General

Things are unraveling in Egypt. There are protests and riots across the country. 100 plus people are dead, 2,000 are injured, the Cabinet has resigned and the airport is packed with people trying to get out. The army has been restrained so far, and ultimately may be the deciding factor in the outcome.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people are in the streets demanding a change in government.

So how should we view this brewing tempest? What is our best lens for understanding what is happening in Egypt and the Middle East?

There are many perspectives you can take on world events. You can see them through humanitarian or compassionate eyes–the suffering people, the problems, the injustices. You can also look at them through political eyes–which parties are involved and who might be noteworthy of praise or blame. Or you can analyze current events through an historical lens. 

I believe the most important way to look at history unfolding is through the eyes of prayer–which elevates us to a higher viewpoint. As we pray for world events, and seek his face about what is happening and what we can do, God can give us insights into what is really taking place on the ground.

Intercessors often have the best vantage point.

They’re closest to the One who knows.

One of our YWAM leaders, Mark Anderson is in the Middle East (Malta) this week leading a regional missions conference named the Call2All. Here is his call to prayer as the drama unfolded:

“Today is also the beginning of our Middle East Congress here in Malta. Many of our attendees are stranded in Egypt and can’t get out, while others are stuck here in Malta and unable to get back to their families. Thieves and looters are using these protests as an opportunity to act out in violence and to destroy businesses. Military troops are out patrolling the streets in an attempt to keep the peace.”
 
“We must all pray. Many of you have ministries that you can call on to intercede at this very important time. What happens in Egypt will dramatically affect the whole Middle East. Please pray for everyone involved in our congress to have God’s wisdom and for their families to be secure. Let’s ask God to supernaturally intervene in such a way that large numbers of Egyptians will put their trust in Him. May Jesus be revealed in the midst of this situation!”

Before we explore the “prayer view” of the Egyptian conflict, it might be helpful to look through the other lenses that can enlighten us. First, the political angle that has a number of key players.

Hosni Mubarak

As far as tyrants go, Mubarak is not the worst of the worst–but a dictator is a dictator.

Egypt has been governed for centuries by numerous strong-armed leaders. In ancient days they were called Pharoahs. Today they’re called “presidents for life”–and there really isn’t much difference except the absence of slavery.

Hosni Mubarak, dubbed ‘the Pharaoh’ for his 30-year iron rule, is said to have amassed a fortune of forty billion dollars for his family at the expense of the Egyptian people. He is eighty-two years old, and his half-Welsh wife Suzanne and sons Gamal and Alaa are seen in Egypt as symbols of nepotism and corruption with properties and business interests worldwide, including London. Mubarak is a secular Muslim who’s ruled the nation for three decades.

Critics say the closest their sons have got to ordinary Egyptians was when they were driven past them in limousines. Both sons have been linked to arms-dealing.

Mubarak has survived at least six assassination attempts and fears have also been growing that he plans to groom the more political Gamal to inherit the throne.

This is one reason why the people are rioting. They’re tired of corruption and strong-armed control. I believe there is a genuine desire for liberty and change.

The Muslim Brotherhood

While analysts ask who or what is behind the sustained protests in Egypt, one group is now seeking political legitimacy. Technically banned under Egypt’s constitution that forbids religious based parties, the Muslim Brotherhood is now throwing its support behind Mohammed el Baradei as an opposition leader.

But many fear that if Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak goes, the real replacement will be either the Muslim Brotherhood itself, or an Islamic fundamentalist group. El Baradei insisted on Sunday talk shows that the fear was unwarranted.

“This is total bogus that the Muslim Brotherhood are religiously conservative,” El Baradei told ABC’s “This Week.” “They are no way extremists. They are no way using violence.”

But critics point out that the Brotherhood, which was established in Egypt in the 1920’s, is synonymous with political Islam which supports the use of Islamic law known as Sharia.

“Right now the Arab Republic of Egypt does not impose Islamic law in its fullness,” Rob Spencer, the head of Jihad Watch told FOX News. “The Muslim Brotherhood wants to change that.”

Among the brotherhood’s graduates: Al Qaeda’s number two leader, the Egyptian doctor Ayman al-Zawahiri who was imprisoned for three years on weapons charges following President Anwar Sadat’s assassination in 1981, Hamas, the terror network behind suicide bombings and rocket attacks in Israel, and the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, whose goal is the destruction of Israel.

Walid Phares, who is a terrorism analyst for FOX News, has studied the Muslim Brotherhood. Phares says its history shows that the group is not secular and not moderate.

“The Muslim Brotherhood is the mothership for the jihadi ideologies and thinking. And therefore one can say today’s Al Qaeda, and today many other jihadists, are off shoots of the Muslim Brotherhood.”

The Muslim Brotherhood is the key religious/political entity that could exploit the crisis in Egypt.

But another political entity is also involved.

The Obama Administration

America has a major role to play in he stability of the Middle East. We are the ones who protect the survival of Israel, and much of that protection has been hinged to peace accords we brokered between Egypt and Israel.

Barack Obama and the current US administration on now on the hot seat to guard the peace. Redstate.com describes Obama’s role this way:

“Jimmy Carter will go down in American history as ‘the president who lost Iran,’ which during his term went from being a major strategic ally of the United States to being the revolutionary Islamic Republic. Barack Obama will be remembered as the president who “lost” Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt, and during whose tenure America’s alliances in the Middle East crumbled.”

“The superficial circumstances are similar. In both cases, a United States in financial crisis and after failed wars loses global influence under a leftist president whose good intentions are interpreted abroad as expressions of weakness. The results are reflected in the fall of regimes that were dependent on their relationship with Washington for survival, or in a change in their orientation, as with Ankara.”

“America’s general weakness clearly affects its friends. But unlike Carter, who preached human rights even when it hurt allies, Obama sat on the fence and exercised caution. He neither embraced despised leaders nor evangelized for political freedom, for fear of undermining stability.”

The Heritage also believes that current administration policies are contributing to the instability of the Middle East. Here is their perspective:

“The Obama Administration has been slow to embrace calls for liberty in Egypt is completely consistent with the Obama Doctrine as applied in the Middle East. When the Iranian people rose against the regime in Tehran in the wake of a disputed national election, Obama offered virtually no support for the cries for freedom. He was too committed to his engagement strategy with the Iranian regime, believing his “charm offensive” would be enough to deter them from pursuing nuclear weapons.”

“Those efforts have completely failed. Nevertheless, the ‘playing nice initiative’ with Tehran fell flat. Today, the regime is more aggressive than ever—backing a terrorist takeover of the government in Lebanon, snubbing Western nuclear negotiators, and promoting an Islamist agenda across the region.”

“As Elliott Abrams, who coordinated the Bush Administration’s Middle East policy at the National Security Council, wrote in The Washington Post: ‘This has been the greatest failure of policy and imagination in the administration’s approach: Looking at the world map, it sees states and their rulers, but has forgotten the millions of people suffering under and beginning to rebel against those rulers. “Engagement” has not been the problem, but rather the administration’s insistence on engaging with regimes rather than with the people trying to survive under them.’

Barack Obama, for good or for ill, may be the ultimate player in Egypt’s immediate future.

But now back to prayer–with a little historical perspective.

I have been reading through the entire Bible once each year for the past thirty-nine years. Interestingly, my daily readings this week found me in Exodus where the people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt, God raise up a reluctant Moses as a deliverer, the Egyptian gods were humiliated by the true God, and many people feared the Lord because of his loving redemption.

My reading made today’s news seem quite relevant. Egyptian strongman. People desire liberty (“Let my people Go!”) Chaos in the nation. A battle between evil forces and good. In the end, the people of God are set free. 

Circumstances are very different today–but I see some parallels. The battle for the Middle East is really a titanic struggle between the forces of Satan and God’s desires for salvation. There are actually a number of possible outcomes to this political, yet spiritual battle:

• The people’s revolt produces a moderate secular democracy that leads to freedom and greater opportunities in Egypt and other Muslim nations.
• The Muslim Brotherhood and its allies use the circumstances for a radical jihadist take-over that makes Egypt more resemble Iran.
• The “consent of the governed” leads to greater freedom in Egypt and the ascendancy and leadership of the Coptic Church which makes up a sizable minority in the nation (20%). Egypt becomes a secular/Christian democracy that is a light to other Muslim societies. They too can be set free.

God is doing an amazing work in many Muslim nations today. They appear ready to cast off their religious chains and yearn for a freedom that can only be found in Christ (or Christian principles of government).

History walks a fine tightrope. Egypt could lunge into tyranny, or Egypt could rise to greatness. Will it be increasing freedom–via the Spirit of Christ–or increased tyranny through anarchy or jihadists?

Our prayers may determine history on this one.

Pray for Egypt–that God would work his wonders, destroy the false gods, and “let his people go” into the new-found freedom of faith in the Savior of the entire world.

Tuesday, November 2, saw a political tsunami wash across the America nation. It’s biggest waves were felt in the American heart-land and southern states, but much of the surging tide reached New England and parts of the West.

Let’s thank our gracious God who heard our prayers. Credit a spirited Tea Party movement that renewed a sizable portion of the Republican Party. Credit also the average American citizen who got involved in the political process because they knew the future of America was at stake.

What was the thunderous message?

We reject socialism.

We want to remain America-the land of the free.

I’d like to highlight ten lessons that we’ve learned from the 2010 Mid-term elections. First, let’s survey the changed political landscape through the eyes of individuals or groups that played a leading role in the political tsunami.

One of the most pro-active faith & family groups in the United States is the Family Research Council led by Tony Perkins and headquartered in Washington, D.C. Their extensive “bus tour” of Iowa during the month of October was probably the single largest reason that three notorious, incumbent, activist judges were defeated in that state. 155 out of 182 of FRC’s backed candidates won. If you don’t receive FRC’s daily “Washington Update” alert, you can sign up for it here.

Tony Perkin’s take on the historic mid-terms:

“On November 2, 2010, the Republican Party made its largest single day gains in the House of Representatives since 1948 and, I have been told credibly, the largest gains of any political party in local, state, and federal races combined in more than 100 years.”

“The last time the GOP controlled this many state legislatures, the year was 1928–and the only thing flying higher than the Republican Party was Amelia Earhart. Call it a tsunami, a bloodbath, a good-old fashioned spanking, but any way you slice it, Tuesday was a population explosion for conservatives via the Republican Party. In state legislatures alone, Republicans picked up 680 seats, the highest gains for one political party in two centuries. Sixteen states are now completely controlled by the GOP, meaning that it dominates the Governor’s offices and both chambers (with the exception of Nebraska, which only has one chamber to begin with).”

“Democrats have coughed up 19 chambers to conservative Republicans. The takeover was so complete that the GOP even snagged Minnesota. Talk about a conservative drought in the state of 10,000 lakes. This was the first time in U.S. history that Minnesota’s chambers flipped Republican. And while Americans didn’t have the option of electing a new president, they did manage to choose seven chief executives, as the GOP stormed to power in a majority of governorships, bringing the grand total to at least 31.”

Erick Erickson’s Redstate.com put the political landslide in these terms:

“Nineteen state legislative bodies ultimately flipped to the GOP. Of the 18 states that will gain or lose seats in Congress for the next decade, the GOP controls 12 of the 18 Governor’s Mansions. The Democrats have been wiped out except among coastal elites and majority-minority districts. The GOP, long said to not be able to make inroads in New England, now controls the Maine Governor’s Mansion, the Maine legislature, the New Hampshire Legislature, a New Hampshire Senate seat, and several congressional seats.”

I recently read one of Newt Gingrich’s novels on America history. To Try Men’s Souls is a gripping treatise on the turning point battle of the Revolutionary War–Washington crossing the Delaware at night and surprising and routing the Hessian mercenaries at Trenton. It was courage and conviction that won that battle. Here’s how the former Speaker of the House describes the mid-term wins:

“Congress wasn’t the only thing Republicans gained in last night’s election. The Republican State Leadership Committee reports that the GOP also took control of nineteen state legislative chambers with the election of over 500 new Republicans to state houses across the country – the largest GOP gain in state house seats in history. The GOP will control the Minnesota Senate for the first time in the state’s history and the Republican Party will hold majorities in the Alabama and North Carolina legislative chambers for the first time since the 1800s.”

“Republican gains were particularly strong in the south where the GOP now controls 18 of the 28 legislative chambers and a majority of all southern legislative seats for the first time since Reconstruction. At the same time, Republican Gubernatorial challengers earned victories in ten states, including the key swing states of Ohio, Florida, and Iowa that play such an important role in presidential elections.The GOP now controls 54 out of 99 statehouses–and it could go as high as 59.”

Another organization I highly respect and encourage you to join is the Heritage Foundation. They possess some of the clearest thinkers in America today. Their Morning Bell daily blog gives pertinent facts each day on the issues facing our nation. You can sign up for it here.

Heritage gives some wise advice for our newly elected leaders:

“If Republicans are smart, they’ll see these victories–not as an endorsement of their leadership, but a repudiation of Obama’s. At its core, this is a center-right country where things like “hope” and “change” are still measured against our greatest ideals. It’s still a place where freedom matters more than “progress.” Where faith is fought for, not against. And where standing for life means not standing alone.”

“Voters are looking to the GOP to take us–not down the path of least resistance–but the road less traveled. But let’s be clear, now we must all get to work. The new Congress has a choice: answer the call of renewal or betray the hopes of the American people.”

So what did we learn from the 2010 mid-term elections? Here are my top ten:

1. The Biggest National Loser – President Barack Obama, whose policies and national priorities went down in flames. Defeat was not a communication problem, the stupidity of the voters, or just a bad economy. President Obama’s socialistic policies were repudiated. And though the president campaigned for thirty different candidates around the nation, less than 10% of them won =.100. That’s a lot of strike-outs.

2. Biggest Question going forward:  Will Barack Obama pivot and move toward the wishes of the America people as Bill Clinton did in 1994? Early signs appears to be no. Obama is an ideologue who cares less about popularity and more about taking the US in a social democracy direction. He’s not going to change course–and will probably be defeated in 2012 due to his stubbornness. Jay Leno put it this way: “Americans thought they were voting against George’s Bush’s third term by rejecting John McCain. Instead, they were voting for Jimmy Carter’s second term in Barack Obama.”

3. Biggest State Winner – Ohio–with a new Republican governor, a GOP-controlled House, a new US senator, and come January, many other statewide offices will be a sea of red. John Kasich took the governorship away from Ted Strickland. The GOP also won: secretary of state, state auditor, attorney general, and state treasurer.  Leadership also changed hands in the Ohio House of Representatives.  Republicans picked up a dozen seats to give them the majority in the House.  They also managed to extend their already-strong Senate majority.  On the national level, Rob Portman comfortably beat Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher to capture a seat in the U.S. Senate.  

Guess which state is the pivotal state in presidential elections (i.e. 2012)? Ohio.

3. Biggest State Loser – California. It’s hard to fathom that the nation’s largest state elected as governor, for the second time, the man who helped create their 100 billion dollar pension problems in the first place (Jerry Brown). They also re-elected Barbara Boxer over successful entrepreneur and executive Carly Fiorina. What are they smoking out there? It must be a stupifying mix of Hollywood values, union control, and illegal (entitlement) voters. For the first time in fifty years, California is losing people and businesses–with a corresponding loss of congressional seats. California is in deep trouble–and desperately needs a heaven-sent revival.

4. Biggest National Winner – Sarah Palin – she won 66% of her House race endorsements and 60% of her Senate endorsements giving her a combined batting average of .630.  And most of those picks were challengers, not incumbents. Quite a feat. Maybe those Mama Grizzlies do understand the issues that most Americans care about.

5. Second  Biggest National Winner – Conservatives. Conservatism is the political expression of Christian ideals (faith, family, freedom, work, justice, responsibility, accountability, compassion, etc.) A new generation of conservative leaders are emerging in the United States. Keep your eyes on and focus your prayers on numerous conservative governors or former governors such at Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, John Kasich, Haley Barber, Nicky Haley, Tim Pawlenty, Mitch Daniels, Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry, Chris Christie, and Bob O’Donnell. They are the future. Also rising Congressional stars such as Michelle Bachmann, Mark Rubio and Rand Paul.

6. Third  Biggest National Winner – The Grand Old Party. They re-took the US House of Representatives by historic margins (could be as high as 66 seats), added at least six seats to the US Senate, and gained 680 state legislative positions nationwide. Even more importantly, the Republican Party will also control re-apportionment (re-districting) for the next twelve years. That fact alone will re-shape American politics. Let’s hope they understand why they’ve been “re-hired.”

7. A Providential Loss? – Harry Reid’s win in Nevada. This can probably be attributed to a weak Republican challenger, tons of money, and a great ground game. Still, I’m stunned that Senate Majority leader Harry Reid could be re-elected in a state with 14% unemployment – and it’s his Big Goverment, anti-business policies and that are prolonging it. However, here’s what’s interesting. If Harry Reid had lost, and the Republicans taken over the Senate, that would have made 2012 a much easier year for Barack Obama. He could blame many things on a Republican-controlled Congress. Now he can’t. Harry Reid’s still in control. This might prove extremely providential for the 2012 election

8. The Blessing of Gridlock – If a car enters a freeway going the wrong way, the best thing that can happen is for traffic gridlock to be occurring to slow down and stop its destructive path. Don’t buy the lie that “gridlock” is now bad for America for the next two years. No, it’s extremely good. The speeding socialist jalopy will be limited by the traffic jam until the right direction can be re-established in 2012. Praise God for gridlock. It will save many lives.

9. The Danger of Compromise – The losing side desperatelywants to keep America on the socialist path. Their new strategy is to encourage our leaders to compromise and join them in re-shaping America. Pray that our new senators and representatives will not budge an inch. Freedom won. Socialism lost.  Bi-partisanship is negative if it doesn’t include right principles and policies.  In politics and in life you compromise on minor items, never major ones. For example: On keeping tax rates where they are for all income groups, we must not compromise. We are already over-taxed. The problem is spending. We can compromise with the president on minor details. But not on the principle of over taxation–especially during a recession. Memo to our newly elected leaders: Stick to the principles for which the American people sent you into office.

10. Biggest Ultimate Winner – Freedom and the American people.

In historic fashion, we prayed, gave, voted, and worked for positive political change in 2010. God honored our faith and action. But this is only one victory in a much bigger war.

The American people rose up and rejected socialism in 2010. We must continue the march of freedom through 2012 and beyond.

“In God We Trust.”

Possibly the most important election of our lifetime will take place three weeks from today. I will be on a long plane flight across the Pacific as the day dawns on America soil–but I will arrive back from Asia in time to watch the returns.

Despite jet lag and fatigue, I will be glued to the set.

I’ve already received the various voter pamphlets that spell out the issues and candidates in this year’s mid-term elections. In one week, our all-mail-in state will send out the ballots that need to be marked. In other states, there will be a combination of absentee ballots and actual polling stations that people will utilize on or before November 2.

The future of America hangs in the balance this first Tuesday of November.

I am boldly asking you to use the influence you possess to get people to pray and vote wisely.

One man clearly trumpeting the need to pray and vote is Mathew Staver. In 1989, Matt became the founder of Liberty Counsel and currently serves as Chairman of the Board.  Liberty Counsel is a litigation, education and policy organization with offices in Orlando, Florida, Lynchburg, Virginia, and hundreds of affiliate attorneys in all fifty states. Liberty Counsel was one of the first religious liberty litigation organizations in the country. In the early 1990s, Matt was one of the first to pioneer a new legal strategy and theory in litigating religious liberty cases, using the First Amendment Free Speech Clause.

I can’t say any better what Matt shares below. There are many movements in America this year that are calling believers to action. However, Liberty Counsel’s thrust really understands the enemy we’re fighting and the need to engage him with both spiritual and natural weapons.

Please pray and vote for godly change in America.

RB
          
From Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel

Dear Friend,

America’s socialists are uniting – more than most of us realize.

The October 2 “One Nation” rally in Washington, DC, was billed as a major event and was attended by representatives from virtually every leftist organization operating in America. Groups like the People’s Organization for Progress, Progressive Democrats of America, Planned Parenthood, and People for the American Way were there.  Many radical union members were PAID to attend.

Although the rally turnout was lower than expected, here is what shocked me:  Members of the Communist Party USA openly carried signs boldly announcing their propaganda.

Even more shocking was the way in which the Communists were embraced and welcomed by the “Progressives” (a nice name for liberal extremists) – while many in the so-called mainstream media conveniently chose not to show their viewers footage of the Communist presence.

The socialization of America is well under way.

The Obama scheme of “Change,” as embraced by his radical socialist cohorts and rammed down the collective throats of grassroots Americans, is designed to do one thing–to reshape America into a socialist nation.

On one day, one vote can change America’s destiny.

Our nation’s future is riding on November’s midterm elections. Many are calling it the single most important election in decades. Concerned Christian and values voters MUST turn out in record numbers for this election! We simply must reverse the momentum of the radical socialists.

That’s why, today, I am announcing the election countdown phase of our “Pray & Vote 2010” campaign that will help restore our nation. Pray & Vote 2010’s goal is to reach FOUR MILLION pro-faith,pro-family, and pro-liberty citizens and fully engage them in this historic election.  We believe that four million committed conservative voters could change the course of the election – and our nation.

Why the Socialists Despise This Effort.

The media and intellectual elites despise it when any mention of God or faith is made in association with an election.They demand a “secular” society and a “secular” debate. So as we boldly announce a “Pray & Vote” campaign that will reach four million citizens, imagine the response we will get from the radical Left.

That’s why I am personally asking you to take a stand with us right now and say, “I Will Pray and I Will Vote!” It takes just moments to take a stand that could literally change the course of our nation.

Pray & Vote 2010 is a multi-media campaign that will use the resources of the Internet as well as television and radio to get the word out from coast to coast. Once you sign up, I’ll need your help to engage your friends, co-workers, and those in your church or community group to join us as well.

Reaching four million people is an attainable goal when thousands of committed citizens utilize their personal spheres of influence, the Internet, and mass media to spread the message.

Here’s how YOU can help:

• ENROLL: By signing your commitment to Pray & Vote, you will be among many, many thousands
  of others who are committed to changing the course of America through prayer and exercising
  their right to vote.
• ENCOURAGE: Ask your peers, family members, and fellow church or civic organization members to
  pray for our nation and for God’s direction for our nation – and to become an informed voter who will cast their ballot on November 2. Encourage them to sign Liberty Counsel’s Pray & Vote commitment.
• ENGAGE: Call your incumbents’ offices – and those challenging them to become a            representative of the people. Learn where candidates stand on issues important to you!             Then, we all must get out and VOTE.

Click here to sign your “Pray & Vote” commitment.

Liberty Counsel has important resources for you. Once you take a stand to “Pray & Vote,” our team will connect you with exclusive resources to equip you as Election Day draws near. For example, you’ll have immediate access to my special message, “What Pastors and Churches May Do.”It is a definitive review of the law governing Christian participation in political activities that has been seen by hundreds of thousands of Americans.

There are also links to access contact information for your senators and representative.

Let’s support leaders who will honor religious freedom, protect families, and venerate life! Make no mistake:  Our national character will be greatly impacted by the 2010 midterm elections. With so much at stake, Liberty Counsel is calling on members and friends to help re-kindle the spiritual fire in our nation through this powerful Pray & Vote initiative.

In the eyes of the elites who rule the media, education and much of our government, your bold declaration that you will Pray & Vote is radical and unacceptable. But to our Founding Fathers, combining prayer with political participation was a sacred duty.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this vital campaign.

God bless you,

Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel