Voting- Humility Lost

*Again I must open with a warning, I am going to write about politics, and I am going to do it based on what should be guiding our thought life and what should be guiding our actions…Gods word. I did so 4 years ago here and really nothing has changed.

“Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, 

Who have upheld His justice.

Seek righteousness, seek humility.” -Zephaniah 2:3

Humility lost

Your word O Lord be ever present, in thought, in deed to the very depths of me.

You shall not give your glory to another, and it is You who have called us to righteousness. Holy because You are holy. 

Forgive us of pride, for it is pride that keeps us out of truth and out of righteousness. To You be the glory alone, and let us be humbled in Your sight.

Politics and religion, two dirty words nobody likes to bring up in conversation because they are opinionated subjects. Here is the thing though, I am a very black and white person, I am a person that doesn't normally speak or write for the sake of an “opinion” I speak/write in truth. Truth is not something that is relative, truth is not an opinion it is either true or it isn’t, and I get that statement is hard to understand in this generation of “What is true for you, is not necessarily true for someone else” but honestly..I don't care what you think…I care about what the truth is.

Let me get some things out of the way right off the bat: 

1. I am not Mr. Political activist, I don’t claim to have all the answers, or to know all the ins and outs of how the political system works.
2. I am not a conspiracy theorist and I don’t think the world is going to end depending on who you vote for. 
3. I am not a loyal Republican or Democrat
4. I am not Mr. Patriotic wave a flag and put the country above biblical standards.
5. I don’t believe this nation is a Christian nation(it hasn’t been in a long time)

I am just your regular common sense view point who loves God and is committed to actually living like it. I looked back at what I wrote on this blog 4 years ago, and I just couldn’t believe how things have become even worse. Where is our humility? I speak to you Christian, where is your humility? I get the world is crazy, and I get the world has its ideals and they are contrary to ours, but why have so many bible believing people become so much like the world? I am appalled at how many believers have rallied behind Donald Trump…

“Woe to the rebellious children,” Says the LORD, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of my Spirit,” Isaiah 30:5

For all those that hold to the belief that the founding fathers of this country were sincere believers and founded this nation based on Christian principles…what would they think of Trump? MORE importantly what does Your savior think? What does God think? If you actually want Trump to be president of this country you have to do these three things;

1. You have to ignore biblical standards for leadership
2. You have to take God completely out of Politics
3. You have to ignore his lack of humility 

Many people, believers included, think the first 2 points don’t matter anyways. Who cares about biblical standards for leadership, and politics has nothing to do with God…right? I mean we are not voting for a pastor.

I have heard that statement “We are not voting for a pastor” more times than I can count this year. They are certainly right though, we are not voting for a pastor, we are voting for somebody who has the freaking authority to lead our country!! By that statement, you are saying that God doesn’t matter…that somebody who holds the power of leading a country doesn’t need God to do it. Isn’t it ironic, Christians will tell everyone that God is needed, that we need to hold to His word for guidance and direction in every aspect of life…but just not the political aspect? God isn’t needed or welcomed there is HE? 

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying the leader of our country has to be the perfect christian, because there is no such thing. What I am saying, is we shouldn’t throw God out of politics, we shouldn’t treat them like separate issues, because if we honestly believe and claim to follow God, than that means we do that in every aspect of life….in marriage, in friendships, in how we speak, how we act, how we serve, how we do work, and how we lead. If God is our top priority our devotion, that would mean the principles and standards He sets would be something we adore and seek after. We have the privilege to be able to vote for our leader, other Christians do not have that choice, and while generally speaking you are not going to agree with everything a candidate believes or stands behind and you are not going to always have the choice of voting for a believer. We should be seeking Godly character traits, or at the very least a leader with humility and honesty, someone who puts others above themselves, that is the mark of a true leader.

So while we are not voting for a pastor, we are voting for someone who is leading our country, and we should seek to vote without throwing God out of politics like He doesn’t belong.

The Christians that are voting for Trump, will vote for him because they will ignore his lack of humility, and they will ignore his lack of God. They will make the excuse its voting for the lesser of two evils…

I covered the myth that is “Voting for the lesser of two evils” 4 years ago, again what does God think of evil? Does He consider lesser of evils? Evil is evil any way you slice it, that statement is a statement of fear too. For far too long people have ridden that train to the ground, the fear that you must vote R to keep D out of office or visa versa. 

Why have we become a country without humility? Believers are to be the example of this, we are called to show that we have ultimate reliance upon GOD.

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:12

If we don’t live according to His word in every aspect of our life, then what are we even living for? What is our purpose? 

Our life is supposed to be transformed and renewed in Christ, How can one who holds to Christ support Donald Trump? I am not even speaking upon his lack of belief in God, I am speaking about his total character is the complete opposite of what we are called to be, how can you support that? Now, you may be asking yourself; “Why am I just ragging on Trump”..because he has the evangelical vote…and I see more Christian support for him than I do Hillary. So back to the “Christian chosen one”…

Christ tells us in John 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” And we are suppose to judge the fruit, identify false hood by their fruit Matthew 7:16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” 

This is directly at those who would say “You cant judge Donald Trump” first of all, you are making a judgement about him in voting for him, and second I can judge him, in fact infant-Christian…we are called to judge by the fruit. Donald Trump claims to be a believer and will flat out lie about it and that doesn’t bother any of you, why? because he’s a good business man? he's a freaking con artist….a snake oil salesman who will say whatever you want to hear. It would be fine if Donald Trump were honest about his belief in God, and had a little humility, just a freaking ounce of humility and ability to lead. However, not only is he not a believer he is a flat out liar about it. He claims to be Christian, and yet has never asked forgiveness from God because he doesn't need to. Yeah, that is who I want to lead my country..a person who thinks He is not accountable to God for ANYTHING he does.

Those who vote Donald Trump again either reject the need for God in politics, don't care about biblical standards for leadership or are completely naive. I guess Paul Washer was right about Christianity in America…it is not Gospel hardened it is gospel ignorant.  We completely throw God out of this country, don’t care if our leadership is accountable to Him, and we wonder why this country is totally backwards and is lacking in humility. 

Trump is not the answer for this countries ills, Repentance and GOD is the answer, Trump is not going to fix this country, if elected he will be the punishment of this country that it deserves. Trump is mentally disturbed and self centered, to the point that I honestly believe he has a narcissistic disorder. I understand the popularity of Trump, amongst the worldly, I don’t understand it for the Godly.  

I know God is in control, I believe in Divine Providence; God the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things. 

I will honor who ever receives the position, because Gods word says I have to, but I wont vote for Trump nor will I vote for Hillary, because I can not do so in good conscience ….because neither of them are fit to run this country, and neither stand by principles that I respect.

We need humility as believers, we need to humble ourselves before GOD, we need to submit our worries, our stresses, our fears, our vote to HIM. God is our ultimate authority not man. I will be voting third party again, and there are plenty of options. Voting third party is not a wasted vote, and it is a vote that goes against both parties because both parties are corrupt…

I am not  for someone who should be in Prison(Hillary) and I am not for someone who should be in a mental institution(Trump).

Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote … he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.
Samuel Adams

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. 

Proverbs 29:2

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 

2 Chronicles 7:14

† Disciple of Christ-Part II

Where do wars and fights come from among you?

Do they not come from your desires for pleasure

that war in your members? You lust and do not have.

You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.

Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that

you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses!

Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?

Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world

makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the scripture

says in vain, "The spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?

But he gives more grace. Therefore He says:

"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble"

James 4:1-6

To some that up "Pride promotes strife". There are many forms of pride,

we've all been guilty of it...wether it's not admitting when we are wrong

because well that would hurt our "pride" or some form of vanity

or simply just an overall self pumping up, where all we seem

to care about is ourselves.

The thing is though, Pride and being a follower of Christ,

well..they don't mix.

a servant of Christ is called to be humble..

Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom

Let not the mighty man glory in his might

Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;

Jeremiah 9:23

And if some of the branches were broken off and you

being a wild olive tree were grafted in among them

and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree

do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast remember that you do not support the root but the root supports you.

You will say then "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in."

Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches

He may not spare you either.

Romans 11:17-21

For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves;

it is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Yet many of us struggle with pride, and many boast of the "wonderful"

things that they do in the name of Christ. Trust me if you are one of those

"Look at me" "Christians" God will break you down and He will humble

you real quick. Being boastful/full of pride is not of Christ at all,

it is of the world. This all comes back to the whole idea of "Dying to self"

because if we would let Christ live through us, if we would stop living

for our fleshly desires we obviously wouldn't be so full of pride.

I'm not even referring to people that are of the world, I'm talking

about "Christians" who are prideful. I mean there are so many different

subjects and areas that could be brought up that i'd end up writing

a book. Look at the church, prosperity is the main subject week

after week... It's become not about surrendering to Christ and

dying to self it's become about "Come to Christ because he'll bless

you" "give to the poor and suffering, so you'll get ten fold back".

It's all because it's human nature for us to want. Look at what James

is saying in chapter four, he is not speaking to non-believers here..

he is talking to believers and calling them prideful.

He's calling followers.... adulterers and adulteresses, because they all

were literally being adulterers? no...think about it, what is

after all the sin of adultery? it is a selfish act..no? it is you

getting pleasure out of a need and want for your own desire,

without a care for anyone else but yourself. So hence he was calling

them "Adulterers" because when they would ask God for things

it was all out of a care for themselves...

for example... "God please give me lots of money so I can be rich,

and have 3 cars a big mansion and a hot model wife" obviously

that is an extreme example, they probably were not like that,

The fact is God knows your true intentions,

He knows if you are seeking Him because you are so overwhelmed by

his Grace and mercy or if you are only seeking him because

you want to be "blessed". As James said:

"You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss,

that you may spend it on your pleasures"

It's obviously not all about money either, it could be many things...

another example might be...

"Please God give me the ability to understand your word"

a great thing to ask, but what if the person is only asking it

so that they can look "Holy then thou" and be respected

and looked up to, deep down they are not asking God because

they truly want to know him more, they have other motives.

James also says "Do you not know that friendship with the world

is enmity with God"? and whoever wants to be a friend to the world

is an enemy of God.

What does that mean? People generally like to throw their own ideas

when they see "don't be a friend to the world" just like with

Romans 12:2

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed

by the renewing of your mind"

What they mean(what God meant) by "world" is the "world view",

the world is all about pride, it is all about selfishness, in the world

view we are our own gods, and we do whatever makes us feel good..

without a care for anyone else. James(in James 4:4) and

Paul(in Romans 12:2) are saying you can't have that worldly view!

why? because it totally contradicts the word of GOD! You can't say

i'm a "Christian" but then only care about yourself, because being a

Christian means dying to yourself and living for God, It means putting

others above yourself. If all you care about is how you look, or

what you have, or what this person can do for you or what God

can bless YOU with, then YOU are not of Christ at all.

This is what James was ranting about, he was furious because

they were not seeking to live for God and to do what God wanted

them to do. They wanted to live like everyone else, they lusted

after what their "neighbors had" they cared about their image,

they wanted to still live in worldliness and have God. HOWEVER

it doesn't work like that, God wants all of you...he wants to be your provider, yes absolutely! but you have to surrender to Him,

you have to stop living to "GET" and start living out what you have

already been GIVEN!

You are suppose to live by Gods word, live for Christ and that's it,

you have everything you will ever need! I'm not saying God doesn't

bless people, I'm not saying he doesn't heal, I'm not saying he doesn't

answer prayers, I'm not saying don't pray for struggles going on in

your life. I'm saying one who is truly walking closely with Christ,

knows humility, he knows this world can't save him, he knows that nothing

he can do can save him, and he knows he is not perfect and that through

his imperfections through his humbleness he can bring others to the

freedom that is in Christ. It's not through judgment and condemnation

that we bring others to the freedom we have been given... to the

price that was paid for us. We share our imperfections, not to celebrate

our wickedness but to show that we didn't earn grace but that it

was freely given to us, and we shoulder our burdens together.

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands,

you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. Lament

and mourn and weep! let your laughter be turned to mourning

and your joy to gloom. HUMBLE yourselves in the sight of the Lord,

and He will lift you up.

James 4:7-10

I'm going to make this very easy to understand, simply because that's

how I am, I'm very simplistic. To me it's not complicated, being a Disciple

of Christ is all about being humble. It's not about living for you, but

living for others. The word of God constantly speaks of being humble,

and generally if you think about it, yes we have our mountains to climb,

but being a disciple being a true Christian is fundamentally easy...

as it's all about surrendering yourself to Christ, I.e Die to Self...

Why do we put ourselves on pedestals? why do we think we are bigger

then we are, as if anything we do somehow amazes God? It doesn't amaze anyone else how our God wants a relationship with us? as if we deserve

such a thing, as if we deserved Him dying on the cross.

HUMBLE yourself before God, let his word be the defining thing in your life.

Just let go of self. Remember Solomon? for those who read the blog..

it's a couple blogs back where I talked about Solomon.

He was the wisest King that ever lived, not to mention the most wealthy.

Did you know he wrote Ecclesiastes? some scholars deny it, but how can you? Ecclesiastes is famous for it's "Everything is meaningless" verses..

who could make such statements? How about a man who had everything,

and in his old age started to see that all his wealth all his power on this

earth wasn't going to last for ever, and to see how short his life was...

to see it was coming to an end, and to see everything he's done, and

all the wealth and wisdom he had was overall meaningless.

Living for yourself....Living for this "worldliness"...it truly is meaningless.

Broken down one by one
They'll take your pride and crush it
The fall that comes is real, by pure degradation
Amputate – Humiliate
Who can take this punishment?
Create something new – A warrior where there once was nothing

Destroy the body and mind – Behold the spirit can survive
Destroy the body and mind – Today is a good day to die

(Broken mind) – Face down in the sand
(Spirit) Spirit – (Rise) Rise

Destruction comes only once in a lifetime
Cannot be great in your mind
This is the time to say your last prayer
If you desire peace, then prepare for war

Destroy the body and mind – Behold the spirit can survive
Destroy the body and mind – Today is a good day to die
Destroy the body and mind – Behold the spirit can survive
Destroy the body and mind – I am ready for mine

(Broken mind) – Face down in the sand
(Spirit) Spirit – (Rise) Rise

(Broken mind) – Face down in the sand
(Spirit) Spirit – (Rise) Rise
Prepare for war – Rise
Prepare for war – And rise

†..Humility..†

The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 15:33

Where is the fear of the Lord?

Where is the humility?

Everyone seems to walk around, and act

like they are deserving of something.

Even the people who shout and scream "I know Christ!"

I mean, you can say that all you want...

but that doesn't mean you deserve anything,

that doesn't mean you shouldn't still fear the Lord.

Christ took the burden of all our sins, correct?

died for all our sins, correct?

Does that mean we should have no humility?

No shame? Does that mean we deserved it?

Do you know what essentially we all deserve?

Need I keep repeating myself? Hell, thats

what I deserve, and thats what you deserve.

Just because I know Christ doesn't mean

I deserve everlasting life.

To know Christ is to know he died for our sins,

but we must know why he died for our sins, correct?

We must strive to live better, we must be changed

we must come before him in humility and live

our lives to glorify him.

The word of the day.."Humility"

what does "humility" mean?

a lack of false pride,

a humble feeling

Humble meaning:

cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of

marked by meekness or modesty;

not arrogant or prideful.

Young men, in the same way be

submissive to those who are older.

All of you, clothe your selves with

humility toward one another,

because,

"God opposes the proud

but gives grace to the humble."

Humble yourselves, therefore,

under God's mighty hand, that he may

lift you up in due time.

Cast all your anxiety on him because

he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:5-7

Want to humble yourself real quick?

stop comparing yourself, your "christian walk"

with others.. I.E:

"Well, at least I didn't do this or that"

"At least I'm not struggling with drugs"

"At least I'm not struggling with alcohol"

ect ect ect...

Compare yourself with the bible,

with the word of God, are you..yourself..living

according to the word? That should humble you real quick,

unless you are totally oblivious.

The fact is we are constantly battling

or at least should be battling our

fleshly desires. We must strive

to be better then we were yesterday,

constantly fighting to live more like Christ,

it is a battle we ultimately will win though!

not we ourselves, but through Jesus Christ!

because he freed us from the chains of slavery.

Paul himself said in Romans 7:15:

I do not understand what I do.

For what I want to do I do not do, but what

I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do,

I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no loner

I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is,in my sinfule nature.

For I have the desire to do what is good,

but I cannot carry it out. For what I do

is not the good I want to do; no, the evil

I do not want to do-this I keep on doing.

Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is

no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: when I want to do good,

evil is right there with me. For in my inner being

I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work

in the members of my body, waging war against the

law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law

of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am!

Who will rescue me from this body of death?

I do not understand what I do.

For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.-

Paul wasn't perfect and he struggled just as we struggle,

but did Paul ever say:

"I struggle...I can't stop sinning, so screw it I accepted jesus,

everything is ok...so come here sinful world and let me indulge

myself, because I'm saved and I can do what I want"

For some reason people seem to think that is

what Paul and the bible says and that is completely false.

Paul said he struggled..he said he didn't want to be a sinner

and he fought with himself to keep himself as pure as he could

but in the end he realized he was nothing more then a "wretched man"

Because the truth once again is..

WE CANNOT SAVE OURSELVES

only one person can save us and thats Jesus Christ,

and we just keep chugging along doing the best we can

each day living for HIM and living his law,

not because the law itself can safe us...

but because his death for our sins

will not go in vain.

What was my point in all this? why bring up Paul?

lets go back to the word of the day...

Paul lived his life in humility,

he wasn't proud of himself because he "knew Christ".

He was ashamed he wasn't more like him..

he was ashamed of his sin even though it was forgiven.

What is it we all have in common?

Brothers and sisters in Christ for sure...

but what should bring us together is our common bound,

and that is we are all sinners. Through Christ we have been

freed from the chains of sin...so the stain of our wicked ways

could be removed from His sight.

Who can say, "I have kept my heart

pure; I am clean and without sin"?

Proverbs 20:9

answer- Nobody..

So where is your humility?