A Response to Bruce Springsteen’s Call for Unity

Last Sunday, I went to a gathering of friends from church. Most of them weren’t interested in the Super Bowl. I didn’t start watching the game until the second quarter and mostly ignored the commercials plus muted the halftime show. Therefore, I missed seeing the Jeep advertisement featuring Bruce Springsteen. I wasn’t aware of the commercial until three days later when noticing a link to that in an article about The Boss facing a drunk driving charge (which resulted in Jeep pulling the ad off the air).

I’ve never been a fan of Springsteen but appreciated his talents as a singer, songwriter, and musician. During the 1980s, I often played his records while working as a disc jockey. However, I became turned off to Springsteen as he vocalized his political beliefs more. 1994’s “Streets of Philadelphia” was written for a movie that condoned homosexuality. I thought it was one of The Boss’s weakest recordings. Yet “Philadelphia” was a top ten hit that won four Grammy Awards plus an Oscar for Best Original Song.

Five years ago, Springsteen canceled a North Carolina concert because of a proposed state law preventing transgender people from using public bathrooms of their preferred sex. The musician issued a statement saying the bill was “an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress.” There’s a difference between human rights and special rights. Would The Boss feel comfortable seeing his wife, daughter, or possibly a granddaughter share a bathroom with a man claiming to be a woman?

The Jeep ad promoted a “ReUnited States of America.” Yet, Springsteen previously bashed Donald Trump and those who voted for him. The Boss threatened to move to Australia if the president got reelected. Would he have done that commercial had Trump remained in the White House? If not, then I repudiate Bruce’s projected patriotism and his call for unity. Many liberals only tolerate the viewpoints of those who agree with them.

This past week, I watched the old end times movie “The Prodigal Planet.” Ironically, the organization enforcing the Antichrist’s laws is named UNITE. Someday in the not too distant future, everyone will take the mark of the beast if they wish to buy and sell (Revelation 13:17). Mask mandates are already conditioning people to submit to godless politicians. Unity isn’t good when it forces people to violate their conscience and (more specifically) disobey God’s word. Ephesians 4:13 does encourage “unity in the faith.” That only comes from knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The Jeep commercial showed Christian imagery including Springsteen walking into a chapel. In his autobiography Born to Run, he stated, “I have a personal relationship with Jesus. I believe in his power to save, love…but not to damn.” Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” One of His commandments is to “Flee sexual immorality.” (1 Corinthians 6:18) How can one profess to know the Lord but publicly endorse lifestyles that go against what the Bible says?

I remember how Bruce started living with bandmate Patti Scialfa while still married to actress Julianne Phillips. He then fathered his first child out of wedlock. I hope Bruce has repented for all that. Hebrews 13:4 warns, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” All types of sex outside of marriage is sin. That includes homosexual relationships.

Bruce Springsteen will someday stand before the Ultimate Boss. I pray that he fully surrenders his life to Jesus Christ. I don’t want to see him yelling “I’m On Fire” while going down to an eternity in hell. As fellow New Jerseyan Jonathan Cahn recently stated, “How can we have unity and peace in America if we have no unity and peace with God?”

“that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” - Ephesians 1:10

Will Nuclear War Happen?

Today is the 75th anniversary of an atomic bomb devastating Nagasaki, Japan. Three days earlier in 1945, the first atomic bomb used in warfare was dropped on Hiroshima. Historians have debated whether the United States was justified in using those bombs. It’s tragic how the bombings killed tens of thousands of people. However, many more lives would have been lost had the U.S. needed to invade the country that four years earlier initiated hostilities with the attack on Pearl Harbor. President Truman’s goal for authorizing the bombings was to convince the Japanese to surrender and bring a quicker end to World War II.

I grew up during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Fears of a nuclear exchange were triggered by watching made-for-TV movies like “World War III” and “The Day After.” Although the USSR dissolved in 1991, Russia still has nukes as well as a few other countries. Rogue nations like Iran have made progress in developing their own weapons of mass destruction. It’s scary to think about what would happen if they follow through on their numerous threats against Israel and the West.

However, I believe prayer plus a strong military has protected the United States and other countries from a nuclear attack. God wants to bring in a large end-time harvest of souls. Things will be different once the church is raptured. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 says, “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.”

Certain Scriptures some scholars have considered symbolic could be descriptions of a nuclear conflict. Revelation 6:12-13 says, “I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.” The “stars from heaven” could be missiles from space.

Zechariah 14:12 gives an accurate description of someone exposed to an atomic explosion: “And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.” This and similar prophecies could be about the Battle of Armageddon or another future conflict like the war of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38.

Do these scenarios frighten you? They shouldn’t if you know Jesus. Psalm 91:7 says,“A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.” God knows how to protect His people. If you are uncertain of your eternal destiny, don’t delay getting your life right with the Lord. Tomorrow may be too late.

“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

An Open Letter to the Caravan (and Those Helping Them)

An arena in Guadalajara

To whom it may concern:

I pray this letter somehow reaches the thousands mostly from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador who are traveling through Mexico towards the American border.

First, I don’t blame anyone for wanting to come to the United States. As a natural-born American citizen, I’m thankful for the prosperity we have here. I also recognize my nation was largely founded by immigrants seeking a better life for themselves and their families. All my ancestors came over from Europe many years ago.

There’s a missionary house in Florida I often stay where I’ve met many immigrants originally from Spanish-speaking countries. As far as I know, all of them came to the United States legally. Videos I’ve seen of some caravan members forcing their way into Mexico indicate they have little respect for authority. I don’t want people like that entering my country. We have enough crime here as it is.

You should be warned here in America our citizens have the right to bear arms. If I lived near the Mexican border and illegal aliens were crossing or camping on my property, I’d have every right to defend my home. At the very least, I’d fire warning shots reminding them they are trespassing. Other Americans with guns may not be as sympathetic and will respond with force if attacked with rocks and other weapons.

Recently I watched a documentary revealing 90-95% of the migrants are men. Only a small percentage of them are women and children. Support for the caravan has come from various organizations including one called “Pueblo Sin Fronteras” (People Without Borders) that flouts American sovereignty. I also read how the Mexican government offered shelter, medical attention, schooling and jobs to the migrants if they agree to stay in southern Mexico but most of them turned that down. Therefore, I question the motives of you continuing on with the caravan.

To those of you giving aid to the caravan, I agree with doing that to a point. You may be familiar with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. If Jesus was with the migrants, I believe He would minister to their needs but also remind them to obey the laws of the land (Romans 13:1-2). If you’re encouraging migrants to illegally enter my country, you are in sin!

In closing, I encourage you to give your life to Jesus Christ if you haven’t already done so. What good would it be to have a better life in a foreign country but not be allowed to walk through the Pearly Gates after you die? I would also ask the Lord where He wants you to live. Just because the United States has more opportunities doesn’t mean you’re supposed to come here. There is a reason God had you born in your country of origin. It could be His will for you to go back and help your nation become a better one.

Where God guides, He provides!

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” - Psalm 37:23

A Christian Response to Immigration

One of the most contested political issues today is immigration. It’s estimated there are now at least 11 million illegal aliens in the United States. Many Americans want to see them deported. What makes the situation more complex is anchor babies born to aliens are recognized as American citizens.

Recently two minister friends who are immigrants themselves posted comments on Facebook suggesting we shouldn’t have any border controls. One of them claimed, “...restricting immigration is part of Marxist Socialism and is totally contrary to Biblical Christianity.” Yet when the Scriptures were written, cities had massive walls to keep certain people out. Even the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 will have a wall around it.

While Native Americans have contributed to our society, the United States was predominately founded and built by immigrants and their descendants. The Statue of Liberty has a plaque on its base with this inscription: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” 

The Bible has many things to say on how to relate to foreigners. Deuteronomy 17:15 says, “You shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.” This Scripture inspired the writers of the Constitution to make it a requirement for the President to be a natural-born citizen.

Under the Old Covenant, certain religious activities were forbidden to foreigners. Exodus 12:43 says, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it.” It also says in Ezekiel 44:9, “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel.”

On the other hand, the Old Testament commanded God’s people 36 times not to mistreat foreigners. For example. Leviticus 19:33-34 (NLT) says, “Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

One of Christ’s earthly descendants was a foreigner name Ruth who found favor in Boaz’ eyes. When He was a young child, Jesus received gifts from three wise men who traveled from Persia (Matthew 2:1). Jesus soon became a foreigner Himself after Joseph moved the family to Egypt to avoid being killed by Herod. Later when describing the Judgment of the Nations, Jesus commended those who obeyed Matthew 25:35, “I was a stranger and you took Me in.” 

Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not forget to entertain strangers...” Therefore as a Christian, I welcome foreigners wanting to move to America as long as they do so legally and assimilate as law-abiding citizens. They shouldn’t insist on us changing our laws and customs to accommodate their preferences. One executive from the Council on American Islamic Relations declared, “If we are practicing Muslims, we are above the law of the land.” He would be better off moving to a country that practices Sharia Law.

I do believe some restrictions should be in place regarding who gets into the United States particularly those connected with terrorism and drug trafficking. Any foreigner who engages in illegal activities like these shouldn’t be allowed in the country. Those that get in and commit crimes within our borders should be prosecuted and deported. 

Unfortunately, the U. S. Government has made it harder for potential immigrants with godly motives. Not too long ago, a Christian family from Germany seeking political asylum to homeschool their children here was threatened with deportation. Now President Obama wants to allow 10,000 Muslim refugees from Syria into the United States within the next year. There are reports that 75% of those refugees are young men who could be potential terrorists. 

Then again, these could be opportunities to minister to people who might not hear the gospel otherwise. Once immigrants receive salvation, they “...are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” (Ephesians 2:19)

Our ultimate focus should be on eternal matters. 

“Dear friends, I warn you as ‘temporary residents and foreigners’ to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” - 1 Peter 2:11 (NLT)

Freedom of Religion

As we approach the 238th birthday of the United States of America, it’s important for Americans to remind themselves why our Founding Fathers came to this land. One reason was to avoid persecution from the Church of England. Although originally settling in Holland, the Pilgrims desired an English-speaking nation where they could worship God without man-made laws imposed upon them. Just before making landfall in Massachusetts, the Pilgrims drafted a document called the Mayflower Compact. One of its provisions was to protect the rights of religious conscience.

Nowadays God-fearing Americans are fighting for religious freedom again. Ever since prayer was removed from public schools over 50 years ago, our learning institutions have become more atheistic. One of the resulting by-products is business owners fighting for their right to make decisions based on Judeo-Christian principles. Earlier today, Hobby Lobby won a Supreme Court decision challenging an Obamacare mandate regarding birth control.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution still guarantees freedom of religion (not freedom from religion)...

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

No matter what kind of ungodly legislation ends up getting passed by liberal politicians and judges, that should never stop believers from preaching the truth and fulfilling the Great Commission. God’s laws are always higher than man’s.

“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’” - Acts 5:29