As I was ending my walk around the park on Saturday, thinking deep thoughts
about what is happening in this nation, I was startled by the unmistakable
screech of a Bald Eagle, soaring in circles, high above the tree tops in the
crisp blue sky of this autumn day. I mused to myself, "Well, Ben
Franklin's wish that America's national bird be the turkey, has now been
verified in the results of our election." Then I remembered that this week
was Thanksgiving, or Turkey Day in the secular nation, A day to give thanks to
God instituted by the Pilgrims for God's provision, something their later
arriving Puritan brothers and sisters could even agree upon.
No more soaring eagles, extracted from the Biblical expression of Isaiah
(40:31). America is now a nation of turkeys. Cunning underbrush and forest
dwellers, who never fly any higher than the low branches of the trees, forever
limited from soaring, by their mediocre wings and heavy bodies. Yes, that is
part and parcel of that portion of the American people, those other guys and
gals on the other side of this election. We, you and me, are above the fray.
For right and God are on our side. Amen.
I'm sure that in more than a few Evangelical churches, freed from the format
of some systematic teaching method, a topical sermon was preached this last
Sunday from either Matthew 12:25-30 or Luke 11:17-23:
But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided
against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against
himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by
Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out. Therefore they shall be your judges.
But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has
come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods,
unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He
who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters
abroad "(Matthew)
Al Gore, the Democrats and by extension, Satan are trying to steal this
election from God's people, if we would have prayed more, or will pray more,
all this will be settled to the best of our understanding and God's perfect
will as given to us by revelation. Again 2
Chronicles 7:14 will be offered as proof text, most of the time again outside
of its context, "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 forgive their sin and heal their land." Even
in the context that it was however preached, I'm sure much more emphasis was
placed on the prayer and little on the turning from the wicked ways, for after
all we are right and holy, and they are the wicked unrighteous.
But if we are to quote the Bible and especially in the context of the grace
offered by Jesus Christ alone in the New Testament, perhaps it would be better
to preach that sermon on Luke 12:49-53, but that would upset the sheep and
would definitely affect the weekly offering: I
came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled. But I
have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is
accomplished! Do you suppose that I have come to give peace to the earth? I
tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house
will be divided, three against two, and two against three. Father will be
divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and
daughter against mothe, mother-in-law against her daughter and daughter against
her mother-in-law."
Those verses in context, especially with those following to the end of the
chapter, more fully describe the events now taking place in this country. But
as I wrote last week's message the country really was not divided, but as this
whole election thing continues the division has developed and will be come more
pronounced. In that way it is more akin to the falling of the Berlin wall than
just an election contested event. I find it quite interesting that the
political commentators are now saying that a few words from the loser and the
winner in the election, will "heal the land" Perhaps they believe
that one of them is God, or perhaps it is just wishful thinking on their part.
As one of the principles is known to have done, perhaps they are looking
through the purple haze of a pot pipe's smoke, rather than just a little too
much booze some years ago.
Not only has the division come to the people, but a more sinister problem
now is ahead for the republic. This election was from a statistical and
mechanical point of view, well within the provision of error. Therefore the
results can be altered or skewed by selectively recounting or mining votes to
suit the desired outcome. Democratic mining will lead to more votes for Al
Gore, Republican mining would result in more votes for George W. Bush.
The serious thing is that these results however determined, have now left behind
the results themselves and the will of the people, and have entered into the
judicial system. People who have never been elected to the office to which they
are now serving will determine the outcome, either at the state of Florida
level, where all the justices were appointed by Democratic governors and at
least six are Democrats and one independent (if published and conflicting news
reports are true), or through the Federal court of appeals and perhaps the
Supreme court.
This is now a constitutional problem of significant potential. The framers
of the constitution provided a loose frame work for the election of the
President through popular vote and the electoral college. The means of holding
those elections were delegated to the states to administer. They have never
been delegated, nor should they be, delegated to the local jurisdiction, which
is now what is being proposed in the three county recounts now underway. It is
a states rights issue, which should be comparable, from a good Southern Democratic
point of view, with and along side the Civil War.
In this case however, instead of holding the union together as the great
Republican Abe Lincoln did with guts, guns and blood, this time the war is
fought in front of and within the frame work of the judiciary. The problem with
a judicial solution however, is it isn't based on might makes right, as in the
case of the Civil War, or Israel in the modern context. The decision can be
based upon an inconsistent application of law below and in conflict with the constitutional
rights of the elected official of the State of Florida responsible for
certifying the election. To put it another way, the constitutional mandate of
the judiciary at the federal, state, and local level is to interpret the law as
written, not to write or mandate law as judges see fit. The point of law is,
the law is the point. In the last half of the twentieth century more and more
this has not been the case. The demise of our republic could hinge on this
outcome.
This slouching toward a judicial monarchy is really the issue at stake in
the election. The three or four appointees to the US Supreme Court during the
next four years will remake the laws of the nation for the next generation or
more. This is one of several principles that Robert Bork wrote about in his
book "Slouching toward Gomorrah"
published a few years ago. Today, slouching is being carried out and argued in
front of Democrat appointed Floridian justices. If they lose, the Republicans
will appeal the arbitrary and capricious judgment (or other similar terms now
being floated and spun). If the Democrats lose then the Republican Secretary of
State,will certify the election as George W. Bush being the winner, by an
arbitrary and capricious judgment (or other similar terms now being floated and
spun by Democrats). Their appeal is likely.
So where does that leave us? With a divided public or citizenry, a divided
legislative branch, and a potential swamp of muck to mire the whole thing into
an impasse, or of exploding swamp gas, depending on environmental conditions.
Which brings us to the point could all this slouching be by design? Could
through this election, might the division created, help Americans to
distinguish between one another. The division Jesus illustrated in Luke Chapter
12. The church surely would be the better for it in the eternal sense, but what
would it do to our comfortable, and secure, and well planned future. Must it be
in the hands of the Eternal Designer of all time, or in our security as the
world's premier nation state. To the extent your future is allied with those
plans of God, the more secure your temporal and eternal security, and more
pronounced is the division between the choices offered by the state and those
offered by the church.
Comprehension, not understanding, of this mystery we are participants in
must come from a cosmology foreign to the western, deist, naturalist, man in
control of his own destiny, understanding of life. This isn't the way the
American Dream is supposed to work. Fragmentation, extraction, integration,
from the male, analytical (and other adjectives you may find appropriate) or
breaking, sifting, healing from a female, emotional (and other adjectives you
may find appropriate) are steps in this other cosmology based on God as Creator
and man as created in the image of God. As we spent all thoseweeks some months
ago explaining, it is an enterprise of symbiosis, stewardship, and husbandry,
.No matter your perspective of vocabulary, the three steps involved as stated
above, are really the description of reality in a fallen world in which the
laws of thermodynamics apply. It all takes place at a level and in a time frame
that we can only glimpse darkly through understanding and knowledge of
Scripture contained within the whole context of the Bible. It is through this
process that the individual, family, community, nation and the world, will one
day be healed, made whole, or restored. Instead of futilely fighting the
circumstances, our energies should be exerted in being active participants in
the process. In other words, get off our self righteous high horse and do the
creative works that God has prepared for his church, as well as all people, in
this world. It is through our active participation, stepping beyond our selfish
fears, that God uses symbiotically to recreate and restore this world.
Well, the financial problems have not altered
since last week and if they were serious before, they have now reached the
critical point. Please intercede for the Lord's provision. Last week I spent a
lot of time looking at the recent decisions I have made to get me to this point
and that second guessing only tended to verify that having to do it all again
with what I knew at the time I would again be at this point. Much was accomplished
last week, calls and discussions about the short wave radio station were very
encouraging especially from the technical point of view. There remains the
source of revenue for covering the air time expense and the programming, much
of which would have to be translated into Russian or Spanish depending upon the
total operating parameters, that is unknown. While none of that is overly
complicated there is a significant operating expense associated with high power
short wave transmitters and related equipment and it is not something that can
be easily marketed from someplace next to the Canadian border in the remote
corner of Washington State. This can not be a hobby radio station. If this is
the Lord's project this too shall come, if not it was a good idea, that perhaps
someone else can accomplish. Please continue to pray that the Lord make the
proper path clear.
To that end, even though much was accomplished
last week, I was feeling quite a load until early Saturday evening, at that
time the peace that circumstance and the God of heaven was in control and
fighting the battle, filled my soul. If you were one who was praying at that
time, know that God does answer prayer for I know of no other way that my mood
could have changed so remarkably, so quickly, Thank you!
The grace, peace, and mercy of God our Father offered to His children
through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.