Election and Life 2008

November 4th.......what a day! I began the day with a phone call of life. About 7:15 A.M., I learned that at 5:59 A.M., Judah William Gokee entered the world. Life broke through and took its first breath.......once again. What joy he brings to the hearts of the parents, Josh and Christy! What joy he brings to the hearts of the aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents! What joy he brings to friends and well-wishers! What joy he brings to the heart of his Creator! He is a precious gift and a glorious sign that in Father's Kingdom, life always is birthed to win the day!

Then there was the election. Many of my candidates didn't receive the majority votes of man. Many will not be taking office in January. Many will not be able to represent me and so many others who stand for life. Predictions were made. Hope was filled with faith, but mystery still abides in the plans and ways of Father God. I am left once again with the awe-inspiring meditation that His ways are higher than mine; His thoughts are higher than mine(Is. 55:8, 9). I guess my only choice once again is to fully trust my omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Creator who is God, Father, Brother, Friend, Savior, Shepherd, Healer, Deliverer, and Lord all at the same time, and has an amazing plan for me, my family, and for those to whom I reach out to love (Jeremiah 29:11-13). It is not the first time that I have faced a mystery on this wonderful journey of learning to know and love Him; it won't be the last.

So this morning I am reflecting on the elections that I have voted in as I have traveled through adulthood. It is rather interesting to me that the Presidential candidate I voted for in 10 elections won exactly 50% of the time. Two Presidents during that time faced some impeachment proceedings against them, and I had voted for neither one. One President resigned from office and, yet, this was the President that started a process that eventually ended a war early. This meant my draft number was so high, I was not called up to enter that war. As I look back, 20% of my votes for President were flat out wrong (according to my present stand on issues, my philosophy of government, and my beliefs as molded by Holy Spirit). In all of this, Jesus has remained King, the Father remained positioned on the throne. The plans of the Godhead have not been taken by surprise, frustrated, adjusted, or threatened in any way. Instead, He weaves the strands of history and the eras of time into a beautiful tapestry that we often can only see the backside of with its loose ends dangling haphazardly in seeming disarray. After all, time is in His hand. Past, present, and future are all before His eyes at the same time. As they say in Jamaica, "No worries."

So, rather than entrusting part of the battle for life to like-minded (I hesitate to say, "like-spirited," since they are politicians, for sure) representatives,  I must increasingly take the responsibility to ask Holy Spirit what I should do to passionately and boldly state the case for life in America. I will trust my Father to give me the wisdom and strength to make a difference in a society that increasingly accepts the fact that we can choose to throw away children who are inconvenient, since we have devised our own code of morality to replace our loving Heavenly Father's revelation. I will gladly accept the personal responsibility to bring Kingdom realities to desperate women (and men) in the throes of confusing choices, by pointing them to a Shepherd Father who loves them unconditionally and desires to provide them with living water and abundant pasture, rather than a graveyard. I will joyfully choose to contend for the glorious light of intimacy in order to navigate through a maze where the natural lights seem even dimmer this morning.

My precious grandchildren have survived and are thriving in an Egypt where so many evil schemes wish to crush their lives inside their woven-reed baskets. Love has accomplished miracles that evil is powerless to stop. If we are alert and vigilant on the wall in our generation as watchmen (and watchwomen) of our King, we will have the privilege of participating in the impossible becoming possible on a daily basis. Welcome to the battle, Judah William Jacquet! Not a casualty in the struggle for life, but part of a end-time army of mighty reinforcements who will be led by and filled with the Spirit of the Most High!

If you have read this, please comment! 

Guest Blog Author: Personal Convictions on Voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin

We live in the greatest God-given nation in the history of the world. At this point, as the election is tomorrow, I want to share a few thoughts of my own. As a Christian man who submits himself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, my first and foremost resolution of heart in all matters is determined by His influence. I desire my core values, as a follower of Him, to be established by His heart, values, and nature. As a supreme ruler of the universe, the Lord's desire and plan for this nation was established on the basis of His character, His grace, His mercy and His life. Everything I believe is founded and run through the grid of the heart of God, as He is the only One who will guide, protect, and maintain the foundational elements of freedom in this land that all of us have been given the right to enjoy and the responsibility to cultivate for other generations to follow. This is not a light matter. I have a choice to embrace or not to embrace God's purposes for America, realizing that my choices always have consequences. You have the right of choice. So, amid all the rhetoric and opinions of man, my ultimate desire is to ask the Lord, what do You say and what are You doing in this hour? I believe that those who humble themselves under His banner will hear from Him and be used to carry out His heart, which is ultimate goodness for this nation. When a poisonous apple covered in gold is offered, true Godly wisdom will warn of the inherent poison of the apple. Our own thinking will see only the apparent goodness or outer gold. Most people would agree that evil should not be tolerated, so that goodness would prevail. Unfortunately, what the Lord considers evil is not understood or seen by many. Why? It takes a humbling of heart to allow Jesus to speak His desires and then for each of us to hear what He is saying. So many form their opinions according to what they personally think alone rather than on what the Lord says and directs. He is speaking. He is not an opinion. He is not an idea. He is truth. Can we as a nation hear what the Lord is saying and act on it? I believe we can.

We have witnessed this very scenario in the realm of the growing atrocity of the murders of those who have no voice. There has been no stopping the carnage of millions of aborted lives. To date, 42-52 million lives have been snuffed out since the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision. That's a fact, and it is not refutable. Many in America have tried to justify this with their multifaceted defenses that ultimately hold no weight when it comes to life and death. Their thoughts have been cleverly woven together, presented as moral acts to benefit our society. Ultimately those who defy what the Lord has put in place for us to enjoy in our families, workplaces, and communities, unknowingly allow the very enemy of their souls to steal it away. The bottom line is, millions and millions of lives have been snuffed out. Period. An entire generation of future scientists, governmental leaders, missionaries, business people, architects, mothers and fathers, lawyers, doctors, truck drivers, etc. are lost and can't be brought back. What does the Lord think about all of this? How does this affect us personally and as a nation? Compare this number to the entire population of many countries; it's amazing. Along that same line, look at the numbers of those lives taken during the Holocaust....6 million Jews. America has already murdered 42 - 52 million defenseless people. Who was (and still is) represented in this infanticide of the womb? An entire generation of American children, who had wonderful destinies and plans for their lives, have been eradicated from the land of the free and the home of the brave. This is unequivocally and demonstratively against the heart and law of the very Lord who has allowed us to live in this land and carry out His mandates fro true justice and freedom. We need to cry out for forgiveness and mercy so we can get back on track with His heart, as it grieves Him and will allow more of our rights, freedoms, and enjoyments to be taken away. We need to recognize the real enemy of our land and do what it takes to stop the evil. The law of life and love has been repeatedly ignored, pushed aside, resisted, and militantly opposed under the guise of preference for the rights of others. There is no comparison. Here is the golden apple. If we choose to lift up righteousness and turn away from evil, God promises to heal our land. The Word of God states in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, seek My face and turn from their wicked ways (which is lifting up righteousness), THEN I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land." We need a healing in our land. A nation that exalts righteousness will be blessed. Everything positive will spill out of that effort....the increase in our economy, world security, Godly family values, and all the other issues that challenge our nation. Anyone who studies the history of nations can see the contagious thread of unrighteousness being the cause of the elimination of true freedom. For us in America, nothing should be allowed to trump this vital issue of life and death, as only the knowledge of the truth will set us free and keep us free. We have been the recipients of life and goodness, and must strongly resist anything that will rob us (and future generations) of this inheritance from the Lord. Many have gone before me to protect my rights and have even given their lives for my freedom and yours! I must demonstrate my gratitude to them (and the Lord) through my attitudes and actions. Also, I have a responsibility to leave that precious inheritance to my son, David, his children, and grandchildren. Our purpose in living is not for ourselves, but for others, just as Jesus rose from the dead to give us new life in Him as we fully embrace who He is and what it means to follow Him wholeheartedly. In America, we need eyes to see these truths.

Obama said on national television for all to hear (during one of the Presidential debates) that the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision was a good one. My heart was deeply grieved when I heard him speak. He obviously has not seen the inherent evil of the slaughter of live (aka, abortion) in this nation. That's unconscionable. No matter the rhetoric, both Obama and Biden are firmly and blatantly pro-abortion. Someone who is against something will do whatever it takes to stop evil, not to promote it, or skirt around it. Their walk will match their talk. The Obama/Biden ticket has made it clear that, if elected, one of Obama's first actions as President would be the signing of the Freedom of Choice Act. This act would eliminate every other law against partial-, birth abortion, parental notification, etc. They hold many other unrighteous positions, but this one alone is particularly heinous, and significant enough to render my stand for total unacceptability of their ticket. Additionally, we need justices in the Supreme Court that would uphold the family values that undergird our society. Both Obama and Biden have track records that have voted against the justices who have attempted to uphold these traditions. Check it for yourself and don't be fooled, Obama has his own standard for the appointment of future justices, as well, and one of the "tests" will be where a person stands on Roe vs. Wade. This lack of understanding, judgment, and vision are clear indicators that the Obama/Biden ticket is not God's best for our country, as these qualities are foundational for all other issues. If we Americans think that we can freely exist in a country that continues to violate the very nature of the One who gave us life to begin with, we are grievously in error. Arrogance loves to take the form of true humility, but it's only a facade, and will rear it ugly head in due time. My hope is that America will wake up and realize the great stakes of this election, the seriousness of the timing, and God's attempts to make Himself, His purposes, and His goodness known. Obama is not the one who should be put at the helm of the greatest country in the world. We are at a crossroads in our nation, and I will vote for those who will stand for a voice for the unborn and will appoint justices who will attempt to be led by a voice bigger than their own. We must work toward the removal of the moral decay and societal degeneration  of values from this great country so we can look forward to the future of one nation, under God, indivisible. with liberty and justice for all. This will then insure our national security, economic stability, educational advancement, energy viability, healthcare reform, family values, and more. Don't be caught up in the hype, ask the Lord for His vision. He is the One who is behind life and will open the eyes of any who truly want His heart to be carried throughout this great nation. I urge you to pray and vote for those who are determined to uphold the sanctity of life andf righteousness, which will unleash the true hope and prosperity that this nation had once valued so highly....and by God's grace, will again.

I have so many more reasons, but I hope you all take time to consider and pray what would be the will of God in this election-- as there are stark differences in the direction this country will be taking. God bless you all and God Bless America! May His perfect will reign supreme.

Michael Wheeler

Song: Sonnet to a Son

In the silence of the womb grows a beautiful little boy

Growing well upon his own; the gift he'll bring is the gift of joy

But his mother doesn't want his gift, for she has made a selfish choice 

She lets his body be torn limb from limb without a vote from his unheard voice

How can you say it?

How can you shout it? 

That abortion is right

You preach for freedom

You scream equality

While you snuff out little lives

Have you viewed his silent scream, as he's burned with salt, or suctioned out

It's become a deadly dream, a nightmare scene without a doubt

But women's lib states that it's ok, because a woman has her right

So the silent voice is never heard; he must surrender without a fight

How can you say it? 

How can you shout it?

That abortion is right

You preach for freedom

You scream equality

While you snuff out little lives

God's handiwork, God's design, His creation formed within

To deny this child the right to live; to erase his name is such a sin

For his mother is a vessel prepared for birth back in Eden

Why believe a lie, steal fruit again from God's own tree in His new garden?

How can you say it?

How can you shout it?

That abortion is right

You preach for freedom

You scream equality

While you snuff out little lives

Your comments?

Why it is Ok to be a Single-Issue Voter: Part 2 -Numbness, Civil Rights, and the Forgotten Lost

When it comes to the subject of abortion, there seems to be such a numbness that sets into the proponents of this unconscionable, murderous action taken against the most defenseless treasure that the Creator has directly fashioned (Psalm 139: 13-16). As we have heard many times, this terroristic invasion of the womb is referred to simply as a "procedure." The "choice" of the mother is referred to as a "right,"  a civil right and/or a privacy right. However, it is more than legitimate to take away this free ability to choose death for a personhood she didn't create, but was created within her after her first "choice" in the process. In other words, she has a "choice" in the procreation (in the vast majority of cases), but not the creation. It is analogous to saying things like, "I should be allowed to kill a close family member if that "choice" would mean a better, freer, more prosperous life for me." Or, "If it is an inconvenience to have this close family member blocking my personal yellow brick road to a better life, then I should be able to "choose" to have he or she removed from the earth." Is it any wonder that since 1973,  the hot debate over euthanasia and even the unthinkable, infanticide, have increasingly been deemed acceptable topics of discussion in a supposedly "civilized" society.

A dulling of the heart of compassion becomes the norm for so many people after hearing the lies of abortion supporters repeated over and over. "We want to reduce the number of abortions," they often declare to placate the impassioned supporters of life. Really? That is like saying to the firemen that come to put out a fire, "We sincerely want the raging fire to go out so we will help the firemen by spraying gasoline on the flames......vote pro-choice!" Or the sham of a supposedly lofty-sounding debate is often proposed, "We believe that life should be supported in all its contexts to be consistent, so if you are pro-life, you need to be against any war, and all capital punishment, also." Interesting...... Doctors with the permission of a mother acting legally on an morally indefensible decision by seven powerful judges in 1973 (judgment was made only respecting perceived constitutional law, not morality) invade the most sacred sanctuary on earth to destroy a voiceless and defenseless live entity fashioned by the Creator after the most intimate of  human acts. This very personal choice to murder is being compared with two traditional actions of the state. It definitely is a smokescreen litmus test to add confusion in the debate, rather than a valid argument to consider spending lots of time discussing (while more lives are annihilated to the tune of an estimated 167 a minute during the deliberations).

There is such a deception that sets into the minds of those so easily accepting the immorality of abortion. There is no question that it is a spiritual deception. It is a clever lie of the enemy of mankind that has been dressed up as a very moral action to help the poor, defend women, and build a more stable society. But the loss of beautiful human life cannot be replaced after the termination has been finalized. 42-52 million lives snuffed out from our population since 1973 cry out from eternity. Odds are one may have been a genius to cure cancer or AIDS. One may have had the strategy to avoid (or solve) our national economic troubles. A terrific President or two may have been lost. Excellent and unique artists, engineers, scientists, architects, entrepreneurs, doctors, nurses, teachers, pastors, missionaries, mothers, fathers are gone forever. The list never ends; the possibilities are almost limitless. At the very least, extremely valuable human beings have been destroyed by an intolerable massacre that has been blandly approved as an acceptable option for unwanted pregnancies. A generation now exists with a gaping wound in its heart that will never heal; can never be treated. Only the new knife blows to the same wound can be prevented. When life is the topic, shouldn't we be as conservative as possible? If just one human life in the womb has been lost unrighteously according to the One responsible for all moral absolutes, then it is, of course, one too many! It is a moral outrage to simply dismiss these lives as "non-living tissue," "collections of cells," etc. The Creator begins creating life from day one, not after the first or second trimester. The womb is one of His Holy of Holies which no human hand should violate with a calculated malicious intent.

What are your comments? How do you see it? How does this important issue enter into Your Ultimate Kingdom Destiny?

Next Installment: What about the poor, rape, incest, and the life of the mother?

Why it is Ok to be a Single-Issue Voter if that Issue is Abortion: Part 1

You often hear that opponents of pro-choice, abortion-related social and political positions should be dismissed with contempt for being  "single issue voters." However, there are numerous valid reasons for being a single issue voter (especially in elections for President/Vice President and U.S. Congress). 

First, let's be clear that the issue of abortion is so impacting that it crosses over the boundaries of many intellectual, emotional, social, economic, political, moral, scientific, and spiritual questions and issues, easily linking each in a logical chain with the others. It cannot stay in just one stream of debate, but it naturally flows into so many other raging waters. Whenever any facet of the abortion debate is rehashed, it elicits a firestorm of reaction from the opposing viewpoint in the discussion because it touches so many "hot-button" issues at the same time. Take for example the issue/question of "When does life begin?" as it relates to the abortion discussion. This issue/question inevitably invites intense commentary from many angles of the facts-beliefs-opinions spectrum. Faith and morality become involved. Science becomes involved. Intellect becomes involved. Social, economic, and political concerns are voiced. All viewpoints are extremely emotionally charged because the stakes aren't just a negative economic impact on a group. It is not just a voting rights problem, nor a social standing issue that is the concern. But it is a question of life and death for a significant voiceless constituency within our populace.

Yes, what about that voiceless constituency? Would they appreciate some single-issue voters standing up for them? By the sheer magnitude of their numbers (an estimated 42-52 million since January 22, 1973), they are arguably the largest disenfranchised group in American history. With our present population at just over 300 million, they represent about 1/6 of the US populace. What other issue directly, and so drastically, impacts such a massive number of our citizens. You can see why the discussion of when life begins is so emotionally charged. Because if these entities were all considered living, breathing human beings (as in Psalm 139), then American doctors (who have taken the Hippocratic oath) would be culpable as terrorists who have viciously invaded the most sacred sanctuary on earth, the human womb, at the request of the person these little ones may have trusted the most had they been born - their mother.

Another way to look at this is to consider all the wrangling that has gone on about the involvement of US citizens (military personnel) in the Iraq war since it's beginning in 2003. Though extremely tragic, there have been just over 4,000 U.S. lives lost to date in that military conflict. You expect to lose lives in military conflicts whether the conflict is considered right or wrong. There were about 60,000 KIA and MIA in Vietnam. There were about 405,000 total US deaths in WWII (combat deaths, plus deaths due to disease, etc.) and 625,000 total deaths in our bloodiest, disease-ridden conflict - the Civil War (where every casualty in the war was an American on both sides). Even in the Holocaust during the Nazi years of terrorizing Europe, the estimated 6 million innocent Jews, that deplorably lost their lives, are exceeded in multiplied millions by those innocents who were mortally affected inside the womb by the worst form of domestic terrorism (instituted by the US Supreme Court decision of Roe vs Wade in 1973 in violation of their oath of office). An estimated 4,000 US citizens a day are disposed of by terrorists dressed in the garb of compassionate medical personnel. What a travesty of human justice and God's beautiful, amazing creation!

What are your comments? How do you see it? How does this important issue enter into Your Ultimate Kingdom Destiny?

Next Installment: Numbness, Civil Rights, and The Forgotten Lost