“Change We Can Believe In”

“Change We Can Believe In”
By William Bowmer /Wednesday, November 05, 2008

A historic election season in the United States has come to a close, and the nation has selected a new leader who energized the hopes and dreams of millions with his vision for America, epitomized in his slogan: “Change We Can Believe In.”

President-elect Barack Obama will soon take office as the chief executive of a country that, despite its severe economic and social troubles, is still widely considered the world’s only “superpower.” How should Christians react to his election?

First and foremost, Christians should be praying for their President. The Apostle Paul wrote: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1–2).

Christians, considering themselves “aliens and pilgrims” in this world, with their true citizenship in heaven (1 Chronicles 29:15; Philippians 3:20), do not participate in worldly politics (see Dr. Roderick C. Meredith’s article, “How Would Jesus Vote for President?”). However, Scripture reveals that it is God who made Senator Obama’s victory possible, and that he will be ruling with God’s consent (Romans 13).

In the weeks ahead, we can expect to see various overwrought reactions to this election. Many harbor unrealistic expectations of imminent peace and prosperity, and we must wonder how they will handle their inevitable disappointment. At the other extreme, some view the newly elected President as essentially un-American, and wonder whether he will play a role in bringing an end to the United States of America as we now know it.

We should remember that many expressed similar feelings when George W. Bush was elected. Political partisans often overestimate the damage their opponents can do. Yes, this present age will indeed come to an end soon—but not because of George W. Bush or Barack H. Obama. God is more powerful than any human ruler, and Christians should trust that God is in charge and will continue to use world affairs to bring about His purpose. If you have not already done so, read our free booklet Prophecy Fulfilled: God’s Hand in World Affairs, to see how God has been carrying out His plan on Earth since long before Barack Obama was even born.

What of the slogan: “Change We Can Believe In”? Notice what the book of Proverbs says about change: “My son, fear the Lord and the king; do not associate with those given to change” (Proverbs 24:21, NKJV). Is that verse an indictment of the slogan? Not quite. Look at how the verse is rendered in one modern English translation: “My children, you must respect the Lord and the king, and you must not make friends with anyone who rebels against either of them” (Proverbs 24:21, Contemporary English Version).

No, Christians are not to rebel against the rulers of their nations, nor to befriend such rebels. However, this verse also makes it clear that Christians must not associate closely with those who rebel against God. Though some around us may put the new President on a pedestal, overestimating what he can do—for good or for evil—to change the nation, we should be careful to avoid such idolizing of a man. Christians seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33), and look forward to the establishment of that literal Kingdom here on this Earth at Jesus Christ’s return. Christians place their ultimate hope not on any human agent of change, but on a God who does not change (Malachi 3:6).

Change, however, is the destiny of every human being who accepts Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, and through the Holy Spirit lives a life of obedience to God and His ways. What will happen at the trumpet blast upon Jesus Christ’s second coming? That is when “the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” (1 Corinthians 15:52–54).

That is the destiny of those whom Christ is calling today. That is change we can believe in!

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I used to believe it was a sin to vote, as Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God so taught. Now I know better, having lived and learned and prayerfully written about it. It's also grievous to see a Church of God article miserably fail to address what the Bible says about our Israelite peoples empowering Gentiles to rule over us. Perhaps they're afraid of being politically incorrect or have been too infected by its poison to preach the PLAIN TRUTH of this matter. If I don't, who will?

Race Matters

Black Day in America: Obama Wins, America Loses

Obama is illegitimate!

We The People - Stand up or get stomped on!


Separation of Church and State? Says Who?
God calls upon our Israelite family of nations to RESTORE HIS LAW AND ORDER, and we'll receive blessing to the degree we love and obey and He will bless our NATIONAL EFFORTS that reflect national repentance, learning to go by God's Word as LAW, trusting in His wisdom, rather than leaning to our own understanding with all our different political parties of men.

God's One Government Has Two Branches!
The Sabbath-keeping Church of God (that remains faithful to the plain truth of the Bible that Herbert W. Armstrong taught) has heard a lot about government, but many seem to have forgotten that God's ONE government has TWO branches: Church (Priest) and State (King).

Should Christians Judge?
All judgment must be tempered with mercy. Jesus clearly taught that we can see others imperfections (the "mote" in their eye) and help to remove it once we have first gotten the "beam" out of our own eye. The purpose is to help and not hurt: constructive criticism, not self-righteousness or sinister motivations.

Onward Christian Soldiers!
Why did ancient Israel have an army? Was it because they didn't have faith? Did they believe in themselves instead of trusting God? Did they insist on fighting their own battles, rather than let God wage war for them?

www.davidbenariel.org

Race and Religion

Excerpts from a frank discussion about race and religion by two Church of God members - a sister in the Lord and myself - who prove when "iron sharpens iron" a few sparks will fly!

Sister's comments appear in black, and my responses in blue (sounds like a bruise, but "faithful are the wounds of a friend")...

Race Matters
"It seems evident that the resurrected Noah will head a vast project of the relocation of the races and nations, within the boundaries God has set, for their own best good, happiness and richest blessings. This will be a tremendous operation. It will require great and vast organization, reinforced with power to move whole nations and races. This time, peoples and nations will move where God has planned for them, and no defiance will be tolerated" (Herbert W. Armstrong).

...I also agree that God ORIGINALLY placed Blacks in Africa, Asians in Asia, AND THE AMERICAN INDIANS on this continent! If WE had obeyed God we would have stayed in Europe and the Nation of Judah today and left all the other races where God put them. We did NOT!

That's not true, at all. God also permitted the Canaanites to dwell in the Land for so long, and then when it came time for prophecy to be fulfilled, He sent Israel there to claim it - same goes for the White Israelites coming to America. It was all foretold to be part of our inheritance from the beginning - and the Scriptures show God placed other nations according to His purpose for the Israelites and Jews, and that we would have slaves, "hewers of wood and drawers of water."

How could the Blacks move back to Africa and get their own lands when the Israelites were already there colonizing it and using Blacks as slaves to work their coffee plantations. We brought them here, they did come of their own free will, thus we have to deal with them now.

As a black brother told me, the same God who sent Joseph into slavery sent the black people here in slavery - so they can get educated, blessed by Joseph, and return with an advantage over others in Africa, to rule there, to properly manage Africa.

You show you don't know much about slavery, since the slaves came from certain areas - sold by other black tribes to white and Arab slave traders - and God gave those lands and peoples (yes, peoples) to the Israelites as part of prophecy and our inheritance.

God's intention was that we become a model nation that everyone else would want to emulate. We were to treat all people fairly and with compassion and if he happened to be our servant, remembering that he is worthy of his hire. We failed miserably as God knew full well we would.

You forget that the model nation was to include, at least for a time, as it will in the future under Christ, SLAVES - servants - and that those nations who refuse to serve us are to be destroyed! It's in Isaiah and elsewhere.

Not all slaves/servants were mistreated. Compared to other nations, including black on black violence and tribal fighting in Africa, the white Israelites have been angels and we outlawed slavery before the blacks in Africa did who enslaved each other and still go after each others' throats!

In the meantime, since you have received a higher calling you should know better than to just go around pissing people off when they cannot understand the things that we do!

They can understand or God wouldn't be holding them accountable. God opens the doors and offers space for repentance before slamming it shut and condemning them. Didn't Jesus and the Prophets and the apostles go around angering folks who didn't want to be disturbed by the plain truth? Did they worry about what the world thought of them or seek to please God? Didn't Jesus say He came to cause division? Didn't He anger the Herodians, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Romans, the Jews, the Gentiles, His own followers, etc? THINK about it.

David, you have been given much grace and compassion by God for your repentance from past sins. No need to get specific, but have you considered that you might better serve our Savior by witnessing to other homosexuals with AIDS?

I prayerfully know what God would have me do, and it includes speaking the plain truth about homosexuality and about the RACES and many other issues of this day - if the Church of God is afraid or too timid to speak the truth, and clarify the issues, and explain the cause and the effect of all these things, due to PC cultic shackles (and that's what it is), fearful and unbelieving to go forth and tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, who will? Yet you denied your forum this opportunity to question and answer these issues about race, slavery, etc.

Scarlet Letter: A Christian With AIDS

God and the Gays

Diversity Demands: Segregate Now!

You come across as a very angry man, David and as Christians knowing what we know there is absolutely NO NEED to be so angry. God IS in control and as Daniel says:

. .the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever, he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Yes, and Jesus appeared quite angry knocking over tables and chairs and driving both men and cattle out of the Temple courtyards with a WHIP IN HIS HAND, didn't He? And when He denounced the Pharisees with SEVEN WOES, and Stephen when he blasted the Sanhedrin, etc. God was in control then too, and that's why Jesus and Stephen and others weren't afraid - while others cowered - to preach the plain truth. They had righteous indignation, and knew how to get angry and sin not, as Ezekiel also says to "smite with your hand and stamp with your foot" (appear foot-stomping mad!) over all the sins (and coming consequences) of our peoples.

Is the Plain Truth Too Strong?

And there is nothing we can do about it, except Repent of our personal sins. But the final hope is:

Dan 7:18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

What some of us can do, and others support - not nip at our heels - is to cry aloud and spare not and show my people their sins, and explain cause and effect (Dan. 9:11), which is part of our personal repentance since the Church is failing to get the Word out to the general public in the way it needs to go. Those who rule with but under Christ won't be ashamed or afraid to teach or enforce the Law of God and explain it to folks as the solution to all mankind's problems.

For Zion's Sake,

David
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I think how you closed your last Email to me is very telling.

We were both taught the same facts in WCG but we seem to come to quite different conclusions.

Yes, Jesus was very angry when he went after the temple leaders with a whip. But who was he mad at? The Gentiles? The Ishmaelites? The Edomites? The Ethiopians? NO! He was mad at the Israelites!

His focus was on the Family of Jacob-Israel. Yeshua was mad at the only people He said He was sent to - the religious leaders of the Jews, just like He would rip into our professing Christian leaders today, and some of our leaders even in the professing Church of God.

Do You Prefer TRADITION Over Truth?

Will the Church of God Welcome the Two Witnesses?

If the Gentile peoples treated their slaves worse than we did, they had/have a good excuse! They don't know any better and Israel missed their opportunity to teach them better.

Please. Some would say that is "racist" and condescending, since common sense and even human decency teach otherwise, as nature bears witness (without the Bible) as Romans teaches. The Gentiles were given the Bible by Israelites and they, like every Israelite, will be held accountable for what they did with it - not what others failed to do with it.

The Church of God Must Warn the World!

Israel and Judah Must Get House in Order Before King Messiah Arrives

We do not have a mandate any longer to ship people of color or any Gentiles back where they came from. Like them, OUR sins are the reason they are rising up against US.

Part of our necessary national repentance is to call for the right thing to be done, which is to encourage blacks to return to Africa. I have NEVER said to ship them to Africa and have ALWAYS called for voluntary repatriation.

Black to Africa: Facing the Crisis in Black America

Chocolate Continent Awaits the Great Black Return!

It is not that I am afraid of the truth, I AM afraid of just including the parts that are favorable to us and ignoring the rest. This seems to be an Israelite tendency!

Then you haven't read my articles carefully, because I say very loud and clear it is precisely because of our Israelite sins that the Gentiles are getting uppity and dangerous. How did you miss that?

So before you go around advocating that we blow up Muslim mosques, maybe you had better start with considering the PLAIN Truth about Israel! The OTHER side of the equation!

Blow Up the Mosques or An Expired Visa?

A House of Prayer For All Peoples?

I just answered that, and part of our national sins we must repent of is clearing the land of pagan shrines, especially upon the TEMPLE Mount, an insult to God and His People. How can you fail to recognize this fact? Are you so removed from our Hebrew roots and Land of Israel or think you're more spiritual now than the Law and the Prophets that demand these things?

Once you understand these things, you'll agree that I am giving the OTHER side of the equation that clearly too many remain willfully and/or woefully ignorant of.

I see you also didn't get what "For Zion's Sake" means, otherwise you would know and understand that when we are for Zion, physically and spiritually, we are for God the Father, Jesus Christ and Israel - who are beloved for the fathers' (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) sakes, as the Scripture testifies:

Isaiah 62:

1 For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
And her salvation as a lamp that burns.
2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name,
Which the mouth of the LORD will name.
3 You shall also be a crown of glory
In the hand of the LORD,
And a royal diadem
In the hand of your God.
4 You shall no longer be termed Forsaken,
Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate;
But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah;
For the LORD delights in you,
And your land shall be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin,
So shall your sons marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So shall your God rejoice over you.
6 I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent,
7 And give Him no rest till He establishes
And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
8 The LORD has sworn by His right hand
And by the arm of His strength:

“ Surely I will no longer give your grain
As food for your enemies;
And the sons of the foreigner shall not drink your new wine,
For which you have labored.
9 But those who have gathered it shall eat it,
And praise the LORD;
Those who have brought it together shall drink it in My holy courts.”
10 Go through,
Go through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people;
Build up,
Build up the highway!
Take out the stones,
Lift up a banner for the peoples!
11 Indeed the LORD has proclaimed
To the end of the world:

“ Say to the daughter of Zion,

‘ Surely your salvation is coming;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.’”
12 And they shall call them The Holy People,
The Redeemed of the LORD;
And you shall be called Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.

Love,
David (a physical Israelite and spiritual Jew)

The Great Mideast Commission: Reaching the Cities of Judah