Time for Strength thru Faith
by Stephen Frank
In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote in the book The American Crisis, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” Just as at the final stages of the American Revolution that freed a nation, today we are in the final stages of another American revolution, caused by a virus, exacerbated by a government that believes we are owned by them, that they are our Masters. Like Paine, some are taking a stand against a tyrannical government.
Recently, 1200 Pastors wrote a letter to Governor Newsom, saying they were going to open the churches, because they answer to a Higher Power, The Lord. Reminds me of the old TV commercial for Hebrew National hot dogs. The ad noted they abided by the laws of government, but first they “answer to a Higher Power.”
In these times, we need courage. On TV, we have seen hairdressers and gym owners re-opening their businesses with and without the permission of government. You have people in every corner of the nation taking to the streets protesting the seizure of their Constitutional rights. Sadly, across the nation, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed by ordinary citizens to fight and gain freedom once again. Government does not easily give back. Lawsuits should not be needed for government to act responsibly and legitimately.
We need the courage of a Shelley Luther (Dallas hairdresser that got arrested for cutting hair and feeding her family) in our elected officials—whether at City Hall like the city council of Atwater declaring itself a sanctuary city for Constitutional rights for families and businesses, or, at the state level where a State Senator, Holly Mitchell, holds hearings on the no-bid billion-dollar mask contract to a firm owned by the Chinese Communist Party and 410 other no-bid contracts. Then, you have the courage of Calif. Assemblymen James Gallagher and Kevin Kiley presenting a resolution to repeal the Governor’s “Emergency Powers” given him in March before the Legislature left town.
To have strength of beliefs, you have to have beliefs, a foundation of values and principles. For me, these come from Joshua 1:9:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
I will admit it, there are times when a project gets tough, or I do not see a way to the goal that I think about quitting, giving up, just watching re-runs of Seinfeld. It would be easier not to say something and be “liked” than to tell the truth and be in the middle of controversy. For me, it is easy because I have strong beliefs and KNOW why I have them. I am not politicizing, I am PRINCIPLED.
Were I an elected official, my actions would be easy—especially in times of crisis. As a Maryland Minister stated when he was given a $5,000 fine for opening his Church to allow the community to pray, “The COVID-19 virus did not repeal the Constitution.”
The State of California has a $54 billion deficit, and growing. Governor Newsom is cutting health care for elderly; education for our children; threatening the Feds with cutting First Responders if President Trump does not bail out the collapsing pension system; the train to nowhere; and allowing the Governor—without a vote of the Legislature, to give money to illegal aliens. Plus, there is money in the Newsom budget to give to Planned Parenthood by using the public schools to promote abortion.
It will take courage and backbone to stand up to the Governor and remind him—and the public—we have millions of newly unemployed, people being pushed into poverty and businesses that will never open again. At times like these, we need faithful officials, with Biblical principles as the foundation, to remind Sacramento the role of government is to help people, not to transform and bankrupt society.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9 NIV).
Yes, we may lose a vote today, tomorrow or next month. But by using your faith as your strength, in the long term you will win. The fight today sets the foundation for a victorious vote tomorrow. Do not despair; the American Revolution, start to finish, took many years. It will take time to return government to the Constitution and the people to vote based on faithful principles.
Stephen Frank is Senior Contributing Editor of California Political Review. Read California news that is incisive, hard-hitting, and solution-oriented with a free subscription to Steve’s daily emails at http://eepurl.com/UAspv
NOTE: Blogs published on the Judeo-Christian Caucus website are the opinions of their authors and not necessarily those of the Judeo-Christian Caucus.
