American Politics

Changing a Nation

God’s People have more power to change the political landscape of a nation through thanksgiving and prayer than through the ballot box. We all should participate in electing our government leaders, but as Christians we have something more powerful than our vote. Changing the ruling party or replacing individuals in office may be necessary but history reveals it has not resulted in turning America toward righteousness. God has given us in His word the recipe for bringing about the transformation of a nation.

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 1 Tim 2:1-3 NKJV

We are inclined to complain and criticize our elected officials because they do not share the same values and beliefs that we do. The bible says the power of life and death is in the tongue and the tongue is like a flame that is set on fire of hell. With our tongue we bless God then turn and curse men who are made in His image. (See James 3) The very fact that all men are made in God’s image is reason enough to give thanks to God even if they are opposed to righteousness. Our thanksgiving and prayer of blessing sanctifies or sets them up for divine influence.

If an elected official is operating in darkness and all we do is criticize and complain we are only reinforcing the darkness. Criticism is generally rooted in a religious pride. We know that God’s desire is that all nations yield to His standards of righteousness and justice but some of us lack understanding of His ways. Romans chapter 13 tells us the higher powers such as earthly government officials are ordained of God, ministers that we are to be subject unto. His intent is that they oppose evil and not good.

We know that some leaders are opposed to God and His righteousness but His way of turning them around is not to oppose them personally. There are several examples in scripture of righteous men and women of God becoming leaders that influenced nations. Daniel honored the king of Babylon for his position without compromising his own personal righteousness. He was a light in a dark place and eventually found favor and influence with Nebuchadnezzar. Joseph honored those in positions of authority over him and found favor in their sight. It opened the door for him to provide wisdom and a solution for the famine in Egypt. David honored king Saul even when Saul was out to destroy him. He allowed God time to work in the situation instead of taking matters into his own hands. As a result David was promoted to ruler over Israel. These examples all show us God’s way of either changing the heart of an existing leader or replacing them.

The manner in which leadership is gained is how it will need to be maintained. If an office is gained through God’s favor He will maintain it in like manner but if we gain a position through strife and criticism we will surely face much of the same as we hold that position.

We too often try to hold the heathen to God’s scriptural standards and it would be good if they adhered to them but they can not. No man without the grace of Christ can keep God’s laws—that’s basic Christianity 101. The only people Jesus confronted over such standards were the religious Pharisees and scribes. They were the ones who took pride in knowing God’s laws so they should have been the best examples of godliness but they were not. It looks somewhat similar out there these days. The religious people are expecting those who do not walk in God’s grace to have the power to do right, but it can’t happen. In fact we who have God’s grace in abundance should be the first to show them grace, not as rewarding evil but empowering them to do right by imparting grace to them, honoring and thanking God for them.

The Heathen Are Cleansed

Peter, in a vision saw all manner of unclean animals lowered down from heaven and he heard the Lord say “arise Peter, kill and eat.” Peter answered saying “not so Lord for I have never eaten anything common or unclean”. This happened three times and Peter understood it to mean that God had cleansed that which was formerly unclean. The gentiles who were previously unable to come to God were now made clean or acceptable. (See Acts 10:13-28) Even before the gentiles received Christ and were converted, God saw them clean. He had called them to salvation and had cleansed them ahead of time as it were. They only needed to come and confess there sins and turn to Christ by faith. Their belief and confession of Christ would seal the deal. The vision Peter had was to reveal a truth and allow him to see the gentiles through the eyes of God.

Thanksgiving and prayer leads to sanctification. (See 1Tim 4:1-6)
In a similar way Paul says food that was formerly unclean can be sanctified or cleansed through thanksgiving and prayer. God used food to illustrate to Peter that the gentiles were now acceptable. The unclean was now made clean through the work of Christ. Paul also tells Timothy that every creature is suitable for food when received with thanksgiving and prayer.

My point is, this principal is still in effect. Our prayer can either set an unbeliever apart unto God for divine influence or the opposite can also occur. A prayer laced with criticism and complaints about ungodly leadership can release more demonic influence upon them. We need to see those who are away from God as though they are clean already. If our prayer for them is not to bless and thank God for them it will likely be tainted with complaints and criticism. We don’t dare allow our enemy to use us and our access to God’s throne to bring accusations against anyone. The devil is the accuser but his only access to God is through misguided believers. We are to represent God’s case before the throne not the devil’s case. God has declared all men innocent by the blood of His Son.

Here again I want to clarify that I am not saying the ungodly are saved by default, obviously not. They are lost until they come to Christ by faith just like we all must do. I am trying to stress there is a difference between seeing men through the eyes of the law and the eyes of faith. Faith sees them as they will be while the law can not see past their faults. That reminds me of a story a young police officer told me. He was riding along in a squad car with an older officer who shared how he hated what he had become over many years. The longer he was on the force the more he looked for people to do something illegal and became obsessed with the desire to catch someone in the wrong. No longer was it innocent until proven guilty but you are guilty and I’ll catch you sooner or later. It is a sad state to be in; always looking for faults in others but that is how legalism can effect Christians as well.

If Christians truly want to win over those in places of authority we need to adorn ourselves with that meek and gentle spirit. How about Paul’s instructions to women whose husbands do not believe? He says basically husbands will not be attracted to Christ by their wife’s preaching the word or even their outward beauty, be it hair, clothes or jewelry, but by the inner beauty of a meek and quiet spirit. This sort of adorning is like a priceless jewel in God’s eyes. (See 1 Peter 3)

America is looking for a true alternative to the leadership they have known. The type of leader America really needs and wants will only be installed by God. Popular votes won’t do it because most Americans do not see as God does, with the eyes of faith. God will raise up those who will submit themselves to the process like Joseph or David and refuse to strike out at the one in authority but honor their position. Where are these leaders, are they locked in a dungeon or hiding in a cave waiting for the favor of God to fall upon them? We may not see that person but God has been grooming and preparing for himself leaders who will not bow to the giants or the controling Jezebels of our day but will defeat that prevailing spirit through God’s Spirit.

Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against wicked spirits of darkness in high places. It is not by human might or power but by the Spirit of God that America will be delivered from the grip of evil.

Less Equals More

Less Can Equal More

How often do we size up what we have and assume it is too little to amount to anything? I remember an old saying, “That’ll never amount to a hill of beans.” With my limited gardening experience, it was common when planting corn or beans to place two or three seeds in each hill and hope for at least one to come up to create a stalk of corn or beans. I suppose if a person only had one seed to put in a hill it may not survive and reproduce a crop. Thus the saying may have originated from something like having only one seed in a hill.

Jesus and His disciples were about to take a boat trip. After they had shoved off from shore He said to them, “Beware of the leaven of the scribes and the leaven of Herod.” Then they began to reason among themselves thinking Jesus was concerned about having enough bread. Jesus over heard their discussion and asked why they hadn’t understood that He was not speaking of bread but of the teaching or doctrine of the Pharisees and Herod. Then, concerning natural bread He reminded them of the time He multiplied the five loves and fed twelve thousand with twelve baskets of fragments left over and when He multiplied the seven loaves to feed four thousand with seven baskets of fragments left over. Then He asked them a curious question. “How is it that you do not understand?” It appears there were two things Jesus really wanted them to get. One was concerning the deceitful doctrine of the Pharisees and the second was having only one loaf of bread was not a problem, in fact it may set the stage for an even greater miracle.

If five loaves were multiplied with twelve baskets of fragments left over and seven loaves were multiplied with seven baskets leftover, it would appear that starting with less added up to serving a greater number with even more left over. God delights in taking that which appears inadequate and turning it into more than enough. Men would say it will never amount to a hill of beans but God will use it to feed the multitudes.

God has given each of us bread or seed to reproduce and to bear fruit in His Kingdom. The seed may be various talents or gifts of ministry or even natural skills. It is obvious that God has given gifts according to His own will. Some are more talented in one area while others are talented in different ways. We have a tendency to look at those more gifted than us and conclude we do not have enough to amount to anything. But Jesus does not want those who only have one loaf to assume it would never amount to a hill of beans. Jesus may be alluding to the possibility of the lesser having the ability to be used in an even greater dimension. Let’s do the math. If seven fed four thousand with seven baskets left and five fed twelve thousand with twelve baskets left, then one loaf might feed fifty thousand with one hundred baskets of fragments left. I am not suggesting there is a scientific formula for this I’m just trying to point out a trend in the numbers.

My point is totally that we should never belittle what God has put in our hands, no matter how small or insignificant it may appear. The parable Jesus taught concerning the mustard seed confirms this thought. Though the mustard seed is smallest among seeds and seemingly insignificant, when planted it will grow into a tree large enough for the birds of the air to take refuge in.

Those who received the word yet did not mix it with faith profited nothing from it. It takes more faith on our part to challenge the greater need with the fewer loaves. Planting the seed through faith is what makes it grow. Having greater faith will not necessarily put an earthly bakery at our disposal but an ability to transfer substance from the unseen realm of heaven into the visible realm of earth. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things unseen. God has a bakery in heaven, to supply us with the bread of His word and also natural bread when needed. It is up to us to recognize the little we now have is the key to opening heaven’s windows. Planting the small seed initiates the miracle. When a seed falls into the ground it is as good as dead, buried out of sight, but a miracle occurs and it becomes a plant that contains more seed within it. Just as Abraham’s descendants multiplied beyond numbering, one small seed or loaf can be multiplied beyond our ability to count.

The parable of the talents also parallels this thought. The servant who was given just one talent did not take it seriously but set it aside in a safe place. He may have said it will never amount to a hill of beans. A distorted image of his master made him afraid to risk losing the talent so he protected it instead. The very thing he feared came upon him. When his master returned to find he had done nothing with it, it was taken from him and given to the other faithful servant. Planting the seed and bringing forth a harvest is the goal. Taking what God has put in our trust and investing it in the fields of this world will reap a harvest of souls.

God loves to use the things that are weak and despised by men to demonstrate His power. The Old Testament records several accounts of God giving great victory to small insignificant bands of warriors so that He would get the glory. Paul said that his preaching was not with excellent speech or enticing words of human wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and power so that our faith would not rest on man’s wisdom but on the power of God.

I want to be found faithful with the talents that have been entrusted to me. I refuse to look at the small loaf I have in my hand and fail to challenge the great need and hunger of the multitudes with it. I must do my part to take what God has blessed and break it into pieces and serve it out believing God to multiply it to meet the need of those who partake of it. I will not assume that excellent speech and communication skills are required to deliver God’s message lest I promote faith in man’s abilities and wisdom rather than the power of God to make much out of little.