It was tough to watch for a number of reasons. The State of the Union speech has long since become an evening of ignominy. It is the Facebook of statesmanship. All principles have been jettisoned in favor of crass one-upmanship.....and I'm referring to many conservatives.....for they are selling their birthright and will find that there is a devil to pay for their giving up the high ground for one night of political ecstasy. Chants of USA...USA...USA have replaced 'God have mercy on us'.....while the ubiquitous 'God Bless America' has become a stench in the nostrils of God.
I prayed quite a few times for the specially invited guests....some of whom were heroes....some of whom lost loved ones but at the same time was saddened by the exploiting of them in an expertly crafted sales pitch to make American business great again.
The State of the Union speech itself was direct when it had to be.....and evasive when it had to be.....direct in some promises kept......evasive in most promises not kept. It was effective.....but not edifying.....revealing only in what it obscured. If there was any humility in the speech I did not catch it.
Many Christians say that God has given us President Donald Trump. There are a number of Christian books written with proof texts from the Bible, evidence from personal prophesies....and the obvious.....he's winning! God has answered our prayers and will restore America to greatness.....we mistakenly believe!
God causes all nations and leaders to either rise or to fall......so God did indeed give us President Trump. A few years back I quoted New York Congressman Charlie Rangel in this.....the Congressman said...."God gave us Barack Obama." and I added..."He (Congressman Rangel) probably never spoke truer words. God gave us Barack Obama....but as punishment."
I think it might be needed here to expand on God causing nations to rise and to fall, for at times God has to perform miracles to either cause a nation or a particular leader to either rise or to fall.....and I do think that He is doing just that with Donald Trump....but not for the reasons those Christian authors would agree to. Here is my reasoning...
President Trump has broken key promises.....outright went the other way on them.....former enemies are all of a sudden friends.....yet his supporters are blind to that. The majority of his advisers are those to whom we waged political war with for a decade......yet we just brush that off. He will go part way on a promise.....and then tell us that he fulfilled that promise......and we just accept his claim. Only God could have protected him in these deceptions....and for His reasons....not ours.
Donald Trump can be noticeably mean-spirited and vengeful.....characteristics that the Christian should notice immediately......but we don't notice them at all. His philosophy of positive thinking is so pronounced.....so extraordinarily evident as boasting and arrogance that it should leave a bad taste in the mouth of the Christian......but we actually glory in that substitution for humility.
President Trump impetuously says incredibly absurd things or makes just plain incorrect statements.....and like magic.....he somehow benefits from them. Otherwise intelligent men and women.....men and women who 18 months ago were vigilant....have overnight become analytically inept. Christian ministers who probably have warned often about charismatic preachers......fell for one themselves. The love of money......once condemned.....now is used as proof that God has blessed us through Donald Trump.
God answered our prayer.....but it was the wrong prayer.....for what we see as success.....is an illusion. God has given us what we wanted....a prince....but in the process He is winnowing His church.....and ultimately better preparing us for even a greater deception that is ahead. My gut reaction is that, whether it was conservatism itself or discernment in general, something died last night in that speech and the positive reaction to it from those who should know better and discern a shady sales blitz when they see one....and this as a Super Blue Moon....Blood Moon....moved into position.
I prayed quite a few times for the specially invited guests....some of whom were heroes....some of whom lost loved ones but at the same time was saddened by the exploiting of them in an expertly crafted sales pitch to make American business great again.
The State of the Union speech itself was direct when it had to be.....and evasive when it had to be.....direct in some promises kept......evasive in most promises not kept. It was effective.....but not edifying.....revealing only in what it obscured. If there was any humility in the speech I did not catch it.
Many Christians say that God has given us President Donald Trump. There are a number of Christian books written with proof texts from the Bible, evidence from personal prophesies....and the obvious.....he's winning! God has answered our prayers and will restore America to greatness.....we mistakenly believe!
God causes all nations and leaders to either rise or to fall......so God did indeed give us President Trump. A few years back I quoted New York Congressman Charlie Rangel in this.....the Congressman said...."God gave us Barack Obama." and I added..."He (Congressman Rangel) probably never spoke truer words. God gave us Barack Obama....but as punishment."
I think it might be needed here to expand on God causing nations to rise and to fall, for at times God has to perform miracles to either cause a nation or a particular leader to either rise or to fall.....and I do think that He is doing just that with Donald Trump....but not for the reasons those Christian authors would agree to. Here is my reasoning...
President Trump has broken key promises.....outright went the other way on them.....former enemies are all of a sudden friends.....yet his supporters are blind to that. The majority of his advisers are those to whom we waged political war with for a decade......yet we just brush that off. He will go part way on a promise.....and then tell us that he fulfilled that promise......and we just accept his claim. Only God could have protected him in these deceptions....and for His reasons....not ours.
Donald Trump can be noticeably mean-spirited and vengeful.....characteristics that the Christian should notice immediately......but we don't notice them at all. His philosophy of positive thinking is so pronounced.....so extraordinarily evident as boasting and arrogance that it should leave a bad taste in the mouth of the Christian......but we actually glory in that substitution for humility.
President Trump impetuously says incredibly absurd things or makes just plain incorrect statements.....and like magic.....he somehow benefits from them. Otherwise intelligent men and women.....men and women who 18 months ago were vigilant....have overnight become analytically inept. Christian ministers who probably have warned often about charismatic preachers......fell for one themselves. The love of money......once condemned.....now is used as proof that God has blessed us through Donald Trump.
God answered our prayer.....but it was the wrong prayer.....for what we see as success.....is an illusion. God has given us what we wanted....a prince....but in the process He is winnowing His church.....and ultimately better preparing us for even a greater deception that is ahead. My gut reaction is that, whether it was conservatism itself or discernment in general, something died last night in that speech and the positive reaction to it from those who should know better and discern a shady sales blitz when they see one....and this as a Super Blue Moon....Blood Moon....moved into position.
