Evangelicals Vote for Judgment on America
May 4, 2016, may some day be described as the day America died. For me, that day, to quote Charles Dickens, was the “best of times and worst of times.”
That evening I attended the 25th celebration of Shirley Dobson’s leadership of the National Day of Prayer in Washington, D.C. Her celebration was the BEST.
But prior to the evening banquet and prayer time, I was talking with Texas Rep. Louis Gohmert about the past two days he had barn-stormed Indiana with Ted Cruz. While we were talking, the Trump victory in the Indiana Republican primary was announced.
Our hearts sank as we realized that Ted Cruz–the “closest to Reagan” candidate in a generation–had been eliminated.That feeling was the WORST.
This will be the first of a trilogy on the 2016 elections. The second article will discuss how the Republican Party has devolved. The third will state who I plan to support. You may be surprised.
But first, how Evangelicals have voted for judgment on America.
You may think it hyperbole to talk about a day a nation died. Societies usually die slowly, with many slow cuts increasing bleeding until the civilization finally expires.
What prompted the analogy was a recent re-read of Thomas Cahill’s classic How the Irish Saved Civilization. It’s one of my favorite short histories and begins with a scene from December 31, 406 A.D. On that rather routine day, the Rhine River froze solid enough for vast hordes of barbarians to cross over from pagan Europe in a mass invasion of the Roman Empire.
The barbarians had been coming in drips and drivels for years. Roman civilization had also been dying for decades via high taxation and the empty pursuit of human pleasures.
Cahill postulates, “Rome fell because of inner weakness, either social or spiritual; or Rome fell because of outer pressure–the barbarian hordes. What we can say with confidence is that Rome fell gradually and that the Romans for many decades scarcely noticed what was happening.”
Less than four years later, Alaric the Goth stood at the gates of Rome. Caesar dispatched his envoys to make a deal with the barbarian commander. What would be the price of his departure? Cahill recounts the scene:
“Alaric told them: his men would sweep through the city, taking all gold, all silver, and everything of value that could be moved. They would also round up and cart off every barbarian slave. But protested the hysterical envoys, what will that leave us?”
“Alaric paused. ‘Your lives.'”
In that pause, Roman security died and a new world was conceived. On August 24, 410 Alaric sacked the city of Rome and the Dark Ages began. But the tipping point may well have been December 31, 406.
Fast forward seventeen hundred years.
Western civilization and American leadership have been expiring for decades. There has not been a major spiritual awakening for over 150 years. For two hundred years prior, seasons of national decline had been gloriously renewed via revivals in the 1730s-40s, early 1800s, and the Great Revival of 1857.
Those seasons of renewal and moral transformation kept the America nation centered on its belief in God. We reaffirmed the wisdom of His ways in public and private morality. “In God We Trust” gave the United States the courage to lead the world in fighting for freedom.
Then came the 20th century with its biblical criticism, the rise of militant atheism, the growth of Big Government, and the cultural rebellion of the 60s. Today, we are hurtling down slope of moral depravity where even young girls are battling for privacy in using public restrooms.
Sixty years ago, the collapse of the American foundations was stayed by the Jesus Revolution of the 60s and 70s (not a full-blown revival), the Washington For Jesus day of prayer and repentance in 1980, and the Reagan Revolution that followed.
These events at least retarded our Republic’s demise.
But in the 21th century we are running out of time. Moral relativism has poisoned the culture, secularists control education, the US is a weakening giant in its world role and stands arrogantly destitute before a Holy God.
2016 could have been a season of renewal–similar to 1980. As I’ve chronicled, many prayer movements exploded this year to call God’s people to repentance. In the 2016 presidential race, a number of God-fearing candidates stepped forward to call the nation back to its biblical moorings (Mike Huckabee, Rick Perry, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Bobby Jindal, Carly Fiorina, to name a few).
One who rose to the top of the pack was Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Cruz was young, Hispanic, a gifted orator and debater, and put together the best national ground-game of any candidate. He then weathered the crowded Republican field to challenge populist billionaire Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.
After an upset win in Wisconsin, it looked like Cruz was in striking distance of overcoming Mr. Trump. Then came the real estate mogul’s huge win in New York and a series of victories in the relatively liberal confines of the Northeast. Indiana would be Ted Cruz’s “Alamo” for blunting Trump’s momentum and taking the Republican race to the national convention.
While I was talking to Rep. Gohmert on May 4, the Indiana primary arrived. Indiana contained a large population of evangelical Christians. In Wisconsin, biblical values voters had delivered for Ted Cruz. I was hopeful for the same result in the Hoosier state–and many were in prayer.
Then Indiana voted. Trump – 51%. Cruz – 43%. The race was over. American would not have the chance to elect a “Reagan-like” president in 2016 with strong faith in God and a belief in limited government.
Why did Ted Cruz lose? Because the Church did not vote its faith. And when the Church does not rise to be the salt and light of a culture–including elections–the nation is abandoned to the judgment of ungodly forces.
But it was not just the ignorance of Indiana Christians. Prior to the Hoosier primary, The Washington Post, not usually a champion of traditional values, stated:
“One of the most surprising parts of the 2016 election has been evangelical Christian support for Donald Trump. In the 20 states where primary or caucus exit polls have been conducted so far, Trump has won an average of 36 percent of the vote from white “born-again or evangelical Christians,” good for a plurality in 12 states and only slightly lower than his support (38 percent) among all other Republican voters. Many in the evangelical community have wondered how their religious brethren could possibly back a twice-divorced candidate whose commitment to moral and cultural conservatism appears shaky at best.”
“The key to understanding Trump’s support among evangelicals is to realize that some evangelicals’ commitment to the faith is shaky, too. Trump does best among evangelicals with one key trait: They don’t really go to church. In short, the evangelicals supporting Trump are not the same evangelicals who have traditionally comprised the Christian Right and supported cultural warriors such as Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz.”
Conclusion? Many evangelicals don’t go to church, and those that do don’t vote their worldview and faith.
That “barrenness of knowledge” among American Christians had first been seen when the primaries went through the southern states. This was where Ted Cruz was expected to have a “firewall” of support after winning Iowa but losing to Trump in New Hampshire.
In the South, evangelicals make up fifty to sixty percent of the Republican primary electorate. (They are 25% of the entire US population). Yet, for example, in South Carolina 34 % of evangelical Christians voted for Donald Trump, and in Georgia, Trump got 39% of the “Church” vote.
To be fair, in the Republican primaries so far, 60% of evangelical Christians have not voted for the secular Trump. But nearly forty percent have.
That’s the difference this year. Those millions of professing Christians, by their unwise and unthinking votes, will give the White House to either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton (if she’s indicted–then Bernie Sanders or Joe Biden).
This means that for the first time in 240 years, Americans will not have a choice of a president with either a born again faith or biblical worldview. That void will only accelerate our problems and bring judgment (justice) on a back-slidden nation. The downward spiral of unbelief, morals, debt, division, and weakness will snowball.
We had our chance on May 4, 2016. The Church blew it–there is no one else to blame. In 2008 and 2012 many American Christians didn’t vote at all. In 2016 they voted poorly.
In free nations, you get what you deserve (vote for). Is there any doubt that our civilization deserves judgment?
Two choices remain. Repentance or national implosion. If we continue to go the second route, then a modern-day Alaric may soon appear at our nation’s door.
Next week: The Rise of the Secular Regressives
Tremors of Revival at the National Day of Prayer
I am still in Washington, D.C. where the 65th Annual National Day of Prayer took place on Thursday, May 5. In my thirty five years of participating in the NDP, this one was the most powerful I have ever attended.
Maybe that’s because we have never needed God more than in 2016 to intervene the affairs of a nation that is going off a leadership, moral and financial cliff.
I saw some tremors of revival at this year’s NDP…
Here is a report from John Bornshein, the Vice President of the event. I will make some personal comments between his commentary.
“Every year, the National Day of Prayer (NDP) Task Force facilitates several events on Capitol Hill including the National Observance at the Cannon House Office Building. With speakers like Tony Evans, Chuck Swindoll, Oliver North, Max Lucado, Beth Moore, and Franklin Graham, the expectations are always high and the response is overwhelming.”
“More than five hundred thousand people tune in live each year, via video stream and televised broadcast, for what is sure to be a prayer event highlight reel as representatives from each branch of government, prominent ministries and businesses share encouraging and convicting messages with ambassadors, delegates, and individuals from all walks of life in the historic Caucus Room – and the 65th annual National Day of Prayer observance did not disappoint.”
This year’s NDP featured up to 47,000 different prayer events all over the nation with millions of people involved. It was the largest day of Americans crying out to God in the history of the nation.
The morning began promptly at 9:00 a.m. eastern with the presentation of the colors by the Joint Armed Forces Color Guard and the National Anthem. Mrs. Shirley Dobson, Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, kicked off the momentous celebration with a warm greeting and introduction of Rabbi Jonathan Cahn. She then had everyone on the edge of their seats when she made the following statement: “
“’In 1988, the late Vonette Bright began petitioning Members of Congress to support a bill that would designate the first Thursday in May as the annual National Day of Prayer. By a joint resolution of the United States Congress, it was signed into law by President Reagan on May 8th of that year.'”
“‘Mrs. Bright continued in leadership until 1991. Then she and the National Prayer Committee asked me to succeed her as chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. After much prayer and careful consideration, I accepted the responsibility and have now served for 25 consecutive years. The Day of Prayer has been observed by more than 33 million people at 630,000 prayer gatherings around the world…and today, another chapter begins.'”
“‘I am pleased to announce that Mrs. Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Dr. Billy Graham, will succeed me as the new chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. It is imperative that we preserve this American heritage to insure that this powerful expression of our religious freedom will continue for generations to come. I couldn’t be more grateful that the Lord has laid upon Anne the mantle of leadership for national prayer. She is eminently qualified to serve the nation in this capacity. We honor her for accepting this responsibility.’”
I truly believe that Anne Graham Lotz is God’s chosen leader for the next era of the NDP. Her strong evangelistic voice, commitment to God’s Word, and prophetic understanding of the dark days we’re in are utterly crucial to what lies before us.
“The National Observance continued and Rabbi Jonathan Cahn (author of The Harbinger) took the podium first and blessed the occasion with eloquent words and a personal challenge for how we should view the exercise of prayer and solemn assembly. He then put the Shofar to his lips and belted out what seemed to be the longest held note to echo throughout the halls of Congress in the history of our nation. At that moment, we knew the prayer event had begun and not just in Washington D.C.”
Cahn was powerful and moving–like hearing a modern-day prophet of God. We must turn from our sins or America will cease to be, The atmosphere was electric as he called the nation to repentance.
“The line-up of speakers that followed were second to none with each building on the other, emphasizing repentance and a return to the God of our Fathers. After a series of convicting messages and prayers of reverence to the Almighty, Dr. Tony Evans, the 2016 Honorary Chairman, concluded the gathering with the National Prayer that was spoken aloud in unison by the standing-room only crowd that had remained steadfast throughout the full 3-hour plus gathering.”
The biggest tremor of the day occurred when Glenn Sheppard called us onto our knees and faces to cry out to God. Groans and cries for mercy were heard all over the chambers of the Cannon Office Building for a number of minutes. We had touched the agonized heart of God for America.
“It was a powerful and fitting way to conclude the National Observance while serving as a springboard to more than 47,000 similar gatherings that took place from coast to coast. In addition, an estimated 90 nations participated in the annual observance along with South Korea, India and Australia where prayer coordinators mobilized thousands to fast and pray for the United States.”
“From pilots flying over capitols to petition from above, to balloon launches, parades, park gatherings and more, there were millions of prayers lifted up at an unprecedented level. President Barack H. Obama and all 50 Governors unanimously called on Americans to pray.”
“Truly, the 65th annual National Day of Prayer was a historic moment in time for God’s church, across the oceans, to unite in prayer in One Voice. It was the largest such day of prayer in the modern era and already, many have started their planning efforts for May 4, 2017. “
Following the Capitol Hill event, In late afternoon, local believers gathered as God’s rainbow coalition to pray for the city. Prayers were offered in many languages, Pastor Lon Solomon repented on behalf of the city’s pastors for pride, isolation, and division between churches. The young generation was prayed and for and encouraged to take their place in a genuine American revival. It was an awesome experience of praise, tears, prophetic words, and thundreds of prayers going up to God on the west lawn of the US Capitol.
When the day had finished, I was convinced that God had heard our prayers and His tremors of revival had begun,
“Immediately following the National Day of Prayer, the NDP Task Force, announced that it was partnering with Pulse Ministries to rally intercessors far and wide back to Washington D.C., July 14-17 (National Prayer Summit and Together 2016) for what will be one of the largest gatherings of prayer at the National Mall.”
I was privileged to be a part of the first large prayer gathering for revival in America–Washington For Jesus–on April 29, 1980. God used that event to bring many streams of renewal into our land that lasted for nearly a generation, Together 2016 is the rallying cry of the next generation for God to do it again.
It has never been more needed.
But be encouraged.
After National Day of Prayer 2016, some tremors of revival have begun.
The Narcissism Epidemic
It’s all about me.
That incredibly narrow statement is the opposite of the first sentence in Rick Warren’s best-selling book, The Purpose Drive Life. It begins with these words:
It’s not about you.
However, the other phrase now seems to be the reigning philosophy in the West–a terrible phenomenon called narcissism. I’d never heard of narcissism when I was a kid. But I know about it now and see it everywhere I go.
Let’s take a look at the narcissist epidemic of our time and what needs to be done about it.
In researching this subject, I consulted a favorite dictionary: Webster’s 1828 Edition–the first one written by Noah Webster in the middle of America’s Second Great Awakening. It’s yuge!, and is sitting on my desk right now opened to the “N’s.” The word narcissist or narcissism is nowhere to be found.
Hmm.
I wasn’t surprised. In my readings of history, I learned that “self-consciousness” and even writing in the first person is relatively new. In fact, historians agree that Augustine of Hippo and St. Patrick of Ireland (in the 5th century AD) were probably the first humans to write books through the eyes of “self.”
In other words, ancient peoples saw the world through the eyes of God, the gods, or the group they identified with. They thought about others, considered themselves a part of others, and didn’t really even think about themselves. To them, a self-centered view of life was narrow, petty, not worthy of comment. It didn’t matter what “I” thought. Life was about others and to be lived for others.
My how times have changed.
Getting back to narcissism, I pulled up an on-line dictionary and here’s what popped up:
- Narcissism. noun. 1. excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one’s physical appearance. Vanity, self love, self-admiration, self-absorption, self-obsession, conceit, self-centeredness, self regard, egotism.
For thousands of years, the above definition didn’t apply to many human beings. Yes, there’s always been sin and self-centeredness. But at least in past centuries, it was oftentimes restrained internally and not expressed outwardly except in the case of thugs or deviants.
But in our day, many selfless concepts just as duty, moral obligation, “loving your neighbor as yourself,” or putting God at the center of your life (the first two Commandments) have gone by the wayside.
A large portion of 21st century Westerners seem completely obsessed with self.
Narcissism shows itself in many forms:
- Education – Children are no longer taught the Golden Rule, respect for authority, and living a life for the common good. Rather, life is all about having good “self esteem” and studying what you want to get what you want out of life. No wonder our schools are failing and kids are bored.
- Vocations – Young people in the West are taught that life is about “doing what you want” and making a lot of money so that you can be successful and happy. In the Christian worldview, that’s backwards: each of us should submit our lives to the Loving God and find His purpose for our lives–not what we want, but “Your will be done.”
- Marriage – Have you noticed how many young couples are no longer doing church weddings where the focus is on God bringing them together for His glory and purposes? Rather, the wedding is “all about us”–going where we want, saying what we want, and having the attention be on two human beings without reference to their Maker and Savior.
- Entitlements – Europe is already composed of many cradle-to-the-grave welfare states, and America is not far behind. Many people don’t vote for good leadership, or what’s good for their nation, but rather “what’s in it for me?” They feel entitled to food, housing, health care, even an abundance of leisure. The work ethic and personal responsibility are dying a slow death. In America, fully 20% of the population have not one family member working.
As America and Europe have become more secular (turning away from their God-and-other-people-centered roots), then narcissism has arisen. The addiction to social media by people of all ages in the 21st century says it all.
It’s all about me. My tweets. My photos. What I had for lunch. What mood I’m in. Much of what goes for healthy social interaction today is simply self-love on steroids.
Narcissism also shows up big-time in our politics. President Obama is the United States’ second narcissistic president, after Richard Nixon. But Nixon lived in a time period when Christian values were still in vogue and love of God and others, civic duty, etc. were widespread. During Obama’s term, those noble qualities have evaporated.
The rise of narcissism is also what makes the present US presidential race so alarming. Four of the five final candidates are garden-variety narcissists.
On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders is a Socialistic who wants to give “free stuff” to everybody. He’s the Robin Hood/Santa Claus of the 2016 race–and hundreds of thousands of people (especially Millennials) have been drawn to his message.
Like attracts like.
Hillary Clinton talks about “Working for You,” but her whole life has been the pursuit of power and money through self ambition.
The front-running Republican, Donald Trump, is unashamedly narcissistic. It’s all about him. Look again at the definition of narcissism above and you will find it can also be spelled T-R-U-M-P. Only difference is it’s an angry version of the Democrat form.
The only non-narcissist of the bunch is Ted Cruz. He’s the one candidate remaining with a solid Judeo-Christian philosophy and outlook. For Cruz (and Fiorina), it’s not about them. It’s about the Constitution–which was meant to be a restraint on self interest.
So what do we do about the narcissistic tidal wave enveloping us?
We do what honest human beings have always done. We pray for ourselves, our neighbors, our friends and our nations. We ask God to invade and change our hearts. The Bible calls this inner transformation conversion, repentance, being born again, or loving God supremely and your neighbor equally.
The only way to accomplish it is to die to yourself (with God’s help).
Life is not about you. It’s about loving Him and others.
In many parts of the world I have given a message called “The Secret of Happiness.” You can watch it here whenever you have the time. Putting God at the CENTER of your life is how we defeat the cancer of narcissism.
Leonard Ravenhill tells us:
“The man who has died to self has no ambitions so he has nothing to be jealous about. He has no reputation so he has nothing to fight about. He has no possessions so he has nothing to worry about. He has no rights, so he can’t suffer any wrongs. He is already dead so no one can kill him.”
The Apostle Paul put it this way:
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).
Or Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
“The Cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise God-fearing and happy life. Rather, the Cross meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a person, he bids them to come and die.”
Here’s a final meditation on killing the narcissistic spirit:
“When you are forgotten or neglected and you don’t complain and hurt with the sting of self-pity, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ—that is death to self.”
“When your good deeds are misunderstood, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you don’t let your anger arise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient understanding—that is death to self.”
“When you near with any disorder, tardiness or annoyance, and when you stand face-to-face with greed, extravagance and abuse, and endure as Jesus endured—that is death to self.”
“When you are content with any food, clothing, climate, circumstances, or any interruption by the will of God—that is death to self.”
“When you don’t care to focus on yourself in conversation, or bring attention to your accomplishments, or seek the approval of men—when you can truly love to be unknown—that is death to self.”
“When you can see others prosper and can honestly rejoice in the good fortunes of others and not envy and question God while your needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances—that is death to self.”
“When you can receive correction or reproof from someone of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit both inwardly and outwardly, finding no resentment or rebellion rising up in your heart—that is death to self.”
“Are you dead to self yet?”
Fittingly, the author of those insights is anonymous.
It was not about them.
How about you? It’s time to learn the lesson while there’s still hope. Because when you die, and arrive on the other side of eternity, the first lesson you face when you meet God is this:
It was never about you.