Rock Bottom

“He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.” (Psalm 102:17)

There is a slogan that goes like this: “Rock Bottom—you’ll know it when you get there.” Are you at rock bottom?

Hitting bottom is never a soft landing. At this point some of you might be thinking, “Bottom would be a vast improvement!” You’re looking up at the bottom. Your circumstance is known as “destitution.” Take courage; there is great blessing to be found at rock bottom.

It is only natural to forget that rock bottom is a place of answered prayer when we are afflicted. In his own destitution, the Psalmist cried, “He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.” (Psalm 102:17)

Whoa! You mean God's not mad at me? These things aren't happening because God is against me? This isn't payback for some sin I committed? God actually wants to bless me? That's right.

When we find ourselves in crushing circumstances and see no way out, it is difficult to believe that God wants to show Himself strong on our behalf. Instead of crying out to God in prayer, however, we give up and accept defeat. But resignation is not the response God is looking for.

The “prayer of the destitute” often ascends as a faint whisper—our prayers don’t seem very powerful to us when we are at rock bottom. Without conditions, the psalmist puts the onus on God during rock bottom times—"He will regard the prayer of the destitute," he writes. He doesn’t adjectivize ‘prayer’ in this sentence. Not powerful prayer, not loud prayer, not joyful prayer, not triumphant prayer—a whimper will do!

If you are at rock bottom, don’t give up five minutes before your miracle happens! You are on the verge of a miracle! Don’t look down; look up—past the bottom. Realize that a loving Father is leaning toward you, His ear tuned for your faintest prayer.

Waiting is the Pits!

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. (Psalm 40)

Waiting for anything in an instant gratification society may seem like “the Pits,” but since "elapsed time" takes up the better part of our lives, we would do well to use it wisely. Few would argue that sleep is a waste of time, yet we spend about 24 years in slumberland during our brief stay on earth. Rummaging through the Bible to find "escape clauses" that justify a lathered lifestyle will only prove that the Bible is as much a book about waiting as it is about faith.

The time that we receive an "encouraging word" from the Lord, is not a time to breathe a sigh of relief! It is time to begin training for the marathon! Noah waited 100 years for the flood. Abraham waited ‘til he was one hundred years old for Isaac. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup because he couldn’t wait 'til dinner. Jacob waited 14 years for Rachel. Joseph spent years in slavery and waited at least two years in prison before his God-given dreams became reality. Moses was a fugitive for 40 years while he waited for God’s call on his life. Israel spent 400 years in bondage waiting for Moses and another 40 in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land. Impatience buried an entire generation of Jews in the wilderness. David waited over 15 years after Samuel anointed him before ascending to his kingly throne. The Jewish people waited thousands of years for Messiah, only to miss the “time of their visitation.” (Luke 19:44) God continues to wait patiently for sinners to repent and believe the gospel before He will wait no longer. As Christians, we eagerly wait for Jesus to return. So we see that faith and waiting are inextricably linked.

Wystan Hugh Auden, Noted twentieth century Anglo-American poet, wrote the following about impatience:

Perhaps there is only one cardinal sin:
impatience. Because of impatience we
were driven out of Paradise, because
of impatience we cannot return.

King David understood the importance of waiting on the Lord. When he found himself in a deep “pit,” neck-high in “miry clay,” did David try to craft a “plan of action and milestones” to extricate himself? Would wriggling, wrestling, or writhing have enabled him to lift himself out of his quicksand pit? On the contrary, knowing that struggling would cause him to sink deeper, David remained still and “waited patiently for the Lord” to intervene.

Often, when confronted with difficulty, we reflexively “spring into action” without asking God for wisdom and guidance, without seeking Him for an answer, without knocking on Heaven’s door. Our intentions may be good, but without God’s intervention and wisdom, we often make matters worse.

When I was a child, one of my parents’ favorite aphorisms was Benjamin Franklin’s “God helps them that help themselves.” I lost count of the number of times I heard, “God expects you to use your head. That’s why He gave it to you.” or ”Don’t just stand there, do something!” Sayings such as these were repeated so often that they became “mantras” seared into my brain like a brand on a bovine’s rump. It wasn’t until I began to understand God’s word that I realized “common sense,” isn’t always “sound wisdom.”

Scripture tells us that God’s ways are higher than ours, “as high as the heavens are above the earth,” (Isaiah 55:8-9). We are instructed not to rely on our own shallow understanding but to acknowledge God, not only in difficult or impossible situations, but in “all our ways.” (Proverbs 3:5) Are we wiser than the Wisdom of Solomon? Why then, do we rely so heavily on “common sense” in our decision making and problem solving?

As an example of someone who paid a hefty price for failing to “wait for the Lord,” the story of Israel’s first King, Saul, is one of the saddest in Jewish history. Jonathan, Saul’s son, had attacked and slaughtered a garrison of Philistine troops stationed at Geba. This drew the ire of their foreign occupiers who intended to crush the fledgling insurrection before it spread further. The Philistine army amassed a formidable invasion force at Michmash from which they would stage their campaign. In addition to infantry “as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude,” there were "30,000 chariots, and 6,000 horsemen" that contributed to Israel's dismay. (1 Samuel 13:5) Seriously outnumbered and “outgunned,” the panicked Israeli army in Gilgal began to disintegrate. With Samuel nowhere in sight, Saul felt he had to do something! In a desperate attempt to rally his troops, Saul took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering and peace offerings; a privilege reserved exclusively for the High Priest, in this case, Samuel.

No sooner had Saul finished the offering, did Samuel appear. Upon learning what Saul had done, Samuel rebuked him and pronounced an end to his kingdom and God’s intention to replace him with a king who would be "a man after His own heart." (1 Samuel 13:14) Saul's confession to Samuel reveals why he acted so presumptuously:

Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash. Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. (1 Samuel 13:11-12)

A little saying I have grown fond of is, “Don’t give up five minutes before the miracle happens.” Had Saul waited only five minutes longer, his kingdom would have been established forever. (1 Samuel 13:13) Instead of waiting on the Lord, Saul allowed fear to control him. As a result, he acted impetuously and forfeited his chances for an enduring kingdom.

We see in Saul how unbelief fueled fear that caused him to abandon waiting on the Lord and take matters into his own hands. What does it mean to “wait upon the Lord?” Does the “waiting” David speaks of in Psalm 40 imply sitting around and doing nothing? Sometimes, but not always. Consider the list below for a few examples of what it means to “wait upon the Lord.”

Waiting on the Lord means …

• I do not rely on my own understanding to resolve problems; I acknowledge God “in all my ways.”


• I do not violate my integrity to achieve an objective; I act with integrity, leaving the results to God.


• I do not act out of fear; I respond in faith based on God’s faithfulness and promises.


• I do not seek ungodly advice; I seek the counsel of godly men and women.


• I do not form alliances with ungodly men: I seek relationships with others on the “narrow way.”


• I do not yield to temptation; I approach the “Throne of Grace” in times of testing.


• I do not use prayer as a last resort; I devote consistent time to God in prayer, in good times and bad.


• I am not miserly with God’s provision; I honor God in my giving knowing He is my provider.


• I am not impatient when God’s answer is delayed; I wait upon the Lord for His answer and provision.

While “waiting” may seem counter-intuitive or unproductive, the Scriptures teach us that those who wait upon the Lord reap tremendous benefits.

Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

We simply can’t afford not to wait on the Lord.

(c) 2008, Seeds for Good Soil. (Last updated: 3/11/2009 9:23 AM)

Bottom Feeders?

Several years ago at the church where I was one of several pastors, a senior staff member referred to people who participated in our 12-step recovery ministry as "bottom feeders." Our church was facing difficult financial challenges and she saw "twelve-steppers" as "non-contributors" and a drain on valuable pastoral staff time.

Jesus told a parable about a rich man and a bottom feeder:

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores." (Luke 16:19-21)

In a society where just about everyone "fares sumptuously" every day and the “almighty dollar” is the unit of measure for everything's valuation, it is easy to forget that the Almighty doesn't assign worth in dollars and cents. The Bible has something to say about rich and poor.

Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love him? (James 2:5)

God the Father has extended a special invitation to bottom feeders (i.e. the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the prisoner) to feast with Him:

Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many … Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. (Luke 14:16, 21)

Prosperous societies like to locate bottom feeders at a safe distance, especially from our consciences. Occasionally we will stumble over one, but for the most part they have been removed to inner city missions, halfway houses, and rehabilitation centers. We won't even know they are there unless we allow God to remove the dollar signs from our eyes.

Jesus takes special note of how we treat bottom feeders; the way we treat them will weigh heavily in our eternal destiny. A life lived in careless disregard toward the needy will not be worthy to join Lazarus the beggar in Abraham’s bosom.

Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. … Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (Matthew 25:40, 45)

Paul said that God richly supplies us with all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). The temptation to confuse temporal prosperity with God’s approval is real. Speaking to the church at Laodicea, Jesus said,

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. (Revelation 3:17)

The rich young ruler, a Bill Gates in that day, thought his wealth would garner Jesus' favor, just as it had everyone else. Jesus didn't see him as an endowment; on the contrary, demonstrating that temporal wealth was of little consequence for the advance of His Kingdom, Jesus directed him to sell everything and give the proceeds away to bottom feeders:

Jesus looked at him and loved him. One thing you lack, He said. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. (Mark 10:21)

I can picture Judas Iscariot grimacing as Jesus cavalierly dismissed enough wealth to bankroll their ministry for the foreseeable future.

What about you? What about me? Truth be known, I have stepped over many a Lazarus in my day. Do I have ears capable of hearing Jesus say, sell it all and give to the poor? Or, have I “dispensationalized” Jesus’ teaching that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24)

So how do we get our personal camel through the eye of Heaven’s needle? Like the rich young ruler, we first need to ask Jesus what, if anything, He wants us to take on our journey. After that it is all about our GPA, Generosity, Perspective and Attitude:

Generosity: Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share … (1 Timothy 6:18)

Perspective: But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. … storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. (1 Timothy 6:6-7, 19)

Attitude: Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. (1 Timothy 6:17)

What is your GPA?

They Are Here

Following is taken from a recent post by Brigitte Gabriel of Act for America:

Already in 2009, we are seeing numerous alarming signs that the Islamist threat has reached our shores. There is not much time.

Having studied the threat in-depth, I’ve learned and continue to learn everything I can about Islam and the true intentions of Islamists toward the West, especially the United States. I have listened to briefings given by scholars, experts and intelligence officials who advise US Government agencies regarding the Islamist threat including the “stealth jihad.” I have written numerous times in blog entries and in e-mails about the very real threat North America faces from Islamism’s slow and steady march. Ignorance is not helpful. Denial is worse.

Contrary to what we normally hear from US Government officials, violence is not the greatest threat we face from terrorists. The far more insidious threat to our culture, system of government, way of life, and religious freedoms is unfolding, unnoticed, right under our noses. Unfortunately, our ignorance makes America Islamism's “frog in the kettle.” The US will face circumstances similar to our European allies who are dealing with emboldened Islamists demanding more and greater accommodations. Having a President who seems sympathetic toward Islamists’ ‘concerns’ does not bode well.

Islamism is gaining ground in Europe at an alarming pace. Some say there is still hope for Europeans to pull their continent out of its cultural nose dive. Absent a major Christian spiritual awakening across Europe, I do not expect Europe to recover. In fact, widespread Christian revival in Europe is likely to spark persecution of Christians by Islamists who can almost taste a soon-to-be restored Caliphate.

I see Islam in Europe through a prophetic prism. I do not know how much longer it will be before European countries begin falling to Islam-imposed sharia law, but it is not far off, unless of course you consider a few decades to be "far off." Once Europe begins to fall, the US will be further isolated and weaker, both economically and in alliances. The pressure to enact similar ‘reforms’ will be hard to fight.

As of January 27, the following events have already taken place in the US and around the globe (courtesy: Act for America):

• An Islamist protest in Britain turned violent as an angry Islamic mob shouting “Allahu Akbar” chased dozens of British police officers for blocks. See the shocking YouTube video. How long will it be before 50,000 ranting Muslim demonstrators chase riot police in America? Know this; what Islamists tried and succeeded in doing in the UK will be exported to the US.
• Pro-Hamas, anti-Israel Islamist demonstrators carried out protests in several US cities during the recent Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Many of these so-called “religion of peace” members carried signs expressing genocidal hatred toward Israel including “Go back to the ovens,” an obvious reference to Hitler’s “final solution.” Some of the cities where protests occurred include Ft. Lauderdale, Washington, DC, New York City, Atlanta, Boston, Colorado, and Los Angeles. (links lead to actual video footage for some of these cities).
• The Amsterdam Court of Appeals will try Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders for making “insulting” statements deemed harmful to “the religious esteem” of Muslims.
• Austrian parliamentarian Susanne Winter convicted of incitement for public statements she made, including the claim that the prophet Mohammed was a pedophile.
• Muslim protest marches in Italy ended with mass prayer vigils conducted directly in front of Catholic churches, an obvious attempt to intimidate.
• A just-released official US Government report has concluded that Hezbollah-sponsored terrorist cells are forming in the U.S. and could activate at any time.
• The UN is pressing forward with the anti-Israel “Durban II” Conference which calls for the suppression of public “defamatory” speech against Islam. Durban II coincides with a parallel effort by the Organization of the Islamic Conference to get the UN Human Rights Commission to pass a resolution condemning public “defamation” of Islam. How will these events intimidate free speech in America?
• Islamic enclaves known as “no-go-zones” in Europe are beginning to form in America. Dearborn, Michigan has been nicknamed “Dearbornistan.”

Islamists, principally members of the Muslim Brotherhood, have infiltrated every stratum of American society and Government and are patiently executing a unified strategy to transform the United States into an Islamic state. Do not dismiss what I am saying as sensationalist or fear-mongering. The Islamic threat is REAL and growing in America. Every person reading this e-mail owes it to our children and our God-given country, to pray and be informed.

Islam is energized by a formidable demonic principality in the heavenlies that has been turned loose on the nations. Many countries have been infiltrated so significantly that they have passed the point of no return.

I am not advocating that churches and Christians in America drop everything and join a new ‘crusade’ against Islam. Waking up to the threat would be a step in the right direction, however. The transformation that is taking place in Europe and to a lesser degree in America is the result of Christianity’s decline in western society and Christians’ who, not having a biblical world view, vote in direct opposition to Kingdom values!

We must act now, “for the night is coming when no man can work;” (John 9:4) the time we have remaining to stop the advance of Islamism is very short.

An Incriminating Juxtaposition

Two million are expected to attend the inauguration of our 44th and first black President on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 in the nation's capital. (Source: CNN) President-elect Obama has promised to sign the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) (House Bill H.R. 1964 & Senate Bill S.1173) to remove every legal restriction on abortion in the U.S.

According to the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), FOCA will guarantee "reproductive freedom for future generations of American women." "Reproductive freedom" is an interesting choice of terms considering the legislation's primary goal of unrestriced access to abortion for women. What is "reproductive" about deliberately ending a pregnancy and who is looking out for the "reproductive freedom" of the women who won't be around in those "future generations" because they were aborted?

How many Americans will attend the 36th annual March for Life (MFL) in Washington, D.C., just two days after Inauguration Day, to mourn the brutal slaying of nearly 50 million innocent American lives since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision granting women the right to terminate their pregnancies at any time for any reason? How stark will the juxtaposition of the crowds attending these two events be and what will it tell us about America's values and priorities?

In 1998 (25th anniversary) and 2001 approximately 225,000 came to the March for Life, the event’s “high water mark” for attendance. Will attendance at this year’s March reflect a growing ambivalence toward unborn life in America? Will actual attendance figures reflect society’s resignation toward a practice that continues to have profound implications for America’s demographic, social and political future? Or will they reflect a renewed momentum for the value of life in America?

Sunday, January 25 has been set apart as Sanctity of Life Sunday (SOLS) by the pro-life movement; it is only 1 of 52 Sundays each year when churches are encouraged to commemorate the American “holocaust” by incorporating teaching and music that remind churchgoers of the "fallen" unborn as well as the eternal value of every God-given human life. Except for the token attention it receives on SOLS, however, abortion has become little more than a faint blip on the radar screen of most churches in America, including in the Evangelical community. Many church leaders see pro-life “activism” as an annoyance or distraction from more “spiritual” activities and programs.

Resignation in the Church about the matter of abortion does not bode well for the unborn in America or for the Church’s evangelical mission. How can we expect God to answer our pleas for a fresh wind of His Spirit while we turn a deaf ear to the cries of the unborn.

As America approaches the 50-million abortion milestone, no one can reasonably argue that God has not shown divine restraint toward our nation. If we mistake God’s longsuffering for His approval, however, we do so at our peril. With each abortion, America is storing up “wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds." (Romans 2:5-6) The question is no longer if, but when and how severely God's retribution will fall upon this nation.

It is time for the Church to lift up her voice in compassion and truth and in the spirit of John the Baptist warn our generation, "Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come." (Matthew 3:7)

So who will speak up for the little ones? Will you?

What's Next?

On March 13, 2008 after a time of morning prayer, I wrote the following in an e-mail to friends:
I believe the Lord impressed upon … a looming US economic crisis that is a “beginning of sorrows” or birth pangs for the United States and possibly world financial markets.

I am not an economist and I make no claim to be a “prophet” … I believe other “birth pangs” will follow economic hardship … I believe that the US is going to suffer a major terrorist event(s) in the not too distant future.

On June 23, 2008, in a two-part post to my blog (Seeds for Good Soil), entitled, The End of America, I made the following assertion:

The years ahead will be characterized by a series of withering “birth pangs” that will grow in frequency and intensity. America will be hit by apocalyptic events from which we will not be able to recover.

On June 24, I wrote the following:

God is about to allow our nation to be crippled with an event or events so "apocalyptic" that they will end America as we know it and accelerate the world's progression to the end.

On September 21, 2008, I wrote this:

America’s woes will continue to escalate unless our nation repents of the sin of abortion.

On September 29, 2008:

America’s [economic] hemorrhaging will not abate unless and until our nation repents of the sin of Abortion. Even if our nation does repent, we may only be able to reduce or delay the inevitable, for we have sinned against great light.

During the weeks leading up to the election, my heart was heavy with a sense of foreboding. I knew that America would change dramatically if Obama won. That sense of foreboding has not abated.

I know many people, Christians among them, get angry when I say that the President Elect’s carefully crafted winsome persona hides a Marxist-Leninist heart. I discerned this very early in the campaign and tried in vain to warn friends and loved ones not to be duped. Some are not duped at all, but favor Obama’s radical agenda.

On election night I wrote the following:

I can’t say with pinpoint accuracy exactly when or what specific legislation Obama will introduce, but based on his voting record and some of the things he’s said during the campaign, I am fairly certain he will attempt to do the following:

• He will do nothing to impede the wanton slaughter of the unborn, ensuring God’s retribution against our Nation.
• He will appoint activist Supreme Court justices who will radically alter America. Two activist replacement jurists could sentence Scalia, Roberts, Alito and Thomas to a protracted minority role, rendering their opinions on constitutional issues, non sequitur.
• With a filibuster-proof House and Senate, Obama will move quickly to reinstate the “Fairness Doctrine” in order to silence opposition voices. Make no mistake; the primary target of the Fairness Doctrine is “Talk Radio.”
• Speaking of “prophecy,” Biden suggested that Obama’s perceived weakness on international diplomacy would invite an international crisis within the first 6 months of his presidency. I will be very surprised if it takes that long.
• By his oft-repeated criticism of the Iraq war and stated commitment to withdraw US troops from the Iraq theatre, Obama has painted himself into a corner. His radical base will not tolerate a protracted withdrawal so he will need to act swiftly and deliberately in order to sustain his popularity among his base.
• Obama will push for amnesty for illegal aliens, but much like the “Fairness Doctrine” euphemism, it will be presented as much-needed “immigration reform.” Since, as a voting bloc, the Latino community tends favor Democrats, he will want to open the floodgates to substantially increase the number of Latino voters. This could tip already razor-thin national election margins into the Democratic column for the foreseeable future.
• He will introduce “hate speech” laws designed to silence anyone who is outspoken and “politically incorrect.” Smelling blood in the water, tort attorneys will launch into a feeding frenzy over just about anything said except “Good morning,” and “Have a nice day.”

Each of these policies are part of a carefully-conceived plan.

Americans’ bitterness toward the Bush administration combined with Obama’s hypnotic appeal fueled a wave of irrational exuberance for “change” that Obama rode to victory. By electing Obama as our 43rd President, Americans have put our nation in great peril. I do not believe many Christians realize how bad life is going to get under an Obama administration.

Here are a few of the things I believe are coming next in the unfolding of God’s judgment upon America. With significant majorities in the House and Senate, Democrats will move quickly to dismantle the American Republic in the following ways:

1. A frightening cult-like blindness has shrouded the minds of the Obama faithful. Many, including "Evangelicals," have been seduced by Obama’s oratory prowess and utopian vision. This is characteristic of the “great falling away” that is already underway in post-Christian America and in the Church.
2. Many Christians and Church leaders will be swept up in the euphoric call to join a movement for “national unity” and to be loyal to our new President. Many will adopt a hostile attitude toward fellow Church members who refuse to join the Obama jubilee. Democrats will use Christians who have embraced their cause as examples of "how a good Christian should act" to shame those who do not jump on the band-wagon.
3. Pastors who refused take a stand prior to the election and who continue to refuse after the election, will lose the respect of their congregations when members begin to see how radical Obama’s agenda really is.
4. Christians who were certain Obama would never be as radical as some Conservative voices predicted will, to their horror and dismay, learn differently.
5. Many Christians who do not like “Talk Radio” will be glad to see it go. What they do not realize, however, is that this is only a first step toward speech suppression in our nation. Soon enough, the speech police will come for the Church. Do you think you are immune, pastor? Study Canadian and European policies for a preview of things to come.
6. Weakened by a failing US economy, America’s enemies will be emboldened and attack. Not knowing how to respond, this administration will try to show “good will” by adopting a conciliatory disposition toward our enemies.
7. Islamic influence in national, state, and local governments will increase dramatically. Islamists will be protected from open criticism by “hate speech” laws enacted by Congress and the President. I would not be at all surprised if we begin to hear some politicians call for a special dispensation in the application of sharia law to Muslim legal cases.

President-Elect Obama has moved quickly to appoint far-left political “gangsters” to key posts in his administration including Chicago political thug, Rahm Emmanual as White House Chief of Staff. So much for “governing from the center.”

Before Election Day 2008, I repeatedly warned that Obama, if elected President, would move swiftly to reinstitute the “Fairness Doctrine” in an effort to shut down “Talk Radio.” Yesterday, CNET news reported that the President-Elect had chosen Henry Rivera to head the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) transition team.

The CNET article failed to mention Rivera’s philosophy of communications and the policies he pursued as FCC Commissioner from August 10, 1981 to September 15, 1985. Well known for his leftist views, Rivera is a staunch advocate of the “Fairness Doctrine.” He is expected to spearhead the effort to take conservatism off the air.

Reinstituting the Fairness Doctrine will greatly demoralize conservatives and weaken their resolve to rally for conservative causes. Democrats are well aware of Talk Radio's effectiveness and this is why they want the Fairness Doctrine reinstated.

Obama also wants to see more regulation of the Internet. He will sell an intrusive Internet policy as the only way to guarantee “open access” for everyone.

If the first few days after the election are any indication of how Obama will govern, we are in deep trouble. He is proving himself to be calculated and deliberate.

As I’ve stated in the past, many in our society will “sleep soundly” through the bloodless overthrow of traditional American ideals and the Constitutional principles that made our nation great. Like the frog in the kettle, they will not know until it is too late, and many will never know.

The most powerful weapon the Church still has is prayer; we need to start in earnest, now.

Vote Like You Pray

(By William Cook)

After this manner therefore pray ye: ‘Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.’ (Matthew 6:9-10)

How many Christians who pray this prayer will vote in November for a president who is pro-abortion, favors same-sex "civil unions,” same-sex marriage, or the erasure of any reference to God from public life? How can we pray “Thy will to be done on earth as it is in heaven,” and then vote in a way that sabotages the answer to that prayer? If unfaithfulness in little things says big things about us, then who we vote for is not a trivial matter.

In his recently published book, “How Would God Vote? Why the Bible Commands You to Be A Conservative,” journalist David Klinghoffer presents a lucid theological apologetic suggesting that Christians and Jews should vote for those candidates most closely aligned with Conservative values. An orthodox Jew has it more right than many Bible-believing Christians.

What I’ve just written will trigger an intense knee-jerk reaction in some by offending the widely-held notion that political debate is too “controversial” or alienates seekers. Moreover, some Church leaders tend to behave as if preaching about relevant “political” issues is unethical. What has caused the Church in America to abandon this crucial dimension of our culture, a culture she is called to speak into?

Churches avoid corporate taxation as long as they remain compliant with 401(c)(3) restrictions on political activity. Since charitable giving tax-deductibility hinges on 401(c)(3) compliance, pastors and leaders are disinclined to say or do anything that might impact the bottom line. Conformity to 401(c)(3) prohibitions coupled with the human tendency to treat what is prohibited as unethical, gradually infuses the idea that political speech is out of bounds, especially if it is partial to candidates who favor Kingdom values or are less antagonistic toward the Church’s mission.

The problem is a purely economical one, however; there shouldn’t be any culturally-relevant issue that can’t be dealt with sensitively, cogently, and in accordance with Scripture, including who might be the better candidate. As salt and light, “a city set on a hill,” the “good works” Jesus said the Church should display must include voting for the best candidate. (Matthew 5:13-16) How can we push such a critical responsibility to the periphery by ignoring it? We minimize our impact on society by voting for candidates who espouse injustice or whose policies diminish the Church. Tax implications should not be permitted to hijack the Church’s role or message in society. If a tax deduction requires us to “sell out,” then we’d better give up the benefit. Who do we trust more, God or government?

Ignorance is no excuse. Klinghoffer has a far better grasp of the Bible than many Christians. He applies solid exegetical skills blended with a thorough knowledge of Scripture and Hebrew history, to make his case. Given the embarrassing number of trendy theological fads that I’ve seen come and go during my 34 years as a Christian, why shouldn’t I examine a Jewish guy’s Theo-political perspective? At least he uses Scripture to support his position.

In Chapter 6, “Abortion: A Litmus Test,” Klinghoffer writes, “More than perhaps any other issue, abortion ought to serve as a litmus test in American Public Life, allowing us to gauge the degree to which a candidate feels comfortable with the politics of God.” Right on! Rarely will you hear this concept taught from American church pulpits.

A significant number of Church pastors and leaders only give abortion token attention on Sanctity of Life Sunday. In the 1940s, there were “unchurched” Germans who believed euthanizing Jews was okay. If the gas chamber happened to be across the street from the meeting, however, concern that preaching against the Jewish liquidation might scare a visiting euthanist away seems vapid indeed. The same goes for Abortion. Babies are being slaughtered every day in our neighborhoods and hospitals and the Church behaves as if nothing significant is going on.

Some argue that God sees all sin the same, so abortion isn’t any worse than lying, stealing, or committing adultery? The issue isn’t whether one sin is worse than another; the wages of all sin is death. The issue is the depth of societal depravity indicated by each.

If the fetus is a human being, then abortion is murder, plain and simple. And if abortion is murder, the Church must not trivialize it by supporting candidates who sanction it. Otherwise, the Church is no better than WWII Germany’s citizens who opposed the holocaust, but remained silent as Hitler’s Waffen-SS liquidated six-million Jews. If an entire group of defenseless people are being systematically murdered in our society, then poverty, education, taxes, or any other issue for that matter, becomes absurd as a primary basis for voting one way or the other.

Here’s the bottom line: Unless both candidates happen to be pro-abortion, in which case you could flip a coin, people who vote for pro-abortion candidates are complicit in the slaughter and will someday have to explain to God why they voted to perpetuate such diabolical behavior resulting in judgment on America. How significant will poverty, welfare, the economy or taxes seem when weighed in the balance against the slaughter?

If all of this sounds too complicated, allow me to offer my two simple rules for choosing a candidate:

RULE 1: If they can’t get it right on human life, they can’t be trusted to get it right on anything less important.

RULE 2: Everything else is less important.

Anyone incapable of grasping this principle is dangerously insensitive toward God’s heart, truth, and the “Thy Kingdom come” prayer.

© 2008 Seeds for Good Soil. (Revised 09 September 2008)