PASTOR RODNEY BANKENS PREACHING POLITICS

PASTOR RODNEY BANKENS PREACHING POLITICS

 

Romans 13:1-2 KJV,

1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

 

The Bible says that government has been ordained by God Himself.

In just 2 days, we in the United States have the privilege of electing the people who will serve in office for the next several years. In this voting session we are voting for the highest position in this nation, the most powerful office in the world, President of The United States of America. Since I believe this is one of the most important elections in our lifetime, I have taken a strong stand in the past few months to encourage voters to support candidates on the national, state, and local levels who embrace biblical values.

I listen to the news every day on my XM Radio and on the internet. My wife and I are both deeply concerned about the enormous moral issues facing our country. That is why your vote on this Tuesday, November 6 is so critical.

This is a crucial hour for our nation. Above all, this is a time for deep, intercessory prayer on behalf of our great country, which is in grave danger…unless we repent of our sinful ways and turn back to the God of our fathers.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 New Living Translation ®,

1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

When America’s political leaders actively promote and then begin to legislate into law immorality, and begin to restrict the religious freedoms that our country was founded on, and are openly and outwardly hostile to men and women of faith, I believe we are ripe for the judgments of God.

So I ask each one of you to PRAY and then VOTE on this Tuesday, November 6, asking God for His mercy and grace upon our country. There is still time to turn from our wretched and wicked ways so that He might spare us from His wrath against sin.

I personally think America has been headed in the wrong direction for so many generations. This great nation is so deep in out of control debt now. There are in place now Government agencies that are enforcing rules and regulations that were never passed by Congress, our constitution is being breached. Most of the media in America and much of the population continually mock God, questioning if there even is a God. Now the media along with the multitudes of American people are now diminishing the value of marriage and family. They are diminishing the unborn that are so innocent and have no voice for themselves.

Blind leaders have our blind nation headed over a cliff so to speak to a point of no return. Thank God there are a few national representatives in Washington D.C. and a few preachers along with a very few godly people who really realize what is happening and what we are about to face. I hope we have many people that desire to help this nation of America to get back on the right path.

I am hopeful and I have good news for everyone to hear. God is the “shelter from the storm we find ourselves in and the Shepherd who will lead us to lie down in green pastures, It is God who will lead us beside the still waters and who will restore us body, soul, and spirit while preparing a table before us with goodness and mercy following us all the days of our life even in the presence of many merciless enemies and all the false accusers.

This week Gallup poll called to ask me about presidential candidates, national direction and to get my take on what is unfolding on the political landscape. The poling person was gracious and I am thankful to say I enjoyed what I felt was an honest question and answer session.

I want a good relationship with all the poling people and the media because I believe as strongly in the freedom of press and expression as I do the importance of freedom to preach, worship and assemble ourselves together. These are gifts and rights that come directly from “God” and have been passed down to us from our founding forefathers. I will always defend every God-given constitutional right while also strongly emphasizing every human beings personal responsibility in keeping these freedoms and constitutional rights in our nation.

Whenever issues of national and moral importance (Which have now been made political) are addressed by a preacher, we hear the outcry that we as religious people are to “Stay out of politics!” In other words, they are saying we as preachers must avoid real-life issues, day to day problems and challenges on the national stage by never standing up with hopeful, helpful godly and righteous solutions. The truth is Saints of God, this means all people of faith and certainly preachers of the Word of God are bound and obligated to speak out boldly and to stand for Biblical convictions. People with a secular, humanist, God-denying view that assaults the Judeo-Christian biblical views and diminishes the importance of the founding documents of this great nation are continually organizing in every community against the things pertaining to God. They force their views on the population through protests and radical political activism while never giving up an inch of their “unsacred” turf, however unsacred it actually is. They expect the church community to hush-up, be quiet, roll over and go back to sleep, and above all they expect us to keep our faith to ourselves.

There are even several people who support the outreaches of LIFE and who love God who have told me that I am getting too political. Some have scolded me in emails and on private messages on Facebook. Exactly what does that mean that I am getting too political? Am I concerned? Yes I am. Do I care? Yes I do. Do I love God and people? Yes I really do. Do I want to assist the suffering people in this nation? Yes, that is why I am compelled to speak out and to be open with my views.

I am commissioned by God and His Word to speak, to put a ”trumpet to my lips,” to “sound an alarm on the holy mountain,” to warn the people, stand in the gap, repair the breech, rebuild the walls, restore the foundation, and faithfully present the one reliable standard – the Word of the living God. I am called to preach “the Way, the Truth and the Life.” I will do all that I can do and I will proclaim truth all the while I am involved in touching people. Now is the time to “call a solemn assembly, to rend our hearts, not our garments.” No more religious pretense saints of God. It is time to stop “honoring God with our lips” and begin honoring Him with all of our hearts, with everything that is within us.

As saints of God it is of the utmost importance that we not just try to tell people how to live, but actually we show them how to live by our example. New Testament Saints of God were so full of life and love they turned their world upside down. Now it is up to we who are Holy Ghost filled saints of God to turn our upside down world right-side up again and get them on the straight and narrow way, before it is too late.

I told the very polite Gallup Poll pollster what I feel like I am called to do even when it comes to this election. I am now trying to challenge all ministers, preachers, saints of God, and leaders of our country to consider fulfilling the will of God and together get our nation and our people on the right path which includes the path of salvation.

I will endorse biblical truth, love, compassion, courage, convictions, strong marriages with strong families, and the importance of everyone assuming responsibility for their actions as well as influencing local and national direction. I support the Constitution of the United States of America as our founders established it. Up until this election I have never stood up and personally endorsed a particular candidate nor have I personally in the past endorsed a party. But our nation is in trouble, many of our leaders are taking advantage of we the people and we are in grave trouble and therefore I must sound the alarm against EVIL. Saints of God not only do I have a God given right to sound the alarm, but I am also protected by the Constitution of These United States of America to sound the alarm by blowing the trumpet of truth and righteousness. Every one of us certainly has the God-given right to stand up for our rights and to sound the alarm and no one understood this better than our national founding fathers.

When a preacher, or highly visible person or for that matter any one of us endorses a candidate, that is our right and we should all respect each other even if we disagree with others opinions. We can disagree without being hateful, ugly and mean. I will talk to, counsel with, challenge, and pray for and with any candidate who is running for any office or holding any office. I will love them all and honor their position even if I firmly disagree with their stand. But I will not be a soggy, mushy, mealy-mouthed, inspire-no-one preacher and just tip toe around the issues that are corrupting this nation, no Never!

I will exhort – I will speak up and I will speak out because it is what preachers are called by God to do. Woe is me and all of us as ministers of the gospel if we do not standup and speak out in this evil day. When we do not proclaim truth and liberty throughout the land, we have failed both God and man. “We must Shout it from the housetops, cry out with a loud voice everywhere we go.”

The fact is the Word of God is carved in the stone on buildings throughout Washington, DC, and buildings all over this nation, this published and public Word of God continues to testify while some pulpits have gone silent and the pews become sanctimonious mortuaries where dead saints come to attend church once or twice a week. Preachers of the gospel must not be timid and fearful or they will have a church filled with spineless, fear-filled people who will never become a “city set on a hill,” they will be as one whose light has gone out or one whose light has been put under a bushel.

I will always embrace sound principles upon which we can build our lives, families and future. I support what has been proven to work throughout human history to the real benefit of people, not some idea or suggestion that reduces humanity and human beings to something less than God created us to be. Lives as well as buildings must be established on a solid foundation and not built as the city of New Orleans, Louisiana and so many American people and, yes, many of our politicians are hell-bent on building their future not only on sand, but on sand below sea level.

I will always stand against evil and expose evil, damaging practices, and I will stand against bad policy being propagated by the law-makers of this nation.

Since most media and many teachers and scholars do not seem to believe in evil and obviously some lawmakers and even so many Christian ministry leaders do not seem to believe in evil either I will still stand against evil, which is sin.

In other words the national leaders would have us believe, “the three little pigs” and Red Riding Hood need to learn there is no big, bad wolf, and while at it chunk the Bible along with the children’s stories out the window all the while we are to continue living in a failing, fantasyland and a dream world that is filled with so many nightmares! So for these who do not believe the Bible is the truth of God’s Word, let me address what I mean by bad policy. If it does not work or is not sustainable, no matter how sincere these masterminds seem we must stop the madness! Because this madness is worse than suicidal; it becomes murder - death to people and it produces such and insecure future with no hope for every American citizen, because we are all involved in these failed policies.

I will encourage every person to assume responsibility for their own lives, their personal decisions and to diligently seek to assist other people along the way. Vote faithfully and with biblical conviction for those who hold to moral values, freedoms, liberties and sound principles dear. Do not vote just for one issue or out of mere personal preference or fear of damaging your party loyalty or do not vote only for a great sounding high flying personality. Consider the whole package – vote principle not just preference. There has only been one perfect candidate – Jesus – and He will not be in the running for your vote in a political race.

Jesus Christ rules in the lives of those who are totally submitted to Him! I encourage every one of you to recognize how valuable and important you are to the Lord and to His cause and purpose, because of this we must see all things through the eyes of the Lord because there are so many who run for our higher offices that are refusing to even acknowledge God or to fellowship in His love. Because of this twisted view today we best know how to discern who we are to cast our vote for.

I will endure – I am in the race to win, not just this up and coming election Tuesday, nor am I seeking the approval of men by who I vote for or who I am pushing for office, but I plan on finishing and winning the “race God has set before us all.” This is a race for the full expression of the life, love and liberty only God can give which people are to share. I will “stand and having stood keep standing for God and right while I continue to run this race of life.”

To the people and all political candidates I say: “if you are going to get beat up, let it happen because you are standing boldly in behalf of what is best for God and country – what is best for people who are running this race of life.” So if you are asking me to explain in brief words what I am trying to do, here is my answer: I want to inspire everyone to first get on your face before God and then stand on your feet for God and right during this election and Vote godly Tuesday. Every one of you needs to go to the polls and Vote your Bible.

The upcoming presidential election will say something about who American people trust and even what the American people trust? Both candidates and parties stress the importance of trust. The fact is, they each want you to trust their leadership and their promises, but if you read between the lines and have the ability to discern, you will see so much more than either of them desire that you see.

Neither presidential candidate is perfect so therefore we have reasons for legitimate concern on both sides. We all want both parties to be concerned with the welfare of the American people, poor, middle class and wealthy. We want both parties to seek better ways to enable the healthcare system to work more efficiently and effectively for every American. We want both parties to provide the best military and defense system for the nation. We want both parties to reign in the lavish spending and to balance this nation’s budget. We want both parties to abide by and to enforce the constitutional laws of these United States.

Some things, however, are very clear when it comes to this election and who we choose to cast our votes for:

One candidate and party favors limited government and believes in the ability of citizens to be more productive on their own, this is Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan who have been nominated by the Republican Party.

The other candidate and party believes government is the primary source of care and that financial resources should be taken from successful people and redistributed to others in order to pay for highly comprehensive social programs, this is President Barack Obama/Joe Biden who have been nominated by the Democrat Party.

NOW, I really want to believe that both candidates and parties genuinely care about “We the people.” So with all this before me how do I really know which candidate and which party is the one that I should vote for to best care for “We the People” and all the evil that is set before us as a nation at this time?

Here are some facts for all of us this morning:

The people must control the government, or the government will control the people.

“We the People” will ultimately trust God or we will trust the government.

If the government does not serve us wisely and effectively, we will serve the government and it will bring us to our own ruin.”

When people are taught to look to government or to others to care for them, they will not look to God. God must be our source. The prophet Jeremiah said,

Jeremiah 17:5-6 New Living Translation ®,

5 This is what the Lord says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.

When people in trouble are led or encouraged to look to politicians and the federal government for help and their every day needs, they will not seek God and find the real assistance they so desperately need. When “We the People” are taught not to give or receive love, taught not to care for others, or not to assist our neighbor, we then have become deceived and contribute to our own downfall, and to the loss of freedom, and will ultimately find ourselves in slavery and bondage. Handing our personal responsibility and the importance of being involved in meeting the needs of others to some agency or national political power destroys our hope.

If the American people will again put God in first place; we will notice others and become motivated by true compassion; we will then work together to find meaningful solutions. In addition, we will be personally involved. People in need must see people who care in order to recognize there is a God who also cares.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 New Living Translation ®,

7 "But blessed are those who trust in the Lord

and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

A government program will not, and should not, be expected to reveal the love of God. Trusting government to care for the poor around us strips God from the equation. This is not biblical compassion at all.

I am not opposed to a “safety net” approach to welfare, but I am against teaching people they do not have to work, do not need an education in fact all they have to do is go to the mail box month in and month out and their meager little bit just to keep them happy and voting right. Folks we have become a welfare nation, no longer a working nation and our people remain in poverty with no hope of ever being successful in life.

To make things worse, we are not approaching the solutions with the idea of producing more wealth, but rather with the idea of viewing wealth as a fixed amount that must be reapportioned in order to benefit others. As we cave in to the desires of activists, such as taxpayer-provided contraception and condoms for college graduate school students, we depart the realm of assisting the poor and enter into a true socialist society. This is not the America that has surpassed the world in wealth, strength, freedom, and positive influence.

People’s needs and weaknesses should help drive them to the correct source of help: which is God. Instead, we are training people to turn to government. A faceless federal agency sending out checks with no personal connection is welfare, but it is not compassion in the scriptural sense. If “We the People” keep lifting up the government rather than God and His love as the answer to life’s challenges, we are actually promoting idolatry. Pointing people to government for assistance instead of stepping up and, as the church of Jesus Christ, taking an active, personal hand in helping others is a complete abandonment of the call of God. May God forgive us and lead us to repentance!

This election will give us an indication of whom and what the American people trust. If we say no to ever-increasing debt, overreaching entitlements, more taxes on everyone, we will also be saying yes to personal responsibility, meaningful acts of compassion, legitimate interest in our neighbors, and a determination to offer assistance by mentoring and teaching others.

This is the only way out, and we must do it together as “We the People,” under God, indivisible. Then, and only then, will we have liberty, justice for all. We will again be the land of opportunity and a “shining city set on a hill” for all the people of the world to admire. It is not too late, but it is very late. Watch and pray—then go vote!

Let me insert the reading of a letter for your hearing:

From the heart of Pastor, written Oct. 27th, 2012

I’m writing this from a Shepherd’s heart that is so heavily burdened for our Nation and its People that I feel a mandate from God above to speak as I’m speaking right now. I’m writing this not as a rebuke, but as an Alarm! My heart is completely humbled as I write these words. This is also NOT a Political Post, but One of Morality. I was awakened much of the night last night in Prayer, burdened of the Lord for America. Please hear me out and don’t turn a deaf ear to these words that I now write.

The issues of which I’m writing are not Political issues, but they are Moral issues, which have been hijacked and stolen from the Church and entered into the Political Mine Field of other issues and after being told that these issues are “Political” for so many years, Society and the Christian Church have bought this lie, hook, line and sinker. But it’s just that – A Lie!

James 4:17, “Therefore, To Him Who Knows To Do Good And Does It Not, To Him It Is Sin.” (Please keep this verse of scripture as a basis of reflection as you read the rest of my words)

I hope many read this, but I’m speaking directly to the Christians of America within my sphere of influence. Our Nation is literally at the point of No Return if Righteous Change doesn’t take place immediately! I don’t believe that I’m overstating the case when I say that this is the single most important election in our Republic’s short 236 year history. There has never been so much at stake as there is at this stage of our existence as a sovereign Nation. Everything that this Country was founded upon and founded for is now on the verge of being done away with. Our Religious Freedoms and Civil Liberties which have been purchased with the shed blood of our Nation’s finest for more than Two Centuries are now at stake! We have never known life without these things here in this Nation and we have taken them for granted as though they would always be, but again, I implore you to truly shake yourself and see the Handwriting On The Wall! Time is Up! Something must happen Now!

Many good, well-meaning Christians are depending solely upon the Lord to fix this and if He doesn’t, then they are simply assigning that as “God’s Perfect Will”. My dear Brothers and Sisters, God has Always, Always, Always, utilized humankind as His instruments in this world to bring about His agenda. He utilized Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of Egyptian Bondage. He used Jonah to go preach to the people of Ninevah to Repent and turn to Him lest they be destroyed. He used young David to kill the Philistine giant, Goliath of Gath in the face of overwhelming odds. He has ALWAYS used “People” to do His work and His will in this world. It’s no different today.

As I write these words, we are only Ten Days away from “Choosing” our next President of these United States of America. We have two very different candidates. I have been accused of being a racist because of some of the things that I am about to address, but anyone who truly knows me, knows that I am not a racist. I am SO grateful that our Country has FINALLY come to the place that an African-American can be elected to the highest Office in this Land. I applaud that and I am sincerely so grateful that we’ve reached that point. Frankly, it’s been far too long in coming! So there is nothing that I’m speaking today or any other time that has anything at all to do with Race. Race is a complete “Non-Issue” with me, in any aspect of life. As far as I’m concerned, we are all of the Human Race and that’s the only Race that counts, because the Human Race is the Race that Jesus Christ bled and died for.

As a Christian, there are (3) Three Fundamental Issues that are of the most importance to me. It’s not Fiscal Policy, although that is very important. It’s not Foreign Policy, although, again, that too is extremely important. However, I’m of the persuasion based upon the Word of God and my own personal experience with His faithfulness, that if We, The People, Seek First His Kingdom & His Righteousness, that He will bless us Fiscally and even defend us from our enemies. But that’s where we have strayed. We have become a Nation who seeks the Creation above the Creator! We seek material Blessing above the Blessor! Our Priorities have been shifted and though true Repentance begins in the heart, it also proves itself through One’s deeds and actions. We MUST Repent and realign ourselves with God’s heartbeat and then we will again begin to see “God Bless America”, but not until!!!

The 1st Moral Issue is Abortion. Right now, there is a little baby boy or baby girl, created in the image and likeness of God, being brutally slaughtered within its Mother’s Womb every 26 seconds in our Nation. They call it Choice, but God calls Abortion – “MURDER”! The proponents of this heinous act have attempted to label the Unborn as merely a fetus, a blob of inconsequential tissue and cells without a Living Soul, but God has declared in His Holy Word that “before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I knew you”. Since 1973, we have slaughtered more than 52 Million little “People” in America and my friend, their innocent blood is crying out for Justice to a Holy and Righteous God! President Barrack Obama is strongly pro-Abortion, pro-Late Term Abortion, pro-Partial Birth Abortion, pro-Infanticide and his voting record and his own words bear this out as factual. One thing that God says that He “Hates” is “Hands that shed Innocent Blood.” What could be more innocent than a precious little baby boy or girl? Governor Mitt Romney is not completely pro-Life, as I wish he were. He favors abortion in the case of Rape, Incest or to save the Life of the Mother. Regardless of how the child was conceived, he or she is still a Living Soul and a Little Person who is at our mercy. Yet, there is still a huge difference between the two candidate’s positions. We have the opportunity of possibly slowing the rate of abortions by 80% -95% by our Vote. I have actually heard some Christian’s state that they aren’t going to vote for either candidate because neither of them are completely Pro-Life, so they’re just going to stay home and continue to “Pray”. But I say, that to sit by and do “Nothing” when we could do something and perhaps make a huge dent in the number of babies being slaughtered in this Nation is Sin itself. Yes that’s what I said. We can pray until we’re blue in the face, but if we sit idly by and do nothing to save these precious lives, then even as we pray (in vain) we are sinning, because remember, “To Him Who Knows To Do Good And Does It Not, To Him It Is Sin”. We MUST act to save these precious babies!

The Second Moral Issue is the Protection of Marriage. God has made it abundantly clear that Marriage is an act that is between a Man and a Woman, not same-sex! As a matter of fact, He’s clearly stated that the act of Homosexuality, much less Homosexual Marriage is an Abomination and He abhors it! Paul lets us know in the 1st Chapter of Romans that blatant homosexuality is the very final stages of a society that is in utter moral failure, on whom God’s wrath and judgment has fallen! President Obama has recently endorsed Homosexual Marriage. Governor Mitt Romney has stated that he would endorse a Constitutional Amendment cementing into Law that Marriage is a Sacred Union between a Man and a Woman and my friend, that’s God’s plan too! We will never change God to fit into what’s Politically Correct. He is the Lord and He changes not, so we must change our ways of thinking to align with His! We, as the Church, if we want to be on the side of God, then we must support and protect Marriage as being between a Man and a Woman. My friend, anything less is asking for God’s Judgment to fall without reservation upon this Nation, just as we read of in Romans Chapter 1.

The Third Moral Issue is our Alliance With The Nation Of Israel. God stated that He Would Bless Those Who Bless Israel and He Would Curse Those Who Curse Israel. President Obama has continually for the past nearly 4 years, insulted, rejected and abandoned our best and only real friend in the Middle East, ISRAEL. He has gone out of his way to befriend, embrace and embolden her Muslim neighbors who have made it abundantly clear that they want nothing less than to blow Israel off of the Map. President Obama has also stated and I quote,

“Should the Political Winds Shift, I will stand with the Muslims”.

Governor Mitt Romney is very Pro-Israel and wants to strengthen our alliance with her once again. We must stand with Israel if we expect God to bless us.

My dear brothers and sisters, with just the little bit of information that I’ve given, I must say that to sit this election out and not vote, regardless of whether you’re praying or not, to not act, is cowardly, self-centered and sinful! I say that as kindly as I possibly can, but it’s simply the Truth. To KNOW to do right and to then not do it, it is SIN!

Protecting the life of the Unborn is RIGHT! To not do it, is SIN!

Protecting the Biblical Depiction Of Marriage is RIGHT! To not do it, is SIN!

Protecting our Alliance with the Nation of Israel is RIGHT! To not do it, is SIN!

We must Pray! 2nd Chronicles 7:14, “If my people which are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

We must Pray! We must also Turn from our wicked ways (Repent) and seek FIRST the desires of God! Repent is a VERB. It requires ACTION. There is fruit thereof.

I pray that on November 6th, the Body of Christ in this Land will arise in one united voice and stand with Righteousness! Then and only then can we hope to see God’s hand of blessing rest upon our Nation once again. Lest we act now, our days of Liberty and Freedom are nearing their rapid end and our Children and Grandchildren will be the ones who suffer the greatest costs of our Apathy and Inactivity! In other words, they will reap the consequences of the Sins of their Fathers and Mothers who chose to remain Silent and Apathetic when they could’ve done RIGHT!

I love each of you, I love God and I do love America and I pray that we will do the right thing while we can and I pray that we always remain One Nation Under God!

Pastor Robbie Baankens

Abundant Grace

Petal, Mississippi

 

Who is for Abortion?

Who is for same sex marriage?

Who is on the side of Israel?

Who is a Mormon?

Who is a Muslim?

Who is for big spending and for big debt?

Who is for more taxes?

Who is for less government and less taxes?

I have already voted for Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan