Monday, December 11, 2006

The wind is kicking up!

I received a call early this morning from our ministry team member on the ground in New Jersey. I’ve been telling you about our state-by-state strategy for taking a prophetic witness of biblical Truth to the nation’s state supreme courts. New Jersey is an example of why this strategy is so badly needed. The highest court there has ordered—yes, I said ordered—the legislature to accommodate same-sex couplings.

As an illustration of the egregious violation of the separation of powers—that is, checks and balances—New Jersey’s judicial branch has just plain bullied the state’s legislative branch. Think about that: The judges have instructed the representatives of the people to pass law that the people do not want. What?

While I’d have to dismiss any notion that immoral law is bad law (which, of course, I strongly believe), I could still get around to understanding the courts striking down an existing law as unconstitutional and letting the legislature—that is the people—wrestle with how to resolve it. But ORDER the duly elected representatives of the people to create new law that no one asked to create? It’s nothing short of tyranny.

I can’t help but think it was for less than this that we staged a revolutionary war against Britain. I’m not calling for another revolution like that one, but I do think it’s time we use every lawful option to clean up the cesspool. The judiciary has become inebriated with power, and, sad to say, weak legislators are all too happy to comply and pass the buck: “I wudda’ done the right thing, ya’ know? But the judge ordered it and wattya’ gonna do?”

Try standing up for the Constitution—even if it is the state constitution! (Incidentally, for good or for bad, it is “settled law” now that the Bill of Rights applies to the states.) This is why constitutions exist. They are a rigid framework that doesn’t allow despotic impulse and fancy to overrule the law.

Well, now that I have that off my chest, I can tell you about some other kinder and gentler things:

We are, of course, entering that wonderful season of the year called Christmas. We’re doing all we can to positively exploit it for the advance of the Gospel—which is what the Christmas story is all about. We put up our Christmas Advent scripture banner at the beginning of this month. It’s Micah 3:1, “Behold, He is coming.”

Advent, of course, means “to come.” So, the verse fits. Christmas celebrates the first coming of Christ in the form of the Suffering Savior. The Second Advent will celebrate his arrival as King. Christmas looks back at the First Coming and forward to the Second Coming. But Christmas isn’t the only holiday to be celebrated at this time of the year. There’s another “Festival of Lights” (more correctly, “Feast of Dedication”) that is lesser known, but was part of Jesus’ life and ministry, and, I believe, ought to be part of our own. For the sake of intrigue, I’ll leave it a mystery for now, but tell you I’ll talk about it this Wednesday on my live missionary field report. (Every Wednesday, 12:00 noon EST, on Live365.com, but you can link at the top left corner of our website, www.faithandaction.org) Tell your family, friends and fellow church members to listen in! You’ll be surprised to learn how relevant this obscure holiday is to the struggle that every Christian is engaged in, at least in the West.

One final word, this on the continuing Rick Warren / Barack Obama flap: I hope you saw my full statement. My criticism for Rick’s invitation to share his pulpit with the rabidly pro-abortion senator must be taken into context. You can read it on our website. The brouhaha hasn’t abated yet. Apparently, Newsweek Magazine’s website published an interview with Rick Warren’s wife, Kay, who is the driving force behind the Purpose Driven couple’s laudable AIDS relief work. When asked specifically if my criticism was a surprise to her, she said, “A bit.” I’m not surprised that she was surprised, even if it was just a bit. I guess I’m more disappointed. She said maybe she was a bit naïve. I guess I am, too. I thought that the Warrens of the world would be better informed.

That revelation of Kay Warren’s naivety, coupled with a conversation last night among members of my wife Cheryl’s and my regular home group (a Bible study, prayer and discussion group that meets in our family room every other Friday), left me resolved to do something more substantial about all this. A woman we know and admire greatly said she saw Obama in the Saddleback pulpit and thought, “Finally, a good Democrat we can get behind.” Egad! Couldn’t be less true!

Watch in the days ahead for more about Sen. Obama and his religious history, philosophy and company he keeps. While he’s been detailed to court the Evangelicals especially, and perhaps hoodwink all Christians of conscience in this country, he is anything but a biblically faithful believer!

Well, that’s all for now. I do realize there is a lot more to write you about, so I may begin posting more often. This is an emerging communication medium for me, so please bear with me as I learn the ropes.

Oops, the final final: Congress has finally left town. Washington is always a windy place, but it was particularly gusty as members carried out a whirlwind of last-minute debates, delivered speeches and passed legislation—then bolted. (As a spooky reminder they were leaving, a fierce Nor’easter blew by our building, snapping the bolts that held our Christmas banner on our building! We’re replacing them now.)

In my final analysis, this Republican led Congress of the last 12 years has accomplished things no other Congress would have even attempted, but it fell far short of what they should have done. With virtually all three branches in the hands of Republicans, we all rightfully expected to be much further down the road toward reclaiming moral sanity. That failure is inexcusable: “To whom much is given, much will be required.” (Luke 12:48)

I will give kudos to the Senate: They confirmed two of the best justices we have had since Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas were seated. (Those are relative kudos to be sure.) The new Senate, especially with Sen. Patrick Leahy as chair of the Judiciary Committee, will not do that again. We must pray!

Be back later . . .

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Your commentary ties to one I received from Chuck Baldwin. The common thread is what I'll call "leadership naivete". Here's what I wrote to Chuck Baldwin and it also applies to those in your article leading the "sheep astray". The answer to your question is that the liberal socialists pseudo-Christians work from a personal secular belief in "moral relativism". When will authentic Christians going to get so fed up with these apostates that we actually turn our back on them? I do not associate with those who profess to be Christian yet are not in deed.

Actually many - and I do mean MANY - within Christianity fail to uphold their national liberty to be involved in politics and it cascades from the pulpit in their church. I know because I've had to bump heads with church pastors who "refuse to be involved in politics" out of fear from the IRS to remove their tax-free status. It's the example of the blind shepherd leading the blind sheep. There is so much ignorance with Christendom today because of false teaching regarding what it means to be "a light unto the world" and "salt unto the earth". They see it as only spiritual. We as committed believers must uphold our civil duty to be an influence in and to our government leaders at all levels.

Much of this apathy stems from those "new covenant only" teachers/preachers of love, mercy and grace. They fail to see the REAL Jesus of Matthew 23-24 and Revelation - the "warrior KING". They've turned into a bunch of pathetic wimps who will succumb when they are not "caught up" by Jesus when he returns, and they'll find themselves experiencing the great tribulation.

If we can't educate these ignorant apostate believers then we must excise their leadership from the true body of Christ and expose them for what they are - false teachers.

As for Barack Hussein Obama, I warned people early on to watch him closely. His family ties take him to Indonesia (the world's largest population of Muslims), so is Obama a closet Muslim and are Americans - even Christians - blindly going to elect him to be our first Muslim President? Wait and see.