LEARNING DAILY

2 Chronicles 7:14, Then if my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (NLT)

If there is ever a time for God’s people to humble themselves, pray, and seek God it is today. The times we are living in are interesting, to say the least. Pastor Ed Newton began his message today with this verse and made some statements about these times specifically what we are all seeing in Minnesota. His emphasis was on the God of heaven, Jehovah Jireh, El Elohim (Creator, Preserver, Mighty, and Strong), El Shaddai (God Almighty, All Sufficient), and Adonai (Lord or Master). His name is not Buddha, Allah, or Mohammad.  Our affiliation is not with a donkey or an elephant; it is with the Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah!

He then spoke on some principles for Believers (specifically Community Bible Church) should live by as found in God’s Word. First, he said, “All people – including the protestors and the ICE agents – are made in the image of God. All attempts to dehumanize, villainize, and demonize people comes straight from the pit of hell.” There have been many who would try to get their point of view across by trying to make the other side appear to be less than human.

Second, Pastor Newton stated, “When two people lose their lives, we cannot allow social media nor news outlets cause the loss of life to be manipulated unto a story that causes us to find ourselves holding our positions over those who weep and grieve. Families have lost loved ones who will not be sitting down at the table anymore. Whether you agree or disagree about what happened, we must recognize that life is precious in God’s eyes.”

Third, Pastor said, “Scripture commands that we must be respectful and prayerful of government entities and individuals who have been commissioned by officials from the national, state, and local levels. Whether you agree or not, God’s Word tells Believers to pray for them and to honor their role and responsibility – it does not negate accountability. No one is above the law! However, when we watch protesters who seek to break the law in trying to prevent those upholding the law, they cannot demand justice while causing injustice. There must be respect for law and order. Therefore, accountability for all people is a primary message of God’s Word. Nobody is above being held accountable.”

Fourth, “Not all migrants are terrorists, gangsters, murderers, pedophiles, and rapists; we cannot put all immigrants into these categories. This nation was built on immigration. This nation becomes better when people come here, seeking a better life. However, the laws of this nation must be respected.” (Acts 17:26 emphasizes God’s sovereignty over nations and their borders, suggesting His authority is involved in the establishment and protection of a nation’s borders.) This does not mean open border and allowing everyone to come across the border. Pastor suggested there is a lawful process, a proper way to come into this nation. It is not about keeping good people out; it is about keeping out those who would come here to do damage to our nation and hurt people. He suggested to ask ourselves why we live in gated communities, have a fence around our property, or have a ring doorbell at our front door.

Fifth, Pastor explained that Jesus was not an immigrant. He moved into Egypt and around Israel because the Roman Empire controlled the entire world. If Jesus had moved across borders illegally, He would have committed sin, which would have eliminated Him as Savior of the world.

Last, Pastor addressed sanctuary cities. Yes, “they are biblical, but in a different context. Biblically, they were an arrangement for one who accidentally took the life of another. They would go to a sanctuary city to be protected from that family member who wanted an “eye for an eye”. The person would go to the sanctuary city to guarantee the opportunity to go through the legal system to determine guilt or innocence. The sanctuary cities were not designed to harbor and protect criminals or those fleeing from the law.

Sorry for the length. I just wanted to share this perspective with you as you watch and listen to the news or read social media.