The election process has ended (Thank you Lord), but there are still plenty of those folks around blaming FBI Director James Comey, fake news, the deplorability of the average American, Russian President Vladimir Putin, the bunny rabbit and who knows what else. They just don’t get it.

The election of 2016 was so lopsided against the Democratic Party; the wizards of the media are still trying to determine where they went wrong. Hillary is still trying to squeak out another vote; even though she made it clear she would be a gracious loser. Of course, she never dreamed it would come to that. This person is so far out in left field, she’ll never get it.

Harry Reid is retiring (Thank you again Lord) but still defending the Democratic Party and delivering his own set of excuses. The Minority Party of the House of Representatives has again elected the California wingnut to lead them. They still don’t get it.

Donald Trump, and all those who rode into office on his coattail, won the election for one reason, and one reason only. The one and only God of Heaven said this is the way it’s going to be. You thought I was going to say it’s because the American people were fed up didn’t you? That’s okay. That is part of the reason. The other reason is because we were so fed up; we called out to Almighty God for deliverance and He chose to give us another chance. It’s called “grace.” We don’t deserve another chance, but nevertheless, we got it. I just pray we don’t blow it.

What I have stated thus far, and will throughout the remainder of this article, is my opinion, so don’t get your drawers in a wad, if I see things differently.

From what I have heard and read from the American people who actually live in the real world, there are several issues going on in this country that need to be changed, and we are fed up with having perversion and garbage shoved down our throat.

Many of our governmental leaders, both then and now, have been lousy, while others have excelled in their respective office. None have been perfect, probably because of a thing called “being human.” However, the leaders, primarily Democratic, we have had for the last fifty years have done more damage, most of it intentional, than all those before them. They have raped our Constitution, taken us back to the 60s in race relations, put us at great risk with our enemies by crippling our military, made us an enemy of God by our treatment of Israel, doubled the national debt, attacked Christianity, befriend terrorists and welcomed them to our homeland for an easy kill, endorsed and pushed down our throats sexual perversion, assisted in the removal of God from every venue of American life, supported and encouraged the murder of thousands upon thousands of our citizenry in the wombs of their mothers, and the list could go on and on. Obama can be credited for much of the inept and tyrannical governmental ‘leadership’ we have endured.

This is what we, the average deplorable ignorant Americans, are fed up with. Our homeland is turning into a battlefield and a whorehouse both at the same time. Many of those who have led us, and those who influence them, have no character. They are indulged in sin of every type, and their only desire is to continue in their sin and remove any reminder of their responsibility to a holy God.

We may have the best leader in the White House since Ronald Reagan, and we may not. That isn’t the issue. The real issue is “me.” What am I doing about “me” in respect to God’s clear provision of a ‘second chance?’ Am I as a Christian in ‘true’ repentance toward my Savior and Lord? Am I spending time praying for the new leaders of our country? They’re going to need it. Am I praying for my fellow Americans who are not Christian, but want to see this mess cleaned up? Am I praying that perhaps God will send a revival upon our land before He closes out the Church age?

Our greatest weapon against Satan and those who follow him in the debauchery that has befallen us is prayer. Don’t think for a minute that we can now sit back and relax while Donald Trump, et al will clean up this mess we have found ourselves in. He needs our prayers, as do the Vice-President elect, Congress, the Supreme Court, the Governors, etc. We need to become prayer warriors.

I’ve been as guilty as the next person in sometimes saying, “What can I do? I’m just one person.” Again, pray. Set aside a time every day for prayer. The most powerful weapon is a child of God on their knees in prayer. As we do that, the Spirit of God opens up our hearts in how to pray and what to pray. He takes our prayers to the throne of God and they are heard, every one of them.

When was the last time you tried to get some personal time with a high-ranking politician, or any politician for that matter, just to talk? We all know what a hopeless cause that would be. The door is always open however to God. Even though God is King of kings and Lord of lords He is always … ALWAYS … available for us … one on one.

The political and media pundits just don’t get it, but God does. He has heard our prayers, but let us not stop praying now at this critical junction of our country’s life. I can assure you the battle is not over.  Those who hate the name “Jesus” will not let up, and neither should we. Let us pray for our leaders daily and for the souls of those who do not know Jesus Christ, as Savior and Lord.

This respite God has given us may be the last call before He comes for His bride, the Church, and all hell breaks out from God’s judgment upon this earth in the Tribulation.

Grant Phillips

When I think of ‘self-righteousness’ I am immediately drawn to Jesus’ blistering of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23 and also to the Pharisee and the publican (tax collector) in Luke 18:9-14. However, lest we forget, Satan is the originator of self-righteousness (Isaiah 14:12-17), and reigns supreme in that area.

God says in Proverbs 6:16-19, “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

The New Living Translation (NLT) says it this way, “There are six things the LORD hates—no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.”

Did you happen to notice what God listed first? It was “pride,” which results in self-righteousness.

Pride was Satan’s downfall because he thought he could usurp control from God. At the very beginning of mankind, he convinced Eve that she could be like God. Her husband Adam fell for the same line and went along with their direct disobedience of God’s command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Because of their sin, God demonstrated to them and all of us that “… almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22) Innocent blood had to be shed, “For Adam also and for his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)

So clearly we are all born with a sin nature, and since only the blood of the innocent can redeem us from sin, we remain in our sin and need a Savior. Jesus Christ is the only one who can qualify to be our Savior. His innocent blood was shed in order that we may come to Him and be redeemed from the judgment of sin.

Coming to Jesus to be “born again” as He identifies it in John 3:3, is something that certainly cannot involve any self-righteousness on our part. If we attempt to add anything whatsoever to what He has provided for us by His sacrifice, we insult the God-head and are refused the very pardon we seek from God. We may come to Him with all of our ‘baggage,’ but we must come to Him with the clear understanding that salvation can only come from Jesus.

Let’s say that I invite a beggar in from the cold for a lavish meal, new clothes, a hot bath and a warm bed, explaining that all the expense is on me. That’s it. I have provided all they need to be full, clean and warm, but if they attempt in any way to pay for my generosity, the offer is cancelled. They will remain hungry and out in the cold.

People do this every day with regards to Jesus’ offer of salvation. We want to leave a tip for the meal, or we want to wash the dishes afterwards. We offer to do some kind of work to repay the generosity shown us, but what are we actually doing? We are attempting to lessen the value of the gift and to elevate our self to show worthiness on our part when there is no worthiness on our part.

If a beggar comes to me wearing clothes that need to be burned, reeking of body odor, not a penny to their name, and a lifestyle that is shameful, what exactly do they have to offer me? Nothing. But someone says, “I’m not like that. I have a good job, a nice place to live and good moral habits.” Oh really!

“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5)

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways:

And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:10-18)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)

We all need a Savior. We are all like the beggar. There is nothing we have to offer Jesus, but a willing heart of acceptance in HIS work on our behalf.

How ugly it must be to God when people come to Him trying to add something to the work Jesus did for us. Remember, even “our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Yet, there are those who try to add (for example) baptism, or joining a church, communion, ‘good’ deeds, dress codes, food and drink codes, etc., etc., etc.

I’ve witnessed Christians burden the unsaved with these, and other, acts of self-righteousness when witnessing to them about the Lord. That is wrong.

In short, Satan is telling the same old lie that we can be like God (Genesis 3:5). What do you think got him into trouble? He wanted to be like God (Isaiah 14:12-14). When we insert any part of self-righteousness in with His Holy righteousness, we are attempting to be like God. We must come to Him, leaving all the self-righteousness behind, and trust unequivocally in His righteousness to save us if we are lost and to help us grow as a Christian if we are His child.

Grant Phillips