Politics Don't Mix with Religion!

One of my favorite Pixar movies to date, is A Bug's Life. Not just for the animation but for a powerful scene in the movie when the grasshopper's who are just a handful, run the ants into submission but always providing enough food for them so they don't have to work and can enjoy their time off. They know that if they can keep a tight rein on things and ensure that no one stands up to them, they can continue they way things have been without any issue. Yet when one single ant stands up for the entire colony, the grasshoppers have to take action otherwise their comfy life is about to change forever.

That is just what is happening in our cultural as Christians little by little and why is that? Because we have become like ants and allowed it to happen. I have seen well-meaning Christians turn into what I will candidly call, "Wishy Washy Christians." They do this, because they don't want to be seen as someone making waves, rocking the boat or taking their religion into the workplace, or in government or schools.

As a Christian, the one place we can let out light shine is coming up in November, when it comes to this year's election. I believe the powers that are running things want us to continue to be like ants and not stand up to the grasshoppers in leadership. We choose to sit this one out, like we did last year because we don't like either of the candidates running for office. Here's something to consider, whether you vote or not, one of them will become president! You need to get off your apathetic stance and vote biblically for a candidate. To not vote is to vote for one of them. A politician who supports killing unborn babies is not something you can sit out. A politician who is willing to forgo the national security of this nation is not something you can afford to sit out! To let our returning service men and women to be treated less than homeless people is not something you can afford to sit out! Vote as biblically as you can for those who are running and stop trying to justify sitting out this vote. That IS just what the grasshoppers are hoping.

We live in a world today where things that are happening around us make us wonder, why should the Christian even care? Politics when it comes to the Christian is what is debated everywhere, from family gatherings, workplace lunchrooms, and in every form of social media. There are those who would say we shouldn't mix religion with politics, then what should you mix politics with? What does religion mix with? Are you saying that nothing should be mixed with our Christian faith? I would argue that everything should be mixed with our Christian faith! God invented government. How we live really matters, more so today, than ever before.

Acts 17:28 ~ "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, "For we are also His offspring."

Paul the apostles argument was simply thins, that there is no place on earth, in life, where the Christian is not to be a Christian. That there's no sphere of influence that the Christian is not to be engaged. Wherever we go, God is... There is no place where we are exempt from being Christians!!! We are Christians 24/7/365. We don't leave our faith at the door when we enter our homes, our jobs or political debates. The Bible should be the example for us on how we should live our lives.

Proverbs 29:2 ~ "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan."

Jesus Christ gave the Christian a cultural mandate and that is first and foremost to share the gospel!

Matthew 5:13-16 ~ "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who see in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works an glorify your Father in heaven."

We are to be public Christians, not private believers. Where is Jesus to be Lord in your life? YOU are the light of the "WORLD." It means you are to let the WORLD see your light! We don't leave Jesus out of our lives. Are you living out your Christian faith every single day?

Why should the Christian care? Because we have a responsibility to God? We've all heard the saying, "Don't be so heavenly-minded that you are no earthly good." But I think that the modern day, 21st Century church is so earthly minded that it is rarely heavenly good. It's all about how big it can get, how much money is can bring it...what kind of Christian is that? It looks good but it doesn't do anything.

The Christian is to be a public witness in his world, everywhere, anywhere, because we care! You might be saying as a Christian, you're not going to vote in this election. How can you even say that? As a Christian you're called to be involved! That is a horrific manifestation of a fancied up form of apathy. You can't do that. You can't go there. Let me give you some things to motivate you, because it has motivated me. There is a day coming...

2 Corinthians 5:9-11 ~ "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences."

As believers, we come from a long line of culturally impacting people, cultural crusaders, people of God who influenced governments in the realms of politics or governments... Daniel, Esther, Jeremiah, Isaiah, John the Baptist, even Paul used his political-civic opportunity to appeal to Caesar. They didn't worry about the separation of church and state, that doesn't even exist, yet many cases have been tried and won over something that doesn't even apply and millions are still believing it. Why don't you look it up for yourselves instead of being spoon fed what the media and the people in leadership are telling you?

We should all take up causes that are biblical and that is the very reason to vote in any election. There will be no perfect candidate running for office that appeals to everyone, so stop looking for one. Imagine what kind of political campaign Jesus might have in the world today if he was running for office? He never serve in the military so how can he empathize with what the military needs. He doesn't attend all the public places and dine with dignitaries and celebrities? He doesn't lead a political campaign aimed at winning anyone to His side. He hangs out with the worst of humanity and those that won't make a difference in the world of politics. He's homeless. He has only worked for his father's business as a carpenter. His parents weren't even married when He was conceived. Face it if Jesus were running today, He wouldn't even make it to the primaries!

1 Timothy 2:1-2 ~ "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercession, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."

Did you catch that? We are to pray for all our leaders and people in positions of power. This is the biggest religious tolerance by Christians over anyone. We don't kill those who don't agree with our world view. We persuade men, not dictate, not coerce, not pressure, but by presenting a better argument. We've grown so weak in our arguments that when we feel ourselves losing, we pull out the "you hurt my feelings" card.

Christian pastors are commanded to be the cultural watchmen on the wall and Christians are to follow their pastors lead. We just need to make sure that our pastors are following Jesus and biblical truths. If not, get out! Find a safe place! The pulpits are alive because they have accountability to God.

Acts 20:26-27 ~ "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God."

Those who hold political power exercise their opinion (they're not suppose to, they're suppose to exercise your opinion) over the will of the people. Our leaders are suppose to listen to us, and do the will of the people. Why have judges overthrowing the will of the people. Why did they ever think they could do this? Because we gave them the green light! Because we never speak up! They know they can overthrow the popular vote on an issue, because they know you won't do anything about it. We begin to be governed by a few, rather than those in government answering to us, we the people. If they can get Christians to simply throw in the towel and not vote, then they will win just like they did 8 years ago.

I'm proud to be an American, but the America in front of us now, is an America I don't recognize. Don't you think we need to ensure that our vote, the one we fought for the right to have, is counted? If you don't vote, it still counts and we all have to give an account to God for the choices we make. Consider looking at the candidates and see where they line up biblical on the issues that are important to you. How do you stand for traditional marriage? How do they stand up for our military? How do they stand up for our country? How do they stand up for our nations security? How do they stand for the rights of the unborn child? These are what you should be using as a Christian voter to vote for the candidate who most closely lines up with the biblical truths, not simply if they are a Christian or not? A woman or not?

Time for the ants to realize that the grasshoppers are hoping that you will simply look the other way and opt out, to stay quiet and just go back to church and stay there. 

Antisemitism is Satan's Evil Plan

As we have been studying in the Book of Revelation we have learned at this point in our study in chapter 12, that we are breaking down Satan's plan to destroy Israel, the Jews and belief in anything pertaining to Jesus before his time runs out. If he can do any of this, the Messiah can not return and in his mind he will have won the war against God and Jesus.

The connection between Jesus and Israel is and will remain unbroken. From Genesis 3, God has promised that the Messiah would come and destroy Satan and that Satan has been planning on ways to destroy the genetic line of the Messiah for centuries. Look back on Biblical history and we can see how Pharoah and Herod both tried to wipe out the lineage of Jewish born babies. Satan has been trying to kill the Jews, and they have been the most persecuted race throughout all of history. Why? Because Satan is trying to destroy God's plan of redemption for the world.

That is why Jesus, Jews and Israel is so hated. Antisemitism is rising and all of it is demonically inspired. Revelation 12 is the key to understand Bible Prophecy and it contains a lot of Old Testament references. This is mid point in the Tribulation period and is the advent of Satan's agenda.

Genesis 37:5-11 ~ "Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my shelf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you? His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind."

Now let's look at Revelation 12:1-6 to unveil the clues given to us from the Old Testament.

Revelation 12:1-6 ~ "A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven" An enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a male child, who will rule the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days."

The woman is Israel and the twelve stars are the tribes or sons of Israel.

Romans 9:30-33 ~ "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the 'stumbling stone.' As it is written: "See I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

Israel is still God's chosen people and nation but there is a veil over their eyes. This is Israel's unbelief. The Gentile gathering has been happening since the church age began at Pentecost and will continue until the Rapture of the church.

If you ever have taken notice that Arab maps don't list Israel on their maps. Why is that? It goes against the Koran because it says that Allah can't not exist as long as Israel does. It lists the land of Israel as Palestine instead. It is not great wonder why the sudden push for Palestine to become a state or recognized nation. The nation of Israel has become a thorn in their flesh since it became a nation on May 14, 1948. This is the very reason Satan has been trying to eradicate the line of the Messiah from the beginning. Satan's mission is to destroy the church.

John 1:1-3,14 ~"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

This is the message of the New Testament Church! Satan is desperately fighting for total control. A desire to control human government.

Revelation 12:3 ~ "An enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads."

Satan is represented as a dragon has been a symbol for quite some time. The 7 heads, 10 horns and 7 crowns or diadems, all apply to earthly global powers or politics. We know that throughout the Bible there are references that specific nations, regions or lands are controlled by specific demons for example Persia is referred to in Daniel 7, who has a demonic ruler on control of the land. We need to understand that there is a spiritual battle at play when it comes to politics. We need to ensure we are praying and voting in every election. People would argue that religion and politics should remain separate but this is not the foundations our founding fathers of this nation would agree with. There should be no separation of religion and politics and in fact should go hand in hand with one another.

If you were to ever look at the the very top of the Washington Memorial, it states if you could see it. "Laus Deo or Praise be to God in Latin. "

Satan knows that if he can corrupt the decision makers over a city, a country, or a nation = he can directly influence and effect millions or even billions of people. In the end, Satan and his powers will be condemned. We see that since Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, Satan is a victim of his own lies and he keeps on trying to find loopholes that will allow his plan to succeed.