I am a Southern Black American male, and a staunch supporter of President Donald J. Trump. As modern tradition would have it, when candidates were announced during the election season, my vote should assumptively be cast, Democrat. It's a forgone conclusion, right? Like President Joe Biden insisted, "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't Black." But, once a homosexual, and now a pastor and Gospel preacher, husband of one wife, and father of four, I'm not a stranger to irony. As a believer in Christ the Lord, discipleship has always demanded surrender to his lordship over convention.
In the early morning hours of 2016, I saw a vision of a glorious day, and in it, the name "T.R.U.M.P." was suspended in the heavens. I excitedly told my wife what I'd seen in the vision. As we watered the vision with prayer and worship, basking in God's presence, thankful for His direction, my wife began to sing prophetically, "Truth Revealed Under Manifested Power" — words that correspond to every letter of President Trump's name — what we came to discern was a harbinger of his coming presidency, and Golden Age in America.
So, already minded that, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Prov. 29:18), on Election Day, I heard the Holy Spirit's admonition:
"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live…" — Deuteronomy 30:19
So, thoroughly convicted, the choice was simple. I cast my vote for the one that God would use to secure life and blessing for me and my seed alike. I will admit, though, I didn't entirely understand how, by a vote, I was choosing life and blessing until I saw the other party candidate's wholesale and indefatigable commitment to Critical Race Theory, the shedding of innocent blood (abortion), the proud boasting of sexual perversion(s), and transgender ideologies. We needn't look farther than ancient Rome and the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to see how this manner of debauchery contravenes generations, fractures a nation's foundation, and inspires the ire of God. (Jude 7)
But, thanks to divine reconnaissance, I am duly witnessing a commitment to common sense and the objective truth that our Judeo-Christian society has stood upon for centuries, and other societies for millennia. Executive orders, legislation, and policies (not personality) consistent with biblical truth bear out ideals consistent with life and blessing.
"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" — Amos 3:7-8
A number of prophets have prophesied that Trump's presidency would mirror the reign of Cyrus, of whom Isaiah 45:1-2 says:
"Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden (fortify), to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron…"
Many laughed at the notion of Trump being president from the start, and after floundering in 2020, the idea of him recovering in 2024 seemed preposterous. Yet, as too was prophesied, he is now serving his second term. Like Habakkuk says, though the vision tarry, wait for it, because at the end it will SPEAK. (Hab. 2:3) And as the vision promised, it is speaking to glorious effect. (Ps. 68:33)
I have seen God anoint him and fortify his hand, as He has done with kings and leaders throughout history, to stay conflicts between Israel & Hamas, Israel & Iran, Pakistan & India, Rwanda & the Democratic Republic of Congo, Thailand & Cambodia, Armenia & Azerbaijan, Egypt & Ethiopia, and Serbia & Kosovo, not to mention his work in El Salvador, and now Venezuela. No doubt America is a lynchpin in the nations, and places like Iran are inspired by Trump's Cyrus anointing to break free from their stronghold of oppression.
The Trump Effect
He keeps winning with manifest power — because the LORD said that He would. Thankfully, the Trump effect has dealt a great blow to one of the nation's greatest cultural foes too: POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, of which King David centuries before said:
"Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity everyone with his neighbor: with FLATTERING LIPS and with a DOUBLE HEART do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail; OUR LIPS ARE OUR OWN: WHO IS LORD OVER US? For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him." — Psalm 12:1-5
Flattery brings to ruin (Prov. 26:28), and political correctness has been unleashed on the nation by globalists, in every corner of the country, to bring it to ruin — feigning identity with presumptive pronouns, and pushing identity politics. So, it's refreshing to see a leader respect the truth of natural law, depose flattering lips, defy virtue signaling, and strike back at cancel culture. I'm heartened by the notion that I voted for an administration that's not trying to force feed my children confusion, fill their mouths with lies, and make perversion compulsory. (Ps. 94:20)
A Warning to the Church
But, one truth that is very disconcerting is what Trump's administration has revealed about the heart posture of so many professed Christians. The scripture warns that partnering with strife provides an aperture for confusion and every evil work. (Jas. 3:16)
Typified as "trees of righteousness" (Is. 61:3), we are warned to either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make it corrupt and its fruit corrupt, as a tree is known by its fruit (Matt. 12:33) — fruit that the world, our neighbors, and family members so desperately need. (Rom. 14:17-19)
But, the political strife, particularly around RACE, is so triggering, and has become such a stronghold, causing many to fail of the grace of God, producing a root of bitterness that, springing up, continually troubles them, and defiles those around them. (Heb. 12:15) That defilement has generational reach, even. It's like witnessing transgenerational trauma bonding — a people's ode to victimhood, whether they're eight or eighty.
Apostle Paul's caution to the Philippians stands as necessary today as it did then:
"…Work out YOUR OWN SALVATION with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and do of His good pleasure. Do all things WITHOUT MURMURINGS AND DISPUTINGS: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, AMONG WHOM YE SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD; HOLDING FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE…" — Philippians 2:14-16
The disputing and murmuring — which literally means to go around in a circle — signifies that far too many believers, while blame-shifting, are themselves to blame for provoking cycles of hurt in their culture, family, friends, and even themselves, because rather than being salt and light and holding forth the Word of life, they choose to abide in perpetual offense and strife. Sad, because as the saying goes, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result." Truth is, no matter how crooked and perverse the nation, the sons of God should be without rebuke.
Resolute in Truth
This presidency has tested my mettle as a believer, but in so doing, made me more resolute than ever to resist adjectival Christianity, standing on the Truth of God's Word. Christ over every consideration — over race, over culture, and over politics. He is Lord of my life, and so must have preeminence. (Col. 1:18)
"Are any of you wise or sensible? Then show it by living right and by being humble and wise in everything you do. But if your heart is full of bitter jealousy and selfishness, don't brag or lie to cover up the truth. This kind of wisdom doesn't come from above. It is earthly and selfish and comes from the devil himself. Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. 'When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.'" — James 3:13-18 (CEV)