Without the resurrection, Christianity collapses. It’s that simple.

The Apostle Paul said it plainly in 1 Corinthians 15:17: “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” Everything we believe hinges on this one truth: Jesus did not remain in the grave. On the third day, He rose again, proving beyond any doubt that He is the Son of God and that His sacrifice for our sins was accepted by the Father.

Because Jesus lives, we don’t just have hope; we have freedom.

Christmas celebrates His miraculous birth, but the resurrection confirms His unequivocal victory. When Christ walked out of the tomb, He defeated sin, death, and the power of the enemy once and for all.

Romans 6:9 declares, “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.” Death could not hold Him, and because of what He accomplished, it no longer has the final word for those who believe.

But the resurrection was not only about what happened to Jesus. It forever changed what is possible for every believer.

Romans 8:11 says, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Let that sink in. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives inside every person who has placed their faith in Him.

That truth changes everything.

Through Jesus Christ, we are no longer bound by sin, shame, or condemnation. We have been given a new life and a new identity. Jesus said in John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” That kind of freedom doesn’t come from the government. It comes from the finished work of Christ. And no man can take it away.

This freedom begins in the heart, but it also has real implications for how believers live in the world.

For generations, believers in the United States have enjoyed the freedom to gather, worship openly, and proclaim the Gospel without fear. The founders of this nation recognized the importance of protecting the free exercise of faith. They understood that when people are free to follow God according to their conscience, society flourishes.

But recent years have reminded us how important it is to remain vigilant in protecting these freedoms.

During the COVID pandemic, churches across the country were told to shut down while ungodly businesses like marijuana dispensaries were deemed “essential.” Pastors faced fines, threats, and even arrest simply for opening their church doors.

Those events were a wake-up call. Religious freedom is precious, and it should never be taken for granted.

As Christians, we should never respond in fear. Jesus already secured the ultimate victory through His resurrection. But we should remain watchful, willing to stand for the freedoms that allow the Gospel to be preached unhindered.

This is why ministries like Truth & Liberty are so important. Truth & Liberty works to educate and encourage believers to stand for biblical truth and protect the freedom to live out their faith in the public square.

Protecting religious liberty is not simply about defending a constitutional right. It is about ensuring that future generations can freely hear and respond to the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel transforms lives. It restores families, heals broken hearts, and brings hope where there was only despair. When believers are free to proclaim that message, communities are strengthened, and nations are blessed.

The resurrection is the reason this message carries such power.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He demonstrated that no earthly authority could stop the plan of God. Empires have risen and fallen, but the Gospel continues to advance because it carries the power of the risen Christ.

That same power is still at work today.

Resurrection Sunday is not only a time to celebrate what Jesus accomplished two thousand years ago. It is also a reminder that the freedom He purchased for us should never be taken lightly.

Because He lives, we have victory over sin.
Because He lives, we have the promise of eternal life.
And because He lives, the message of the Gospel must continue to be proclaimed boldly.

His resurrection is the foundation of our freedom.

And when you truly understand the power of the resurrection, you will never live in fear again—you will live in the freedom Jesus already purchased for you.

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God is a God of order. He separated light from darkness, land from sea, and determined the times and boundaries of nations (Acts 17:26). Borders are not man’s invention; they are God’s design. The Law of Moses confirms this: Israel was a defined nation with defined borders (Num. 34). Even the category of “foreigner” or “stranger” (Ex. 12:49) shows that not everyone belonged to Israel in the same way. Distinction was not injustice or “xenophobia,” as they call it today; it was clarity and part of divine order.

A nation without borders is not compassionate. It is chaotic.

America has been uniquely blessed because it has operated under laws rooted in biblical principles. Legal immigration has allowed people from all over the world to come, contribute, and prosper under freedom. It honors both opportunity and order. But illegal immigration undermines both.

God has always expected His people to care for the stranger (Deut. 24:19–22) and love the foreigner as themselves (Lev. 19:34). But compassion never meant the undoing of the law. Under the Old Covenant, the same Law that protected foreigners also required them to live under its authority (Num. 15:16). This is the balance the world has forgotten: mercy and justice are supposed to walk together (Ps. 85:10). It’s not “either/or”; it’s “both/and.”

Government exists to restrain evil and protect those who do right (Rom. 13:1-4). When leaders refuse to enforce immigration law, they are not being compassionate—they are neglecting their God-given responsibility.

And we must speak plainly what many are afraid to say: it is unjust to put the rights of people who entered this country illegally above the rights of citizens who have been victims of violent crimes committed by them. That’s not rocket science; it’s common sense. But many would argue it’s hateful to say something like that.

I have seen media stories that focus on the hardships of the offender—their childhood, their struggles, their circumstances. And yes, every person has a story. Every person is made in the image of God. But what about the innocent victim? What about the family whose daughter will never come home again?

Compassion that forgets the victim is not biblical compassion.

God is merciful, but He is also just. Mercy never eliminates accountability. When public policy shields lawbreakers while ignoring the suffering of law-abiding citizens, something is backward. A nation’s first responsibility is to protect its people.

No government can prevent every crime. But when individuals who should never have been in the country commit violent acts after leaders knowingly refused to enforce the law, that is preventable tragedy. It is not compassion to ignore the law. It is not loving to create policies that increase danger for innocent families.

Justice begins with protecting the innocent.

This is not about hostility toward immigrants. Many legal immigrants embody the very values that made America strong—faith, hard work, personal responsibility, and gratitude for freedom. They followed the process. They honored the law. It is unjust to treat their obedience as irrelevant while treating unlawful entry as morally neutral.

Law is not oppression. It is protection.

Without law, only the powerful prevail. Cartels thrive. Trafficking increases. Drugs flow freely. Communities suffer. And the most vulnerable—the very people Scripture commands us to protect—bear the heaviest burden of disorder. Open-border ideology may sound compassionate, but it produces chaos. And chaos always harms the innocent.

There is also a deeper issue at stake: national identity. America is not just an economy. It is a nation built on biblical influence, individual liberty, and constitutional self-government. Mass illegal immigration without accountability weakens our national unity.

We should welcome those who desire to join the American experiment. But joining requires embracing its foundational principles—freedom under God, equal justice under law, and government by consent of the governed.

We can be compassionate and enforce the law. We can minister to immigrants and continue to preach the Gospel while securing the border. We can offer legal pathways while removing violent offenders.

But we cannot continue in confusion.

A nation that refuses to govern itself will eventually lose the ability to do so. If we want to preserve freedom for future generations, we must restore order today. This is not about politics. It is about principle.

As Scripture reminds us, we are to hate what’s evil, love what’s good, and establish God’s kind of justice in our land (Amos 5:15), because true compassion can only thrive when justice and order are preserved.Top of Form

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Throughout Scripture, God uses times of shaking to wake people up. When systems fail and leaders are exposed, people begin asking questions they were never willing to ask before. That’s not accidental. The Bible tells us plainly that God allows shaking so that what cannot be shaken will remain (Hebrews 12:27).

In the documentary Hope for the Future, I share what God told me concerning the Third Great Awakening. This is not just a historical label; it is a present reality. It is a time when truth is rising, deception is being exposed, and the Church is being called to engage again with clarity and courage.

What we are seeing today in places like Venezuela and Iran fits that pattern.

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Shaking Exposes False Foundations

In Venezuela, years of centralized power, corruption, and economic collapse have brought deep suffering. Promises were made, but the fruit has been shortages, poverty, and oppression. A government that tries to force economic equality through control and wealth redistribution doesn’t create fairness and prosperity; it creates ruin.

Some on the left have criticized President Trump for taking the Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, into custody for his transnational crimes, but Venezuelans around the world have celebrated in the streets. When that kind of system begins to fall apart, people don’t respond with confusion—they respond with relief.

The Bible says that when the wicked rule, the people mourn; but when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice (Proverbs 29:2). And that’s exactly what we’re seeing. Rejoicing doesn’t mean everything is fixed, but it means hope has returned.

In Iran, the shaking looks different but flows from the same root problem. A political system, like Iran’s Islamic theocracy, which forces people to obey religious law, has confused power with truth. When belief is compelled rather than chosen, it does not produce faith—it produces resentment and spiritual hunger.

It’s important to be clear here: the god of Islam is not the same as the true and living God of the Bible. And biblical Christianity is not about submission to religious law. It is about reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. When Christ is removed and replaced with control, people are left empty, not transformed.

And when false foundations begin to crack—whether political or religious—people start searching for something real.

Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). He did not say systems would make people free. He did not say governments would make people free. Truth is what brings freedom.

The Third Great Awakening is not driven by emotion, crowds, or politics. It is driven by clarity. Lies are losing their power because truth is being seen more clearly.

When false systems collapse, people are faced with a choice: look for another human solution or turn toward God’s truth. That moment of decision is where awakening begins.

Government Can Restrain Evil — but It Cannot Redeem

The Bible teaches that government has a legitimate role. Romans 13:3-4 tells us that authority exists to restrain evil. When corruption, criminal enterprise, and oppression are confronted, we see this restraint in action.

But government has limits. It cannot change hearts, produce repentance, or create righteousness.

Political change may alter circumstances, but only God transforms people. Any awakening that depends on policy alone will fade. The Third Great Awakening depends on a return to truth.

Awakening Begins With God’s People

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, it does not say nations are healed when leaders change. It says healing comes when God’s people humble themselves, pray, and turn back to Him.

Awakening does not start in capitals or courts. It starts in hearts. It grows as believers begin to think biblically, live faithfully, and speak truth without fear.

What we are seeing in Venezuela, Iran, and around the world should not lead believers to panic or speculation. It should lead us to discernment.

God is not absent in times of shaking. He is at work. As false systems weaken and long-held deceptions are exposed, people are becoming open in ways they were not before.

We should pray for the people of Venezuela and Iran—not just for political stability, but for truth to take root, for hearts to turn toward God, and for the Church in those nations to be strengthened and protected. Pray that fear would lose its grip, that deception would be exposed, and that many would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord.

God loves the people of every nation. He sees their suffering, hears their cries, and is drawing people to Himself even now. As part of the Third Great Awakening, we have the privilege and responsibility to stand in faith and pray for what God wants to do next.

If the Church will see clearly, stand confidently, and stay anchored in Scripture, then what looks like uncertainty to the world may become one of the greatest opportunities we have ever known.

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The scripture I want to begin with is Luke 10:19, where Jesus said, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” That wasn’t a suggestion. It wasn’t a metaphor. It was a statement of fact about who we are and what we possess in Christ. If Jesus said He gave us authority over all the power of the enemy, then whatever the enemy is doing in your life, your family, your church, or even your community isn’t happening because Satan is stronger. It’s happening because God’s people have not taken their authority and resisted him.

The truth is, authority works only when it’s exercised. You can own the deed to land and still never step on it. You can have the keys to a car and still never drive it. And you can have spiritual authority and still live as though you don’t, because you never act on what God has already given. That’s where many Christians find themselves. They love the Lord, but they do not understand the power He placed inside them the moment they were born again.

A new year is a good time to settle this issue. You don’t need more power from God. You need more confidence in what He has already invested in you. The enemy has worked overtime to convince believers they are weak, small, and helpless in a world that is spinning out of control. But that is not the picture the Bible paints. Scripture says the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. That means you are not a victim of circumstance. You are not at the mercy of whatever the government does or doesn’t do. You are not powerless against the cultural confusion that surrounds us.

One of the greatest misconceptions in the body of Christ is the idea that God’s will happens automatically. People think if God wants something done, He’ll just sovereignly do it. But the Bible teaches that God works through His people. James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Resist means “to stand against.” That’s something you have to do. God won’t resist the devil for you. He gave that authority to you.

[READ: BELIEVER’S AUTHORITY]

This isn’t only about spiritual warfare in our personal lives. It includes how we influence our culture. When Christians stay silent, darkness advances by default. When we step forward in faith, darkness retreats. Too many believers think their involvement doesn’t matter. They assume someone else will speak up, vote, lead, or take action. But authority doesn’t work by proxy. If you abdicate what God gave you, the enemy will gladly fill the void.

Some people say, “Well, Andrew, I’m just trying to keep my head down and stay out of politics.” But issues like truth, marriage, children, life, and morality are not political issues—they are biblical ones. When the Church withdraws, it isn’t neutrality. It’s surrender. We can’t pray for God to heal our land and then ignore the places where He expects us to take a stand. Authority must be exercised in the home, in the church, in the community, and yes, even in civil government. That doesn’t mean we become angry or combative. It means we walk in the boldness and clarity God has already provided.

So, how do you renew your authority this year?

First, settle the Word of God in your heart. Stop approaching Scripture as optional advice. The Word is the final authority in all matters of life and culture. If you don’t know what God has said, you won’t act with conviction.

Second, agree with God instead of your feelings or circumstances. Authority flows when we believe the truth more than the lies of the enemy or the headlines of the day.

Third, start acting on the authority you’ve been given. Pray with confidence. Speak the truth in love. Step into the needs around you. Don’t wait for someone else to fix the problems God is calling you to address.

Finally, don’t underestimate what God can do through your faithful obedience. You may think your influence is small, but that’s never how the kingdom works. When believers use their authority, strongholds crumble, families strengthen, churches awaken, and even entire communities shift.

As we enter 2026, I want to challenge you: don’t carry yesterday’s passivity into a new year. Jesus has empowered you to tread on all the power of the enemy. The world needs a Church that knows its identity and refuses to be intimidated. This is your moment to step forward. Believe what God has said. Act on it. And watch what He will do through you.

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It’s all an attempt by Satan to shame Christians and drive them into the shadows. We saw this during the COVID pandemic when governors in certain states closed down churches, deeming them to be non-essential. Yet, liquor stores, marijuana shops, and nightclubs were allowed to stay open. In California, they went as far as telling churches they could meet, but people weren’t allowed to worship with singing. Some Christians, citing religious objections, lost their jobs and were even discharged from the military because they refused to take an experimental vaccine. That’s just terrible!

Since then, we have seen the federal government arrest and prosecute people for praying in front of abortion clinics. Christian student groups were persecuted on college campuses because they weren’t inclusive. State adoption agencies even denied Christian applicants for refusing to affirm gender ideology. These kinds of things can have a long-lasting negative effect on society.

Freedom Is an Attitude

I went to Poland a number of times in the 1980s, when that country was still under communist rule. I stuck out like a healed thumb with my cowboy boots and Texas accent. I wanted to blend in, so I borrowed some clothes from my interpreter. Then I went out in public wearing his clothes and trying not to speak so that I could pass myself off as a native.

But when we started walking down the street, it wasn’t long before a crowd of young people gathered around me, saying, “American! American!” I was wearing Polish clothes, and I hadn’t said a word, but they could still tell I was an American. I asked my interpreter, “How do these people know I’m an American?” His response was really eye-opening. “It’s your attitude,” he said. People could just tell I had freedom and liberty.

You see, the people in Poland had been living under the oppression of communism for decades. They never made eye contact with strangers because they didn’t want to draw attention to themselves. They even took on submissive body language. Polish people didn’t walk down the street with their heads up and their shoulders square. They just stooped their shoulders and looked at the ground. They also didn’t start conversations with strangers, because that person might have been a spy for the secret police. All of their mannerisms were aimed at being as inconspicuous as possible.

Sad to say, Christians in America have taken on a similar attitude. For years, the worst a Christian had to deal with was someone rolling their eyes when they prayed over their meal or quoted Scripture in a conversation. But it seems like since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in 2015 (Obergefell v. Hodges), things have taken on a more serious tone.

Christians have been increasingly persecuted in their workplace. And during the Biden-Harris Administration, the government just seemed to be hostile toward Christian beliefs. I believe if Christians hadn’t risen up and gotten involved in the 2024 election, we could have very well lost this nation.

We Are Seeing an Awakening

Back in 2021, the Lord spoke to me that we were in the beginnings of a Third Great Awakening in America. The thing that makes an awakening different from a revival or some other move of God is that it affects society outside the four walls of the church. It impacts government, culture, and a number of other things.

Over the past couple of years, we’ve started to see the fruit of an awakening. Not only has President Donald Trump established a task force to help protect Christians from government persecution, but we are also seeing God move in society.

There have been a number of revivals among young people on college campuses. Organizations like LifeWise Academy are reaching children in the schools. Companies that previously promoted “woke” policies pertaining to homosexuality and transgenderism are doing away with those things. This nation is turning around!

The Apostle Paul said, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12), so persecution will never totally go away. But Christians can be bold about their faith, make their voices heard in the public square, and stand up for truth when it comes under attack. We don’t have to be passive; we can boldly declare and live according to our faith.

There’s a lot more work to do, and we can’t just rest on our laurels. However, we need to praise God for how good things already are! The Lord is doing great things in America. And I believe the best is yet to come!

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Here are five of the many reasons Christians must support Israel’s right to exist.
 
1. The Jewish people deserve a homeland after millennia of persecution
The story of the Jewish people is marked by unimaginable suffering. From the earliest pages of Scripture, Israel faced hostile nations — including the Egyptians, Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans. After the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Jewish people were scattered across the world.

For nearly 1,900 years, they lived as strangers in Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and North Africa. During that time, they experienced:
– Exclusion and forced ghettos
– Violent pogroms
– Accusations from “Christians” as “Christ-killers”
– Oppression under Islamic regimes
– The horrors of the Holocaust
– Mass imprisonment under Soviet communism
No other people in history have preserved their identity for nearly two millennia while lacking land or sovereignty. Their survival is nothing short of miraculous and a living testimony that God keeps His promises. After such relentless persecution, it is morally right — and long overdue — that they have a sovereign nation where they can live and worship in peace.

2. God gave the land of Israel to the Jewish people forever
Scripture is clear: God promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants as an everlasting possession.
Genesis 12:1–2: “Get thee out … unto a land that I will shew thee. And I will make of thee a great nation …”
Genesis 17:8: “I will give … all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
God does not revoke His covenants. To oppose the Jewish right to their land is to oppose God’s revealed will as written in Scripture.

3. Scripture commands us to bless Israel, not curse it
God’s covenant with Abraham includes a direct promise and warning to the nations:
Genesis 12:3: “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee.”
Supporting Israel does not mean endorsing every policy of its government. It means aligning ourselves with God’s redemptive plan and honoring the people through whom He brought the Scriptures and the Messiah.
 
Israel’s calling is unique:
– “In you all families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)
– “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” (Amos 3:2)
– “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:6)
– “I … will give You as a light to the Gentiles.” (Isaiah 42:6)
Some argue that the Church has “replaced” Israel. Paul refutes this plainly:
Romans 11:1–2: “Hath God cast away his people? God forbid … God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.”
 
Paul teaches:
– Israel’s blindness to Jesus as the Messiah is partial and temporary (11:25).
– God will graft the Jewish people back into their own olive tree (11:16–23).
– “All Israel shall be saved.” (11:26).
 
4. The modern state of Israel is a fulfillment of prophecy
Jesus foretold not only the destruction of Jerusalem but also the Jewish return.
Luke 21:24: “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”
 
The prophets likewise predicted a global regathering:
Isaiah 11:11: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people.”
Amos 9:14–15: “They shall be planted in their land, and shall no more be pulled up.”
Ezekiel 37:21–28 foretells their national, physical and spiritual restoration.
 
Three prophetic details in particular stand out in Israel’s modern rebirth:
Israel was reborn in a single day
Exactly as Isaiah foresaw (Isaiah 66:8), on May 14, 1948, the British Mandate ended, and Israel declared independence. The United States recognized the new state within minutes, and the nation was reborn “in a day.”

The Hebrew language was restored
No language has ever died and returned to life — except Hebrew. Zephaniah 3:9 predicted a restored “pure language,” which many see as being fulfilled in the resurrection of Hebrew as Israel’s national tongue.
 
Israel has repeatedly won impossible military victories
Surrounded by hostile nations and vastly outnumbered, Israel has survived — and prevailed — in conflicts that, by all natural analysis, it should have lost. Many describe these victories as miraculous and see them as fulfillments of prophetic passages like Isaiah 11:13–14.
 
5.  Israel’s restoration signals the nearness of Christ’s return
Going back to Luke 21, immediately after discussing the end of Gentile domination, Jesus said:
 
“Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory … lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:27–28:
 
Scripture teaches that when Christ returns, He will come to Israel, defeat the nations that will be attacking her, open the eyes of the Jewish people, and rule from Jerusalem.
 
Israel’s rebirth is not merely political — it is prophetic. Christian Zionism is not a fringe doctrine. It is not heresy. It is not a “brain virus.”
 
It is the logical, moral, historical, and biblical position for Christians who take Scripture seriously.
 
Supporting Israel’s right to its homeland is:
– Morally right, after centuries of persecution.
– Biblically mandated, through God’s everlasting covenant.
– Spiritually wise, for God blesses those who bless Israel.
– Prophetically aligned, as Israel’s rebirth prepares the world for Christ’s return.

Supporting Israel’s right to exist, therefore, is not merely sound policy — it is a Christian duty.

Richard Harris
Executive Director of Truth & Liberty

That’s what happens when we let the world—not the Word—shape our worldview: the truth gets lost in the process. The left has been working for decades to rewrite the story of our nation, stripping away the evidence of God’s hand in its founding. They’ve turned heroes of faith into villains and gratitude into guilt. But if we forget the true story of Thanksgiving, we lose one of the greatest lessons America ever taught the world: that a thankful heart opens the door to God’s provision and blessing.

The real story of Thanksgiving isn’t about conquest—it’s about covenant. The Pilgrims came to these shores not to exploit others but to worship God freely and build a society grounded in His Word. They faced starvation, sickness, and loss. Half their number died that first winter. Yet in the spring, they planted again, worked hard, and prayed. And when God brought a harvest, they didn’t credit their own ingenuity or luck. They lifted their hands to heaven and said, “Thank You, Lord.”

That’s the heart of Thanksgiving. It’s not about comfort or success—it’s about faith.

The Bible tells us, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18). Notice it doesn’t say, “for everything,” but in everything. You don’t thank God for the sickness, hardship, or loss. He didn’t give it to you. But you do thank Him in the middle of it, because gratitude shifts your focus from the problem to the Provider. When you do that, you keep your heart grounded in truth instead of emotion.

That’s what the Pilgrims understood. Their thanksgiving wasn’t a one-time holiday—it was a way of life. And that’s what we need to rediscover today.

When a nation stops being thankful, it starts losing its way. Romans 1 describes what happens when people refuse to glorify God or give Him thanks—they become vain in their thinking, and their foolish hearts are darkened. Does that sound familiar? That’s the world we’re living in right now. We’ve traded gratitude for grievance and worship for “wokeness.”

Even some believers have fallen into the trap of feeling ashamed of America’s past, parroting the same talking points the world uses to tear down our history. But you can’t rewrite truth just because it makes you uncomfortable. The facts are clear: America was founded by imperfect people who built their laws and culture on biblical principles. The moment we forget that, we open the door for tyranny and deception.

Thanksgiving, in its truest sense, reminds us who our source is. Every blessing we enjoy—our freedom, prosperity, and opportunity—flows from God’s hand. That’s why the devil hates gratitude. A thankful heart stays humble. It resists pride and self-dependence. It recognizes that every good thing comes from above (James 1:17).

When you’re thankful, you can’t be deceived by lies that tell you you’re a victim. You won’t buy into the world’s bitterness or the left’s endless accusations against God and this nation. Gratitude grounds you in reality—it anchors you in truth.

So as Thanksgiving approaches, don’t let the noise of revisionist history or political correctness rob you of joy. Take time to remember what this holiday really means. Talk about it around your table. Read the Pilgrims’ own words of thanksgiving. Tell your children and grandchildren the real story. Because the truth is powerful—and when you pass it on, you push back against the darkness trying to overtake our culture.

The same God who carried the Pilgrims through hardship is still faithful today. He hasn’t changed. The question is, will we continue to acknowledge Him as the source of our blessings—or will we forget?

Reflection

Thankfulness is more than a feeling; it’s an act of faith. When we choose gratitude, we choose to remember God’s goodness and reject the world’s deception. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s not just count our blessings—let’s remember where they came from. The Pilgrims knew that survival without gratitude is meaningless, and freedom without faith is impossible.

This year, let’s do the same. Let’s thank God boldly, live His truth openly, and keep our hearts—and our nation—anchored in His Word. Watch this year’s Thanksgiving video here, Lift Your Eyes and Let Gratitude Rise.  

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A question people often ask is, “Why would a loving God allow so many evil things to happen in the world?” The presupposition is that an all-powerful, all-knowing God is also all-controlling. In other words, nothing happens in this world except what He allows. The religious term used for this belief is the “sovereignty of God.”

Now, there are multiple meanings behind the word “sovereign.” If you believe that God has “supreme rank or power,” I’ll agree with that. But to say that God just controls everything that happens is a gross misunderstanding of who He really is. And I would argue that this teaching is the worst doctrine in the church today.

The belief that God controls everything that happens to us is actually one of the devil’s biggest inroads into our lives. If this belief were true, then our actions would be irrelevant, and our efforts would be meaningless. “Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be,” as the song says. But that kind of thinking slanders God, hinders our trust in Him, and leads to passivity.

God Doesn’t Choose Your Rulers

After the 2020 elections, when Joe Biden was placed in the White House, some people in the church believed the results were ordained by God. But in Hosea 8:4, God says, “They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not.” That means we are the ones who allow ungodly people to take power.

God gave control over this earth to mankind (Gen. 1:26–28), and Adam and Eve turned it over to the devil (Gen. 3:1–7). It’s not God who’s causing all the mayhem we see in the news. God’s not the one who controls fighting and strife (James 3:16). God is not the one who causes sex trafficking, rape, and murder. It’s not God who causes all the wars in the world. James 4:1 says,

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

It’s the devil who goes about as a roaring lion, trying to devour people (1 Pet. 5:8). And it’s people who yield to him and commit evil acts. Therefore, Satan is the source of all those things—not God!

People are the ones who allow Satan to wreak havoc in this world. They yield to the devil and to his temptations. They are the ones turning him loose and committing evil acts on his behalf. They are the ones instituting ungodly policies that allow maiming children, killing the unborn, and other wicked things.

Christians Are Making a Difference

In 2024, Donald Trump won the election for a second term as president, and Republicans took majority control over the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. This nation started turning around, and godly policies were put back in place. In addition to that, we learned about rampant corruption and wasteful spending in our federal government, and the ungodliness facilitated by organizations funded by our tax dollars.

God didn’t just make those changes happen sovereignly. And it didn’t happen because people bombarded the gates of heaven with intercessory prayer, trying to get God to respond. Now, I’m not condemning anyone. But all the positive things we’ve seen in the last year happened because God worked through people who prayed about how they could get involved and really make a difference!

It took churches registering voters and getting Christians to the ballot box in huge numbers. It took parents going to school boards and standing up for the right to protect their children from pornographic books and grooming in the classroom. It took pastors and their congregations to help county clerks by cleaning up voter rolls. It took Christian patriots volunteering as poll watchers to ensure every legal vote was counted.

One time, I heard a pastor ask Oral Roberts, “How do we change a nation?” And when he responded, I thought he shared some great wisdom. Oral said, “You can’t change a nation, because nobody can change a nation. All we can do is what God tells each of us to do. And if each person does what God tells them to do, He can knit those things together. Because God is the only One who can change a nation.”

In other words, for God to get this country to turn around and move in the right direction, He has to work through people who are willing to listen to His voice and then act on what He directs them to do. If we submit to God and resist the devil, then he will flee from us (James 4:7). I believe we are in the middle of a Third Great Awakening in America, and as people respond to the Lord, we will see things continue to change for the better.

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I began by sharing that in 2021, God revealed to me that we are in the Third Great Awakening. As I’ve explained in the Truth & Liberty documentary Hope for the Future, there are unmistakable signs that we are seeing things turn around in this country, and good things, godly things, are beginning to happen. In the documentary, I shared how God showed me in 2023 that by the 250^th anniversary of our nation’s founding, all this “wokeness” would be going away, and people who have been shaking their fists at God would be removed from their positions of authority.

These things are currently happening, but the Lord has also shown me that we are entering a time when there will be lots of problems in this nation. We have seen the ungodly gain a level of power and authority that they’ve never had before, and they’re not going to give it up without tremendous pushback.

Despite this reality, some Christians have gotten to a point where they think, Praise God! I can go back to not getting involved and not praying. In essence, it’s like they’re taking their foot off the gas pedal and just coasting.

But if we look at the First and Second Great Awakenings, it was not smooth sailing and singing a bunch of Kumbaya! Did you know that the First Great Awakening caused a revolution? The Second Great Awakening caused a civil war. We have yet to see what this Third Great Awakening will produce, but every single time the Spirit of God has moved, there has been tremendous opposition.

And the Lord has spoken to me about the coming persecution for Christians.

Now I’m not talking about the kind of persecution most people think of. Yes, believers are being arrested and killed for their faith in other parts of the world—and that’s tragic. But I’m talking about the subtle, internal persecution that many Christians face, especially in these last days.

Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 24. His disciples asked Him about the end of the world, and one of the first things He said was, “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matt. 24:4). He warned about false Christs, wars, pestilences, earthquakes, and then He said something shocking—“Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” (Matt 24:9). In the Greek, “all” means all. That includes the United States. When I was a kid growing up in Texas, Christianity was respected. Stores closed on Sundays. Football didn’t compete with church. But that’s not the case anymore. Now, standing for Christ means you might be canceled, ridiculed, or worse.

So how do you stay faithful when you’re surrounded by a culture that hates what you believe? The Apostle Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1 that “in the last days perilous times shall come.” The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition states these will be “times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].” And The Living Bible says it like this, “You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian.”

It goes on to list nineteen signs of the times, and not one of them is physical persecution. Not one. They’re all internal heart issues: lovers of self, covetous, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, and more (2 Tim. 3:2-5).

Paul was beaten, stoned, and thrown into prison. He knew persecution. Yet he warned Timothy that the internal, moral decay of people’s hearts would be more dangerous to a believer’s faith than being thrown in jail. Why? Because it’s subtle. It creeps in quietly and appeals to the flesh.

The first thing Paul lists is that men will be lovers of themselves. That’s the root of every other issue. Loving yourself more than God and others opens the door to pride, greed, rebellion, and spiritual coldness. If you make yourself the center of your universe, you’re already on the road to compromise.

Staying faithful begins with humility. James 4:6 says, “God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble.” If you want God’s power flowing in your life—especially in difficult times—then humility is non-negotiable. That means recognizing that everything good in your life came from Him. You didn’t earn it. You didn’t produce it. You just received it.

Another key is gratitude. Colossians 2:7 tells us to be “rooted and built up in him … abounding … with thanksgiving.” A grateful heart keeps your focus on what God has done, not on what the world is doing. If you’re always looking at how bad things are, you’ll grow weary. But if you look at how good God is, you’ll be strengthened.

You must also “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 John 2:15). God gives us “sufficiency in all things” so that we “may abound to every good work”—not build our own kingdoms here on earth. If you love the world, you’re more likely to compromise to keep it. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:21).

The Bible is clear—there is a cost to faithfulness. Jesus said in John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world … therefore the world hateth you.” The temptation will always be there to compromise on your convictions to avoid loss. But that’s not love. That’s fear.

During COVID, a male nurse came to me and said that God had told him not to get the vaccine. But his job was telling him he’d be fired if he didn’t take it. Now, to be clear, the issue I’m addressing is not if someone should or shouldn’t have taken the vaccine, but that God had told him not to. He was questioning whether he should obey God because he was afraid of losing his livelihood.

I would argue that what this guy experienced is a subtle and, in some ways, worse persecution than if someone were to tell you to renounce Christ or die. Most people would recognize the latter for the evil it is and be willing to die for their beliefs.

Yet some of these same people would compromise to hold onto their jobs. They will not speak out because it might cost them something.

Real love speaks the truth. Real love warns people of the consequences of sin. We don’t do that with a hateful spirit, but with boldness and clarity. When the culture demands your silence, you have to choose—will I fear man, or will I fear God?

You stay faithful by anchoring yourself in the Word of God. Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” In these end times, it’s not enough to attend church once a week. You need to know what God says, meditate on it, and let it govern your thoughts, words, and actions.

You also need the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples not to go anywhere until they received power from on high (Luke 24:49). Acts 1:8 says, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” That power gives you boldness, supernatural insight, and the ability to walk in love despite the circumstances.

Finally, you must die to yourself. Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” A dead man doesn’t get offended. A dead man doesn’t care about being liked. A dead man doesn’t need approval. If you’re going to make it in the last days, self must be crucified and Christ must be exalted in your life.

Revelation 12:11 says, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” It goes on to say that the devil has been cast down to the earth, and he’s full of great anger because he knows his time is short (Rev. 12:12).

Here’s my question for you—are you going to stand, even if it might cost your life?

I think some believers in this nation will take a stand, and it will cost them everything. If you’re not prepared for that—if you’re not aware of what’s going on, seeking the Lord daily and building yourself up in His Word—you’ll drift into a passive position. And when the pressure comes, when someone comes out against you, you won’t be ready to stand.

I made my decision decades ago: if standing for the truth costs me my life, then so be it. I’m going to stand for what God’s Word says, and I’m going to do it in a way that honors Him. I’ll speak the truth in love to those who disagree with me. I’m not mad at them, but I am not going to back down from the truth, no matter the cost.

Even though we’re seeing some great things happen in our nation, perilous times are here, and they’re going to intensify for Christians. Unless you are completely sold out to Jesus and love not your life unto the death, you will compromise. Standing for the Lord is going to come with financial loss, social rejection, and maybe even physical persecution. That’s not fear-mongering, that’s reality. Jesus said we’d be hated by all nations for His name’s sake (Matt. 24:9). Denying the battle doesn’t change the fact that we’re in one; it just means you’ll lose because you weren’t prepared.

So I want to encourage you—don’t fall for the subtle lies of the enemy. Don’t get caught up in self-centeredness or the culture of compromise. Stay rooted in the Word. Stay filled with the Spirit. Stay humble and be thankful. And above all, love God and others more than you love yourself.

The truth is that persecution isn’t coming—it’s already here. But you don’t have to fear. “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). You don’t have to shrink back. God has called you to stand, and He will give you the grace to do it.

Amen.

Andrew Wommack

I argue his tragic murder is no different than the stoning of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, recorded in the Bible in Acts 7. Stephen openly challenged the religious system of his day, successfully proving that Jesus was indeed the Jewish Messiah. The scribes and Pharisees could not overcome his arguments, so they killed him. 

Likewise, Charlie Kirk was a defender of biblical truth and very successfully argued against the “wokeness” and insanity of the modern left. They couldn’t out-argue him, so they killed him.

And it wasn’t a single gunman who fired the shot. The liberal media have been characterizing anyone who disagrees with their new religion as Hitler and a fascist. They are just as guilty as Saul, who held the cloaks of those who stoned Stephen to death. They may not have pulled the trigger, but they armed the gunman with hate that removed the safety and allowed the weapon to be fired. 

This new religion calls all evil good and all good evil (Is. 5:20). It is the exact thing Jesus spoke of in John 3:19–20, where He said, “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Many will relegate Charlie’s murder to being a political assassination, but this was pure evil fighting against good. Just as Jesus said, everyone who does evil hates the light because it exposes their evil deeds.

This murder was evil, pure and simple, and it’s hypocritical for those who lit the fire against all that is good and fanned the flames to now condemn the destruction that their own rhetoric produced. 

Many will see this as a sign that we have lost the nation, but in truth, it is just the opposite. This shows that the ungodly left recognizes they are losing, and that the only way they can survive is to silence all opposition. Charlie Kirk was a once-in-a-generation catalyst who reached millions, especially young people, with a message of hope and started a movement that will long outlive him.

I believe that just as the first-century church responded to the persecution that came against them by praying that the Lord would give them boldness to proclaim the Gospel even more (Acts 4), so the younger generation that was inspired by Charlie will take up the torch and multiply his efforts a millionfold.

Like the name of the organization he founded, this will be a turning point in our nation. Those who have been on the sidelines are going to come off the bench and get involved in the fight.

And just as Saul, who became Apostle Paul, was pricked in his heart until he finally encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, many who have been promoting the insanity that wars against all common sense are recognizing today that this cannot be the way forward for this nation. I believe many are looking in the mirror to see that they have become something even they don’t like. They are primed for a Damascus Road encounter with the only One who can change the hearts of men, and the Lord will bring good out of this evil as only He can.

As for Charlie, he is more alive today than he ever was. It is miraculous what he was able to accomplish in his short life. It testifies that this was not just a man, but God working through a man who influenced a nation so strongly that the president, political leaders, news outlets and even baseball games all rose to the occasion and honored this young man who willingly put himself in the crosshairs of an ungodly few for the sake of doing what is right.

We pray for his wife, Erika, and his two young children, who will bear the loss of a husband and father for the rest of their lives. But we take courage knowing that just as the Pharisees didn’t extinguish the message by killing the messenger, so the truth that Charlie articulated will live on in the hearts of all those whose lives he touched. 

Great is Charlie’s reward!

Every time a mass killing happens, politicians and pundits jump to the usual scripts: “We need more gun control laws. We need more mental health services. We need more programs.” But how is that working out for New York City — one of the most woke, regulated, and surveilled cities in the world?

New York has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation. It has one-half the police force it had under Rudy Giuliani and six times the murder rate.

Spiritual Decay

What we’re witnessing is not just social dysfunction — it’s spiritual decay. The conscience of our nation is seared, and the fear of God is all but gone.

We now live in a society that confuses tolerance with truth, celebrates rebellion, and punishes virtue. Drag shows for children, pornographic books in public schools, violent criminals set free, and biological men invading women’s spaces. And if you dare speak out, you’re labeled hateful.

This is what happens when you erase God’s standard. You remove the boundaries He established, and the enemy rushes in. We have unleashed chaos because we rejected the only thing that can bring order: God’s truth.

The modern Left calls these things progress. But real progress doesn’t lead to mass shootings, fatherless homes, rampant drug addiction, and a youth suicide epidemic. That’s not progress — that’s collapse.

We are not facing a gun crisis or “a mental health crisis.” We are in a truth crisis. And the truth is this: Evil is real, and it thrives in the absence of righteousness.

Foundations Crumbling

Look around — this event isn’t random. This is a nation whose godly foundations are crumbling. And if we don’t turn back soon, we will lose what little restraint remains.

But here’s the hope: God hasn’t abandoned us — we’ve abandoned Him. And the same God who judged Israel for its idolatry also restored it when it repented. That’s still possible for America.

The answer isn’t in the White House — it’s in God’s house. If pastors will stop pandering and start preaching, if fathers will lead their homes with courage, and if men will stand up and be salt and light again, then we can see a shift. But if we wait for someone else to fix this mess, we’re doomed to watch it burn.

God’s Word is not optional. It’s the blueprint for humanity to flourish. “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not commit adultery.” These aren’t just religious rules — they’re moral anchors. Unchain yourself from them, and you’re adrift in the sea of insanity.

This is the hour to rise up — not with anger, but with boldness and truth. We must confront the lies, expose the darkness, and proclaim the hope of the Gospel. The only thing more dangerous than the evil we face is a church that remains silent in the face of it.

The line has been drawn. This isn’t a drill. It’s time to reclaim this nation — not with bullets, but with truth. Not with fear, but with faith. America’s crisis isn’t unsolvable. But it is spiritual. And that means only one solution will work: repentance and a return to God. The gunfire that rang out in Manhattan last week wasn’t just a tragic headline — it was a symptom of a nation in moral collapse. A man walked down one of the busiest streets in America with a rifle in hand and committed cold-blooded murder in broad daylight. Cameras caught it. Police scrambled. News anchors speculated. And the cycle of outrage and confusion continued. But if we’re being honest, this wasn’t surprising. Tragic? Absolutely. But shocking? Not anymore.

The word rebellion is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, and never as a good thing. The Hebrew word for rebellion, meri, comes from the same root word as the name “Mara” (meaning bitter), which Naomi told everyone to call her to reflect the bitterness of her life (Ruth 1:20-21).

In 1 Samuel 15:23 it says:

 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”

In this passage, God is explaining to King Saul how serious rebellion is. The end result was that God rejected Saul from being king and took the kingdom away from him!

Elsewhere, in Numbers 16, we’re told about the rebellion of Korah, who recruited two hundred and fifty “princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown” and led them against Moses (Num. 16:2-3). But the result of Korah’s rebellion was that “the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods” (Num. 16:32).

Despite the Bible’s perspective, the world often views rebellion as something positive. There are numerous examples where the media portrays being a rebel as a good thing, sometimes even as a moral thing. Often, the main character in a movie is in rebellion, and they want you to feel sorry for them and even root for them. They want you to believe that rebelling is the best option.

Even as I write this, there are riots and looting taking place in Los Angeles because people are upset that illegal immigrants are being deported. The left-wing media is doing everything it can to try to paint violent criminals as heroic rebels who have no other option if they want to be heard.

But Proverbs 17:11 says that “an evil man seeketh only rebellion.” If you allow offense, bitterness, and discouragement to function on the inside of you, it limits what God can do in your life. It pleases God when you maintain a good attitude—an excellent spirit—regardless of your circumstances or how others treat you.

Just a simple understanding of Scripture helps us know that rebellion is not a godly thing. Anything linked to bitterness and witchcraft ought not to be something we want to mess with!

The truth is that Satan is the original rebel. Before he fell, I believe Satan was an angelic being named Lucifer, sent to earth to be a blessing to Adam and Eve, to minister to them, and serve them. It was in the Garden that his transgression against God was conceived and carried out. Satan rebelled against God in an effort to overthrow Him and steal all of the praise, glory, and adoration that belong to God and God alone.

[READ: WHO MADE SATAN?]

Here is the key: Rebellions are motivated by Satan and rooted in pride, disobedience, and defiance of God’s ways. They lead to moral decline, a breakdown of society, and a rejection of biblical justice. The American Revolution cannot be described in this way. It was not a rebellion but a righteous response to corruption and tyranny.

When the Declaration of Independence was published on July 4, 1776, it was not because a group of men just wanted to do their own thing. It is well-documented that this decision to separate from the British Empire, which had long abused its power, was not made lightly. It came after numerous efforts to reconcile with King George III and Parliament. For twelve years, the colonists petitioned the King, outlining their grievances, but their pleas just fell on deaf ears.

America’s founders then took inspiration from the Bible to draft a new form of government. In the Old Testament, they found that Israel’s governance during their first four hundred years out of Egypt, before King Saul, around 1400 B.C. to around 1000 B.C., was very unique.

My friend Bill Federer has stated:

“Israel had millions of people but no king. Everyone was taught the law, and they were personally accountable to God to follow the law. For people to rule themselves without a king was the complete opposite of human nature. But this system, called the Hebrew Republic, worked for 400 years.”

The Founding Fathers also discovered in Isaiah 33:22 that God had shown Moses how His people should be governed:

For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us;

From this, they derived the three branches of government that we now know as the “Separation of Powers”:

• “The Lord is our Judge” showed them the Judicial Branch.
• “The Lord is our Lawgiver” showed them the Legislative Branch.
• “The Lord is our King” showed them the Executive Branch (God told Israel not to have a King, but they disobeyed Him).

Our government today is based on Exodus18:21, which states in the New King James Version:

Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.  

From this scripture, we derive the election of leaders (“you shall select”), their character qualities (“able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness”),and thedivisions or levels of government:

• “Rulers of thousands” were like the Federal government 
• “Rulers of hundreds” were like the State government
• “Rulers of fifties” were like the County government
• “Rulers of tens” were like the Municipal or City government

Let me be clear: Based on historic accounts and written documents, the American Revolution was not an act of rebellion, as many have stated, but an act of humility and a return to acknowledging God as our only Sovereign and the source of our liberties. As we celebrate the 249^th anniversary of our country, let’s take a moment to thank God for His faithfulness in establishing our nation and rejoice that we can freely worship Him in spirit and in truth!

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Explore the Truth & Liberty website, subscribe to receive regular updates, and visit our Research Center for great practical resources. Also, learn how you can become a Truth & Liberty member and join us in standing for truth in the public square. 

The plain truth is that those who cross into our nation unlawfully have violated the law. Under 8 U.S.C. § 1325, it is a misdemeanor to enter the United States illegally. That some administrations have failed to enforce these laws does not make these individuals legal residents. Their very presence, without lawful entry or documentation, is a breach of federal statute. The law has not changed — only the political will to uphold it.

It was this very breakdown in the enforcement of our immigration laws that, in part, fueled the election of Donald J. Trump in 2024. He ran on a platform of restoring law and order at our borders and won the trust of millions of Americans who had grown tired of the lawlessness that had gone unchallenged for too long.

Let us be clear: those arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are not being hauled away in the dead of night without recourse. On the contrary, due process is built into our immigration laws. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, every non-citizen facing removal is entitled to a hearing before an immigration judge — unless they fall under the expedited removal exception, which applies to individuals caught near the border who cannot prove they’ve been in the U.S. continuously for two years. Even then, if they claim asylum or fear of persecution, they are granted a credible fear interview before any removal action.

We should all agree that the Trump Administration must faithfully adhere to the due process elements in our immigration laws. That said, due process in the context of illegal immigration does not mean immunity from enforcement, and it does not mean a full-blown trial. It means an opportunity to prove lawful presence, which, in the overwhelming majority of cases, should be a very simple matter to demonstrate.

We must also affirm that the right to protest peacefully is enshrined in the First Amendment and must be protected. Americans have the right to voice opposition to government policies, including immigration enforcement. But that right ends where violence begins. Attacking police officers, destroying property and obstructing immigration enforcement is not protest — it is criminal conduct. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1505 and related statutes, obstruction of justice is defined as “interference with the orderly administration of law and justice.” Anyone who physically resists or aids others in resisting law enforcement is guilty of such a crime.

Even worse, those who incite or engage in violent acts against federal officers may be guilty of sedition, defined under 18 U.S.C. § 2384 as two or more persons conspiring “to oppose by force the authority of the United States.” These offenses are not protected speech — they are intolerable acts against the nation.

Disturbingly, there is growing evidence that the riots currently unfolding in Los Angeles and elsewhere are not organic. Reports from the LAPD and DHS have revealed the presence of organized groups bused in from out of state and coordinated via encrypted messaging apps. Early footage shows rioters waving large Mexican flags, not American flags. Patriots do not riot under foreign banners.

One violent rioter in Los Angeles remarked to the cameras that she was protesting because the illegal aliens are friends and neighbors living among us. She is clearly misinformed. The raid in Los Angeles that spawned the riots was aimed at illegal aliens who were guilty of serious and sometimes violent crimes, including child molestation, armed robbery, vehicular assault, hit and run and domestic violence. What’s more, the blue state “sanctuary” laws protecting these criminals are often what make the public, armed ICE raids necessary. That is because Democrat controlled sanctuary states like California and Colorado have made it illegal for local law enforcement to notify ICE when they have arrested illegal aliens for violating state laws, or to hold them in their local jails long enough for ICE to make a peaceful transfer.  

President Trump has a constitutional duty under Article II, Section 3 to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed,” and if needed, under the Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C. §§ 251–255), he may deploy troops to restore order. If his predecessor had done his constitutional duty instead of willfully opening America’s borders to these criminals, our country (and the illegal aliens the rioters are concerned about) would not be in this situation.

The rule of law is the cornerstone of a just and free society. Without it, freedom and equality cannot survive. We must return to the conviction as a nation that our laws must be enforced uniformly and impartially. Disagreement with the law is not a license for destruction. The United States never promised anyone the right to live in this country illegally. Let us pray for wisdom, unity and justice — and stand firm in our resolve to enforce the immigration laws of this nation.

I applaud Israel for doing what they had to do to survive an enemy who has vowed for decades to annihilate them from the face of the earth. The whole world is better off for what they have done. They have shown incredible restraint in hitting military, nuclear, and infrastructure sites, even giving warnings to civilians in areas that might be affected. That’s something the Iranians have not done with the missiles they have launched specifically toward civilian population centers.

I’m reminded of Esther and how the Persian king allowed Haman to put out an order that all Jews could be killed and their property taken as spoil. It looked hopeless, but through Esther and Mordecai, the Lord turned that situation around for their good. They took out all their enemies and were exalted, even during their captivity.

That is exactly what’s happening today. It’s a miracle of biblical proportions.

Israel is one of the smallest nations in the region with enemies on every side. The October 7, 2023, attacks were some of the most brutal in history, and Israel has been fighting for their survival with anti-Semitism growing worldwide to levels never seen before. Things seemed as bad as during Esther’s time. But suddenly, everything has changed.

The Jewish festival of Purim celebrates the Lord’s victory through Esther and was commanded to be celebrated forever so the Israelis would never forget God’s protection of His chosen people (Esther 9:24–28). I believe we are seeing the Lord’s intervention just as surely as during Esther’s time.

On November 7, 2024, right after President Trump was elected to his second term, I was praying for him to have wisdom navigating all the world’s problems that he inherited. As I was praying about the Iranian threat, the Lord spoke to me very clearly that there was going to be a regime change in Iran soon. That shocked me, but we can clearly see that it is a very real possibility now.

The majority of Iranian people want it, and I believe even the majority of the surrounding Arab nations want it. They see Iran’s current leadership as a very malignant force impeding their own development. I believe it is going to happen, and soon.

I invite you to join me in celebrating the supernatural intervention of the Lord in sparing the world from a nuclear Iran, and pray with me that Israeli and U.S. leaders will have the wisdom to deal with the fallout. An Iranian regime change could be good or bad. I don’t think it could be worse.

There are 75,000 mosques in Iran, and 50,000 have closed their doors because no one was attending. It has been estimated that Iran is experiencing one of the greatest Christian awakenings in history, with millions turning to the Lord. I have personal knowledge of some who have had visions of Jesus and are now serving Him under the threat of imprisonment or death. God is moving, and this is a kairos moment that will change history.

We pray not only for all that’s taking place in the Middle East, but we have become very divided in our own nation. As President Lincoln quoted Jesus in an 1856 speech, “A house divided cannot stand.” The ensuing Civil War nearly destroyed this nation. We are in a similar time. The division we see today comes from decades of spiritual decline in America, where the ungodly have gained ground and been empowered in their own thinking with rights they created out of thin air. They are not God-given rights, nor are they in the U.S. Constitution.

Surveys now show that for the first time in decades, church attendance is increasing, especially among young males. Bible sales have grown by over 22 percent in the last year. People are turning from the nothingness of a woke culture and looking for meaning to life. Praise the Lord! Now that the pendulum is swinging back toward morality and common sense, they are threatened and fighting with all within them to hold onto their ungodly gains.

It is not our present administration that is causing the division. It’s the lawlessness that was promoted and the ungodly who were enabled that are throwing a fit—like little children—as they are reined in and brought back to the godly principles this nation was founded upon.

As Jesus said in John 3:19–20, And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

That’s the conflict we see today. It’s not liberal versus conservative. It’s light versus dark. It’s good versus evil.

The answer isn’t political. The Lord is using President Trump and many others to right many wrongs—as He did through Esther and Mordecai—but make no mistake, we are in a spiritual battle. The church and the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ are the only long-term solutions to the problems we face. This is an hour of great opportunity. We need to stand up and speak out as never before.

I pray you will join me in prayer and action. If the Lord tarries, I believe we are at a turning point in our nation and world. As I’ve spoken out many times, I believe the Lord said we are already in a great awakening. The hour is ours, if we will take it. I believe we will.

Thanks for being a part of the solution.

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Among other things, the bill would threaten parental rights to obtain or retain custody if they are accused of “deadnaming” or “misgendering” their children. It defines “misgender” as referring to someone using a different pronoun with the intent to disregard their gender identity. “Deadname,” according to the bill, means purposefully using someone’s birth name rather than their chosen name with the intent to disregard their gender identity.

Sometimes it looks like Satan never sleeps and is continually coming up with new ungodly schemes, but I want to encourage you that the Bible tells us there is nothing new under the sun (Eccl. 1:9), and God even gives us a biblical precedent for how He handled this kind of hard-heartedness.

In Ruth 1:19-22, it’s recorded that Naomi returned to Bethlehem after she’d been living in Moab with her husband Elimelech and their two sons. Elimelech died, and her sons married, but then her sons died ten years later. When Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth arrived in Bethlehem, Scripture tells us that:

^“all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.” (emphasis added)

I want you to see something here. Naomi decided she wanted to re-name herself Mara, something that no doubt seemed more in line with who she felt she was in that moment. Yet there is no evidence that anyone went along with her request. In fact, the writer of the Book of Ruth kept right on calling her Naomi in the very next verse! To call her Mara—which means bitter—would have been coming in agreement with her limited perspective concerning her circumstances and actually cursing her.

Naomi attributed to God the evil that had happened, not understanding that Satan is the one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Because of that, she allowed bitterness to influence her thinking.

But God still had a wonderful plan to bless Naomi, and had people chosen to “affirm” her by going along with the decision she made in emotional distress, she would have missed out big time! In the end, God completely redeemed her circumstances and blessed her beyond measure (Ruth 4:14-15).

As you can see, this “deadnaming” thing isn’t anything new. It’s just another way for Satan to attack the identity of people and cause them to miss out on the good things God has for them. Psalm 84:11 says, “No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”  In other words, God always has our best interests at heart, and following His standards prevents Satan from getting an inroad into our lives and the lives of our families.

At the time of the writing of this article, HB 25-1312 still needs to be approved by the Colorado Senate before it makes its way to the desk of our governor, who lives openly as a homosexual. But I believe that what Satan meant for evil, God will work for good!

Last year, Truth & Liberty released a powerful documentary called Hope for the Future. It talks about prophetic words that the Lord shared with me beginning in 2021 to encourage people about the direction our country is going in and that we’re in the beginning of the Third Great Awakening in America. One of the things the Lord told me is that “there will be battles. There will be losses. But we win!” So, I want to encourage you to keep standing for truth, even when it seems like we’re losing. God says, “Be encouraged!”

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Sad to say, much of the blame for that discouragement lies at the feet of the church. Many of the organizations trying to get Christians to respond to cultural, social, and political issues approach things from a negative standpoint. They typically talk about how bad everything is.

I will admit that we need to recognize that America is still in a crisis situation. Just because the election is over doesn’t mean our work is done. If Christians don’t get involved, we could still lose this nation. And while I agree that sometimes, before you edify a person, you have to terrorize them, that’s not always what we need.

It reminds me of a football coach talking to his players before a game. He could say about the opposing team, “They’re really big—bigger than us—and we don’t have a chance against them. But go out there and do the best you can!” Similarly, a military officer could talk to a group of soldiers and tell them, “A lot of you are going to be killed in the fighting today.” Those things may be reality, but talking like that doesn’t encourage people to get into the fight and stay there.

That’s why we created the Hope for the Future video. I am convinced that we are going to win this battle, no matter what the circumstances look like.

Now, talking about politics is not really my strong point. I’m all for it, and that’s the reason that we started Truth & Liberty. But I get in trouble all of the time because of the things that I say! I can quote Scripture, but I just don’t know all of the statistics and jargon people use when talking about politics. If it’s not in the Bible, I just have trouble with it. That’s why we have people like Richard Harris serving as executive director and expert guests on our Truth & Liberty Show.

All the same, the Lord shared three encouraging prophetic words with me over the past few years. I believe they show that we are going to see the tides turn in our nation. I admit that as we witness the erosion of biblical values in our culture, it may seem like things can only get worse, especially for believers. But I believe the Lord has shown me that things will get better. We will win if we just don’t quit!

Now, I know some Christians will ask, “What about Paul, Peter, and those in the early church who stood their ground and were crucified, beaten, and martyred as a result?” Church history is full of people who gave their lives for the Gospel. But the difference is that they were planting the Gospel in those nations; we are reclaiming the ground the Gospel once held in ours. This nation was founded on the Bible and dedicated to the Lord from its inception.

God established this nation. It may not be fully functioning as a Christian nation right now, but that’s only because ungodly people have been trying to change it and lead us farther away from our godly founding principles.

America is the nation that we were given, and we’ve got to stand up and fight for it. I believe we have prophetic words from God that show we’re going to win this battle.

One of the prophecies the Lord shared with me is that we’re going to see the woke culture in America turn around. And by the 250th anniversary of this nation in 2026, even the secular news media is going to have to admit it.

I recently heard that universities and colleges across the United States have gotten rid of their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) departments. Also, major corporations like Ford, Target, Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s, and even Coors and Bud Light have backed away from DEI. Businesses that used to support gay pride month are now backing away from it.

It’s almost as if they are saying that there is no place for those things in their business. A lot of it is because they’re seeing their profits go down the toilet! In other words, if you go woke, you’ll go broke.

Because of this past election, we’ve learned that there are still millions of people in this nation—and not just Christians—who are tired of this stuff. If we will just stand up and use the faith that God has given us, we will overcome. No mountain will stand before us.

I believe that we’re fighting from a position of victory. Our inalienable rights are already secured, and we’re taking a stand. We are going to see things turn around!

Get your copy of Hope for the Future.

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In today’s world of bloated government and out-of-control spending, it is refreshing to see a movement that champions efficiency, accountability, and respect for taxpayers. The last election saw the American people rise up and declare, “Enough is enough!” And praise God, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is taking a stand—exposing corruption, cutting unnecessary programs, and ensuring every dollar is spent with wisdom and purpose.

For too long, “the establishment” and the political left have misused taxpayer dollars to fund wasteful, destructive, and immoral programs to expand their control. They have sought unlimited power at the expense of the people. DOGE, however, champions limited government, personal responsibility, and true accountability. These principles are not just good policy; they are biblical! The government is supposed to serve its people, not pick their pockets to enrich itself. By eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse, DOGE aligns with God’s principles of stewardship and righteousness—values that should be at the foundation of any nation that honors Him.

Defending Fiscal Responsibility

One of the most important aspects of DOGE’s mission is restoring fiscal responsibility. Reckless spending has robbed the American people. Millions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted, funding unnecessary initiatives all over the world, many of them ungodly. But praise God, change is coming! DOGE is prioritizing responsible budgeting and eliminating wasteful spending.

Proverbs 16:11 declares, “Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of His making.” Fiscal responsibility isn’t just about economics—it’s a moral issue. When government officials squander taxpayer money, they are violating biblical stewardship. DOGE is working to ensure that every dollar is accounted for and that funds are directed toward legitimate purposes instead of special interests and political payoffs.

Restoring Power to the People

Another key principle that DOGE upholds is returning power to the people. For far too long, government overreach has stripped Americans of their God-given ability to make their own decisions. Excessive regulations and mandates have interfered with small businesses, families, and even churches, causing more harm than good. It’s a disgrace!

Proverbs 29:2 tells us, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” We have certainly experienced this in our nation. Ungodly leadership has brought higher taxes, burdensome regulations, and policies that attack faith, family, and freedom. But DOGE is working to reverse all of that by making sure the government stays in its rightful place—serving, not ruling over, the people. In this way, DOGE is getting back to the vision of America’s Founding Fathers—a government that protects freedom, not destroys it.

Transparency and Accountability

One of the greatest failures of modern government is its total lack of transparency. Corrupt politicians and unelected bureaucrats hide behind complex legislation and dishonest budgeting tactics to cover up fraud and mismanagement. But the Bible makes it clear that accountability is essential for righteous leadership.

Proverbs 11:1 reminds us, “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.” Taxpayers deserve to know exactly where their money is going. By pushing for transparency, strong audits, and real accountability, DOGE is closing the loopholes that have allowed rampant corruption to go unnoticed and unchecked. Praise God, the days of wasteful spending and backroom deals are numbered!

Promoting Prosperity Through Limited Government

DOGE also upholds another foundational biblical principle—prosperity through limited government. America’s strength has never come from dependency upon the government. For generations, Americans have valued hard work and have been known for their “can-do” attitude. Sad to say, many government entitlement programs have totally destroyed the American work ethic, and unnecessary regulations have hindered entrepreneurship.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 says, “Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.” Government should not be a stumbling block to prosperity, but should foster an environment where people can enjoy the fruit of their labor. That’s what true freedom looks like! The more we work to limit government and encourage people to use their God-given abilities to create wealth, the better off our nation will be.

The Future of Accountable Government

The left will dismiss DOGE as just another policy initiative, but in reality, it represents something much greater—the fight to reclaim government from waste, corruption, and tyranny. It is about restoring biblical values of stewardship, righteousness, and responsibility in leadership.

As believers, we have a duty to support leaders and policies that align with God’s Word. That means advocating for a government that embodies biblical principles—justice, stewardship, and righteousness in governance. While DOGE is not the ultimate answer to our nation’s problems, it is a step in the right direction. As Proverbs 11:10 says, “When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.”

Indeed, when the government operates with integrity and wisdom, the people rejoice. The work of DOGE is not just about cutting spending or reducing the size of government—it is about creating a government that honors God, respects its people, and upholds justice. And that, my friends, is worth celebrating!

I was in a meeting in Minneapolis when that happened, and I remember praying, “God, why don’t You do something about this?”

And God replied, “Why don’t you do something about this?”

The First Stance

As I prayed about it, my first idea was to write the Declaration of Dependence Upon God, similar to our nation’s Declaration of Independence. We declared that God’s Word is where we will stand; that marriage is between a man and a woman, and we do not support homosexuality or the legalization of homosexual marriage.

We spent over $500,000 to advertise this in newspapers all across the nation and received hundreds of thousands of signatures supporting this Declaration.

This was my first big push into taking any kind of political stance, and I realized then that I can’t complain anymore about the way things are; I’ve got to do something about it!

Just a few years later in 2017, we hosted a conference at our Charis Campus where Lance Wallnau, Billy Epperhart, Karen Conrad, Dean Radtke, and Paul Milligan were all speaking. We realized there was a collective anointing on this group and that God wanted us to collaborate to form a joint venture in order to reach our culture.

That joint venture became what we know today as Truth & Liberty.

Truth and Liberty Begins

Since Richard Harris and I began our podcast in 2018, it has grown to host a number of high-profile guests including Glenn Beck, Governor Mike Huckabee, Dr. Ben Carson, Tony Perkins, and several Congressmen, as well as some of our local heroes, such as our local sheriff Jason Mikesell.

In continuing with the theme of collaboration, Richard promotes and collaborates with multiple other conservative, Christian organizations in order to find ways to amplify our collective cause and make a greater impact in our spheres of influence. In addition to our own content on TruthandLiberty.net, you will find many resources from other organizations, all under our collective mandate to Educate, Unify, and Mobilize the Body of Christ in the political arena. Now, some of the bigger names in the conservative political arena are contacting us to be part of our platform.

A Mandate for Pastors

Another thing Richard and I are passionate about is equipping pastors to lead on this front. However, it is perhaps one of our biggest challenges. Many pastors and people in the church believe that it is ungodly and sinful to speak out against political issues such as abortion, homosexuality, and transgenderism. We have found that either these pastors are insecure and fear rejection and criticism or they are interpreting Matthew 22:36-40 inaccurately and using it as an excuse to not offend anyone.

But what is exciting to me is finding those pastors who are eager to learn more about these important issues but perhaps don’t have the knowledge, time, or resources to speak out or take action in their communities.

This is why we have created the Pastor’s Toolkit. These resources will help you coordinate evangelism efforts and motivate your congregations to understand the biblical mandate to speak out on these issues.

For the pastors who are taking hold of God’s Word and our tools, their congregations and communities have really been impacted. People are hungry for answers about these political issues, and these pastors have been able to point them to God’s Word for the answers. We’ve seen them motivate and engage their congregations because now they understand our biblical mandate. By standing up for God’s Word, they have truly made a difference in their local communities.

It’s Time to Fight

When we look at history, we find that pastors are some of the most impactful and pivotal people that God used as instruments to carry out His will. For example, during the First and Second Great Awakenings, pastors were preaching God’s Word unashamedly, but as a result, it caused division. The Word of God exposes sin, and people don’t want to admit they are sinning, so they will come against it. But thankfully, this spurred people to fight for what was right, and God’s Word prevailed. Now, we have the freedom to preach God’s Word loud and clear!

I believe we are now in The Third Great Awakening. It is time to preach God’s Word unashamedly. It is time to speak out boldly against these issues that oppose God’s Word. It’s time to rise and fight!

In recent years, we have seen the results of many churches and ministries who have stood up for God’s Word, and it is phenomenal! The ministers who stood up for their freedom during COVID are seeing their churches and ministries explode. People are hungry for answers and are looking for leaders who aren’t afraid to stand up for God’s Word and against these ungodly mandates.

This is one of the reasons I believe President Donald Trump won! People are waking up to the ungodliness in our country and are looking for strong leaders who aren’t afraid to uphold the principles of God’s Word.

Pastors are discovering that it isn’t a sin to tell the truth of God’s Word. Pastors and leaders are being empowered as a result of our movement, and we are seeing churches and ministries across the nation implement lasting, positive change in their communities.

As a result of our efforts to educate, unify, and mobilize, Truth and Liberty is gaining traction in motivating Christians nationwide to engage politically.

And we’re just getting started!

Join our movement. Together, we’re going to see a major right-sizing of our country!

Click here to watch the full episode on GTN: “Our Roots: The Story Behind Who We Are”. Subscribe here to receive our updates and news articles, or for more resources, visit https://www.truthandliberty.net/.

References

Avins, Alfred. n.d. “Supreme Court of the United States.” Supreme Court of the United States. Accessed November 26, 2024. https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/21/21-476/227884/202206141323389 01_42501%20pdf%20Goldstein.pdf.

I’ll tell you, some people just need to take their thumbs out of their mouths and grow up!

People need to quit blaming God or fate or other people for all their problems. They think that it’s everybody else’s fault or it’s the way they’re being treated. And then, when their actions turn out to have consequences, they don’t take any personal responsibility. They blame it on how they were raised as a child or something else and claim they’re really the victim.

That’s exactly what Adam did after he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden—something God told him specifically not to do!

And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:12

Notice, instead of admitting to what he had done, Adam passed the buck to Eve, saying, “It was the woman!” Then, Adam actually tried to blame God, saying, “You’re the one who gave her to me!” He just refused to accept responsibility.

The first step to becoming truly free is to quit blaming everybody else for what’s going on in your life and accept responsibility. It’s actually a blessing to discover that you’re the one who’s wrong, because if you’re the problem, you can fix you. In fact, you are the only one you can fix!

This is one of the major issues in our society today. People say, “It’s the color of my skin, and if everyone would just treat me differently, I’d be successful.” That is wrong!

Many people just demand respect. They demand that everybody else treat them a certain way. They’re putting the problem on everyone and everything else. But you see, respect has to be earned. The truth is that the only person holding you back from being successful in life is you!

Our friend Bishop E.W. Jackson was raised in a foster home for most of his childhood and, as a teenager, was spending his time on the streets. He was committing petty crimes as part of a gang. Thankfully, his father stepped back into his life and provided him with structure and purpose. All the same, he could have spent the rest of his life just sitting there and crying about how he didn’t have any opportunities because of the color of his skin.

Instead, E.W. joined the Marines, graduated with honors from Harvard, and became a successful lawyer. Then, after he was born again, he established a church, founded the STAND organization, launched a daily radio program, and campaigned for public office—all without complaining about his circumstances. He’s out there influencing his nation and changing the world, all while giving glory to God. That’s awesome!

You see, Satan cannot do anything to you without your consent and cooperation. If your life is all messed up, it’s not because of what somebody else has done. Other people might have been used by the devil to hurt you, but you still have a choice as to whether you become bitter or better. The moment you say, “You don’t understand. Bad things happened to me, and I had no choice,” you violate the Word of God. First Corinthians 10:13 says,

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

This verse clearly says that we can choose the good instead of the bad. If it weren’t that way, people who have been through the same traumatic experiences would have the exact same results in their lives because of the trauma. And yet, this is not the case.

There can be two siblings with the exact same gene pool who were brought up in the same house and in the same environment, but one will go one way, and one will go the other way. One will become an alcoholic because the parents were alcoholics, while the other one will become a teetotaler and go in the opposite direction.

Now, I’ll admit that bad things happen to people. I’ve had plenty of bad things happen to me, but I didn’t let those things stop me from pursuing the calling God put on my life. I relied on my relationship with the Lord. I understood that I was made a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), and everything I needed to be successful was already available in my born-again spirit. Through Jesus, I am a victor (1 Cor. 15:57) and not a victim!

God is no respecter of persons. Whatever the Lord’s done for me and for Bishop Jackson, He’s willing to do for you!

I believe things are turning around in this nation, and here at Truth & Liberty, we are a major part of that transformation. Working with people like Bishop E.W. Jackson we’re showing that anyone can be successful if they are willing to follow God’s will for their lives.

It’s wrong to blame your environment and blame everybody else for the way you are. Other people may be a factor, but you still have a choice as to how you will respond. You were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), and you decide whether to become bitter or better—a victim or a victor. The choice is yours!

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And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10–11

As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate the celebration of Christmas much more. In a culture that has become increasingly secular, where it is politically incorrect to even mention the name of the Lord lest we offend someone, I think it’s awesome that Christmas brings some of the greatest truths of the Gospel to light. And it showcases our roots as a Christian nation.

When else can you enter into stores and hear some of the greatest Christian songs ever written, like “Joy to the World”? That’s awesome! You will see displays of the Nativity in places where typically the only mention of the Lord would be to take His name in vain.

People talk about loving one another as God loved us by sending His Son to the earth. We are reminded of values that are practically forgotten at other times of the year. And for some families, Christmas is the only time they make an attempt to get along!

Some Christians may think it’s a shame that some people only go to church at Christmas, but praise God, at least they are going. And that’s an opportunity to share our faith! You see, people are probably more open to hearing the Gospel at Christmas than at any other time of the year.

Here at our Charis Bible College campus in Woodland Park, Colorado, we put on a live Nativity that features actors and animals. We also put up lights all around the campus. Thousands of people drive through every year. It’s awesome! But it’s not just here at Charis that people are publicly glorifying God.

You see, the legal restrictions that have been imposed on our freedom of religion in America are falling away. There have been a number of cases at the United States Supreme Court that have brought us closer to the Founding Fathers’ “original intent” regarding the First Amendment. One of those cases was Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.

Joe Kennedy, a committed Christian who was coaching football at Bremerton High School in Washington State, was led by the Lord to pray after every game at the fifty-yard line. He would kneel, silently thank God, and ask His blessings on the players. After a while, players started to join him.

Now, Coach Kennedy never told the players they had to pray with him. But the school district fired him anyway. Coach Kennedy took his case all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled in his favor. When they did, they overturned another bad ruling—Lemon v. Kurtzman.

Our friend Kelly Shackelford of First Liberty Institute, a frequent guest on our Truth & Liberty Show, represented Coach Kennedy in this case. He explained that the “Lemon Test” was the basis for 7,000 lower court cases since 1971 that restricted religious freedom in America. He said that this Supreme Court ruling has expanded religious freedom in America to a point we have not seen in decades!

That means that Nativity displays can be put up in public places. The Ten Commandments can be placed in schools, courthouses, and state legislatures. People can pray at public meetings. And baccalaureate services can be part of graduation ceremonies.   

The Kennedy ruling, like the Dobbs ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, would never have happened if President Donald Trump hadn’t appointed three conservative justices—Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, and Amy Coney Barrett—to the Supreme Court. Now that he’s been re-elected, we can expect more appointments throughout the court system that will protect our rights for years to come.

We don’t have to be afraid when it comes to sharing the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news of the Gospel. It’s time for Christians to be bold and take a stand for truth. And during Christmas, we have the opportunity to publicly display our faith and be bold about glorifying God.

Christmas is all about the Lord’s love and mercy, not His damnation. It’s spotlighting God’s unconditional love for us the way it should be done all year long. It’s focusing on the good news of Jesus Christ and not the bad news of our failures. That’s the Gospel of peace that the angels were singing about, and that should be our message too.

Learn More

Explore the Truth & Liberty website, subscribe to receive regular updates, and visit our Resource Center for great practical resources. Also, learn how you can become a Truth & Liberty Coalition member and join us in standing for truth in the public square.