Today I want to speak to something that has bothered me some, but has been increasing in the last couple of weeks. I have seen post after post on many social media sites that are speaking to our president's current stand on immigration. Some have argued that our ancestors came to this country and others should be able to. Others have said that we MUST protect our borders so that the citizens of this nation can be safe. While many of the born again believers that I know have been saying the first, they are seriously misusing Scripture, some out of a sincere compassion for hurting people and others for simply political purposes. The TRUTH is that the Bible speaks to individuals specifically and also to nations. The principles guiding each are different! Some people argue for, and pray for, 'world peace', but the Bible tells us that there will ONLY and EVER be 'world peace' when the KING of all kings and the LORD of all lords is reigning supreme! This will occur AFTER devastating world wars and God's wrath poured out on those who willfully have rejected Him and His chosen Savior, JESUS! Rather than praying for world peace, believers SHOULD be praying for laborers in the fields of humanity who will take the Gospel to those who have not heard. Then they should be going wherever God leads them in their own areas of influence to share the Gospel with those whom they are responsible for. When the Bible says this in Hebrews 12:14 and Romans 12:18 ....
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: KJV
Romans 12:18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. AMP
.... it is speaking of our own personal and individual lives. Do NOT fight and argue with people, but be ever ready to believe the BEST (1 Corinthians 13:7 AMP) of every person. If people want to argue and fight, walk away and allow the LORD your GOD to vindicate you! As far as nations go, leaders have the responsibility to keep their people safe from harm. JESUS never told soldiers to stop being soldiers, but rather to be good soldiers! Luke 3:14:
14 Some soldiers asked him, “And what about us, what are we to do?” And he replied to them, “Do not extort money from anyone or harass or blackmail anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”
Now, to address immigration, every one of us have ancestors that came to this country from somewhere else. The question is whether or not they came legally. No one that I know is opposed to LEGAL immigration, but illegal immigration has caused great hardship to this nation. When we speak of refugees, MOST of the Middle Eastern refugees do NOT want to come to this nation, they want to return to their own homes and nations or to go where there are people just like them. Terrorists on the other hand have a definite agenda for wanting to come to this and other free nations. It is the responsibility of our leaders to find out which are which and to make decisions based on that. Compassion tells us to do what WE can to help. That starts with prayer and then proceeds to action that Holy Spirit leads you to! The United States has always been a nation that generously aids other nations and peoples, even to forgiving those nations who have harmed us. To insist that we, as a nation, should just blindly receive anyone and everyone is not only not Scriptural, it is beyond ridiculous and irresponsible. So, the next time that YOU feel the need to involve yourself in this discussion, make sure that YOU are ready to do what God is telling YOU to do concerning the people involved, and then back off and let others have the freedom to do the same. When it comes to the nation, pray for your leaders and trust God to speak to them Himself, for He has promised this in Proverbs 21:1:
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turns it whithersoever he will. KJV
I hope that this helps some of you who have been the brunt of hostility concerning this. Remember that attacks against you are attacks against God and HE will vindicate you. Also remember that the people who come against us personally are NOT our enemies, but merely vessels used by satan to distract, deter and destroy your joy, which is your strength! Refuse to fall for that trick! YOU are better and more powerful than that! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with a powerful song that speaks to GOD'S focus! "Grace To Grace":
Shalom in Him!
