I’m told I misled you. Let me unfold what happened this week…
The urgency for focus and discernment has never been more urgent. Division is everywhere. It has been intentionally created to keep us out of unity and in offense.
This last week as a vote continued for a new Speaker in the U.S. House of Representatives, at least one representative, John Rutherford (R-FL) said he refused to vote for Jordan.”I’m a no on allowing Matt Gaetz and the other seven to win by putting their individual in as speaker.”
So it wasn’t about trying to find common ground. It was about opposing those they were offended at. Personally, I think the rule that allowed Gaetz and 7 other representatives to get McCarthy removed needs to be changed so that a handful can’t hold the entire party hostage. But the bottom line is, we are here and the GOP needs to unify or the Democrat’s Hakeem Jeffries, with the help of RINO Republicans, will become the new speaker. It’s ridiculous.
The key issue here has been offense. And offense has a twin—deception which blocks discernment. It makes us lose focus.
Another place of offense occurred this week when I received an email from someone that said, “You mislead people!”
The reason for the criticism was after I encouraged people to call their Republican legislators who voted against Jim Jordan for House Speaker in a conference vote. Note: A conference vote is different than a floor vote. The latter is a public roll call that everyone can see. But the conference vote is more hidden. But those that voted against Jordan in that vote, once it came to light, were scrambling—denying and acting like it didn’t happen. But it did.
“I called the people you said (3 Oklahoma representatives) and they were all voting for Jim Jordan!” the rebuke continued. Sadly the criticizer didn’t realize that it was the many phone calls the representatives received that had flipped the RINOS I had listed into voting for Jordan. Our phone calls (and prayers) made the difference!
It’s not hard to see how the individual felt “misled.” One of the office staff he called was telling callers they had “misinformation.” To be clear, there was no misinformation. They had been caught voting liberal and then lied to try to hide what they had done.
I’ve seen this happen many times where we have called out city councilors, commissioners, or congressmen for doing something in a meeting and then when we bring it out into the light they flat out deny it. A few will always send me emails to let me know, per the lying elected official, that my information was wrong. Note, I don’t mind when people reach out with information. I’ve certainly gotten things wrong before. But we must also be discerning and not so easily deceived. Liars lie. Just because they deny it, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Facts are truth.
Why do I share these two issues? Because we must stay focused, refuse offense and be discerning. For honest people, it’s hard to believe that someone—especially a leader— would so audaciously lie. But I’ve watched it too many times. Lying without even flinching. But the other spiritual equation is that once we take offense over something, perhaps made to feel stupid (that’s how liars try to flip things) we have opened the door to deception—like the man who said, “You mislead people!” he was clearly agitated with me. Sadly, he lacked discernment and lashed out.
One of our most important roles as intercessors is to pray the Word–not what we think we see. We need to pray for lies to be exposed, hidden things revealed, just scales and for unity among the righteous uprooting pride and offense. As we pray, we listen to the Holy Spirit and must learn to do research rather than just take what someone says. Facts don’t lie. Voting records don’t lie. Actions are indicators. May we be discerning and not duped. Pride, leads to offense which leads to deception. We must not fall into that trap.
Father, You said if we asked for wisdom you would give it to us. So we continue to ask for wisdom and insight during these tumultuous times. Woe to those who call evil
Deliver us from pride which opens the door to offense and deception. We pray for ourselves and for Your people to uproot any pride where we have been wise in our own eyes and opened the door to deception which has caused us to lose focus. We pray that over our elected officials and leader as well.
We bind and uproot the spirit of offense and deception that has opened the door to hostility and division. We bind it from ongoing operation in our elected officials, in our families, in our work places, in the Church.
We see this spirit of offense rising in our nation against Israel. It is an intentional action to turn hearts against them—especially on college campuses. Father we bind and uproot the spirit of offense and the strongman of pride and take authority over its influence that has caused good people to call for the murder of others. To be duped by the media and blind to history. You love both Palestinians and Israeli’s. Both are being used in this war. Let us keep our hearts from offense and pray for those who are caught in this firestorm. We pray for the innocent people in Gaza who are trying to leave but held there by Hamas to be human shields. Lord, deliver them and may they cry out to You for help…and find You. We pray for those in Israel who have lost loved ones in the surprise massacre. Keep their hearts from hate and may this be the door for them to see You as their Messiah.
Father we ask for Your help as Congress meets again this week to vote for a new Speaker. Heal the fracture that has kept us divided against ourselves. As people jockey for positions or to keep people out of positions, none of it escapes Your eyes. We pray for Your choice, who will be used for good. Who will have backbone and courage. We know that You can use the righteous and unrighteous alike and pray for a godly resolution this week.
You also see how an ungodly prejudiced enraged judge has abused his position to gag, fine and work to destroy Donald Trump and his businesses. If Judge Arthur Engoron continues to refuse to recuse himself based on his outspoken public bias against Trump, we pray that You would remove him for You detest unjust scales and there is nothing fair about what the judge has done so far. Woe to you Judge Engoron and those who decree wicked decrees. For the Lord will tread down the wicked. You will be ashes under the soles of His feet on the day which he is preparing. Deliver Donald Trump, his lawyers and all they are trying to silence from unfair judgments. May those intent on stopping Donald Trump for political agenda encounter Your hand of justice and may all who see it fear You. May what the wicked fear come upon them, but grant the desire of the righteous. Our desire, Lord, is for revival and freedom from this wickedness and perversity. Save us O Lord. Bring justice and truth and help us to keep focused in prayer!
James 1:5, Romans 5:20-21, Ps 120:2, Prov 14:15, Matt 13:16, Romans 16:8,
Prov 11:1, Is 10:1, Mal 4:3, Prov 10:24