There are so many things on my heart this morning I would love to share with you. I wish we were sitting on my front porch sharing about life, our nation and the future!
The first thing I want to share is about the election. Please know I never tell people who they should vote for. Instead, I point out what I see as biblically-based principles to use when choosing a candidate. Why? Sadly, Christians nearly always lose when it comes to politics because they really don’t know how to choose a candidate. They don’t really understand the government and often lose sight of the big picture.
The big picture is this: the Great Harlot seduces the leaders of all nations through the economy as a means to spread iniquity. Political correctness, social justice and so many other factors that define modern thinking all have one thing in common: the rejection of God’s values, morals and standards. As such, humanistic Christians ignorantly side against Jesus as Lord! When a nation is demoralized they always drift into Socialism. Socialism is just a political word for Humanism.
According to Karl Marx, Socialism is the only tool he could use to overthrow the world. In his own words he knew he was going to Hell and his only joy was how many people he could take with him by turning them against God.
The first mistake believers make is to think the “perfect politician” would be able to turn things around. Sadly, there are no perfect politicians and it takes a good president and a good house, senate and governors to actually get things done. Washington has become so corrupt, as often as not, when we send a good man to Washington they change! It is nearly impossible to send someone who makes an average or slightly above average income to a city where they make multi-billion dollar deals and they a) actually know what they’re doing and b) can keep from corruption. Once a person becomes a politician he or she is like everyone else, they want to keep their job and they want to promote their personal agendas regardless of the will of the voters.
When the majority of evangelicals vote their influence is so great candidates need their support to win. But how many times have we heard politicians make promises to evangelicals, then go to Washington and never do what they promised? It happened with the strong Tea Party Movement in the last midterm elections. Politicians claimed to be conservative and share our values yet, their subsequent voting record revealed their lack of honesty.
The biggest thing that kills evangelical unity is usually idealism. Our list of qualifications is so long and idealistic that should we find someone who meets those requirements they would probably not be a great politician. We want them to agree with our values and still be influential as a politician. It’s more like we’re trying to hire a pastor than a president!
Christians are a unique bunch when it comes to the logic of supporting anyone. As a pastor, there were always those members who felt they should confront and remind people with sin issues that they were not accepted. It seems that we think any approval or acceptance of a person with problems is tantamount to approval.
The truth is, voting for a candidate is not a step of approval; it’s more like hiring someone to work for you. I’ve hired people in businesses since I was 14 years old. After I got saved I started hiring only Christians and it nearly bankrupted me. I soon found there was little connection between their faith and their work skills and performance. So I soon realized, even though I had to have certain moral criteria, the main thing I needed were people who could do the job. Christians, by and large, vote for candidates who may have better character but lack the strengths and life skills to do the job.
Some of you are old enough to remember when Ronald Reagan ran against Jimmy Carter in 1980. Jimmy Carter, like Obama, was a job-destroyer. Home interest rates climbed to 22% and credit card interest reached around 30% while gas was being rationed and the job market was weak.
Reagan, who was vilified for being an actor, a democrat and lacking political experience, was not really a strong Christian as many would have us believe. He actually had no intention of seeking the evangelical vote. In those days politicians saw the Church as too divided to have any impact on national elections. However, Reagan was influenced to seek the evangelical vote. Then entered a man that would forever change the political field: Dr. Jerry Falwell. Jerry Falwell formed the Moral Majority in 1979 as a tool to help reform the political process by unifying the Church.
Jimmy Carter taught Sunday school, read his Bible daily and may have even been a deacon. Reagan was a Hollywood actor with “Hollywood values” and a moderate believer. Jerry Falwell received much criticism for supporting Reagan instead of Carter. After all, Carter and Falwell were both Christians and both Baptists. But Falwell picked the man who had the ability to make a difference in Washington. The rest is history. Had it not been for Jerry Falwell’s wisdom in selecting leaders America would have had four more years of the worst presidency since the Great Depression.
We have some incredibly challenging years before us regardless of who is elected. The truth is, even the best choice may only buy us a couple of years. Sadly, there is not a person in either party who really understands the spiritual implication of the decisions that are being made right now.
The invasion of illegal aliens, the bad trade deals and the endless controls by the bureaucracy and the growing federal debt is designed to do one thing: collapse the economy. Remember, the destruction of the Great Harlot and her influence on the economy is the very last event before the antichrist is fully revealed. This means that America would not have the weaponry, the military might or the will to attempt to protect Israel from the invasion of the antichrist, which will require them to enter into a deceptive peace treaty.
Islamic prophecies say that if they draw us into a war in Dabiq, Syria they will decimate the armies of the world freeing them to finally be able to attack Israel unhindered! The Luciferian elitists want that to happen. They want Israel and Christianity eradicated from the earth by the Muslim as a means of destroying all knowledge of God.
I am beginning a new phase to Operation One Billion. If you would like to send my book, Apocalypse: A Spiritual Guide to the Second Coming to any politician, news or talk show personality or minister you can do so. All I need for you to do is send the name and mailing address of the person of your choice, along with your cover letter and $30 to ship the book anywhere in the U.S. We will package and mail Apocalypse to the person of your choice. If more people understand what is really going on, they may be equipped to make better decisions about the future of our country.
Your cover letter should have your name and return address. In a very positive tone, you should tell them why it is important to you for them to read the book. We will also enclose a letter. Maybe if we can open people’s eyes to the big picture we can influence the way they preach, vote and interpret world events. But most importantly, maybe we can change the way they see God!
There has never been a time in history when it was more important to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth. Together we will work harder and smarter so we can continue to Change the way the World Sees God!
Blessings,
Jim Richards