In 2016, Trump was asked why he had repeatedly attacked the press.
His answer:
“I do it to discredit you all and demean you all so that when you write negative stories about me, no one will believe you.”
When someone tells you exactly who they are and exactly what they’re doing, pay attention. Believe them.
A message to all sane Republicans:
He pardoned 1,600 violent criminals.
You said nothing.
He bulldozed the East Wing.
You said nothing.
He interfered with the release of the Epstein files. You said nothing.
He took over the Kennedy Center and renamed it after himself. You said nothing.
He accepted a $400 million airplane as a personal gift. You said nothing.
He threatened Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Greenland, Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil. You said nothing.
He tariffed just about everyone but Russia, causing inflation and instability worldwide. You said nothing.
He attacked a nation during mediated negotiations. You said nothing.
His ill-conceived war killed 175 children on day one. You said nothing.
He alienated and insulted our allies. You said nothing.
His ICE Army terrorized and murdered U.S. citizens. You said nothing.
He committed murder on the high seas. You said nothing.
He co-opted the Justice Department and directed it to prosecute his political enemies. You said nothing.
It’s time to start talking.
Let’s talk about one of Satan’s favorite words: “if.”
We hear it twice in Matthew 4, which we read today in Bible in One Year.
During the temptations, the devil begins his first two assaults with, “IF you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread” (4:3) and “IF you are the Son of God, throw yourself down” (4:6).
Just before those temptations, at the baptism of Jesus, the Father had already declared from heaven, “This is my beloved Son” (Matt. 3:17).
So God declares, “This is,” and Satan questions, “If you are.”
That same Satanic strategy continues when the tempter hisses at us,
--If you’re really a Christian, why do you still struggle with the same sins?
--If God is truly good, why did he allow your son or daughter to die?
--If God is all-powerful, why does evil still plague the world?”
It is always the same mouth, reeking of the halitosis of hell, that raises the same doubts. If, if, if, all coming from the father of lies who began his conversation with Eve by saying, “Did God actually say….” (Gen. 3:1).
How is the devil’s question countered? With the “I” spoken by our Lord.
Jesus says, “I am your Savior, your Redeemer, the one who gave his life for you. I am the one who entered into human suffering, took sin and sorrow into myself, carried it to the grave, and rose again so that you might share in my victory. I am with you always. I am your God, and you are my child.”
Every hellish “if” is commanded to shut up by a heavenly “I.”
The Southern Baptist Convention in whose ethos I was discipled in the 1960s and 70s was primarily concerned with reaching the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Christ-centered piety, biblical authority, a bold missionary spirit, and freedom of conscience were integrated.
Today’s passage from John 3:
“…that though the light has come into the world
men have shown they prefer darkness to the light because their deeds were evil.
And indeed, everybody who does wrong
hates the light and avoids it,
for fear his actions should be exposed;
but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light,
so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.”
@racheljwelcher Just spoke at a conference on this subject. I used the Boundaries books and Emotionally Healthy Books. I also looked at Lisa TerKeurst books and podcast, Therapy and Theology. Habits of the Household was a reference for family application.
I didn’t repost the vile video of the Obamas but I https://t.co/KnyMTZGeOY. I won’t repost the image of the president but I condemn it. Any person who loves Jesus cannot see our Lord profaned and call the offender “rough around the edges.” It’s blasphemy.
I don't know who needs to hear this, but if your church has a pastor who claims, on Easter - the biggest layup sermon of the year - that God created Trump in order to kill Iranians to help Abraham's People....you need a new church
Court Prophets in Scripture
The Bible lists both true and false prophets among those who address rulers.
A true court prophet—Nathan or Micaiah—cries out “You are the man” when his ruler sins.
A false court prophet—Hananiah or ben Chenaanah—tells a ruler what he wants to hear.
White: You were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It's a familiar pattern that our Lord and Savior showed us. You will be victorious in all you put your hand to because God is using you.
I still believe.
I’ve had countless prayers that weren’t answered the way I hoped. Things withheld that I wanted in life so badly. Seen brokenness that never fixed. But I’ll tell you what I have seen. I’ve seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
And I’ll tell you what I did get. I got Jesus. I realize again and again that the reason the scriptures still jump from the page with the life of the Holy Spirit so often when I read is because God saw to it that I’d need them. Require them. That they’d be my food and the living water of the Holy Spirit, my drink.
This was to his good pleasure. I still believe. I believe his nearness is my good and his presence is my ecstatic joy. I have many regrets. Entrusting my life into the scarred hands of Jesus is not one of them.
You can trust him.
Lots of talk about Revelation lately.
There was a time when I read Revelation like a fortune cookie.
Later I learned Revelation's true message:
God does not need us to usher in anything.
Refuse the Way of Power.
Follow the Way of Jesus.
He will set all things right.
In His time.
The older I get in ministry, the less I care about church "style."
Instead?
I am suspicious of churches that talk about "submitting to authority." They tend to be fear-based.
Conversely, churches that lead with extravagant, personal love are so beautiful and enticing to me.