Wednesday, October 10, 2012

America - A Nation Deceived

I am amazed at just how deceived our nation is. I would say a vast majority of Americans pin their hopes for a national economic recovery on one man…the President of the United States. In a month we will be voting for our next President. Will Obama win reelection or will Mitt Romney regain the White House for the Republicans?

Our nation is deceived in many ways. First we believe that one man or his political party (rather than the one true God) will save the United States from its economic woes.  Even many Christians think this way. I was asked to read two articles which encourage Christians to vote for Romney, without coming right out and saying it.

Neither man, nor political party over the other will save our nation.  We are under the judgment of God for our sins. A Romney presidency will not restore America. The only thing that will restore America is repentance and following the Lord Jesus Christ.

One thing I have noticed more than ever this election is how the American people have been deceived into believing that there are only two choices for President. It’s either Democrat or Republican.  There is absolutely no media coverage of any of the other political party candidates.  Americans do not get exposure to these other candidates because they are not millionaires, nor are they being backed by Super PACS or extraordinarily wealthy people.  People don’t know about these other candidates because they have become too dependent on the mainstream media to inform them. They will not take the time to search for themselves. They stay so busy it is easier to have others tell them who to vote for.

America has become such an entertainment and amusement based society that we don’t want to think for ourselves. The word “muse” means to think. Put an “a” in front of a word and it means the opposite. The opposite of thinking is being amused, or entertained.  Being amused does not require us to think. We want to take only mainstream media information and use it to make the “best possible choice” during this election.

I have had more than one person tell me, “I wish we had another option to vote for this year.” Well, we do. I often hear people say, “I consider myself a conservative, not necessarily a Republican.”  Since it is the Republican Party who leans more toward “conservative” values they feel the only choice they can make is for the Republican candidate.

How many conservative Americans have even heard of the Constitution party or their candidate for president, Virgil Goode?  I dare say, not many.

People have told me that a vote for a third party candidate is a vote for Obama. I beg to differ. A vote for a third party candidate is a vote for who I think would best lead our nation in the right direction. Obama has not led this nation in the right direction in the past 4 years. I do not believe that Romney will lead our nation in the right direction either.

People argue that the reason I will not vote for Romney is because he is a Mormon. Well, I didn’t vote for McCain or Obama in the last election and it wasn't because of their religious beliefs. I didn't vote Republican or Democrat last election because both party platforms  fail us. Romney’s religion has nothing to do with why I will not vote for him.

I have looked at Romney’s stand on several issues and while it is impossible to agree with a candidate on every issue, it is important to agree on at least a few.

Based on some simple research done online at http://2012.republican-candidates.org, I have looked at his views on issues that I believe have resulted in our nation being under the judgment of God.  Two of these issues I believe are moral issues. As the morality of a nation goes, so goes the nation. As morality declines, the nation will decline. First of all, how does Romney believe about abortion?  Romney previously supported a woman’s right to decide to terminate the life of her unborn child at any time for any reason, but he is now adamantly opposed to abortions, unless…

…unless it involves cases of rape, incest or if the mother’s life is in mortal danger.  The Republican candidate for president of the United States believes an abortion is justified if the unborn child, who through no fault of his own, was conceived as a result of rape or incest.  That child is now worthy of death.  If the mother’s life is in danger, I presume during the birthing process, the child can be terminated if it is the only thing that will keep the mother alive. And who will make that call?

Our nation is responsible for killing more Americans through abortion than all the wars our nation has fought in combined.  Will a vote for justifying any abortions please God?

The second issue facing our nation is the issue of “same-sex marriage.”  Though Romney states that marriage should be defined as a union between one man and one woman, he seeks to have equality between husband/wife couples and  sodomite and lesbian couples. Basically, in the eyes of the government there should be no difference between the two.  The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were judged because of the unchecked sin of sodomy.  Will a vote for condoning and giving equal rights to sodomite and lesbian couples please God?

A third issue, though not moral in nature, is important in my estimation. That issue is will our nation support Israel or not? Our current administration “supports” Israel as minimally as possible mainly in word, not in deed. Our current President seeks to pressure Israel to go back to its pre 1967 borders…if I’m not mistaken about the date. He wants Israel to give up part of its land.

Will a Romney Presidency be any different? In an article I read just this week in the Jerusalem Post, Romney stated that he is committed to seeing the creation of a democratic and prosperous independent Palestinian state living side by side with a secure Jewish state.  How is that going to be possible unless Israel gives up some of their land?  Is Romney for Israel?

A final issue of importance in my estimation is the issue of immigration. I think our current President would be happy if there were no borders at all. What about Romney? Romney believes if America is to be competitive on the global economic scale, we must loosen the laws of immigration so we can take advantage of highly skilled workers.  He wants it easy for “highly skilled” foreigners to obtain citizenship, as well as pardoning the millions of unskilled illegal workers who unlawfully came across our borders and allowing them to stay. 

I believe a Romney Presidency will in no way deter or slow God’s hand of judgment already on our nation.  I am amazed at the number of Christians who look at this election from a purely man centered point of view. Do Christians not believe in the sovereignty of God?  They say they do, but their actions and words would tend to lead one to believe otherwise. 

I read two articles in which prominent Christians are urging us not so prominent Christians to vote for Romney. Their arguments are as follows…

If a candidate who is elected to office (President Obama) does evil, then it is our duty to remove them from office during the next election…in order to do that we have to vote for the one candidate who has the best chance of defeating the incumbent…regardless of what that candidate believes.

In this article, the writer tried to use the examples of Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, and Esther in Persia as people who were asked to work for the good of others in the confines of often hostile government leadership. I was left with the impression that even though voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil, we have a responsibility to vote for the one (though evil) who won’t drag our nation down as far. Again they make it sound like there are only two choices for president. Notice that of the Biblical examples given, not one of them was given a choice or an option of what they would like to see happen. Joseph was not given an option of whether or not he wanted to be sold into slavery in Egypt. Daniel was not asked to vote whether or not he wanted to be taken captive to Babylon. Esther was not given a choice as to whether or not she wanted to me married to a pagan king. We have been blessed of God in this nation. We do have a choice and there are more than just two options for President of the United States.

In an article entitled, “Can Christians Ever Vote For Mormons?” the author states, “preserving the political process involves voting against someone as much as voting for someone.” I came away with the idea the author thinks our only hope for America is if Obama doesn’t get reelected and we have to vote for whoever has the best chance of beating him. Whatever happened to voting your conscience and letting God put in office whomsoever it pleased Him to?

Regardless of who we choose to vote for, God’s eternal decree will be accomplished.

Isaiah 46:9-11
9  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.
10  Declaring the end from the beginning , and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.
11  …yea I have spoken it, I will also bring it pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

From the beginning, God declared who would be elected President in 2012. His counsel will stand. He will do all His pleasure. He is Sovereign!

Daniel 2:21  And He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

It is God who put our current President into office. It is God who will remove him when it pleases Him to do so. It is God who will raise up the next President, be it Obama, Romney, Goode or the man of His own choosing.

Daniel 4:17  “…that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will…”

Psalm 75:6-7
6  For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
7  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

God is Sovereign. According to Psalm 83:18, His name is Jehovah, not "Allah" and He is the Most High over all the earth. He will bring His own will to pass. He alone is Sovereign. That being true, where does that leave our responsibility? Though God is Sovereign and will accomplish His purpose, we still live on this earth and are responsible before Him to be good citizens of our country. Part of being a good citizen is knowing who we are electing to office and what he or she stands for. Then we are to vote. But when we do, don’t vote for the one who we think has the best “chance” of putting the more evil candidate out of office. Vote your conscience. Go to www.constitutionparty.com  and read their party platform. See where they stand on abortion, same sex marriage, immigration, and economic recovery. You may not agree with every stand they take, but you might be surprised just how much you do agree with.

On this earth, as long as there are sinful men, there will never be a perfect society. That is not the goal of the Constitution party. They are not seeking to create a utopean society or to usher in the millenneal reign of Christ. They simply seek to return our country to a stricter following of the U.S. Constitution which the Republican and Democratic parties have in many ways abandoned.

The reason I will not vote for the lesser of two evils is because I choose not to vote for evil.

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."               Proverbs 29:2

This election, just as I did last election, I have prayed and will vote my conscience. I will vote for the man whom the Lord has impressed upon me to vote for and leave the results up to the Lord. Will you do the same? I hope so. Then you can walk away from the voting booth knowing you voted as the Lord led you no matter who it was you voted for.

Monday, October 1, 2012

A time of great rejoicing indeed!

Today is Monday, October 1 for most of the world. For the Jew today is Tishri 15 and marks a most wondrous occasion. On this day the Jewish people begin the last of the seven feasts or divine appointments given to them by God as seen in Leviticus 23. 

What is so wondrous about this day? I truly believe that it was on this day that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born into this world.

Today, my family celebrates the birth of Christ. If you wonder why I believe Christ was born on Tishri 15 you can read my earlier post from May 18, 2012. I believe if we dig a little, the date of Christ’s birth is given to us in the Scriptures.
  
During this feast, God commanded Israel in Leviticus 23:40 to “…rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.  What could be a greater cause for rejoicing than to celebrate the birth of the long awaited Messiah? Only many Jews didn’t know and still don’t know, because their eyes have been blinded according to Romans 11.

Jesus Christ, God in flesh, was born of a virgin and dwelt among us.

Matthew 1:21-23
21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins.
22  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23  Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us.

            God with us…

John 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

            The word “dwelt” is translated from the Greek word “skenoo” which means…

1) to fix one's tabernacle, have one's tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle
2) to dwell

I believe that on the Feast of Tabernacles, Christ was given a body (temporary dwelling place…earthly tabernacle) …

Hebrews 10:5  Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,  Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared for me:

…and He tabernacled or dwelt among us.

With great joy, today we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Another reason to celebrate this Feast (divine appointment) of Tabernacles with great joy is in the future, according to Zechariah 14:16-19, during the millennial reign of Christ, we all will be observing this feast as Christ once again dwells with us on this earth.