lacking. We aren’t to be jerks but we don’t hold the door open for sin either. Instead of speaking out, condemning sin, we condone it by saying nothing at all or embracing it.
Earlier this week President Trump called for the defunding of Critical Race Theory which has been taught in government training, even in the military, using our tax dollars. In this case how is it that Donald Trump has more insight to the pervasive harm CRT has caused over the evangelicals? Why is this garbage taught in our seminaries and churches? John MacArthur seems to be a lone solider in this fight against true Biblical injustice. Our problems in this world should be focused on our inherent sin nature, not catering to false oppression. We are all sinful and need Christ. One race is not better than another because Jesus created beautiful, immutable diversity with the colors of our skin. Highlighting one race over another is not equality but the exact opposite. MacArthur declares,
“Never has the church of Jesus Christ been more desperately in need of bold, courageous, clear-thinking, forthright, steadfast biblical leadership. As refreshing as it is to see a shift at the government level away from the deliberate dissemination of CRT propaganda, this urgently needs to happen in the church too.”
We need to get back to the basics, away from appeasing the culture we live in which does not acknowledge God as Supreme Authority. This world will always be filled with divineness and distorting Scripture, leading people away from what God’s Word really says. Even though the events in our world are distressing, as Christians we know the end of the Story. Look to God (Colossians 3:2). The Bible says “if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it” (Genesis 4:7). As we gaze in Scripture and see our own sin, may we repent and not rebel against the authority of our Lord and Savior. May we have the boldness and discernment to live out God’s Word, even if our Christian leaders falter.
redeemed in grace 