Daily Devotional for Monday January 21, 2008

Followers of Christ who Live in Rebellion to Him

(Matthew 6:24)

The danger of those who call themselves followers of Christ, but live in rebellion to Him! Is our allegiance to Christ or this temporal world? Well, another high profile person who has used her Christianity to sell lots of books has decided to publicly endorse the member of a satanic cult for President. The loud, out-spoken, and over-the-top Ann Coulter has officially endorsed Mormon cult member Mitt Romney for President. I can't judge her heart regarding her salvation, only God can do that. But given the fact she has publicly declared that she is a born-again follower of Christ, especially due to the fact she chose to use her Christianity to promote herself and her books to the Christian populace, Ann is clearly a spiritual baby in need of sitting under solid Biblical teaching to grow in her faith.

Coulter represents this growing number of people who I call "Cultural Christians." They may have accepted Christ as their Savior and are saved, but have grown very little from that point on. While being followers of Christ, they are also very attached to this temporal world that we live in. Sadly, the world affects their thoughts and actions more than the Word of God does. They love the benefits of being a Christian, but have never grown enough in their faith to understand the sacrifice that is required of a follower of Christ. They like being a Christian, but they also like being in this world. These cultural Christians are the very people Jesus spoke of when he stated in Matthew 6:24, ""No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other."

Listen, I know Ann Coulter is a political commentator and pundit who is best known for her shtick of over the top rhetoric that sets her writings apart from most others in the conservative movement. If Ann Coulter as a political pundit wants to endorse Mitt Romney or anyone else, that is up to her. Here is the problem. Because of the large number of Christians who are active in politics and sympathetic to the conservative movement, years ago Coulter found a rich vein of consumers for her books when she stated she was a Christian and began to get opportunities to speak at high profile Christian ministries like Coral Ridge, founded by the late D. James Kennedy, Liberty University, founded by the late Dr. Jerry Falwell, and other highly visible forums that reach out to Christians. In identifying herself as a Believer and cashing in on her Christianity, comes a responsibility to take a stand for the faith.

My friend, endorsing a man for President who lives and believes the heretical and blasphemous teachings of Joey Smith and has become the international poster boy for this nearly 200 year old satanic cult leading the souls of millions of people to hell for all eternity is not taking a stand for the faith but selling out the faith!!!

In her release announcing her endorsement of Romney for President, Coulter naively states, "So having a candidate with a wacky religion isn't all bad." I will give her the benefit of the doubt that she is simply a baby Christian who has never grow much past her salvation experience, since Mormonism is far more hideous than a "wacky religion." It is a lie that is literally leading the souls of men to hell. Coulter doesn't understand that a vote for Romney is tantamount to a vote for satan himself since a Romney Presidency will influence millions worldwide to seek out the Mormon cult, buy into their deception since they never tell people what they really believe until long after they are hooked, and ultimately those souls will die and end up burning in hell for all eternity since the only way to be saved is by faith in Jesus Christ. Not the faux jesus of Joey Smith, but the real Jesus of the Bible!

Sadly, Coulter is just the latest in a growing list of high profile Christian leaders and politicos who identify themselves as Christians, to sell out the faith for whatever short-term political access they may receive. People like Jay Sekulow, Ralph Reed, Mark DeMoss, Paul Weyrich, Bob Jones III, are just a few who have literally become Judases for selling out Christ to back this satanic cult member. These people have literally become tools of satan since they use their influence over millions to help other Christians justify supporting a cult member for President. Like Coulter, they have become the defenders of Romney to help people justify why it is OK to ignore the spiritual implications of electing the member of a satanic cult to the most powerful office in the world. I assure you, God WILL hold them accountable for their actions one day.

Let me just say that I have heard every tortured argument there is to justify backing Romney for President. My friend, the ends never justify the means. Even if you believe this is the only man on the planet who can lead this nation and that during his time in office he will do many great and wonderful things, it still doesn't negate the potential millions of souls who will end up in hell because of the influence he will carry in that position. Those who defend Romney or who simply haven't got a clue about spiritual things like Bill O'Reilly, think it is paranoia to extrapolate a Romney Presidency into people joining the Mormon cult. Due to the fact we have the largest percentage of two full generations who have never been to church, coupled with the aggressive evangelistic efforts of the Mormon cult, throwing in the influence the office of President carries worldwide, I can guarantee you that this cult will grow like a wildfire worldwide, leading the souls fo these new converts to hell.

The message to you in all of this is that you need to choose who your master is. Is your master Jesus or this world? You can't have two masters. The reason there is such a thing as the "Christian left," churches who accept and condone sins like abortion and homosexuality, pastors who never give an altar call, Christian leaders supporting a satanic cult member's bid for the Presidency, is because too many Christians never understood that when they gave their life to Christ, it was no longer their life. It belongs to Him. We are no longer of this world. We live in this world, but are just passing through. Our thoughts and desires, goals and passions are no longer tied to this temporal existence, but to our eternal life with Christ. As a Christian, you are His follower, His ambassador. Your life is to serve Him. You can't serve Christ when you are serving satan!!!

I love you and care about you so much. Pray for Ann. I have no idea where or if she goes to church, how she is fed spiritually if at all, whose if any teaching she is under. She owes the Christian community a huge apology. She decided to cash in on her Christianity which is fine. However, in so doing she took on the responsibility to honor Christ with her life. It is inconsistent for a follower of Christ to endorse or support in any way someone who is part of a cult that operates in rebellion to God and His Truth and is leading the souls of men to hell. It is pretty simple, do you serve Jesus or this world?

I will be praying for you as well. It is so easy for Believers who live in this world to fall in love with this world. It doesn't mean you aren't saved or don't love Jesus, but you end up compromising your faith. You become a cultural Christian, someone who lets the culture dictate your thoughts and actions as opposed to being guided by the Word of God. It doesn't mean you are drowning in alcohol, drugs, porn, illicit sex, or things like that. It does mean that you have allowed the world to influence you more than the Truth of God's Word. That is why I implore you often to read the Bible daily, pray daily, be in a good church, fellowship with other Believers, find ways to serve. That way you never let the world you live in take over you life.

Please keep your eyes and ears open. One of the lessons I have tried to drive home over these 8+ years of Liveprayer is that you have to stay focused on THE man and never a man (or woman). Men and women are frail flesh and blood, prone to sin like anyone. While we expect those in leadership, those high profile Believers we see in the media to live their lives above reproach and honoring Christ, the reality is that doesn't happen often. Sift everything through the filter of God's Word. Don't blindly follow anyone. Check with the Holy Spirit if those God has placed in your life are leading you to righteousness or away from it. Jesus related people to being like sheep. Sadly, there are far too few good shepherds in the world today. Too many sheep are being fleeced and led to the slaughter. May you keep your eyes focused on Jesus, THE Shepherd!