A Thoughtful Gesture or a Deceptive Plan? This past Thursday morning (12/8/18), I was preparing to speak about being a woman of faith when we are in the middle of the news. I was gathering my thoughts for an upcoming “conversation” on Facebook when I saw that the POTUS had issued a threat to those who wouldn’t come to the US… …the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, has been making this threat against the citizens of our own country since he became President Elect, but now is threatening the people of Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and threatening to cut off Federal aid to Texas after Hurricane Harvey devastated their communities, and people are responding: “Oh, I’m sorry! I’m not going to help YOU! Because YOU voted for Trump!” When Donald Trump has a problem with the people, he threatens to cut off Federal funding from the States that he doesn’t like: Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, New York… The President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, is threatening to cut off Federal funding to the States that he doesn’t like: Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, New York… “But, they should have voted for me, don’t they? The President of the United States shouldn’t be threatened because they voted for someone else.” He even tried to get the Supreme Court to do it for him – “we’re going to let your States lose that money and you’re going to pay for it.” Well, the States are NOT paying for it. When the victims of Hurricane Katrina were still in their rubble, trapped in the flooded city with no access to food and water, and no means of transportation out of the city, some residents of New Orleans found a vehicle and loaded it up with bottled water and other necessities so that the people could be taken to safety. It was this act of kindness, which brought much media attention, that caused the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to intervene to help save the people. So, when disaster strikes, FEMA will help. FEMA is an agency of the Federal Government, which was created in 1975 to deal with natural disasters and other unforeseen disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, and other major emergencies. We see this response time and dedication in action after hurricanes in Texas and Florida, and hurricanes in New York, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and every State coast in the country. But our President is a bully – a narcissistic bully who won’t let an opponent get anything, and doesn’t care for those who will not come to support him. He has made threats against other countries who want to do business with us. He is still carrying on this threat against foreign countries by threatening to cut off access to International Trade if they do business with Russia. He has threatened war and acts of war to get what he wants, while he threatens the lives of thousands of innocent Americans because he refuses to accept the results of the last election. This bully and bully enabler will tell everyone how much he loves America, but in his attempts to divide us with fear, distrust, hate, and racism, he is putting this country through a devastating ringer. The American people have rejected many of his destructive, divisive policies, but some of them are in the last throes of power to be defeated, because they will surely become “Trumped” again if we do not rise to oppose the bully and oppose his policies. It’s time for us to get on our knees and pray for strength to have faith in the truth. And, to not be divided by fear, hate, and ignorance. Let us be united in supporting victims of disaster. Prayerfully, with faith, let’s pray for our country, this week. Let’s be willing to forgive one another, even those we hate because of Donald Trump’s hateful divisiveness. Like this: “In his second letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul wrote words of caution to the Corinthians on making themselves conspicuous in the Church. Paul wrote them from Ephesus and he encouraged the church there in their efforts to spread the message of Jesus Christ – by being bold with their faith, but be careful of how they go about it. Paul wrote, “The overseers of the church must not be double-minded. They are not to be agreeable, being partial to the one and disliking the other. But the overseers are to be tested by the Lord, and those who have been chosen by him are to be given more prominent positions. Those who have not been chosen are to be treated as common laborers, so that they will not become proud thinking that they will receive anything from the Lord, since they are not in the house of the Lord but in the homes of others. Since they are not building up the body of Christ, but are themselves, the body is in danger of being dissolved.” Paul then admonishes these Church leaders, “As a result, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” The words of Paul to the Corinthians are a caution and a warning. Are we going to be willing to speak up for what we believe, even when it makes us uncomfortable? Are we going to be willing to preach the truth even if we do not have all of the answers? Are we going to stand up for truth and be willing to endure the price of speaking up when people disagree with what we believe? Are we willing to stand up and speak up against false doctrines that deny the truth of God’s word? Are we ready to stand up and speak out for those who cannot speak out for themselves? As we approach this time of change, we have to be aware of what is happening in our own lives, individually and collectively. Are we going to be like the Corinthian church who were so caught up in worldly gain, that they were more concerned with their own comfort and security than they were with being true believers? Are we going to be like the Corinthian church who are so focused on their own worldly ambitions and pleasures that they are more concerned with building the great kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, than they are with being faithful to God’s will? Are we willing to be patient with those who disagree, and seek to understand why they don’t believe the same way we do, without attempting to destroy the way they believe or the way that they go about their faith? As we pray for the truth to be revealed, as we pray for understanding and wisdom, let us be willing to stand up for truth, and stand up for the Church. Let us know that it’s ok to stand up for ourselves and for what we believe, and that it’s okay to not know everything, so let us listen to those who are willing to teach us. We are all works in progress, and that’s the beauty of being human. Don’t confuse speaking up for what you believe with being loud and boisterous. Don’t confuse saying what you believe with being rude or uncaring. Stand up for what you believe in the way that God has made you, whether it is a loud or soft voice, a gentle or a stern voice. God has called you to be a peacemaker, so always be a peacemaker, and be willing to forgive those who are being difficult towards you, as Christ has loved you and loved them enough to die for them. Like this: I saw a meme the other day that was making the rounds. It had a picture of President Trump wearing his MAGA hat and it said, “How can I get like the President?” or “Trump Tells The Truth” or something like that. Well, if you want to know how to get a little bit like the president, watch this. Let me remind you that he is a bully – a narcissistic bully who doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him, but when anyone disagrees with him, he is quick to threaten, belittle, or bully them. When his lies are exposed, he has no problems saying he did nothing wrong. As soon as he is exposed, he lies again, and even takes on a victimized mentality. He plays people against one another, uses fear, racism, sexism, or whatever seems to work at the moment. He claims that the country has been divided when it hasn’t, and he makes things worse every day. He claims the media is out to get him when they are just doing their job, and he makes this charge as a means to keep the media from exposing him for what he is and what he does. He is a bully who is afraid of the truth. One of his early actions was to cut federal aid to certain States that did not vote for him in the election and he still does that, to this day. As Hurricane Harvey devastated Texas, he refused to help with relief aid and only wanted Texas to help him and others who were not in support of his election. Now that this natural disaster has affected his policies, he wants to do more to Texas and other States. How can this man be elected President of the United States? He has a lot of money, the support of powerful people, and is a well-known liar who is proud of his lies. He has never shown the ability to negotiate a deal or agree