Tis the Season …

By: Steve Huston

 

Today is Giving Tuesday! Please consider supporting this ministry with any size donation; it’s one way to show your gratitude for what we do. In like manner, we are grateful for each of you: reader, prayer warrior, and donor—regardless the size of gift. Thank you, each one. 

---

Tis the Season…

Crisp air, fluffy snowfalls, and the “magic” of Christmas—fireplaces ablaze, carols, and Hallmark movies to warm the heart—all these working together to ambush our heart and mind, as if to hold it hostage, until we either feel jolly or feel guilty for non-compliance.

But look around you; is it really the season to be jolly? Do we check our brain at the calendar’s door marked “December,” not giving a second thought to the dangers, destinations, and implications that face our country—and the world—because if we don’t we may be accused of being a “Grinch?”

There are a handful of enemies within and without that plague our nation and whose goal is our ultimate destruction. From without there are enemies on many fronts, several that are unrecognized or unacknowledged as enemies, some which are bold in their intentions, and others who are more coy but ready to pounce should the opportunity arise. There are enemies from within that occupy positions in our government, education, media, the church, and the list goes on ad nauseam. And what’s more dangerous than when the enemies within partner with those who are without? Let’s take a brief sampling from each.

Many fail to acknowledge that China has been subtly attacking the West; but who can deny that Beijing has boldly been attacking Hong Kong, a country espousing Western values, including those of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

China bullies American corporations to comply with their demands; but recently they’ve attempted to bully the U.S. government with not so veiled threats. Quoting from the Epoch Times, “Geng (China’s foreign ministry spokesperson) called on Washington to ‘immediately take measures to prevent this act (Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act) from becoming law.’ And if the United States does not stop ‘interfering’ in Hong Kong, Geng warned that ‘negative consequences will boomerang on itself’ and China would have to take ‘strong countermeasures to defend our national sovereignty, security, and development interests.’”

Gordon Chang is blunt regarding this “unrecognized” enemy: “What is the point of any agreement with China? We feel compelled to honor our obligations and Beijing usually does not. We should terminate every bilateral agreement with China and deal with Beijing on a transactional basis, in other words, in the same way Beijing deals with us.” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s following statement shows that China can neither be trusted, nor are they our friends: “They have been a country that’s stolen our stuff, taken intellectual property, forced companies that invested in China to transfer technology.” “They are making loans–I use that word loosely–to countries around the world that are unrepayable and then threatening foreclosure for political gain.” The latter in reference to China’s One Belt One Road infrastructure project aimed at building trade routes across Asia, Europe, and Africa.

We’ve covered the many inhumane atrocities and violations of religious liberty committed by China in the past; let this November 18 headline be a reminder: “China Gov Using Facial and Fingerprint Scanning on Christians as They Enter Church.”

Recognizing that China is an enemy with a fragile economy, corporate America shouldn’t be supporting or kowtowing to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which is China. Funding China through business deals and the pension monies of our military (Thrift Savings Plan) – those who have fought against communism and its global wrongful practices that define the Chinese government – is horrifically unthinkable. Roger Robinson has strongly warned that if we don’t get a handle on such things we’re done! The flow of money will make them all but unstoppable. When our own government, corporate America, and investors desire “Profit over Patriotism,” things look bleak, not jolly. When the squeeze is put on China and it affects our stocks, Wall Street hollers, we get anxious, and put pressure on the President to take the pressure off from China. We’d be wiser to think of the future in terms of freedom than solely in finances. If you aren’t familiar with these issues, listen to Roger Robinson here.

Turkey is another key player and should no longer be considered an ally. Is President Erdogan a friend or a foe? Can we trust what he says? By his own admission “Islam is Islam,” we know he desires to rule over a global caliphate, and on October 25 he declared, “Our God commands us to be violent towards the kuffar (infidels). Who are we? The ummah [nation] of Mohammed. So [God] also commands us to be merciful to each other. So we will be merciful to each other. And we will be violent to the kuffar. Like in Syria.” America is considered a “kuffar.”

The Wall Street Journal reported in October, “Turkey’s government used a Washington law firm to gather information about its critics, including residents of the U.S., who it believed were allied with a movement that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regards as a central enemy…” These things don’t exactly exude “Christmas spirit.”

Watching various global leaders (Erdogan, Xi, Jung-Un) and President Trump play cat and mouse with each other leaves one wondering whether to put them on the “naughty or nice” list. During meetings, President Trump seems to be “good friends” with many of this world’s leaders; but when they leave the table, they go their own way and do their own thing. Always trust a scorpion to be a scorpion.

Iran has never hid its feelings about the U.S. – “Destroy the great Satan.” They frequently are either assisted by or assisting our enemies around the world. (Russia, China, North Korea – look in the news and you’ll find them there.)

America’s enemies within are a much longer and perhaps even more dangerous list than those without. A people who are ideologically divided; have their history stolen from them, giving them a kind of socio/cultural/religious Alzheimer’s; and are pitted against each other and manipulated by ignorance and hate, won’t last long. Or as the Bible says, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Unless the ghost of Christmas Past and the ghost of Christmas Present deal with and awaken the “Ebeneezers” of our nation today, Christmas Future (death) awaits this great country.

It’s hard to be jolly when we recognize that we are a nation that applauds the murder of our young and the indoctrination toward sin should they escape the butcher’s knife. (Thank you Lord that there are many who are fighting against these evils.) This indoctrination comes from schools that push the LGBTQ agenda through Scholastic books, free-range bathroom/shower policies, free-choice pronouns, and early sex-ed classes that aim to sexualize our children before they are ready for such concepts. Add to this a government’s desire to increase the school day and a parent’s influence is even more greatly compromised.

Socialism is heralded on campuses across this nation while free speech is not only limited in scope and space but attacked as hate speech if it comes from a political or religious conservative point of view. Add to this media and entertainment bias and it’s a wonder we haven’t already gone under. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Sen. Warren (D-MA), and other Marxists have been busy attempting to push our nation into further socialism and attacking our First and Second Amendments.

The following enemies of this nation deserve coal in their stockings this year (oops, being a fossil fuel, it’s a no-no). All those involved in the impeachment process whose only goal is to unseat a lawfully elected president. These people have done nothing productive for the last three years because they’ve been too busy bullying the president and his base. Those who attack our national sovereignty by promoting sanctuary cities and states, “handcuffing” our ICE agents, and fiscally ruining America by denying rights to veterans while funding all the needs of the “illegals.”

The Muslim Brotherhood is another enemy from within, because we have given them access and foolishly elected some of them into office. They are making every effort to fundamentally change the landscape and course of America. USMCO (US Council of Muslim Organizations) in their One America Campaign are pushing the following directives: National Voter Registration Drive, Muslim Political Empowerment, and National Open Mosque Day.

Again, this is not a complete list; but to some, the very thought of these things can leave them completely undone. How can this be a season of cheer when the landscape looks so drear?

Even with all the aforementioned, Jesus IS the reason for the season. It’s because of all the bad that surrounds us that we should be all the more thankful for God’s great gift of grace—Jesus—Who brought with Him salvation and sanctification, holiness and hope (Titus 2). Let us stay focused on Him.

We may not recognize our enemies, but we must recognize that our hope and joy isn’t in any government, ideology, or even in any man. It’s in THE man, the One that God has sent, Jesus. Isaiah 9:6 reads, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Looking at it from this vantage point, the Christian can find joy all year long; and in a very real sense he/she has every right to be happy, as well, when we consider that our life IN Christ is our real happenstance.

---

To support our efforts please click here or mail your gift to American Decency Association (ADA), PO Box 202, Fremont, MI 49412.

American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

To Unsubscribe send an email to: info@americandecency.org and include word “unsubscribe” in subject line.

 

---