As our nation becomes more clearly polarized it is important to heed these words; “When you ally yourself with evil, the enemy of your friend becomes the target for your own evil.” Casting aside all personal attacks, those who stand in opposition to Hillary do so based on her political precedent that is starkly contrasted against Judeo-Christian values. Those are not white values, but the values of the Judeo-Christian block of humanity who stands on the law of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as our standard for righteousness. Those moral guideposts led to the Declaration of Independence and the foundation of this nation, they emboldened those who abolished slavery, led the woman’s suffrage movement, fought to end racial discrimination and Jim Crow. We stood against the KKK and arm in arm with the impoverished and under-represented. It was the obedience to and reverence of God which created the society in which unrestrained human creativity led to the automobile, airplane, smallpox vaccine, and the internet. Those of us who held our nose and voted for Trump, do not condone the racist sentiments of the small minority of his supporters, just the same as my dear liberal friends do not stand side by side with the violence in Fergusson, or murder of police officers in Dallas. Regardless of your political leaning, we as decent members of society cannot fall into the pit of lumping our political opponents with the worst ignorant fools on either side. Those whom we can laugh and jest about our different beliefs on fiscal policy or opinions of the best means of providing quality health care to the poor of society must remain our friends. We must remain civil. Debate leads to progress. Division leads to tyranny.

Our nations motto and the phrase imprinted on our currency says :
“In God We Trust”
Trusting God means that we align ourselves to His wisdom and submit our desires to the goodness of His character. Putting aside our selfish ambition and fleshly lusts to live according to His instruction and flourish with peace, hope, love and joy due entirely to His grace. 
It means we believe in the Gospel of Jesus. 
That we as a people are His and are for Him in this world. 
That we fight for the innocent and defend the weak. 
That we love and honor our neighbor and do unto him what we would wish him to do to us. 
That we love all and expect nothing in return. 
That’s why America is great. 
Or it was. 
Somehow that meaning has been lost into the hotdogs, flags, and fireworks. 
Be encouraged. He is still worthy of our trust. It is we who have moved, not Him. 
Trust in His promises and that He is who He demonstrates over and over again. 
He is loving, tender, holy, forgiving, slow to anger, compassionate, sufficient, understanding, good, hater of evil and protector of the innocent and humble.
He shines light into darkness wherever his people are obedient and bold. 
Our nation is heaving, shuttering, crashing against the rocks in the dark night of the storm. 
If ever we were in need of light, it is again upon us. 

For all of history and on into the future, all of man’s wisdom and accomplishments will pale in comparison to the truth revealed in the Bible. It is not a mistake for Christian writers to write with authority when the truths they express are undeniably retrieved from the Word of God.The authority of the Scriptures supersedes the popular opinion of each and every generation.

Piper and I acknowledge the draw of socialism, based on the human need for provision, while maintaining the stance of Christianity. Although tainted at times by the failures and sins of its proclaimed followers, the foundational truths, as provided by God, will always be the greatest advocate for individual liberty.

Liberty requires individual and familial responsibility.

Responsibility often requires faith.

Faith is dependant on an all powerful and loving God who promises to provide all needs for those who love him and live according to his teaching.

So we love, believe, have faith and try to obey.

For me, with that world view, it is obvious that Socialism is a government system that is specifically designed by the enemy of God to undermine faith. It promises provision, safety, food, shelter, etc.

When all that we need is guaranteed, what need is there for faith?

Socialism undermines familial responsibility and faith in God. It sets up the state as the ultimate provider and guaranteer of “fair provision.”

Now contrast that ideology and the obvious assumed negative effects on society against the Constitution of The United States of America.

What does it make a pledge to protect?

Life. Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Essentially it says “it’s on you to get it, but we won’t get in the way.”

PS. Bad guys will get locked up, and countries from outside our boundaries won’t have the power to undermine us.

That’s all we want a government for.

I have God, so I’m not that concerned with my government’s guarantees of “fair provision.”

He has better taste, and no bureaucracy. 😉

I am a Christian, American, Patriot.

I am the pilgrims

I am the puritans

I am the pastor’s that led their churches to battle

I am Washington

I am Adams

I am Lincoln

I am Dr. King. 

You know we believe Jesus is real, but it is time for you to hear and see that we are passionately committed to living the life that His Spirit is guiding us to live.

Sacrifice is my calling.

Servitude is my honor.

Faith is my power.

Liberty in Christ is my reality.

I am hope for your children

I am the saving grace for your dying father

Truth has been revealed.

I know that Jesus is good and He loves us all.

He has never left me, He will never abandon you.

He empowers me to speak out.

He enables me to withstand the mocking crowd. 

He lifts me above my own limitations and uses me to speak His truth.

 

I have failed.

That truth; harsh as it is, must be accepted.

I have struggled mightily to process that fact, without accepting the lie and succumbing to the fear that says “I AM a failure”.

The fear that I am a failure has pushed me to anger, bitterness, resentment, lust, greed, and just about every other foul thought imaginable. All driving a mentality of determination to destroy the fear.

All efforts made under my own power, desperate to prove my worth.

All empty.

All without success.

In my heart now, I have not defeated that fear.

The fear is still palpable.

The fear is crippling.

The fear is clinging, but I am not owned by fear any longer.

God is all powerful.

He is my designer, my creator, my purpose giver.

I am His, created in His image to be a light to His goodness.

As that light, I am only as bright as I allow myself to be.

Sin and fear cast shadows on our lights.

Every sinful desire or fearfully motivated word throws up dirt towards our soul. That dirt blocks out the light we’re designed to radiate. Darkness in our heart has the power to block the light emitting from us, but ultimately, it is powerless against the source of the light.

I suppose that the light of the world, provided by God, is always, constantly the same total amount. His light shines bright, at all times, through his people and through his Creation.

We are but one bulb in a chain of lights that stretches the universe. If we go dim, others make up the slack, and when we shine our brightest,  we’re being used purposefully for someone seeking such a light.

I know I am still a light in His army. I KNOW that I am not a failure.

If I can defeat that fear, then I will overcome the shadow that is still residing over my light.

Focusing my desire on the obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit is my remedy.

He is my guide.  My north star.

There will always be temptation and trials. This is not the end, nor the beginning of my journey.

It is but a chapter or verse; simply a line in a much greater piece.

I am determined to move forward, I know I must trust the Lord and His ways, His truths, and His designs.

When I do that, the fear and sin withdraw and His light becomes mine.

The light that burns bright in the sun and stars of all the universe, takes shape and sound.

The light transcends its initial function to become kindness, tenderness, mercy, long suffering,  and patience.

Those “fruits” of the Spirit of God.

We are all portals for that light.

Transmitting it to the world is all of our purpose.

We were purposefully designed to accept the light that provides warmth, nourishment, sight, color, beauty, and joy.

We are the recipients of that light for all our lives. It is by our choices we determine if we will be magnifiers or if we will be consumers and shadow tossers, by means of our sins and fears.

I choose to trust in my God and seek out His light.

Lead me Holy Spirit, I am yours.

The race for the 2016 presidential race is a race between four competing parties.

On the left, you have BIG GOVERNMENT represented by Hillary Clinton, you have LIBERAL PROGRESSIVISM represented by Bernie Sanders. On the right, you have BIG CORPORATE AMERICA represented by Donald Trump and representing CONSTITUTIONAL CONSERVATISM we have Ted Cruz.

Hillary Clinton represents the status quo; the executive overreach that has gradually been creeping into the lives of American citizens.

Bernie Sanders seems to represent the so called “intellectual” class.  The Hollywood elite, university professors, Greenpeace, tree hugging, save the whales, the planet is being destroyed by global warming, LGBT lobby, anti-Christianity propaganda machine that is liberal progressivism.

Donald Trump is representing Crony Capitalism, Wall-Street, the 1% of America. His huge promises sales pitch to the masses has been effective, alluding, provocative, stimulating, polarizing, and everything else that big corporate America has mastered over the last 60 plus years of power accrual.

Finally, thankfully, Ted Cruz represents the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, individual liberty, freedom from tyranny, freedom from the government, justice, truth, and Western civilization. We the People.

So I want you to consider your options carefully.

Three of the four represent massive, power hungry, survival of the fittest leviathans of power in Western society.

One of the four represents YOU and what is best for your family, your children, your money, your home, your job, your church, your bank account, your opportunity, your children’s future.

One of them represents white people, black people, yellow people, red people, brown people, rich people, and poor people.

This nation; its Constitution, its Bill of Rights, its governing principles are the greatest collective achievements of humanity.

We have provided more liberty, peace, justice, equality, advancement and peace on the planet than any other people in history.

The American body of people defeated Nazi Germany, pushed back communist dictatorships in Russia and North Korea. We defeated the evil Empire of Japan. We have been the only blockade against the empire that would be, the Islamic state.

No other nation on the planet has protected so many from so numerable tyrannical forces in the history of mankind.

America is great.

Stop believing the lie that it is not.

Liberal progressives say it is not great, because it is not progressive enough.

Big government has one agenda, growth.  It continues to take more from you in their attempt to make the nation what they want it to be.

The ultimate powers of the Crony Capitalists don’t care about you or your family or your bank account. Their job is to make profit, and doing so at the expense of the American citizen has become their status quo.

In my humble opinion, Ted Cruz may be the final opportunity for American citizens to have a president and be governed by the Constitution and its limitations.

Power corrupts, remember?

America has a choice to make.

Each and every individual in this great nation has a choice to make.

What thoughts drive your soul?

The powers represented in the 2016 presidential race represent four different mindsets, four different identities of the soul.

I urge you to question your alliance to your assumed vote.

Question why you of all people are likely to be sold on the bill of goods your potential dictator is selling you.

The progressive is desperate for longing and love. That is why they so flamboyantly support gay rights, the false narrative of man-made global warming, and spew hatred at anyone who opposes. Their social justice causes have become akin to their identity.  To be a progressive is to be someone who cares, who is compassionate and dedicated to an idea bigger than themselves.  Those would be positive attributes if only they were devoted to a Godly calling.

 The status quo of big government promises security if you will only trust them.

I urge you to consider the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin,

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

 

Donald Trump is simply a salesman.  He is selling the uneducated, uninformed, angry hordes that he is the one real solution.

He is not.

 Trust Ted and put your stake in everything he stands for.

 

American liberty created the formula for a society to move towards progress, happiness and opportunity. Under these conditions, the pathway to Jesus and the life he wants for us is cleared and many common historical obstacles removed.

It gave its people the freedom to follow him, to live as he led them to, without fear of death and imprisonment. A society of protection of all religions, with a guarantee of protection from the government if another abuses you for your faith. That freedom is what has now incorrectly become known as separation of church and state.

The enemy of Christianity is not Islam, the enemy of Christianity is Satan, and he is much more creative than Islam. He may use Islam, but it is but one of his many weapons.

Jesus said that seeds cast on different types of ground have measurably different success rates.

Fertile ground results in abundance and growth.

Seeds cast on rocky ground struggle and die young.

America was fertile ground for growth because it was ground where Christianity was protected. Those who had a hand in founding this nation had the intellectual capacity and humility to require protection for all religions.

We are the greatest nation on earth because of Jesus.

NOTHING MORE.

If not Jesus, then men strive after all the wrong things.

Money, power, sex, fun, pleasure…

All are merely emptiness in disguise.

Death is a creature with many heads. All seductive, powerful and consuming.

Satan is beholden to death and he will draw in all who he can overpower.

Your mind is his battleground, which means your thoughts can be weapons or snares.

Fear, doubt, worry, envy, lust… these are the thoughts of a soul surrounded by consuming fires.  Like a moth in the night, those burning flames draw you in, encouraging you in your march towards the false light of those flames of death.

Jesus is the alternative.

Hope, joy, and deliverance are the beckoning lights of his Love.

Which lights are you chasing?

Which thoughts control your mind?

Your body is a vessel, given to you by God.

Your soul will not cease to exist when your body returns to dust.

Your soul will live on.

Where will it be? Under what circumstances will it exist?

The fires of death, taunting you, pulling you in, have only your complete and utter destruction in mind.

Will you give in to them?

Will you let them win?

The gospel is a Hope story.

A way out. A refuge from the storm. It is peace at the end of your tunnel.

Has Jesus changed your life yet?

If not, please let him.

I beg of you.

You have lost all sense of your identity.

You were born of the greatest kind of man, birthed through an unyielding determination to create in this land, what all of mankind had dreamed of for millennia.

A land where the poor were not subject to the rich.