Are you an American or Christian, first?

It's a strange time in Our Country.  

It's hard to see who is truly right and who is wrong; whom do we follow and will they bring the change we are longing to see in Our Nation?  Whom do we trust?  

It's a battle for Our Land, Our Children, Our Future . . . this Election Season is a battle for Our Hearts.   

Some "Christians" in the United States love America and their "rights" MORE than they love the Father who created them, who redeemed them, who is coming again for them one day.  

It's true.  Look around you.  
Why are we so angry about holding on to what we believe is ours?  

Why do we want to 
"Make America Great Again"?  

Where does that show that our security lies?  

Philip. 5:4-8 (The MSG), "Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion".

• MY security does NOT lie in Man.
• MY security does NOT lie in a Political Party.
• MY security does NOT lie in keeping the American Dream.
• MY security isn't based on border walls and mass deportations.  
• MY security isn't based on what I've earned or how hard I've worked to gain what I posses.
• MY security isn't in my pay check or possessions.  
• My security is not in FEAR of what I don't understand.
• My security is not in FEAR of WHO I don't understand.

MY Security lies with the God of the Universe - the one who Created Heaven and Earth.  

In Christ, we have no possessions.  

We have no country.  We have nothing.  

As Believers, we are called to lay it all down at the feet of Jesus.  When we accept Christ, we accept HIM as Lord. 

• Not Christ PLUS our possessions
• Not Christ PLUS our family
• Not Christ PLUS our dreams, aspirations, plans
• Not Christ PLUS our country

NO.  We are called to lay it ALL down - American Dream, ideals, hopes, beliefs, family, faith, security - everything. 
Apart from Him, we ARE nothing and HAVE nothing.

No, it's NOT the American Dream, 

but Jesus didn't create that dream - man did.  

True Believers of Christ - the ones who've surrendered their lives to Him, calling on Him for salvation, for forgiveness of sins, for the hope of eternal life . . . 

HOW and WHY are you trying to place your hope in a man who promises you the things of this world?????

". . . so guard yourself in your spirit, and do not be faithless", Malachi 2:15-16

Why is our guard down?  Why are we giving into the  temptation of security promises here on earth?  

That, My Friend, is not from God.  

The only true security a Believer has is in Christ.  

One of the scariest things about it all is that so many people claiming to be Christians, claiming to be Christ-followers, are following the Presidential Candidate who is LEAST LIKE CHRIST.  And Folks, that is NOT okay.  

We are  falling into a scary trap.  A trap much like the People of God have fallen into over and over and over again (look at the Old Testament).  The root of that, in my mind, is pure selfishness and pride, and the fruit of those things are ugly - control, envy, and most of all, FEAR.  

Let's face it, the World IS a scary place (and will continue to evolve into an even MORE scary place until the Return of Christ).  

News Flash - it isn't going to get easier!

And  you know what?  That is good for us as True Believers, because 

it means that Christ is coming soon!

Hebrews 13:14(ESV)

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come

1 Peter 2:11-1 (ESV)

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

  

Oh, Believer!!!! 

• I could tell you that tonight in Kansas City, Trump told those with opposing views to "go to hell". 
• I could remind you of the way he so cruelly made fun of a reporter with a physical disability 
• How he has talked of "changing the rules" to give us more access, more "freedoms", more "rights", including killing families of our enemies. 
• I could tell you how he has been asking folks at his rallies to raise their right hands as a public showing of their support (does that remind you of someone?).   
• If I could, I would surely ask you how you explain Mr. Trump's behavior (language, promotion of violence, etc) to your children???  

Believers, we cannot choose what we believe to be "OUR FREEDOMS", OVER a leader who acts most UN-like the God we claim to follow.  

Did you catch that?  

For a Christ-Following Believer, 

electing a President who will act like Christ

 IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN 

putting first (what deem to be your own) 

YOUR FREEDOMS or RIGHTS.  

I'm not promoting any candidate here, Friends (although I have made my choice).  I'm not saying that any of the candidates are completely Christ-like.  

What I AM saying is that as Believers, 
we die to our rights and put GOD first.  

 Who will help us most live like Christ?  
Who will help our Nation be more like Christ?

So, let's step up.  Let's act like True Followers of Christ, who know what God has done for us and what He will do - 

Believers who don't trust in this World, but rather lay down our rights in honor of Christ.

Let's get on our knees and pray, like never before, asking God to capture Our People, asking God to be glorified, asking God for mercy, asking God to give us a Commander-in-Chief who acts more like Christ.

Most Importantly, Let's Pray for REVIVAL, because it always comes during seasons of turmoil.  
Lord, let it be!   
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• *The foolish spew folly from their mouths (Proverbs 15:2).
• The foolish despise instruction and reproofs from those who are wiser (Proverbs 15:5).
• When the foolish try and speak in a dignified manner it feels artificial (Proverbs 17:7).
• Rebukes just bounce off of the foolish (Proverbs 17:10).
• The foolish love to boldly pronounce their opinions (Proverbs 18:2).
• The foolish have repeatedly been ensnared by their words in their past (Proverbs 18:7).
• The foolish are often characterized by quarreling (Proverbs 20:3).
• The foolish frequently disregard wisdom (Proverbs 23:9).
• When others stoop to engage the foolish according to their folly, they end up looking foolish themselves (Proverbs 26:4).
• The foolish have a history of repeating their folly (Proverbs 26:11).
• Those known to be wise are concerned and burdened by the words and actions of the foolish (Proverbs 27:3).
• The foolish rage or mock when arguing with others (Proverbs 29:9).
• The foolish love to give full vent to their spirit (Proverbs 29:11).
• The foolish are quick to speak (Proverbs 29:20).
• The foolish are often characterized by shouting (Ecclesiastes 9:17).
• The foolish may consider themselves religious, but their unbridled tongues show that religion to be worthless (James 1:26).
• The foolish look with haughty eyes (Proverbs 6:17).
• The foolish engage in slander (Proverbs 10:18).
• The foolish joke about their wrongdoing (Proverbs 10:23).
• The foolish make great boasts (Psalm 12:3).
• The foolish are stubbornly right in their own eyes (Proverbs 12:15).
• The foolish are quickly annoyed by insults (Proverbs 12:16).
• The foolish lash out in rash words like sword thrusts (Proverbs 12:18).
• The foolish express no shame over their folly (Proverbs 13:16).
• The foolish speak and act with recklessness and carelessness (Proverbs 14:16).

*How to Recognize a Foolish Leader by Desiring God Ministries

Please also read: How Christianity Explains Trump