General

I’ve just returned from a trip to Asia which I’ll share about in future posts. But center stage this week is the Republican National Convention which demands some attention.

Why is choosing our government leaders so important? Because the Church and the State cast the greatest influence on culture and civilizations.

The Church is meant to be the salvific and prophetic voice in the world. When we lead people to Christ and teach people His ways, then nations experience the blessings of justice and freedom. When we “turn out the lights,” evil takes its place.

Governments are designed to protect God-given rights and punish evil. Good governments bring peace and stability to society. Bad governments make the people “mourn” (Proverbs 29:2).

This week I’ll share some thoughts on the Republican Convention and next week, the Democrats.

I now have one more reason to vote for Donald Trump.

I’ve made it clear in the past that of my list of potential presidents of the United States–three primary candidates in the Democrat Party and seventeen on the Republican side–Donald Trump was low. In fact of the seventeen original Republican aspirants, I would place Mr. Trump in the bottom third.

This is because I highly value biblical faith (Trump’s faith is, at the best, weak)–good character (he can be quite childish and bullying)–competence (he does have great business experience)–and good policies (the jury is out as Mr Trump was a lifetime moderate/liberal who’s now running as a conservative).

I look forward to his acceptance speech tonight and seeing if he follows through with his conservative plans to Make America Great Again (which can only be done through God’s truth and blessing). 

I’ve also said that there was one primary reason I will vote for Donald Trump: the future of the United States Supreme Court. If Hillary Clinton becomes our next president, then possibly one-to-four liberal justices will be appointed to the Court in the next few years which would curse this nation for a generation. Their decisions would lead to the persecution of Christians, overturning the 2nd Amendment (right to bear arms), and many pernicious policies which would hurt many Americans.

Though Mr. Trump is not my first choice for POTUS, he has made it clear that he would appoint strict constitutionalists to the Supreme Court and lower courts. Those choices would be a blessing to America for the next generation–possibly undoing the evil of abortion, and protecting many God-given rights of the populace.

The courts shouldn’t be this powerful, but they are. To vote for Hillary Clinton is to vote for SCOTUS tyranny and mischief.  To vote for Donald Trump will at least plug the hole in the dike for a period of time.

Of course, national renewal in Christ is our only real hope of lasting change–courts or no courts.

Before I share the other reason for voting for Donald Trump, let me first  make some other observations about the convention in Cleveland.

The Trump Kids

Though Donald Trump had two failed marriages, three wives, and numerous adulterous liaisons, it’s incredible how poised and articulate are his four older children–Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka, and Tiffany. All four of them spoke at the convention and pretty much brought down the house.

I don’t know of their personal faith though a couple of them used the phrase “God bless you” after their speeches (which their father rarely does). Don Jr. gave a powerful address, letting everyone know that he is be an up-and-coming star either in business or politics. Eric and Ivanka shined also. They all seem to cherish family, hard work, honest, integrity and many other great qualities.

Of course, they were born with a silver spoon into a multi-millionaire’s house who become a billionaire, but often pampered kids of the wealthy don’t turn out well. Instead, all three of them, from Trump’s first wife Ivana,  got good grades in school, worked extremely hard and serve in the family business.

As one speaker quipped last night, “You can’t fake good kids.”

Recent college graduate Tiffany, born to second wife, Marla Maples, also gave a warm speech that spoke of the good fatherly qualities of the Donald. In fact, all of them talked about his honesty, humor, warmth, candor, and the great relationships he shared with them and their friends.

That inside look at Donald Trump was very encouraging. Interestingly enough, a man weak at being faithful in marriage has done a pretty good job of fathering and keeping his family together. In fact, have you ever seen a more impressive spread of children, in-laws and grandchildren than those of Donald J. Trump?

Oh yes–I just remembered Mitt and Ann Romney. What a clan!–and missed opportunity.

Ted Cruz

I have followed the writings of the #NeverTrump folks for months and agree with many of their positions about the compromise the R’s have made by allowing Trump to become the nominee. I understand where the naysayers are coming from and I am sympathetic with some of their concerns. They are the “fightin’ fundies” of the Republican Party.

Many of them were rooting for Ted Cruz–even to prevail against all odds in Cleveland.

Ted Cruz was my first choice for president of the United States due to his faith, character, policy positions, youthfulness, and vast grassroots organization. In fact, I even attended a meeting in my home county to go door-to-door for him in our state. Unfortunately, a week later he was beaten by Mr. Trump in Indiana and the race was over.

I didn’t get to knock on any doors.

Last night, Ted Cruz disappointed by not being gracious to Donald Trump. He had been fairly beaten in the the primary process, and there were some deep personal wounds. But Trump had generously given him a prime time spot at the convention, and it should have been the moment for Cruz to leave behind the sour grapes and at least tepidly endorse the Republican nominee. There is a time for “team” and “loyalty.” If you can never cooperate when majorities go against you, then there’s too much self in your heart.

It pained me to see Ted Cruz booed off the stage last night. His message was enlightening and inspiring–a major speech on the power of freedom. But in the end, he failed to be Reagan-like by endorsing the victor (as Ronald Reagan had in 1976 when he lost to Gerald Ford).

Trump came across as the bigger man. He let Cruz speak without limitations. Ted Cruz did not return the favor by least telling the crowd that Trump was a better choice than Hillary Clinton. 

I believe that will hurt him in the future. I applaud his commitment to principles. But two of those principles are humility and teamwork.

Vice Presidential Nominee Mike Pence

Which brings me to the second big reason I will vote for Donald Trump:  Indiana Governor Mike Pence. He was the main speaker last evening, accepting his party’s nomination for vice president of the United States. He did not disappoint. If you didn’t see it, you can watch his speech here.

It is often said that the first big decision that defines a presidential nominee is the choice they make for a running mate. If they show bad judgment there, they will likely make the same mistake in office. If that’s true, then Donald Trump, in my book, hit a home run by choosing Mike Pence.

Here’s why.

I’ve known of Mike Pence for years. He served in Congress rather quietly for a decade before becoming the governor of Indiana. He was always known as a man of faith, good character, conservative principles, a gracious spirit, and a sound leader. He’s one of the best that we’ve had in Washington, D.C. during the past decade.

Then he became governor of Indiana and turned that state around. Indiana currently has the highest credit rating of all fifty states.

In his speech last night, Governor Pence said two things that resonated:

• “First I am a Christian, then a conservative, then a Republican.”  That shows proper priorities.
• “My parents taught me to build three important things: a family, a business and a good name.” His down-to-earth humility was so apparent in all that he said.

Mike Pence is the kind of person you want by Donald Trump’s side. In this era, VP’s have a lot of clout.

For Trump to pick him says something–regardless of the motivations. And if something should happen to Donald Trump, Governor Mike Pence of Indiana would make a humble, godly, intelligent, principled, gracious and courageous president of the United States.

That’s one more reason to vote for Trump.

And continue to pray for revival in America.

This summer my wife and I are enjoying watching Bill O’Reilly’s Legends and Lies: The Patriots, a television mini-series. The companion book by the same name is currently the number one best-selling non-fiction read in the United States.

The series unearths some of the unknown details on the American Revolutionary time period–the era that produced the most exceptional nation in history because its social and political ideas were based on God’s wisdom as found in the Bible.

As an American, I’ve always thought about the Revolutionary War from the standpoint of being a Yank. We won. The British lost.

But after the Brexit vote on June 23–with 52% of the United Kingdom voting to leave the European Union–at least for the moment, I’m changing sides. Hail the Tories!  They won (and we’re still losing).

Here are my thoughts on the Reverse Revolutionary War.

It was quite a global stunner on June 23, 2016 when the people of the United Kingdom shocked the pollsters and bureaucrats in Brussels and voted for the European Union’s second largest economy to exit the EU.

My response was emotionally similar to Michael Goodwin, a managing editor of the New York Post. He wrote, “As results poured in [from the vote] I caught myself humming a tune from Broadway’s ‘Hamilton’.”

“The song,” he says, “follows the decisive Battle of Yorktown in 1781, after which the Redcoats surrender and America is free. It’s called a drinking song, and there’s not much to it except these words, ‘The world turned upside down’.”

“It certainly has,” he continued, “The world is also coming full circle because now it’s the Brits who are free. It took them awhile, but they finally had their own Tea Party and their own Revolution.”

Amen.

I was so excited that I fired off an e-mail to a long time British friend whom I call the “old tulip” (in proper British pronunciation, that comes off as “old chulip.” He calls me affectionately the “old bean.”) Here’s our brief correspondence:

“Congrats old tulip on the Brexit vote!  I’m deeply proud of your country for standing up for freedom, independence and national sovereignty. You are setting a good example for other nations–including our own.”

“If I was you, I’d be proud to be a Brit today–and ask God to use it for His glory in the British future.”

Here’s his thoughtful response:

“Hi old bean, 

“God will use it for his glory I am sure in many ways. It may have taken this separation to waken minds in Europe to the undemocratic nature of much of the European project.”

“I personally find internationalism a difficult idol to combat. The globalised world has bought with it many benefits, but there is a hidden insidious side. This vote has definitely been a significant setback for that cause.”

“Democracy, at best, the best of a bad range of governance options, really only works well when it is close to the people. The structures of the EU have always been distant and unaccountable. For the many in Britain that was a big issue.”

“There will be some serious ramifications, which could well include another referendum on Scottish independence, but we will see. In a month or two we can pray that wiser voices will prevail, and that the changed emotions of the present will have settled down.”

“I found this article a helpful assessment of these hugely significant events.”

I think you would enjoy reading his recommended article from the BBC.

Why? Because a reverse Revolutionary War is taking place. This time the Brits are the ones voting and acting for liberty while America (Barack Obama encouraged the UK to remain in the European Union) and the powers that be in Europe are the Tories of old.

Here are some of my thoughts on the Brexit vote.

1.  We are witnessing a tear in the aura of secular-progressive ideology.

The Western World has moved in the past seventy years from a strong liberty/biblically-based worldview to one of secular tyranny. What the British revolted against in the Brexit vote was centralized bureaucrats in Brussels telling them what’s moral, what to regulate, how many refugees to take–and basically controlling their lives.  That same liberal fascism is currently in vogue in the United States via the Obama Administration.

The Brits said NO to unrestrained cultural diversity, job and wage losses, greater threats of terrorism, loss of sovereignty, and forced immigration.

2. An anti-establishment (against liberal fascism) movement is gaining steam in the West.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingich shares the story:

“The first harbinger of change this year was May 23, the day of the Austrian presidential elections.”

“In the first round, the two parties that had dominated Austria for the past half-century came in fourth and fifth. An independent came in third. The two formerly minor parties in the run-off were a hardline conservative anti-immigrant candidate and a green who favored more immigration. The entire national establishment mobilized to block the anti-immigrant candidate. He got 49.65 percent of the vote.”

“The second big signal of change was the Italian municipal elections. Out of disgust with widespread corruption, an Italian comedian named Beppe Grillo launched the Five Star Movement in 2009. In the 2013 elections, it came in second. This month, the Five Star Movement candidates won the mayor’s offices in both Turin and Rome.”

“Virginia Raggi, 37, became the first female mayor in Rome’s 2,800-year history. In the midst of a corruption scandal which forced the previous mayor to resign, Raggi got 67 percent of the vote against the Prime Minister’s party. In Turin, the results were similar and the reform movement won in 17 other cities.”

“Brexit, then, was at least the third big-change election in the West this year. The entire British establishment, the business leadership, President Obama and Hillary Clinton all came out for the Remain side. They lost 52-48 in a stunning upset which the polls did not predict. In England and Wales, the margins were much higher as people voted to make Britain independent again.”

“Fourth and finally, last Sunday was the little-noticed election of a new president in Iceland. The former president had resigned in a scandal caused by release of the Panama Papers. He had broken no laws but his previously secret investments were very unpopular. The winner of the presidential elections with 39 percent of the vote was Gudni Johannesson, a history teacher. Second, with 28 percent of the vote, was Halla Tomasdottir, a businesswoman. The leading professional politician, a former prime minister, got 13 percent.”

“These results from four different countries show a consistent momentum toward throwing out established politicians and rejecting the establishment.”

3.  Secular-based globalism is tyranny, not liberty.

My English friend’s comments are quite astute on this point. He understands that globalism is a quite mesmerizing phenomenon (an attractive idol) but it’s atheistic base produces tyrannical leaders and governments. He is quite right to believe that democracies need to be kept “close to the people.” I would add:  They must be based on God-given rights and responsibilities that emanate from self-government. Europe lost that foundation decades ago. The United States is now following suit.

Let’s be honest. Cultural diversity and tolerance as a formula for successful societies is a sham. It’s a feel-good smokescreen for atheism which hurts people.

Here’s a new banner to lift up: Western values are superior because biblical ideas produce the most liberty and prosperity. Secularism and Islam both impoverish and enslave.

4.  America should follow the British example, reject the secular establishment and seek moral, economic and military freedom. 

Donald Trump may not be the best messenger for the cause of liberty in America (Cruz, Rubio, and many others were better). But he has a partially right message that resonates with the Brexit vote. Hold your nose if you have to, but vote for Donald Trump.

Hillary Clinton is the secular-progressive establishment poster child. Plus corruption and lying.

5.  A One World Anti-God Government will come one day, but maybe not now.

We don’t know when the One World System will come. The Bible says it will happen one day. But we do know what freedom looks like–and we are to fight for biblical liberty in Christ in every generation along with the fulfilling of the Great Commission.

Brexit is a small step of renewal. Will it give birth to Italeave (Italy), Czech -out (Czech Republic), Finnish (Finland), Oustria (Austria) or Departugal (Portugal)?

I’m praying for a new American Revolution.

USAmen. 

In this century, as opposed to the 18th, let’s hope that we follow the Brits.

A lot of prayer is taking place this year. There’s also been a huge uptick in Islamic terrorism.

On June 29, I stood with thousands on the Washington State Capitol lawn to repent and pray as a part of Franklin Graham’s Decision 2016 tour of all fifty state capitals. On July 3, I had the privilege of leading my home church in the Call2Fall movement. July 10 is another day of coordinated special prayer for America.

And then comes Together 2016 on July 16 where hundreds of thousands will gather on the Washington, D.C. These calls to prayer focus on unity, repentance, and petitioning heaven to restore His protective blessings. 

But did you know that after the American Great Awakening (1730s-40s) and Revolutionary War (1770s-80s)–a time of increased prayer–the threat of radical Islam actually created the US Marines?

Here’s the untold story.

I know that the crescendo of prayer now taking place in America begins with individual humility, repentance, salvation and “turning from our wicked ways.” But the final aspect of 2 Chronicles 7:14 talks about God “healing the land”–which most certainly involves His divine protection and favor.

If you have a little time and want to watch the best video on radical Islam you’ve ever seen, pause for a moment and click here. The video is called “The True Threat of Islam in Fourteen Minutes.”

Then, ponder for a moment how the prayers of the 18th century actually led to the creation of the US Marines and halted the dangers of radical Islam in the time of our Founding Fathers.

Here’s the brief story.

“At the height of the 18th century, Muslim pirates (the “Barbary Pirates”) were the terror of the Mediterranean and a large area of the North Atlantic.  They attacked every ship in sight, and held the crews for exorbitant ransoms. Those taken hostage were subjected to barbaric treatment and wrote heart-breaking letters home, begging their government and family members to pay whatever their Muslim captors demanded.” 

“These extortionists of the high seas represented the North African Islamic nations of Tripoli, Tunis, Morocco, and Algiers – collectively referred to as the Barbary Coast – and presented a dangerous and unprovoked threat to the new American Republic.” 

“Before the Revolutionary War, U.S. merchant ships had been under the protection of Great Britain.  When the U.S. declared its independence and entered into war, the ships of the United States were protected by France.  However, once the war was won, America had to protect its own fleets.  Thus, the birth of the U.S. Navy.” 

“Beginning in 1784, 17 years before he would become president, Thomas Jefferson became America’s Minister to France. That same year, the U.S.Congress sought to appease its Muslim adversaries by following in the footsteps of European nations who paid bribes to the Barbary States rather than engaging them in war.” 

“In July of 1785, Algerian pirates captured American ships, and the leader of Algiers demanded an unheard-of ransom of $60,000.  It was a plain and simple case of extortion, and Thomas Jefferson was vehemently opposed to any further payments.  Instead, he proposed to Congress the formation of a coalition of allied nations who together could force the Islamic states into peace.  A disinterested Congress decided to pay the ransom.” 

“In 1786, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams met with Tripoli’s ambassador to Great Britain to ask by what right his nation attacked American ships and enslaved American citizens, and why Muslims held so much hostility towards America, a nation with which they had no previous contacts.” 

“The two future presidents reported that Ambassador Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja answered that Islam “was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran that all nations who would not acknowledge their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners, and that every Muslim who was slain in Battle was sure to go to Paradise.” 

“Despite this stunning admission of premeditated violence on non-Muslim nations, as well as the objections of many notable American leaders, including George Washington, who warned that caving in was both wrong and would only further embolden the enemy, for the following fifteen years the American government paid the Muslims millions of dollars for the safe passage of American ships or the return of American hostages.”  

“This payment in ransom and tribute amounted to over 20 percent of the United States government annual revenues in 1800.”

“Islam, and what its Barbary followers justified doing in the name of their prophet and their god, disturbed Jefferson quite deeply.  America had a tradition of  religious tolerance. In fact Jefferson, himself, had co-authored the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, but fundamentalist Islam was like no other religion the world had ever seen. A religion based on supremacy, whose Koran not only condoned but mandated violence against unbelievers, was unacceptable to him.”  

“Shortly after his being sworn in as the third President of the United States in 1801, the Pasha of Tripoli sent him a note demanding the immediate payment of $225,000 plus $25,000 a year for every year forthcoming.  That changed everything.”  

“Jefferson let the Pasha know, in no uncertain terms, what he could do with his demand.  The Pasha responded by cutting down the flagpole at the American consulate and declared war on the United States.  Tunis, Morocco, and Algiers immediately followed suit.”

“Jefferson, until now, had been against America raising a naval force for anything beyond coastal defense, but, having watched his nation be cowed by Islamic thuggery for long enough, decided that it was finally time to meet force with force.”  

“He dispatched a squadron of frigates to the Mediterranean and taught the Muslim nations of the Barbary Coast a lesson he hoped they would never forget.  Congress authorized Jefferson to empower U.S. ships to seize all vessels and goods of the Pasha of Tripoli and to ’cause to be done all other acts of precaution or hostility as the state of war would justify'”. 

“When President Thomas Jefferson saw there was no negotiating with Muslims, he formed what is the now the Marines (sea going soldiers).  They had been originally commissioned in 1798 by President John Adams but never used in this manner.”

These Marines were attached to U. S. Merchant vessels.  When the Muslims attacked U.S. merchant vessels they were repulsed by armed soldiers. Then the Marines followed the Muslims back to their villages and killed every man, woman, and child in the village.”  

“It didn’t take long for the Muslims to leave U.S. Merchant vessels alone.  English and French merchant vessels started running up our flag when entering the Mediterranean to secure safe travel.”  

“The bravery of the U.S. Marine Corps in these wars led to the line “to the shores of Tripoli” in the Marine Hymn, and they would forever be known as “leathernecks” for the leather collars of their uniforms, designed to prevent their heads from being cut off by the Muslim when boarding enemy ships.” 

“When Algiers and Tunis, who were both accustomed to American cowardice and acquiescence, saw the newly independent United States had both the will and the right to strike back, they quickly abandoned their allegiance to Tripoli.”  

“President Jefferson’s greatest fear was that someday this brand of Islam would return and pose an even greater threat to the United States.”

It’s now back-in a time period in which the Western World has turned away the God who gave them liberty.

May God hear our prayers in the 21st century, forgive our sins, and raise up a new force of brave men and women to deter and destroy evil as happened three hundred years ago.