It may have happened hundreds of years ago, but the Christian population does not currently pursue inquisition, forced conversion or sweeping military movements to force “submission” to our faith.  Yes, historically, powerful men, seeking complete power, utilized, hijacked or controlled a peaceful message, spoken by God, into a dogma that justified their misuse of Holy ideals to garner, capture or ensure their continued grasp on territorial, national or global interests.  Yet, even though these obeisances and egregious hijackings of Christianity were centuries if not thousands of years in the past we are still pursued, hated, maligned and labeled as “intolerant”.  And conversely those political, religious and national entities that are “currently” killing, torturing, pursuing, raping and forcing innocent people into forced conversion at threat to life are being allowed to continue their rampage without the same labels.  Alternative lifestyles may face scrutiny and disapproval in God’s Word but they are met with slaughter by the rabid, radical and absolutely “intolerant” laws and actions currently spreading across a wide swath of global topography.  Which would you prefer, a group that loves you yet disapproves with your lifestyle choices or a group that hates you for your lifestyle choices and threatens or actually carries out on threats to kill you for those actions?

When tyrants rule the nation cries out in misery and terror.  This is the history of humanity, and I use that word loosely for we have never learned or evolved into something other than avarice, brutality and intimidation to capture wealth and power.  That was the intention of America, to create a nation that would forever be free of the strangling threat of rule by tyrants.  A nation, blessed by God intent on living by tested ideals, principles and morals, proven to foster the continued health of any nation.  A nation, born of free people, with the intention of seeing a world free from tyranny, accepting those intent on escaping its grasp.

You may see recent revisions, encroachments and intentional erosion of these freedoms as simply harmless, but those of us who understand our founding principles see them as an organized strategy to usurp the power of the people and transform this nation to tyrannical rule.  What then is worth fighting for if not for the freedom of people to make their own decisions regarding sin and redemption, freedom to speak their minds, even when their ideas are unpopular or perhaps considered ridiculous, freedom to live free of the unmerciful hands of tyrannical rule?  If we have become convinced that tyranny will simply vanish if we are pleasant and offer them convincing discussion, then we have become blind to the nature of tyranny having forgotten the cost of blood to free us from its consuming grasp.  I say these things to call us to prayer for this nation, as God alone may free us from this current movement and returned health, direction and prosperity to our faltering path.  Depend on God, Christians and Jews alike, humble yourselves and cry out to God through prayer and He shall hear our voices from heaven and heal our land.

Can you see a storm on the horizon and if so what will you do to ride it out or avoid its powerful passage?  Will you perhaps hide, hoping beyond logic that somehow you will spared?  How do you know that you will certainly not perish in the storm, who knows that you were born for such a time as this?  Would you rather possibly perish in hiding or perhaps help others to survive by taking an active stance, leading others to safety, away from thirst and hunger into peace?  We cherish stories of people who helped the threatened escape tyranny, defiantly resisting, doing the right thing when to do so would potentially cost them life, liberty or station.  Our heroes are those who stood by their God given principles and did what was right in the face of certain, absolute self destruction.

How then now have we transformed to worshiping those embracing violence, those embracing avoidance or those who through self-absorption, remain disengaged to the advances and wicked influences of tyrants?  The power of our freedom lies in the voluntary decision to potentially sacrifice our own comfort to defend the right of others to live in freedom.  This is the story of our Lord Jesus Christ who modeled for us sacrificial love, giving all for others that they might see God.  Will we emulate, emancipate, cooperate to stand for these ideals, no matter what the cost, leaving the outcome to God?  I shall not speak of the alternative for this is a story of victory beyond circumstance, where defeat is impossible.  All things are possible through Christ who strengthens me?  There is victory in Jesus.  Begin to comprehend the power of God to defend, strengthen, overcome and deliver, for this is the power of Spirit living within you.  Praise God in Jesus’ Holy and Mighty Name.