APN Prayer and Praise Update

Dear Friends,

You’ve all read and perhaps even commented on the Supreme Court’s rulings of last week. But if I may, I’d like to make a brief summary, draw some conclusions and express some concerns as to a very concerning predominant response I’m seeing by most Christian leaders in America. NOTE:  I strongly encourage you to listen to our Stand in the Gap Today radio program of June 30 as David Kistler and I dealt with some of these key considerations. This program was unique and I know will be very much worth your time. https://americanpastorsnetwork.net/resources/

A Summary: Without question, between the SCOTUS decision on Obamacare and then Marriage, two critical things happened: 1) The Constitution and the Rule of Law were trashed. In both cases as eloquently stated by the dissenting Justices, the Court had NO Constitutional jurisdiction to rule as they did in either case. The majority in both cases violated their oath of office, trampled the separation of Powers, trashed the Constitution and ruled not as justices upholding justice, but attempted to make law as politically driven renegades. 2) God Himself and His Moral law was arrogantly and defiantly rejected particularly in the Marriage Opinion. The implications of making a ruling on the definition of marriage established by God Himself and recognized for millennia by civilizations past and present, by defiantly redefining what God Himself defined, and choosing to negate the vote of state legislatures and citizens across the nation are more than dangerous. It is perhaps even fatal for our republican form of government. I note however that these  decisions did not mark the beginning of a new chapter of egregious actions by the highest court but an exclamation point at the end of a lengthy book being written by numerous courts under numerous administrations over nearly a generation!

     A Brief Conclusion: To understand what the Court has done several things must be noted:  1) The SCOTUS majority rendered a Judicial OPINION.  They did not nor can they make LAW.  How we as Americans (citizens and states alike) respond to this ‘opinion’ is critical; 2) Their opinion violated Moral Law and Constitutional law; 3) Their opinion while having the ‘color’ of law may be ‘legal’, but it is in no case ‘lawful’.

Major Concerns:  Since this SCOTUS opinion on marriage was rendered, there has been a great deal of angst realized and expressed privately by pastors and Christian organizations across America. I have been part of private phone conferences as well as conducting updates and conferences this week for scores of pastors at a time. I have received emails from groups and pastors from across the country and I am concerned about what I am seeing.

My concern is two-fold1) By continuing to pursue failed human political strategizing on how to fight back against ungodly court rulings and government regulations, we will only encourage God’s judgment. I know this is a bold statement, but bear with me. I fear that most people are falling into the trap of speaking about and encouraging ‘civil disobedience’, defiance, marches and protests and making the lead strategy more like the days of the civil rights movement than what God expects at such a time. God expects now and always – repentance and biblical obedience. At APN, we are urging that all those who uphold God’s Moral Law and the Constitution think, speak, and act first and foremost with the goal of being biblically obedient. Our responsibility as preachers is to preach the Word of God. We know that our nation perishes because of a ‘lack of knowledge’ of God’s Word. We don’t need more political or human strategy. We need obedience to God’s commands.

While we may at some point be forced to disobey a government ‘opinion’ or ‘law’, we must lead with and die with a commitment, not to civil disobedience or rebellious strategy but with full commitment to God and His truth. Like Shadrach, Meshech, and Obedneggo, we must be prepared to step into the flames if so be before we ever bow the knee in worship of or allegiance to the gods of this world. We must be prepared to disobey the ‘king’ and die for the King of Kings, but we must focus more on obedient living for the King of Kings.

2) I am concerned that too many organizations are ‘using’ this circumstance to primarily angle for more donations to ‘continue the fight’ and I believe perhaps inadvertently direct attention away from the spiritual consideration to the human strategy. While all of our organizations need funds and I’ve spoken in the past about it, we must be very careful to make sure that our true motives are obedience.   My Stand in the Gap Minute program that will air next week speaks to these issues:  Title: “Watch out for those who Sneak About”    https://americanpastorsnetwork.net/resources/   May God help us all to respond Biblically in these days.

Stand in the Gap Today Radio Program Update: According to recent polls, most Americans have NO idea of the real meaning of the 4th of July. On our Stand in the Gap Today radio program, we dealt with the real meaning yesterday, July 3. You can find this program here: https://americanpastorsnetwork.net/resources/  In this program I presented two short statements that I believe sum of my thoughts on this issue: 1)  “The 4th Of July is not a mere celebration of an event(like a birthday). It is the observance of a sacred intent.”

2) The door of freedom swings on the hinges of the fear of God and is oiled by the preaching of men of God!”   We sit here today as beneficiaries of the hard work and deep understanding of men of God, in the pulpit, in government, and in the home. We sit here today watching it all flee away not because there is nothing we can do about it, but because we refuse to know and do what God says. May God help us all to kneel down, stand up, and press on.

God bless you all.
Sam

2 replies
  1. W. Doyle Bell
    W. Doyle Bell says:

    Sam,
    Thanks for your analysis on the topics of concern for the day. I concur with your well-expressed thoughts. Let’s be the people of God, living in surrender to His Word, Will, and Ways in all things.

    Reply
  2. Theresa Leitold, M.E.V.
    Theresa Leitold, M.E.V. says:

    I think we should have an uprising to get Roe v. Wade overturned and to get same-sex marriage overturned. The people do not want it!!! This is what happened in Mexico when the Cristero Rebellion was in effect a century ago.

    We have to be strong and not let 5 judges rule our country to be against God’s law’s. Obama put them in and in 1973 another president put them in.

    A young boy named Jose Sanchez del Rio fought in the war and became a martyr defending Christ.

    I think that is what we should have to get back the laws of Christ in our country.

    In a world where political correctness is abound, I don’t think there is any other way!!!

    Reply

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