USA Politics, Rick Perry & the N.A.R.‏

Moderator: The US presidential election is coming very shortly and has even already begun. I believe this message from Andrew fits. Many Christians acting like the Israelites desire their own king (see I Sam. 8:1-22). Do they not know that they already have a king? Jesus was born to be King over Israel (Matt. 2:2; 21:5; Luke 19:38; John 1:49). Now it is not wrong to desire that those who are made rulers over us be good rulers that the gospel is not hindered (2 Thess. 3:1-2) and we are to obey them (Rom 13; Titus 3:1) as long as they do not require us to violate God’s law (Dan. 3:8-18) for God is the one allowing them to rule for His purposes. Our King is in heaven who gives us life. Do not desire another king and get into all the politics and cost involved in setting one up, but rather focus on serving your King, who is Jesus Christ, and then you will not be lost when the worldly kings lead their people into darkness.

By Andrew Strom,

I had a couple from the USA write to me today with a rather hair-
raising question on US politics. But before we get to their email,
let me make a couple of points. As many of you know, I am a
strongly conservative evangelical Christian. And yet, I have 
questioned for a long time whether conservative Christians
(particularly in the USA) are trying to solve "SPIRITUAL" problems
with Politics - which will never work. The sheer amount of money
and energy and passion that Christians in the US are devoting to 
"electing the right guy" seems to even dwarf what they are willing 
to do SPIRITUALLY. There is something wrong. We are trying to 
use Politics to solve problems that only God Himself can solve!
We need an actual Awakening - not just a "new guy" for President!
A lot of this massive devotion and activism is a "distraction" and 
is also leading to enraged and "hateful" behaviour from Christians. 
Slander, gossip, anger, malicious talk, circulating hateful rumors,
etc, etc. Real ugly behaviour that is not Christ-like at all. In fact, 
it is the very opposite of the way Jesus told us to be.

But now - let us get to the email. Here is what Carolyn and Wendell
wrote to me-
"Concerning America and patriotism. I have participated in this 
also... I have a question that I would greatly appreciate your input
concerning.

"My husband and I have become increasingly troubled by the 
emphasis on politics as an answer to our country's problems. At 
the birth of the Christian Right, which I date from Pat Robertson's 
call for Christians to register as Republicans and vote accordingly 
because of the issues of abortion and gay rights. At first this 
seemed right to my husband and me, but as time went by we 
became troubled in our spirits and began to seek the Lord about 
it. We should have done that before, but there was so much peer 
pressure that we never even questioned that it was the right path. 

"The 'voice' was so strident and so angry that we SHOULD have 
questioned it at the onset. The strident voice grew louder and 
louder and more and more angry until it became actually hate filled 
and discernment became hard to find within the movement - to 
proclaim the Republican Party as the party God had chosen. To 
even question that God might NOT have blessed a specific party 
as a holy vessel and the other as evil was met with outrage. 

"Christians began to send hate filled email forwards about President 
Obama that were clearly bald-faced lies, but were received with 
gladness. The intensity only increased. When we warned others 
that Romans 13 was still in the Bible we were met with derision, 
so great was the hatred for this man who was elected as President.

"Now, another Christian voice has risen, and as 'the savior of our 
country', Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas. We have heard from 
media reports that he has aligned himself with a group known as 
the "New Apostolic Reformation" which has been compared to the 
"Kingdom Now"... the "Reconstruction/Kingdom Dominionists" 
movements. In trying to ascertain the validity of this movement 
(actually a "doctrine", I believe), we have found an extremely 
troubling trend toward acceptance of the belief that God will restore 
America THROUGH a Christian political movement--ie. man's efforts. 

"This sounds like to us exactly what Satan has devised and not 
in any way resembling our Holy Father's plan for redemption of His 
people in HIS KINGDOM IN HEAVEN. This human ordained plan 
for redemption of our country smacks of pride, arrogance and greed 
without even a hint of godliness. It sounds like a plan to establish
a theocracy though it will not be called a theocracy... I ran across 
an internet article/blog authored by Dr. Orrel Steincamp (and another 
by Ken Silva) called "The Coalescing of the Christian Right with 
Apostolic Dominionism". This sounds like just what my husband 
and I had feared would transpire, but we aren't acquainted with 
these authors. We would greatly appreciate your prayerful 
consideration of this movement in order to give us more light and 
clarity on the subject."

ANDREW REPLIES: I will only be brief, because I'm sure others
will have insights to share. But let me start by saying I am totally 
opposed to the so-called “New Apostolic Reformation” – since I 
believe it is neither “apostolic” nor any kind of real ‘reformation’ 
at all. It is essentially just another type of “hierarchy” trying to
impose itself over the church – made up (mostly) of presumptuous 
men with business cards displaying the word “apostle”. These 
are the same guys who got up on stage to endorse Todd Bentley 
at the Lakeland revival just before the whole thing collapsed. God
gave them a public spanking then for their "apostolic" proclamations, 
but it looks like they are coming back for more. Once was not 
enough. This "2nd spanking" is now underway and is all over the 
media. God is yet again showing that these are no "apostles" of 
His. Rick Perry - if he knows what is good for him - will distance 
himself from these guys at the speed of light. But already they 
may have cost him the Presidency.

Regarding the "hatefulness" of Politics - yes it is totally unChristian
to behave that way - yet so many Christians are getting caught up
in it. That is because they are putting Politics ahead of God. HE
is the only one that can save America. Not an "election"!! If you
think that the Tea Party and Fox News can save America with
their Political activism, you are totally out to lunch. JESUS is the
only one who can save the country. No-one else. We need a
REVIVAL - not just a political party!!

But it is even worse - because it is now starting to get so extreme
that I believe civil strife can be expected on the streets if it keeps
going this way. You know, when God judges a country He often
gives them over to division and infighting and internal strife. I believe
this is on the cards for America in the next few years. My friends, 
I urge you not to be part of it. Don't be part of the "mob hysteria"
that is starting to get whipped up on both the Left and the Right.
This is not what Jesus calls us to at all. The dangers are becoming
more and more evident. U.S Christians - you have been warned. 

It would be great to hear people's opinions on this topic. Please
go to the following website to make your comment-

http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/

God bless you all.

Andrew Strom.

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Andrew Strom.

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