Daily Devotional for Friday September 12, 2008

Sarah Palin

(Judges 4:4)

Sarah Palin. Let me say up front that it is nice to have someone who calls themselves a Christian, and who really is a Christian based on their words and deeds. Unlike Mormon cult member Mitt Romney who calls himself a Christian when a Mormon is no more a Christian than a Muslim is, unlike Senators Barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Clinton who have tried to market themselves to the public as Christians when everything they do in their public life is in rebellion to God and His Word, and even unlike Senator McCain who if he is saved, is too ashamed to say so, Sarah Palin is the real deal. She is the real deal not because she calls herself a follower of Christ, but because the fruit of her life supports her claim that she is a follower of Christ!

Having said that, I have been amazed at the work of Republican activists who have been targeting Christians with an endless stream of emails about the fact Sarah Palin is a Christian. I remember the 2000 election well. For Christians, it was a chance to have "one of ours" in the White House. Not the normal President who claimed to be a Christian, went to church on Sunday at some grand Washington cathedral with a Bible in his hand, but an unashamed born again Believer who promised to champion the key spiritual issues of our day that plague our land.

George W. Bush was seen by Believers to be a man of God who would help overturn Roe vs. Wade and take the Federal government out of the baby killing business. He was seen as a man of God who would push for a marriage amendment to the US Constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman. He was seen as a man of God who would curb the proliferation of pornography and gambling. He was seen as a man who knew Jesus as his Savoir and would help lead this nation back to God and Biblical values.

I don't doubt President Bush's claims to be saved, however, the fact is he lied to the Christian community and did virtually nothing during his first 4 years in office on any of these key spiritual issues. He ran for re-election on the same exact same promises, conned the Christian community into supporting him again, won due to the Christian vote, and as his second term is coming to a close, has once again done virtually NOTHING on any of the issues Christians care about and put their hope and trust in him to champion.

I have warned people often over the 9 years of Liveprayer that it will not be a politician to lead this nation back to God, but a man of God who will be raised up to lead His people in these last days. Now, less than 2 weeks of being named as John McCain's running mate, I see the Christian community getting all excited about Sarah Palin, a true woman of God, being told that she is the one who will help lead this nation back to God and Biblical values.

Please listen to me. Never forget that Sarah Palin is a POLITICIAN first! You don't become the Governor of a state, and you certainly don't become the Vice President of the United States, unless you are a politician first. I don't care how great her personal faith may be, nobody rises to those high positions of political power without selling themselves and a portion of their soul to the institution of politics. As much rhetoric as you hear about change, and being a maverick, the fact is nobody rises to those levels of political power without being part of the political system that is about conforming to the status quo. This is why very little if anything ever gets done in Washington, and why so many good people who enter politics with the right heart, leave disillusioned.

If you like Sarah Palin's politics, great. But please, don't make the mistake I am already seeing so many Christians making in thinking that this woman is going to lead our nation back to God and His Truth. It is great that she is pro life, not just in her speech, but more important in her personal life. However, the fact is if John McCain is elected, she will be his Vice President, NOT President, unless something would happen to McCain during his term. It is John McCain, not Sarah Palin, who will determine policy. Senator McCain has NO goal or desire to overturn Roe, to enact a marriage amendment declaring marriage to be between a man and a woman, or do anything on the key spiritual issues of our day.

As I told you last year, whoever was going to be our next President was not going to be a friend of God. That is true of John McCain, despite having Sarah Palin as his Vice President since she will have no ability to enact policy even if she wanted to. For the record, she has not made any dramatic moves as Governor of Alaska on any of the key spiritual issues that state faces, so I don't know what gives people the idea she would take bold stands on the key spiritual issues of our day as VP or even President.

Palin's rise to prominence has brought to the table many interesting topics of discussion. I normally wouldn't say it, but today I will. I told you so about Oprah 7 years ago when everyone else was kissing her ring. This woman who claims to be the champion of woman won't even interview Palin, who is everything Oprah says women should be. Why? Partly because Oprah is backing Barack Hussein Obama and doesn't want to give Palin such a visible forum. But it is much deeper than that. Oprah is afraid of Palin because of her Christian worldview. Palin lives her faith in her daily life, the very faith Oprah has perverted and packaged up with the false New Age teachings of the world to make millions of dollars while helping to lead lost souls to hell.

Just as laughable as Oprah has been the old line feminist groups. Sarah Palin should be the poster girl for these groups. She is everything these groups have said a woman should be over the years, however, they have shunned her because of her stand for life. These groups are little more than covers for those who support killing babies, and their lack of support for Palin has exposed them for who they really are once and for all.

Also very instructive has been the media's vitriolic reaction to Sarah Palin. I suggest to you that it is partly due to her politics, but mainly due to her Christian faith. I deal with it every day, so I see it first hand all the time. For most people, it takes an occasion like this to realize how much hatred there is by the mainstream media and public for people of faith. It has been laughable watching them try to paint her as an extremist in the same vein as the racist Dr. Jeremiah Wright because she grew up in a Pentecostal church, trying to paint Pentecostals as some weird and extreme sect of Christianity. Her Christian faith has driven the media crazy and is a huge reason they have attacked her so viciously.

You also have the whole issue of women as leaders at play. Men and women are 100% equal, they simply have different roles to play. Men are clearly called to lead, protect, and provide, while women are clearly called to nurture their children and families. While there are a couple of isolated examples in God's Word where women take on a leadership role, that is clearly a role God designed for men. Maybe God is allowing Sarah Palin to rise to such a high profile leadership position for a specific reason and purpose, however, the Bible is clear on the roles of men and women. It is not a matter of being able to perform a certain role, it is a matter of whether that role is one God designed for a person to play.

I love you and care about you so much. It is refreshing to see a high profile candidate for public office who claims to be a Christian and is actually been living her life for Christ instead of in rebellion to God and His Word. Time will tell how much influence, if any, she will have on John McCain and his policies should he be elected President in November. Time will tell if she is ever presented with the chance, whether she will take bold stands to try and deal with the key spiritual issues, or like President Bush for 8 years, sit back and do virtually northing. Pray for her and her family as they are attacked for their faith, pray that she might have an impact on the spiritual life of Senator John McCain, but please don't forget that Sarah Palin is a political leader and not a spiritual leader.

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller