Category Archives: Christianity

July 14, 2018 · 7:32 am

Prayers for our Children (Part 7)

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A Testimony of Victory

My daughter Susan and I struggled with our relationship after my salvation in 1985. She watched her parents undergo first a separation, and then a divorce. To her, my newfound Christianity caused nothing but pain for our family.

She traveled to Ames, Iowa, after her second year of college for a weekend visit with me. I looked forward to showing off my beautiful daughter to friends and enjoying her company, but she was sick most of the weekend. She said it was due to a bad tooth.

When I drove her back to Ottumwa on that Sunday, she curled up with a blanket and fell asleep in my Ford pickup. I used the quiet time to pray softly in tongues, asking the Lord for an answer about her sickness. The Holy Spirit eventually spoke to my heart: “Susan is very sick. Tell her mom to take her to the doctor right away tomorrow morning.”

I related the Holy Spirit’s exact words to Susan’s mom.

The doctor admitted Susan into the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City the next morning. Her mom phoned and said she needed surgery to remove some kind of growth. I notified the Des Moines Vineyard Church, where I attended at the time, so as many people as possible were praying for her.

The physician delayed her surgery for a week because she had a fever. I continued painting houses in Ames while fasting and praying for her.

My prayers were not vanilla flavored ones like: “O Lord, if Thou art not busy next Tuesday, could Thou stop by the hospital and touch Susan. Thy will be done in this matter. Amen.”

Baloney! This was my daughter −not a roast beef dinner needing some pastoral sounding words prayed over it before being eaten. The same God who told me about her sickness was the same One who could heal her with just one word. His power remained the same yesterday, today, and forever. As His son, I had a right to burst into His presence and ask for Susan to be healed.

I prayed prayers like this: “Lord, heal my daughter Susan. You’ve given numerous promises to me about her life, none of which have happened yet. You saw this sickness when You gave those promises to me so I know the sickness has not taken You by surprise. The Bible states You are not a liar and I believe those words. Heal her now and fulfill all of Your promises for her life.”

I bombarded heaven day and night for my daughter. I continually asked the Lord to give me a word from His mouth so I could use it as a sword of the Spirit to battle in spiritual warfare. The Lord did not speak to me right away, but I kept pursuing Him like the woman did the unjust judge.

On the night before the scheduled surgery, I drove my pickup truck to Iowa City. I stayed overnight in one of the hospital’s waiting rooms, sitting in a recliner with a blanket covering me. The Holy Spirit whispered to my heart as I sat there with my Bible: “Isaiah 54:17.”

This was my sword of the Spirit.

I began praying: “No weapon that is formed against Susan shall prosper, and every tongue that accuses Susan in judgment I condemn in Jesus’ name. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication is from the Lord.”

I prayed all night and even though at times, I drifted off to sleep, my mouth went back to praying as soon as I woke up. I continued in this manner until 7 a.m. when I spent time in thanksgiving, praise, and worship. Waiting in His presence, not speaking a word, I had a vision of a Christian bookstore in Iowa City and felt an urgency to drive there. Did I know why? I had no clue.

This was 1995 and neither Google maps nor GPS were available as yet. So, I checked for a Christian bookstore using the old-fashioned way: a phone book. Looking at the stores in the area, I chose the one that felt the best to my spirit.

I drove there and walked in the door at 9:05 a.m. A pretty young girl with long hair stood behind the counter.

“May I help you?” she asked with a smile.

“The Lord sent me here, but I don’t know why yet.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

My prophetic gift kicked into gear at that moment.

“The Lord doesn’t want you to listen to your parents and others who are telling you to go to Bible school. The Lord wants to train you in His own way for your calling. Listen to His voice and not to other people on this particular matter,” I said.

Her hands covered her mouth and tears flooded her eyes.

“I felt this was what the Lord wanted me to do, but my parents and pastor insisted I was wrong. I asked the Lord to make Himself clear on what I should do. Thanks.”

We chatted a bit, hugged each other, and I left.

Later that afternoon, I walked alongside Susan as she laid on a bed being wheeled into surgery. A nurse stopped me at the doors.

“You can’t go any farther,” she said, pointing at the red line on the floor.

I nodded and stood there with tears streaming down my face. My daughter was going into surgery and I wanted to be with her. I turned around, headed to the waiting room, and sat with my parents and Susan’s mom. My eyes closed almost immediately and I fell asleep.

Five hours later, Susan returned to her room. The surgeon removed a noncancerous cyst, the size of two 2-liter bottles of soda from her abdomen and her appendix.

Susan continued to have a fever after her surgery, which frustrated her. Her doctor refused to allow her to go home until the fever dropped into the normal range. She phoned me one afternoon.

“Dad, will you pray I can go home tomorrow?”

“Okay,” I said, “you’ll go home tomorrow.”

Susan went home the next day, eighteen days after first entering the hospital. Her recovery took many weeks.

This testimony is a short compilation of all the chapters in this book. It’s not that I’m so unique or special because all believers can do this for their own children. But at the same time, I must admit there is a price for us parents to pay. It comes down to whether or not we want to pay it. You see, we must be willing to seek the Lord with all of our heart and follow Him in the same manner.

I believe most of us will say, “Yes, Lord.”

(Continued in Part 8)

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July 12, 2018 · 9:47 am

Prayers for America (7/12/2018)

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My wife and I recently visited San Francisco for the first time. It’s easy to see why the city appeals to so many people with its various neighborhoods, parks, and all of its historic sights. What a city!

BUT it’s just as easy to see the many problems the city is suffering from right now. The solutions to these problems probably will not end in win/win compromises for everyone.

On Wednesday, a new mayor, London Breed, was sworn into office. She is the first African-American female to head the city.

My prayer today:

Lord, I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to London Breed, the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of her heart enlightened, that she may know what is the hope to which He has called her, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe. (Based on Ephesians 1:17-19)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.

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July 11, 2018 · 7:15 am

Praying for Our Children (Part 7)

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Let’s say Carol and I need a Special Widget for an important business project, which must be done right away. All of our money and resources are tied up in the project. So, we need to finish it as quickly as possible.

We jump in our Honda and search all over Temecula, but Best Buy, Staples, Home Depot, and all the other stores have no Special Widgets on hand. We then decide to check Amazon.com and there is one in stock. We purchase it with our VISA Card and have it sent by FedEx. An email from Amazon confirms our order and also gives us a tracking number from FedEx to follow the Special Widget’s delivery route online.

The next day, a friend asks if we have found a Special Widget as yet. “Yes, we have purchased one. It’s on the way,” we answer with big smiles on our faces.

“Are you sure?” the friend asks, raising both eyebrows.

“Yes,” we reply, without any doubts in our minds.

How can we be so sure the Special Widget will arrive at our home?

Carol and I trust the reputations of Amazon and FedEx. The two corporations have a long history of carrying out what they promise to do. Plus, we have guarantees to back up our trust in an email confirmation and a tracking number.

The above Special Widget story is a perfect analogy to show how God answers our prayers.

First, who has the better reputation −Amazon, FedEx, or God?

The answer is obvious for us believers: God.

He never lies, never fails, never sleeps, is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and has all of heaven backing His commands. And guess what? God created Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and Frederick W. Smith, founder of FedEx. So, obviously, God is not overwhelmed by the intricacies of the marketplace or anything at all.

Second, when did Carol and I own the Special Widget in the above story?

As soon as we purchased it from Amazon with our VISA Card, we owned it. It was ours before it ever showed up at our home.

Okay, when do we receive (or own) the answers to our prayers?

For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be givento you. (Mark 11:24 Amplified Version)

In much the same way as ordering the Special Widget from Amazon, we must believe by faith that God has answered our prayers as soon as we pray them. It doesn’t matter that we don’t see the answers with our natural eyes because we must have faith the answers are on the way, just like we trusted the Special Widget was on its way via FedEx.

Third, Amazon sent us a confirmation email and FedEx gave us a tracking number. Because of these two guarantees, we felt safe in trusting them.

What about God?

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. (Hebrews 11:1 Amplified Version)

Faith in God that He will answer our prayers is our confirmation from the Lord.

Okay, faith may not always seem as tangible as an email confirmation and a tracking number, but here’s something we can do to make it more concrete for us.

Because our Father in heaven is a covenant-making God, we can make a covenant with Him. His covenants with Adam, Noah, Moses, David, and Jesus are written down in the Bible and still in force today. The word “covenant” means pledge or legal agreement between two parties, in this case God and man.

Here’s what I often do:

I write down my prayers for my children and others in a special notebook. For example, let’s say I have prayed for my daughter to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. I write down her name, the date of the prayer, and Matthew 3:11, the verse where the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire is mentioned. This becomes a written covenant between God and me.

From the moment I write it down, I no longer ask God to baptize my daughter in the Holy Spirit and fire, but instead I thank Him for doing it. You see, the prayer was answered when I prayed it.

I flip through my notebook often each week, thanking the Lord for answering my prayers for my children and others.

If doubt ever hits me about my prayers, I open my notebook and point to the date and scripture, reminding God of our covenant.

This works!

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.(Colossians 4:2)

(Continued in Part 7)

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July 10, 2018 · 8:49 am

Prayers for Israel (7/10/2018)

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-jerusalem-for-dummies-why-the-world-doesnt-recognize-it-as-israels-capital-1.5627778

For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
And her salvation as a lamp that burns.
²The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name,
Which the mouth of the Lord will name.
³You shall also be a crown of glory
In the hand of the Lord,
And a royal diadem
In the hand of your God.
⁴You shall no longer be termed Forsaken,
Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate;
But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah;
For the Lord delights in you.. (Isaiah 62:1-4)

My prayer today:

Lord, set watchmen on Jerusalem’s walls who will never hold their peace day or night and will continue to speak Your name and give You no rest until Jerusalem is the object of praise in the whole earth. (Based on Isaiah 62:6-7)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for Israel and Jerusalem.

What’re Your Plans for 300 Years from Now? ( Part 4)

Did the thief who died on the cross next to Jesus, and who asked to be remembered by our Lord, receive the same eternal rewards as the Apostle Paul? If your answer is “maybe” or “I don’t know,” then let’s see what we can learn from the Bible.

But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 Amplified Bible)

Whether it was the thief on the cross or me on the bathroom floor or anyone else, salvation is a one-time act that secures our entrance into the Kingdom of God. But we are no more than little babies, standing at the starting line, when we are saved. None of us are born again in one moment and then walk straight into maturity the next. It’s a process —

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. (Romans 6:22)

Sanctification is the life-long process between salvation and our death (or glorification). It’s a day-by-day, step-by-step journey of consecrating ourselves to our Lord Jesus Christ and being purified by the Holy Spirit.

How are we sanctified?

By prayer. By studying His Word. By grace. By faith. By the Holy Spirit. By staying faithful in trials. And more. It basically comes down to following the Apostle Paul’s words —

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

If the Apostle Paul had to keep pressing forward in his quest of being all he could be in Christ, then shouldn’t we do the same?

I am not belittling last second or deathbed salvations because spending eternity in heaven is far, far, far better than being tormented forever in Hell. But those of us who can choose to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith all the way to our last breaths, I believe we should go for it! Why not, right?

Why is endurance so important?

(Continued in Part 5…but if you want to read all of the parts to date, you can go here.)

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July 6, 2018 · 11:20 am

Praying for our Children (Part 5)

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An article authored by Ray Hughes in The Morning Star Journal changed my prayer life forever. Its was entitled The Forgotten Legacy of Sam Jones and told about an almost forgotten evangelist who grew up to be labeled by a Southern newspaper as “the most famous man in America.” Jones was born in 1847, the same year as Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Alva Edison.

The article related how Sam Jones became a hopeless drunkard by the age of twenty-five. His health was wrecked and an untimely death faced him when his dying father made him promise to change. Then the article said:

“Sam declared, ‘I yield, I yield,’ determining right then and there that every remaining step of his life would be an honest effort to fulfill that promise to his father. But Sam’s father wasn’t the only one shouting that day; his saintly grandmother was another. She was said to have read the Bible from cover to cover thirty-eight times while on her knees, applying the promises of God in prayer for Sam’s wayward life.”

Click! The light switched on inside me. I knew that I knew that Scripture was a powerful spiritual tool in praying for people, especially our children.

There is only one book where the words in it are “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of a person’s heart.”

That one book is the Bible.

It should be everyone’s favorite prayer book because what is our biggest struggle in praying for our children? I would guess that it centers on whether God will actually answer our prayers.

And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)

Scripture is God’s revealed will to His believers. Thus, by praying Scripture, we are praying the Father’s will back to the Father so He can move in our children’s lives.

It’s a win/win deal for us parents.

But yet, there is still another benefit of praying Scripture for our children.

Bless the LORD, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word! (Psalm 103:20 NKJV)

When we pray Scripture for our children, God’s angels are put to work, bringing the prayers to pass in their lives. We can think of ourselves as “spiritual labor bosses” if we pray Scripture, sending angels out to their jobs: our children.

There are hundreds of Bible verses, which make great prayers for our children. You can choose your own as you study the Bible, but here’s a few of the ones I pray along with examples of how I pray them.

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 NKJV)

“Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart [or hearing heart] to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9 NKJV)

This is one of my favorite prayers in which I combine the above two verses.

My prayer: “Lord, give (child’s name) an understanding and hearing heart so that he/she receives the love of the truth and is saved in all situations he/she might face.”

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that (child’s name) would deny himself/herself, take up his/her cross daily, and follow Jesus.”

Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path.(Psalm 119:105)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that Your word is a lamp to (child’s name) feet and a light to his/her path.”

Send out Your light andYour truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling. (Psalm 43:3)

My prayer: “Lord, send Your light and Your truth to (child’s name); let them lead him/her to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling.”

I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that You baptize (child’s name) with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:11-12, 21)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that (child’s name) is not slothful in zeal, but fervent in spirit, serving You; that he/she rejoices in hope, is patient in tribulation and constant in prayer; and that he/she is not overcome by evil, but overcomes evil with good.”

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:10, 13-14 NKJV)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that (child’s name) knows You and the power of Your resurrection, and the fellowship of Your suffering, being conformed to Your death. And that one thing he/she would do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, that he/she would press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.(1 Corinthians 14:1)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that (child’s name) pursues love, earnestly desires the spiritual gifts, especially that he/she may prophesy.”

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22)

My prayer: “Lord, I pray that (child’s name) flees youthful passions and pursues righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

My prayer:“Lord, I pray that (child’s name) seeks first the kingdom of God and Your righteousness so that all things are added to him/her.”

These ten examples should give all of us a good idea on how to pray Scriptures for our children. All we have to do is read our Bibles and when we see a verse with a promise, pray it for our children.

Praying the word for our children moves our prayers from being passive into being powerfully active with all of heaven working to bring the prayers to pass.

(Continued in Part 6)

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July 5, 2018 · 11:47 am

Prayers for America (7/5/2018)

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In today’s politically correct culture, the phrase –“We are offended” – is the wrench which can be tossed into the gears of a company, a political campaign, Christian outreach, or whatever to stop its forward progress. It is the handy “get out of jail free” card for many opposition forces.

But isn’t it interesting how this phrase has appeared on the scene almost out of nowhere to be an effective tool in such a short period of time? It makes me believe that Satan is setting up American believers for a terrible surprise in the days ahead. Because Jesus said —

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. (John 16:1 KJ)

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.(Matthew 24:9-10 NKJ)

Think about His words, okay?

Believers are not to be offended if we are picked on, persecuted, threatened with death, hated by everyone, or even killed in these last days before His return. This is heavy stuff!

So, let’s not let the “We’re offended” crowd deter us from doing the will of God in our lives. Let’s instead use their words to strengthen our love for Jesus and gird up our loins with truth while moving forward against the kingdom of darkness.

My prayer today:

Lord, help American believers to reckon ourselves dead to sin and to not be afraid of people’s scorn or their insults. (Based on Romans 6:11 and Isaiah 53:7)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Thursdays to fast and pray for America.

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July 3, 2018 · 9:50 am

Prayers for Israel (7/3/2018)

The Shema is one of only two prayers that are specifically commanded in the Torah (the other is Birkat Ha-Mazon — grace after meals). It is the oldest fixed daily prayer in Judaism, recited morning and night since ancient times. It consists of three biblical passages, two of which specifically say to speak of these things “when you lie down and when you rise up.” (Judaism 101)

My prayer today:

Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. (The Shema Israel)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you today?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for Israel and Jerusalem.

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July 2, 2018 · 10:36 am

What’re Your Plans for 300 Years From Now? (Part 3)

When the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation, he was instructed to send special messages to seven churches in Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

Most of us know that two churches – Smyrna and Philadelphia – received no corrections while the other five did, with Laodicea receiving the harshest rebukes of all.

“I know your [Laodicean Church] works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)

How many times have we heard these two verses spoken about the American church and its members? Probably, more than enough. It always sounds so bleak for us when the words are voiced, right?

Jesus then went on to say the Laodicean Church and its members were not only luke-warm, but were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

Yipes!

Jesus next gave the Laodicean Church specific instructions on what they needed to do to turn themselves around, but I’m sure most of the members were limp rags by then. How could they possibly pick themselves off the floor and attempt to make changes to please Jesus?

²⁰Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Revelation 3:20-21)

Wow!

Jesus offered the Laodicean Church and its members the greatest promises, as compared to the promises given to the other churches in Asia, if they would overcome their faults. They were offered intimacy and a chance to sit on Jesus throne with Him – even the apostles James and John were not offered that position.

So, what happened to the Laodicean Church?

The Laodicean Church became the most dynamic and vibrant of all of the Asia churches. A bishop was martyred there seventy years later. An important Christian council was held there over two hundred years later. Archaeologists have discovered over twenty chapels and churches near the Laodicean Church, which took up a whole city block. The church continued into the fourth century.

The testimony of the Laodicean Church shows us what believers must do:

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

If we want to rule and reign with Jesus, we need to be zealous and repent.

(Continued in Part 4…but if you want to read all of the parts to date, you can go here.

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June 24, 2018 · 4:57 pm

Sarah Sanders, Separation of Children from Illegal Immigrants, and Christian Responses

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The White House Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and her party of seven were asked to leave the Red Hen Restaurant in Lexington, Virginia, by Stephanie Wilkinson, the restaurant owner on last Friday night. Wilkinson told Sanders, “We have certain standards that need to be upheld, such as honesty, compassion, and cooperation. I’d like to ask you to leave.”

Her words were based on her dislike for the Trump administration and his positions on LGBT issues.

Sarah Sanders replied, “That’s fine. I’ll go.”

Sanders even offered to pay, but the owner said that it was on the house.

My take is that the owner’s actions were illegal and wrong.

Why?

Stephanie Wilkinson and the Red Hen Restaurant have a covenant via their sales tax agreement with the state of Virginia to provide goods and services to all peaceable and willing buyers who walk into the restaurant. They do not have the option of discriminating against customers based on their race, religion, sex, age, political parties, and so forth.

Wait a second!

What about the Masterpiece Cakeshop lawsuit where the owner, Jack Phillips, refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple? Didn’t Phillips claim that his moral standards would be violated if he baked the wedding cake? Yes, he did. And Phillips just recently won a narrow Supreme Court decision in his lawsuit.

I wrote an article for WND disagreeing with Phillips’ stance because he also had a covenant via his sales tax agreement with the state of Colorado to provide goods and services for all customers who entered his business establishment. Even though Phillips won his Supreme Court lawsuit, I still agree with what I wrote.

What about children being separated from their illegal immigrant parents? Is President Trump a ruthless monster for doing this?

Actually, President Trump has been following the law. The Clinton Administration and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to the Flores Settlement in 1997. This multilayered law requires minors to be separated from adults while the adult parents are being criminally prosecuted for illegal entry into America.

Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama followed the same Flores Settlement and separated children from their illegal immigrant parents before Trump became president. Why is everyone complaining now? Where were their voices for the past twenty years?

How do Christians respond to these issues?

All over the map!

Some are outraged by what Sarah Sanders endured at the Red Hen Restaurant, but shout for joy because Phillips won his lawsuit. Many believers think Trump is the equal of the Antichrist for following the law about separating children from their illegal immigrant parents but omit mentioning anything about Clinton, Bush, and Obama. Others fall somewhere in between on each issue.

Is it possible that Christian opinion on issues like these are formed more by the media than by the Word of God and prayer?

Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.(Titus 3:1)

Do the above verses mean we need to walk lockstep with ungodly laws? Of course, not. That’s how the Nazis browbeat Christians in Germany to accept their ungodly ways. But if we disobey ungodly laws, we do have to realize that we may end up being treated like Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was imprisoned and hung by the Nazis. If so, we need to be as accepting as Bonhoeffer was with his execution.

But also, how many Christians took the time to check on the veracity of the statements by the major media, claiming Trump had developed a new policy for handling illegal immigrants’ children? And also, how many believers took the time to discover the true story behind the little crying girl and President Trump on Time Magazine’s cover?

Wake up Christians!

Pray and study before acting on social media and wherever else. Remember we will give an accounting at the Judgment Seat of Christ for every idle [lazy, shunning the labor one ought to perform] word we speak or write.