Posts Tagged ‘George Floyd’
Every Knee Will Bow
The Second Civil War continues in America.
Here are some facts on which most people agree.
The police brutality murder of George Floyd spawned peaceful protests for justice that were hijacked by anarchists and looters who desire power, not peace. The one-two punch of the Covid-19 lock downs coupled with the Satanic Pentecost has left America fearful, poorer and on edge.
One positive trend has emerged from the chaos.
Kneeling.
I submit that one form will bring revival and hope. The other, revolution and despair. Here’s the most sobering part:
Every knee will bow.
Every Knee Will Bow
I dedicate this blog to the “justice generation” whom I’ve served in Youth With A Mission for forty-six years and at Faith International University.
Bill O’Reilly says that, “True social justice is fairness. The use of power in order to treat everyone equally in the public arena. That means creating all access opportunities. It does not mean overlooking destructive behavior or a guarantee of life success. You have to work for that.”
The current turmoil reminds me of the 60’s and 70’s when long hairs tried to stop the Vietnam War and mainstream drugs and free sex. I joined another group of hippies known as the “Jesus Revolution.” We wanted change too–but with God’s view of justice.
None of us ever gets that perfectly right, but some get closer.
Another group of long hairs (with wigs) lived in the latter part of the 18th century. They pursued social justice by bloodshed, looting, and forcibly toppling the government. Google the French Revolution (1789-1799) and you can read all about it.
It was ugly.
The French social justice mob became the political parents of the Nazis and communists. They made people take a knee and then shot them in the head.
Other 18th century patriots dropped to their knees in America from 1734 to the 1770’s. We call it the “Great Awakening.” Their form of kneeling involved prayer and personal repentance. The movement began with a sermon by Jonathan Edwards in Northampton, Massachusetts in December 1734 which served as a primer on American social justice. It was called “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”
Don’t be offended by the title. God hates sin more than you hate sex trafficking and racial oppression.
That generation eventually threw a “Tea Party” in Boston Harbor after years of restraint, appeals to justice, and enduring the invasion of an occupying army. They defeated the British in the American Revolution–which became the political fruit of bowing their knees to God.
They said, “We have only one King–Jesus.” That passion and bravery gave birth to the USA–the first nation in history (besides ancient Israel) founded on biblical principles of liberty and justice.
It wasn’t perfect. Slavery had been a normal part of human culture for thousands of years. I know that’s hard to believe today. Slavery originally began when poor people “sold” themselves to others because they couldn’t provide for their families and no government programs existed. They became economic servants or slaves. They had no other choice.
Then, for thousands of years when one tribe conquered another, the victors forced people to serve them. This was the unjust form of slavery that became normal for millenniums. By the time of the Roman Empire, slaves composed 50% of the population.
Eventually the faith of the followers of Jesus changed things. They served the sick during numerous plagues. They became lion food for devilish sport. Over many centuries, their sacrificial love changed the Roman world as nearly half became followers of Christ.
Slavery nearly died out because they lived and taught that “we are one in Christ Jesus.”
Muslim traders revived slavery during the Middle Ages. Corrupt, religious Europe followed suit to keep up economically with Islam. A Renaissance and Reformation brought renewal of human rights, but slavery was still the accepted norm.
Many of our founding fathers owned slaves because that’s all they knew. Our Declaration of Independence thundered the truth of human equality, but it would take the first Civil War to end it in America.
Then, for nearly one hundred years, Americans’ struggled to attain equality in society. It took the courageous actions of Dr. Marin Luther King in the 1960’s to end racial segregation and lay the foundation for “equal justice under law.”
Today, despite the current struggles, America remains the largest inter-racial nation in world history where a poor African American youth named Barack Obama could become president of the nation by popular vote–twice. Couldn’t happen in China, Russia, or a European country.
But we have a long way to go.
Your justice quest in the 21st century must start by understanding that God is the standard of justice. He is perfectly righteous in all his ways (Deuteronomy 32:4).
You can’t out “justice” God.
You must study His Word carefully to understand true right from wrong. Read Genesis through Deuteronomy with a special emphasis on Exodus and Leviticus. One of the greatest expressions of justice is the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. Disobeying any of them is unjust and hurts people–from God’s point of view.
The Ten Commandments remain the foundation of Western Civilization–which is why we possess more freedom than other nations. Go to one of the fifty majority-Muslim nations in the world. Will you find liberty for most people? Will you see justice for women? Travel to China, North Korea, or even Venezuela. Will you find human rights a top priority?
No.
Back to America.
We still have a non-level playing field in portions of our country—especially inner cities. That’s due to many reasons including the breakdown of the African American family, 70% of kids born outside marriage (no fault of government) and the poverty it brings. More African Americans fear cops because they commit a higher percentage of crimes (no fault of police).
Police shootings are rare and usually justified. There were nine unarmed blacks shot by police in 2019 (out of 44 million African Americans). Nineteen whites suffered the same fate.
George Floyd’s was unjust—as were at least two of the white killings in 2019.
Yet, the greatest injustice in America in God’s sight is the brutality of abortion–our largest form of murder. Since 1972, we have killed 65 million babies—of which 20 million were African American.
That’s three thousand a day for forty-eight years.
On the day that George Floyd was killed, 3000 kids-in-the-womb were butchered. And every day since.
That’s insanely unjust.
People kill babies for the same reason they enslaved African Americans. Slavery was built on the “choice” (of slave owners) and the lie that African Americans weren’t “fully human.” We say the same today about children in the womb.
We were wrong then and are wrong now. Where’s your protest of the greatest human holocaust in history? (One-to-two billion worldwide.)
Yes, it’s time to kneel. Colin Kaepernick did it for revolution. The Democratic leaders posed for cameras. And many followers of Christ are doing it and bringing salvation to the streets.
In some ways it’s more respectful to kneel than to stand. Others can protest and we can pray. They want revolution. We crave renewal.
This fall when NFL and soccer players go to their knees, I think we should join them. This is a practice run. One day we will all appear before the God of justice and answer for what we’ve thought, said and done. At that awesome moment, God will be just by judging us (justice and judgment are the same word in the Bible).
It’s time to get ready for Judgment Day while seeking “liberty and justice” on earth.
Because one day, every knee will bow. And only the repentant will be forgiven.
(Please join the Call2Fall on Sunday, June 28 to join thousands in kneeling before God for reconciliation and revival.)
A Satanic Pentecost: Why America is Burning
I wrote on the War for Western Civilization last week not knowing the next battle for America would soon erupt.
On May 31, we celebrated Pentecost Sunday–the day the Early Church was born. Some powerful spiritual events took place last weekend including GO Day, Make Jesus Known, the Praise Walk (March for Jesus), and the Unite 714 prayer day–all meant to empower God’s people.
On the same weekend, the satanic world empowered their forces to wreak havoc and destruction in dozens of U.S. cities.
A Satanic Pentecost.
Why is America burning?
A Satanic Pentecost: Why America is Burning
You can’t form a battle plan for prayer or practical involvement until you properly identify the landscape and opponent you face. Today I’d like to analyze who is responsible for the present rioting in American cities. A satanic Pentecost has been launched—fires of hate instead of tongues of Good News– that we must understand and resist.
Here how I view the battlefield.
Satanic agitation
We must never forget that Satan and his invisible demons tempt and manipulate human beings on earth. Satan is the father of lies and the original source of violence and murder (John 8:44). Whenever you see deception and anarchy, you know that diabolical spiritual forces are inciting the mayhem.
I wish “the evening news” acknowledged this truth. Demons are motivating and stirring up people to do carnage. We must bind them in Jesus’ Name as our first course of action.
A despicable police-mistake.
George Floyd, who was being arrested for forgery, died May 25 after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt for minutes on his neck during an arrest. Floyd’s last agonizing words were that he couldn’t breathe. Three officers witnessed Chauvin’s actions but did nothing to stop him.
Chauvin was charged Friday with third-degree murder, and bail was set at $500,000. All four officers were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. Chauvin’s charge could go higher. He committed a careless and despicable act by taking Floyd’s life. That’s one point on which every American can agree.
Floyd’s death lit a match of racial hatred against “systemic injustice.” But is it warranted?
There are nearly 800,000 police in the USA. Most attempt to do their jobs well and over 99% of Americans do not commit crimes (16 million crimes – 2018 – .2% of population of 325 million). In 2019, 320 whites, 238 African Americans, and 159 Hispanics were killed by police during a crime incident.
Black deaths by police are not systemic–and most police protect the public.
In the case of George Floyd, a rogue cop (with eighteen citations) committed a deplorable act. Justice should be swift and harsh.
Anarchists producing looting and destruction.
There is no excuse for the violence and looting now raging in America. George Floyd’s death is being flaunted as a tool for anarchy by those who hate this nation.
Dr. Martin Luther King would be heartened by the peaceful protests taking place. They are necessary in a republic of laws not people. But he would be deeply grieved over the violent and senseless destruction of property. Godly protest never commits crimes.
Two evil forces have tarnished the peaceful protests. Using social media to find soft targets, leftist militants like Antifa and paid anarchists have used Floyd’s death as an opportunity to burn and loot the cities. They should be arrested and judged just like Derek Chauvin.
Attorney General Bill Barr weighed in on the escalating violence: “Unfortunately with the rioting that is occurring in many of our cities around the country, the voices of peaceful protests are being hijacked by violent radical elements. Groups of outside radical agitators are exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate and violent agenda,”
Fanning the flames of violence or racism is despicable too.
Political leadership unwilling to bring law and order (justice).
Racism isn’t the issue. A crime is a crime. It doesn’t matter what color a person is or who perpetrated it. Justice must be blind.
Now that cities burn primarily in Democrat-run principalities and states, we are witnessing progressive mayors and governors’ impotence to use the police and the National Guard to restore order. Their own policies of being soft on crime are coming back to haunt them. In many cities, politicians are “letting” the anarchists destroy people’s livelihoods.
That’s insane. Vote for officials who believe in evil and will protect you from it.
Failure to renew the African American family.
The “elephant in the room” behind the African American violence has been the destruction of the black family since the 1950’s. With 70% of African American children now born out of wedlock, many absent fathers, poor schools, a plethora of inner-city gangs and too many welfare incentives, a large portion of the African American population stands mired in anger and hopelessness.
Many other American families are not far behind in the 21st century.
Four things can help transform African American lives: 1) Faith in God, 2) Choice in education and graduating high school, 3) Having children within marriage, and 4) Ridding the cities of gangs and filling them with opportunities.
Complicit media outlets and celebrities who promote America’s demise.
I am sickened by news broadcasters who legitimize anarchy by calling them “protesters” and by celebrities like Colin Kaepernick encouraging more violence. They cheerlead evil and should be denounced by all peaceful protesters and law-abiding citizens.
Ginning up the progressive base to defeat President Trump in November.
This assault on the cities is the latest attempt by demonic/human forces to destroy America and Western Civilization by defeating Donald Trump in November. They failed via the Russia Collusion hoax and the Mueller investigation which will be exposed this summer in the Durham Report. Impeachment also tanked, along with some Blue State governors’ exploitation of the coronavirus pandemic (lock downs).
Thus, an anarchist hissy fit was ordered to not let a “crisis go to waste.” To bring down America and the West, a weak globalist leader is needed occupy the White House.
Donald Trump must be removed.
Two quotes and a Scripture come to mind as I ponder the Summer of 2020 cultural battle. James Madison explained in 1778 the secret of American liberty:
“We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments of God.”
A society must operate by self-government (control) out of love and respect for God or it will descend into anarchy or a police state. Those are the three choices.
America stands at a crossroads.
Samuel Adams warned in 1775:
“While the people are virtuous, they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.” … If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security.”
Does America have enough personal and public virtue to weather this storm?
We will soon find out.
A final prophetic word comes from Isaiah 24:4-6 where I will substitute the word “cities” for “earth” to bring it home:
“The [cities] dry up and wither, the [cities] languish and wither, the heavens languish with the earth. The [cities] are defiled by its people for they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse consumes the earth and its people must bear their guilt.”
It’s time to repent, pray, stop evil, reconcile and pour the light of Jesus into our traumatized nation.
We must extinguish the satanic Pentecost–or die as a nation.