When Christians are targets of war, they must anticipate dealing with enemies of God.

On Monday, March 27, 2023, an angry and hate-filled woman who believed she was a man, carried out a deadly attack on the staff and students of a conservative Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee.  She murdered three nine-year-old children and three staff members. It was a deliberate act of terror against Christian children by a terribly unstable person. She succumbed to the self-destructive ideology of the transgender dysphoria that has been exalted by much of our deranged society. In the pioneer days of our nation’s past, such an act would be publicly acknowledged by all righteous, law-abiding, citizens… as the work of demonically inspired savages.

Christians are called to respond to tragedy with compassion, empathy, and love, but what happens when that tragedy is being celebrated by the mainstream media, the culture, our own government, and perhaps… even some of our own churches, friends, and family?

During the past several years on this program, the recurring themes that surface in our discussions of the challenges in our world, include many principles of what must be recognized in the midst of all-out war.  Unlike most wars that we may have thought about in the past… the war we’re now experiencing is increasingly clear to even the naïve among us, is a war against all humanity itself. To a spiritually awake person, that can only be labeled as a full-on satanic war… against God… and His kingdom.

In this WAR against humanity, probably the most recurring theme that comes to my attention is the principle of Ezekiel chapter 33 in the Bible. It’s all about facing the responsibility of being a sentinel… a Watchman. It’s a life-or-death military assignment for the safety of our communities. And every one of us has an important part in that assignment. Clearly, if we don’t want the blood of others on our hands, we must respond courageously to the heavenly expectation that we warn those around us of impending enemy attacks.  That commission is all the more sobering to us in our generation, when we face the reality that many of our peers are severely deceived, distracted, and even deluded into believing the lies that cause them to bow down to fear and the tyranny of the gods of this age. And that’s why the knowledge of God’s word and the healthy fear of the Lord is so vitally needed by those around us who are literally being destroyed because of a lack of knowledge.

My attention was alerted by the title of a recent article by Pastor Andrew Isker of Waseca, Minnesota. He asserted that …

Being Winsome and Nice Won’t Cut It Anymore, Christian

March 29, 2023 by Pastor Andrew Isker  Andrew Isker is the pastor of 4th Street Evangelical Church in Waseca, MN

https://news.gab.com/2023/03/being-winsome-and-nice-wont-cut-it-anymore-christian/

Pastor Andrew made a powerful observation. In light of the many recent tragedies in Christian meeting places in America, he said: Today you live in Negative World, and Negative World just became deadly. No longer do you live in a place where there is a distinction between being a Christian and “fighting the culture war.”

You can see and hear Pastor Andrew’s complete editorial at the link for today’s notes at ReclaimYourLegacy.com.

Those three nine-year-olds, shot by a servant of hell itself, were not consciously combatants in the culture war. They were not little James Dobsons. They were just Christian kids being raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord by Christian parents. But we’ve reached a point where simply being a Christian means participation in the culture war is unavoidable. You may not want your children involved in the culture war, but if they bear the name of Christ, they are part of it whether you like it or not. Your enemy has made them a target, if not with bullets, with a poisonous mind-virus that they constantly want them exposed to. Let’s hear more of what Pastor Andrew had to say about all this.

As Pastor Andrew wrote nearly a year earlier after the Uvalde, Texas school shooting, “the question we ought to be asking is not ‘why does this happen?’ but rather ‘why does it not happen a lot more?’” We live in a society that is past its breaking point. Everything that used to give life meaning has been taken away, driven far from the reach of ordinary people, or made an object of ridicule. Love of one’s nation and people is both mocked and called “racist.” The normal impulse to desire a spouse and children is ripped apart by divorce, feminism, and sexual perversion and then put out of reach for many by worsening economic and social conditions.

The major institutions of the Christian faith that provided a spiritual foundation for a once great nation—the mainline Protestant churches—were hollowed out over a century ago. Now, those churches are often led by teary-eyed female pastors, offering moralistic, sentimental discourses on Chicken Soup for the Soul at best, and gay transsexual, antiwhite race hate, Marxist propaganda, at the worst.

The churches that grew over the last century in response to the mainline apostasy retained their adherence to the Bible but are largely beset by a pragmatism that places church growth ahead of faithfulness. The result has been precious few Christian leaders, willing to defend the Christian faith in a way that matters to a culture in freefall.

That pragmatism that has infected the church is responsible for much of the cultural rot that we are experiencing now. The entire ethos of selling the Christian religion as a lifestyle product that you simply add to your pre-existing way of life, has dominated the practice of ostensibly conservative American evangelicalism. It was a convenient arrangement for a lot of people, especially when you lived in a culture that enjoyed the fruits of two millennia of Christian cultural formation.

You could separate the Christian life and keep it self-contained to Sunday morning and maybe a few small group activities throughout the week. You could keep “spiritual talk” separate from talk of your work, of news and politics, or sports and entertainment. That was a convenient arrangement when the entire society, Christian or not, agreed that marriage was between a man and a woman and that it was foundational to civilization, that men and women are entirely distinct and immutable sexes. Then, you had functioning, well-ordered communities where people could reasonably expect to trust one another. But that convenient arrangement no longer exists.

It is well past time for Christians, particularly Christian leaders, to recognize this. You have enemies. You have enemies that want you and your children dead. You have enemies you need to fight. Your well-intended desire to “win them over” through niceness is a weapon they wield against you. They manipulate your long-conditioned desire to avoid conflict. They know that you are terrified of offending anyone since that will negatively affect church attendance. And so, they have rolled over you. They’ve destroyed your culture. They’ve now made you an exile in your own country. You are not going to “winsome” your way out of this. You can choose to remain silent out of cowardice, or you can begin to fight an evil ideology that could not be in more stark rebellion against the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

And this rebuke, being made by this mid-western pastor, isn’t just for fellow pastors… Any one of us who has the caring responsibility for family or friends must face the reality of the leadership that our time demands of us.

You need to be preparing your schools, your churches, your homes, and your selves for this spiritual war. You need to have a plan in place. You need to encourage your fellow men to be willing to protect their people with force. You need to be physically able to protect your family. You need to be getting in better shape. Hard times are here. It is no time for soft men. And lest you think this is an unprecedented time in the history of the church, it is not. Violent individuals provoked by the government to attack dissident Christians is no new thing.

It’s even part of the Anglo-American Christian tradition. As one commenter pointed out, the 1689 English Bill of Rights guaranteed the right of Protestants to bear arms to protect themselves against anarchy allowed by the government. That was in 1689. The government didn’t send goons to attack them; they just let armed thugs, loosely aligned with them, to do their dirty work for them. Sound familiar? We’re in a very similar place and we’ll require similar courage and strength of will. The Protestant churches of 17th-century England had strong leaders, strong fathers, and men who believed so strongly in the Lord Jesus that they were ready to die for Him. Do we have such men… such leaders? If you are hearing this, you are the answer to this question, one way or the other.

We have reached a crossroads in our country. Either biblical Christianity or sexual degeneracy will be tolerated. One will be eradicated by the other. This will not be the last time Christians will be martyred by mentally ill leftist freaks. Will you have the courage to take a stand for righteousness and truth, or will you submit to the hideous and disgusting abusers and murderers of children? The choice is yours.

Have you read Psalm 139 lately? Notice the last section of it. Between two very familiar verses, the 17^th verse and the last verse, there are some other messages that we may have tended to skip over. Listen to them now, in the context of the terrors that threaten our little children in our own nation’s neighborhoods today. Remember that this is an intimate and heart-felt prayer to God, from a man like us, who was surrounded by enemies aiming to take his life at any moment.

 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.

20 For they speak against You wickedly (O Lord) , And Your enemies lift themselves up against You.

21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

Psalm 139

As much as we might feel inclined toward deep animosity against God’s enemies, we must remind ourselves that God is their judge, not us. We should reflect on the woman that Jesus told us about in Luke 18 … a parable to show that at all times we ought to pray and not to lose heart. And some of that praying must appropriately be offered in anticipation for God’s justice.  Do you remember it?

he said to himself, (Luke 18:4) ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,

Luke 18:5 “yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her justice, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’”

Luke 18:6 “And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said;

Luke 18:7 “now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and yet He is very patient toward them.

Luke 18:8 “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find the faith on the earth?”

What kind of faith is Jesus really talking about there? Think about it.

Here’s a very helpful principle that I learned from Scripture. God is forgiving to the repentant, but He is just to execute vengeance on those who choose to be enemies of righteousness. Think about that word righteousness and what it means.

We’re not talking about the idea of self-righteousness here, or any kind of audacious self-justification, either before men or God. No, I’m talking about the righteous behavior that is naturally produced in us because of our Savior’s gracious miracle of making us “the righteousness of God in Christ.” (see Romans 3:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

The little epistle of First John helps us reclaim the biblical concept of the righteous behavior that God expects of all His children, in chapter 3.  In verse 7 he says: “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.”

And then, he goes on in verse 10 to clarify that: “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.” 1 John 3:10.

It’s pretty easy to see which side of this fence anyone is on, isn’t it. Are you manifesting – or proving to the world around you – that you are a child of God, or a child of the devil.

Isaiah 35:4 says: “Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.”

If you look up the Bible verses containing the word ‘vengeance’ you may be surprised to see the clear declarations of God’s righteous intention to carry out His justice.  Just remember though that His vengeance is according to HIS terms.

Nahum 1:2 says: “The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies.”

Romans 12:19 says: “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.

God knows that we humans are unable to bear the burden of carrying out righteous vengeance on our enemies. We absolutely must leave room for God to exercise that job. Nevertheless, it’s appropriate for us to pray, just like the woman in the parable of Jesus. When we do, we can be confident that God will not fail to do what America’s time-honored battle hymn declares:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;

He is trampling out the vintage Where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He hath loosed the fateful lightning Of His terrible swift sword; His truth is marching on.

Are we finally coming to realize that…

Christians Must Learn To Hate Evil Again

On April 1, 2023 – Andrew Torba, GAB CEO wrote a timely message. You can find it at this link:  https://news.gab.com/2023/04/christians-must-learn-to-hate-again/

As Christians we are called to stand firm in our faith even in the midst of turmoil and the chaos of the world around us. Recent news of horrific massacres, not only in America but in other communities of innocent people around the globe, may be discouraging and disheartening. But in these moments, we must remember that our hope and our strength come from our Creator who is greater than I.

These past weeks, as difficult as they have been, are probably not going to be the end of the horrors yet to be experienced in this very broken world. For us, as believers and mothers and fathers of precious children, we are understandably, distressed by the lack of faithfulness we see in society. When I looked for the response from so-called “Christian leaders” … at best I found silence while. At worst, I found those supporting the “trans community” instead of our own brothers and sisters in Christ.

When trans flags are being raised at schools, organizations, businesses, and even government buildings across our nation just days after a member of that community carried out a horrific crime against a Christian community—ending the lives of six of our brothers and sisters in Christ—how are we to respond? 

As Pastor Andrew Isker wrote, being winsome and nice won’t cut it anymore.

Cowardly Christian “leaders” may be silent on these issues, but God’s Word is not. And I refuse to be silent. The first thing we must remember is that our hope and strength come from God. We must turn to Him in prayer and seek His guidance as we navigate these difficult situations. 

As the Bible says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

In addition to persistent prayers of petition and prayers for justice upon God’s enemies, we must also remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:44, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Even when the media, businesses, schools, and the government seem to be celebrating a senseless tragedy, we must respond with love and compassion, not hatred or anger.

We must also take action to address the injustice that is being celebrated by the wicked. This may mean speaking out against the mainstream narrative, supporting those who are working to bring about change, or even taking part in peaceful protests or demonstrations. When we do these things it’s crucial that our actions are rooted in love and compassion, not in anger or violence.

We must be bold and share the Gospel, speak the Truth, and let go of our fear. 

We must remember that we are not alone in our struggle. Our human enemies want us to desperately believe that we have no one standing up on behalf of the victims and on behalf of God’s Word. Nothing could be further from the truth.

This is why they are determined to promote what is called “group-speak.” This is why Scripture wants us to “be careful how you listen.” Be very aware, for starters, that the mainstream media is owned by enemies of God, who are very skilled at twisting the truth and forming public opinion. This is the skill of propaganda. It’s why they repeat the same deceptive messages over and over and over again.

 As members of the body of Christ we are part of a larger community of believers who can support and encourage us. By staying connected to other truth-telling believers, we can find strength and hope in times of struggle and persecution. I encourage you to do so, not only in your local Church and community, but also with believers around the world on platforms like, Truth Social, Gab, Telegram, Rumble and other online platforms. We need each other now more than ever.

Reject the Blackpill

It’s very easy to feel demoralized and black-pilled when we see the evil in the world around us. But as followers of Christ, we must hold fast to the truth that Christ is King. He has overcome the world, and in Him, we can find hope and strength to face whatever comes our way. Christians are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves, to forgive those who wrong us, and to turn the other cheek. However, we are also called to hate evil with a righteous hatred while not giving in to despair, half-truths, or hopelessness. Never obey, or go along with, whatever you are told by some articulate authority figure to be “the consensus” or “the majority.”

The Bible tells us in Psalm 97:10, “Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” But what does it mean to hate evil? Does it mean that we should hate the people who commit evil acts? Absolutely not. As Christians, we are called to love all people, even those who do wrong. When we are commanded to hate evil, we are being called to hate the things that are contrary to God’s will and God’s character. We are called to hate sin and all that it represents – destruction, death, and separation from God, not to mention… lies.

We Are Commanded To Hate Evil

Many people in our culture, and even some Christian leaders, promote a hippie version of love that emphasizes tolerance and acceptance at all costs.

They forget about the many Bible passages that define the actions of God’s righteous children who walk and live in righteous behavior.

Psalm 15 should be in our regular meditations:

1 O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill?

2 He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart.

3 He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, but who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt and does not change;

5 He does not put out his money at interest, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Psalm 15

Yet, in our culture ,.. how many believe that love means accepting everyone and everything, no matter how evil or wicked it may be?  This view is not biblical, and it doesn’t reflect the true nature of God. The fear of the Lord is a healthy respect and reverence for God, and it leads us to hate what He hates and do the righteous deeds that reflect His own nature.

God is often portrayed in our culture as being fully focused on love and grace, but the Bible teaches us that there are truly things that God hates. To some, this might be a difficult concept to grasp, but it’s important to understand that God’s hatred is not subjective or impulsive. His hatred is based on His righteous nature and His desire for us to live righteous lives.

While God loves us unconditionally, He hates the sin that separates us from Him. Sin is anything that goes against God’s will, and it is something that we should strive to avoid. When we sin, we are rebelling against God and His plan for our lives. As Christians, we should strive to avoid the things that God hates and to live lives that are pleasing to Him. We should seek to love what God loves and hate what God hates, and in doing so, we will be living in obedience to His will.

Proverbs 8:13 – “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

Romans 12:9 – “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”

Psalm 101:3 – “I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.”

Amos 5:15 – “Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.”

Proverbs 13:5 – “The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves.”

Psalm 119:104 – “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore, I hate every wrong path.”

When we hate evil, we are not allowing it to have a foothold in our lives. We are not tolerating it or excusing it, but instead, we are actively fighting against it. We are standing up for what is right and what is just, even when it is difficult. When we hate evil, we are acknowledging the reality of the brokenness of our world. We recognize that sin and evil do exist and that they cause pain and suffering. But we also know that God has overcome sin and evil through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We should look to the example of Jesus Himself… the Jesus who drove out the money changers from the temple with a whip (John 2:15). He didn’t tolerate their wickedness and corruption… He took action to remove it from the house of God.

By hating evil, we are living out our faith in a tangible way. We are demonstrating our commitment to God’s values and His character. We are standing up for justice, compassion, and righteousness in a world that is often marked by selfishness, greed, and violence.

Now is the time for Christians to not only start hating evil again, but actively wage spiritual warfare against it. 

We need to focus on building up our communities, praying for one another, and growing together in faith. We must not let the news of the day distract us from the work that God has called us to do. We are called to be a light in the darkness, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to spread the gospel of the kingdom to all nations. That is our mission and we must not take our eyes off the prize of eternal glory with our King. 

Ultimately, we can take comfort in the fact that we can and will overcome because Christ has already overcome. As the Bible says in 1 John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” No matter what happens in the world around us, we can have confidence that God is with us, and that He will see us through to victory.

Let’s not be demoralized by the news of the day. Instead, let’s focus on the priorities Jesus taught us to pray: Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth AS IT IS in heaven… and let’s continue to work, build, and grow in our faith together to glorify our LORD. 

By the grace of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Victory of Jesus Christ, our King, we too shall overcome and see victory.