Christ Won the Battle

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”  Isaiah 5:20

 

“Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”  James 3:11

 

The mid-term elections are upon us and about the time this article is published, the outcome will be known.  Here in Montana there are record breaking amounts of people who have already voted and registered.  I heard that in Texas the voting there for young adults was 500% more than the last mid-term election.  Truly it seems that this election is a battle between good and evil.

 

 

For years it has been said that our two-party system is a left-right paradigm.  I somewhat agree, but also somewhat disagree.  Fifty years ago a Christian could have legitimately voted democratic, but nowadays?  For me, as a Christian, I would never vote for someone who is for abortion, quite simply because God’s Word is quite clear that life begins at conception.  Abortion is murder, there is no doubt about it. 

 

 

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”  Jeremiah 1:5

 

 

“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”  Psalms 139:13

 

 

“Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”  Psalms 139:16

 

 

“Thou shalt not kill.”  Exodus 20:13

 

Discussing these things with a friend recently, he was proclaiming that he thought the left-right paradigm essentially doesn’t exist anymore.  I thought about this.  I wondered, where did this two party system come into play and at what point did the left-right paradigm begin.  By my reasoning, the shift began with Roe vs. Wade (1973), legalizing abortion.  From that point forward, there were Americans who voted republican for no other reason than they simply don’t support abortion.  Over the years both the democratic party and the republican party seemed to have the same agenda.  One would take one step towards their agenda, then the other would take another step towards the same agenda.  Well at some point that changed and I believe that changed during President Obama’s administration. 

 

Certainly when it comes to politics, my theories here are hypothetical.  Yet, bear with me a moment, as there is a large movement amongst so-called evangelicals who have over and over again stressed the importance of this upcoming (by time this is read, likely having passed) election.  I’m going to give them credence on the importance of it, but overall look at the more major problem and address those, as well as an interesting analogy, so please bear with me for a moment.

 

Under the Obama administration the Supreme Court ruled that homosexual marriage was legit.  Also under the Obama administration, most Americans, who were largely unaware of a quiet movement having begun, were introduced to transgenderism.  Gays were also openly allowed in the military and furthermore the Obama administration pushed to try to get all school districts to allow gender neutral bathroom usage, with the threat of losing federal funding.  Helped by the entertainment hellywood industry, the promotion of such clear sin supposedly being accepted by the masses, we were off to the land of no return, without our nation repenting of our wickedness. 

 

While more details could be given regarding the ongoing onslaught of deviancy being promoted as normal and acceptable, even in churches, we will just let matters be with one personal example given. 

 

Off and on, during much of my life, I have been involved in restaurant management.  I have been everything from a shift manager to a general manager for three major chains, all of which are either fast food or quick casual.  Aside from that I have worked in restaurants or the food industry for much of my life, beginning at the age of 14.  So even when I wasn’t ‘the boss’ I was still working with, let me use a politically correct term here, diverse teams.  I have managed restaurants in northern Michigan; Orlando, Florida, Phoenix metro area, Chicago metro area and northwestern Montana.

 

I have successfully hired, trained and worked with thousands of people.  I’ve managed gang bangers, drug users, whites, Latinos, blacks, Indians, old, young, those who speak English and those who only speak Spanish.  I have trained numerous managers, with very little problems of getting along with people throughout my entire career in the restaurant industry.  I simply believe that you should treat others the way you wish to be treated.  As God does not show a respect to persons, neither do I.

 

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”  Matthew 7:12

 

“For there is no respect of persons with God.”  Romans 2:11

 

Of course throughout the years I have also worked with both gay and lesbian workers.  I’ve also hired both.  Once again, I’ve never had a problem even working with these people.  Sure I know that their behavior is sinful and without repenting and believing into Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire, nonetheless, does this behavior make them any worse than the people who deal drugs out the drive-thru windows, the employees who go home and get drunk on a nightly basis, the former gang bangers who talk of their dangerous days, occasionally still mixed up in the battle, the young women who float from man to man, the older man who swears like a sailor or the quiet, respectful young girl who is a good student, yet still without Christ?  No, really it doesn’t matter, they all have the same problem, they are all dead in sin.

 

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”  1st Corinthians 6:9-10

 

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”  Revelation 21:8

 

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”  Acts 17:30-31

 

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

 

“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Acts 20:21

 

“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Romans 10:8-13

 

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”  Hebrews 9:27-28

 

“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”  Daniel 12:2

 

Now things have changed.  I started to notice back in the mid 2000’s that the young girls would talk about being willing to be open to different things, despite the fact that they had boyfriends.  These were high school students or fresh graduates at the time.  Still things remained primarily the same until after the Obama administration was in office for awhile.  Even doing restaurant management in 2013, the morals were obviously down, but not where they are now.  I quit the restaurant management business in 2016. 

 

At that time things were getting worse, the workplace conversations and morals of your average team were going back and forth in the gutter.  Still I had never knowingly hired someone who was a transgender or later came out as one.  In fact I am not aware of having even interviewed one.  Then again back in 2000 when I first got into restaurant management, I was trained by a training general manager who was, as they say, in the closet, a gay man.  Working with him, I would have never known, if it wasn’t for other co-managers declaring it.  Nonetheless, the man was a good teacher and gave me the basis for how to manage a store with numerous employees, something that I built on afterwards.  Yet I still know people who are in the restaurant management industry and things have changed over the past few years.

 

Thinking back, I had a lot of drama from both employees and customers throughout the years.  I clearly remember the man who threw the tray and cussed out my training general manager in Orlando, when he told him that he couldn’t smoke in the restaurant.  I remember the man who urinated in my restaurant.  I remember the banging on the door of a closed restaurant with the threats of them calling the police if I didn’t reopen the restaurant.  I clearly recall hearing the stories of other managers having gotten robbed or shot and killed.  I’m aware of a co manager who worked in a store and had a murder happen in there.  Yet not once that I am aware of was there a man who claimed to be a woman or vice versa. 

 

Not once did a man try to use the woman’s bathroom or vice versa.  Not once did my employees wear rainbow colors, showing their support for an agenda.  Normally political talks and agendas were not a thing that was talked about amongst the average restaurant employee.  To be quite honest, they got their paycheck and simply lived their life, doing whatever it was they pleased, according to their means.  I never once hired an employee who went by a name opposite of their genetic sex.  In fact it wasn’t until the end of my tenure in restaurant management when the software began to change to allow an actual change of name in the system, at the time they setup a ‘nickname’ place.

 

Likewise it was not until 2014 that I saw software changing, allowing to enter a gay spouse or even listing their ‘sex’ as unknown.  Then came the training for sensitivity that was beginning.  The warnings from those boardrooms, trickling down to the restaurant level that everyone was to be tolerated.  The floodgate was opened, the majority of this transition happening during the Obama administration.  So here we are, late 2018 and this country has an election on it’s hands. 

 

If you ask the average republican, they will tell you various things, but many will proclaim that this is a battle that must be won.  They will tell you that you have to get out and vote, you just must, in order to help win this battle.  So they say it is a battle between good and evil, but some go one step further, amongst those who call themselves christians, they look at it as a spiritual battle, essentially one that is Christian morals verses gutter morals.

 

To a certain extent I agree with them.  Truly I believe if this country were to get a radical democratic President and hold both the House and the Senate, we would fall down the moral gutter to an even lower level.  To be honest, those who support all of this pride movement, homosexuality, gay marriage, transgenderism, moral relativism, you name it, are largely democratic.  In fact, while many republican voters might tolerate certain aspects of it, or at least agree that certain rights should be bestowed upon them, most will not tolerate their wife or daughter to use a public restroom in either a restaurant or a school with someone of the opposite sex.

 

Most republicans will not tolerate showers in a school that allow high school boys, irregardless of what they see themselves as, to shower with their daughter.  Let it be understood that the moral values of the republicans, by and large, are still not aligned with God’s standards, as laid out in the Bible, but when one compares them to the alt-left, certainly there is seemingly good there.  Just as the raunchy jazz of the 1930’s would pale in comparison to the death metal of the 1980’s, one most consider that both are still rotten.  Yet would it not be laughable to consider jazz music to be unholy and impure in today’s standards?

 

“For I am the LORD, I change not;”  Malachi 3:6a

 

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”  Hebrews 13:8

 

I’m glad to be able to finish this article prior to elections, to inject into this debate some Biblical truths regarding the condition of our country.  This article is not intending to promote one politician over another.  I believe those who truly know Christ, would vote likewise.  There is the realm of politics and when/if I vote, I vote based off of electing someone to office who is against abortion and has the better rapport, which has for me always been republican.  Nonetheless, I do not vote based off of whether or not they appear to truly be a Christian or not, in fact while I have seen some politicians, particularly in Montana, who hold Christian values and one may indeed be a Believer, by and large most do not, irregardless of what they might say.

 

So when the evangelical crowd decides to back candidates and in their hearts they consider it to be God using a godly man, then I must only look at the condition of the churches in America to see their rot and low standards, their unbiblical preaching of the Gospel, the unbiblical principles, the ungodly standards, you name it, to know that the bandwagon of evangelical christians who are begging the rest to join to support the Trump movement, is something that I will boldly deny, on the basis of it being a Christian movement and will simply look at it as politics.

 

If I begin to think like them and agree with their political philosophies that are moving throughout churches in the land, than I will be forced to align their leaders (the apostate churches have been addressed much in prior articles and radio shows), with the Bible to see whether these things are so (Acts 17:11).  Under that guise, under that premise, looking through those lenses, certainly I would never consider being on the so-called Trump train.  For his values do not align with the Bible.  Yet if I look at it as politics, with Christianity aside, then I can either chose to support the movement or can choose to simply sit on the sidelines.  Yet I could not find it in me, nor could I cite the Bible to suppose any authority to encourage people to vote one way or another, or vote at all, with the exception of telling those who name the name of Christ, that certainly there is a right and wrong.  In my opinion, based upon reading much history and personal observations, usually the masses are wrong…usually, but not always.

 

When President Trump was campaigning with his stilled used slogan of MAGA (Make America Great Again), I was telling people that America will never be made great again unless America repents.  So here once again, let’s turn this topic into the main focus to be made. 

 

While Americans will be out voting tomorrow, they assume to be part of the battle of one agenda verses another.  Yet this battle has already been won by Jesus Christ.  Jesus died on the Cross for our sins and He rose again from the dead, being the Son of God who now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.  The battle began when Adam and Eve partook of the fruit and the battle will end when Jesus Christ returns, after the tribulation.  Just to interject here, the Rapture will happen prior to the tribulation (1 Thes. 5:9). 

 

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1st Corinthians 15:57

 

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”  Galatians 3:13

 

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”  1st John 2:2

 

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”  1st Corinthians 15:3-4

 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”  John 3:16-21

 

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”  Colossians 3:1

 

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.  But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.  And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.  For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 5:12-21

 

“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”  1st Corinthians 15:21-22

 

If only those who call themselves Christians would put in the same amount of effort cleaning up the filth in their own lives, rather than assume to elect someone who will clean up the filth of our society, or at least keep it at bay.  If only those who are Christians would drain the swamp that is in their churches, rather than focusing on draining the swamp that is in Washington D.C.  If only those who claim to be Christians, would stop putting so much effort into this informational battle of the ages and these elections and instead focus on being good soldiers of Christ (2 Tim. 2:3).

 

Have you noticed there are these sort of revolutions going on worldwide?  Do you not realize that the Antichrist is going to be a revolutionary leader?  No, I am not calling President Trump the antichrist, nor suggesting such a thing, however, I do know that there is going to arise one day a man who will solve the world’s financial problems (Rev. 13:16-17), who will bring peace, who will also stand against God Almighty.  I bet the evangelicals who are not truly Saved will be on board with this as well. 

 

 

“And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.”  Daniel 8:24

 

What I do know is this, if those who name the name of Christ, those who claim to be Saved, those who call themselves Christians would step up to the plate and simply follow the example of Christ, do what we are called to do, put our efforts into being laborers for God, fulfilling the Great Commission, being lights in this dark world, perhaps, just perhaps this country could be saved.

 

“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”  Matthew 9:37-38

 

“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”  Matthew 24:47

 

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”  Matthew 28:19-20

 

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16

 

If only those in this country who claim to be Christians would repent for the sins that we have allowed into our homes, into our churches, into our schools, into our societies, into our politics and turn from those ways wholeheartedly, then perhaps their would be hope.  Perhaps, even if God would still not fully spare any judgments due upon this country, perhaps there would be mercy from His hand, rather than wrath that will inevitably come. 

 

“Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?”  Jonah 3:9

 

Imagine a country were a good portion of Christians truly did just that and repented.  Imagine if those who claim the name of Christ got rid of their garbage movies, tossed out the evil music on their phones, threw away things that were contrary to God.  Imagine if they went to the church and removed the unbiblical translations, replacing them with a good English translation, the King James Bible.  Piling the bad translations in the middle of downtown and setting them on fire! 

 

What if those who called themselves Christians spent time doing the work of Christ, without spending so much time for professional sports?  What if there were really a difference between them and their neighbors?  What if Churches started preaching godly messages, like of old?  What if preachers and their members made widely known that God does not tolerate homosexuality, drug use, alcoholism, etc?  What if they made known that God indeed Created us male and female?!  What if Christians truly drew a line in the sand between the holy and unholy, setting themselves apart unto God?!  Then we might have hope, then things might change. 

 

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”  John 15:18-19

 

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”  2nd Corinthians 7:1

 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”  2nd Corinthians 6:14-18

 

America was once a creditor nation and now we are a debtor nation.  Once we had a thriving middle class, now our average household is ridden in debt.  There are always penalties to pay for sin.  Then again, if we repent and had our meat on the table, our vegetables, our bread and our country was spared of wrath to come, at least we would have that.  We could eat in peace, we could serve God wholeheartedly.  Let it be known, that the time will come where a line will be drawn in the sand.  When that time comes there will be those who are Left Behind, those whose names are not written in the Book of Life.  The sorting out will happen, the wheat and tares will be separated.

 

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”  Revelation 3:15-19

 

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”  Matthew 24:42-44

 

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”  Revelation 20:11-15

 

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”  Matthew 13:24-30

 

So you dear Christian who might be reading this, understand that you are to follow Christ, you are to do His work, you are to lead a holy life, honoring to Jesus Christ, our Savior.  Nonetheless, for all of those who think that man can fix these problems, understand the root of them all.

 

You want to stop the liberal agenda?  You want to stop this wave of more immorality being normalized?  You want to stand up to these things?  Then stand for God Almighty.  For indeed are these things clearly not against God, against what the Bible says?  Then stand for the Bible and realize where the root of the problem lies.  The root of the problem is not good verses evil, in terms of politics, but the root of the problem is America’s backslidden heart towards God.  We have went astray from our Creator, we have walked contrary to Him (Lev. 26).  We should fear that as a people, rather than assuming that whoever might be elected, no matter whether a blue wave or a red wave, we as a nation must contend with God.  You want to fix this country, then get rid of the trash, reset the morals according to the Bible and follow Christ.  If not, you are just fooling yourselves and putting your hope into that which can not save.  For the battle is already over, Christ has won the battle.  Choose your side, not republican, nor democratic, but whether you will follow Jesus or not!

 

“Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.”  Psalms 33:8

 

“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”  Joshua 24:14-15

Amen!