As Christians what are we to do about foreigners who are in our land or entering our land? What about our open borders and the resettlement programs taking place with our tax dollars? The Bible talks about it, but in the media we often hear only one side.
There are people are on both sides of this issue—including people reading this. I’m not trying to stir controversy, but giving information for prayer.
This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place (Jer 22:3).
When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God (Lev 19:33-34).
These are scriptures most often used (and there are more) in which people justify that we must continue to accept all coming across our borders seeking a better life. But other scriptures give us a broader understanding:
I Kings 8:38-47 talks of the foreigner who comes who will hear and learn of God. A criteria was given that foreigners who made God their God were treated differently than those who didn’t.
Also, the foreigners were the ones assigned jobs of common, hard labor. So David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God (I Chron 22:2).
Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards (Is 61:5).
Does the Bible contradict itself? It may seem to, but it means we have to look at the whole picture to understand. Our foundation is to love our neighbors as ourselves, but there was a distinction made between the citizens and those who weren’t. Plus part of the curse in Deut 28 was when a foreigner obtained the citizen’s land, their food, their possessions.
Foreigners who live in your land will gain more and more power, while you gradually lose yours. They will have money to lend you, but you will have none to lend to them. In the end they will be your rulers (Deut 28:43-44).
Rescue me and deliver me out of the hand of aliens whose mouth speaks deceit and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood (Ps 144:11).
The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by His strong arm, “I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies; nor will foreigners drink your new wine for which you have labored” (Is 62:8).
You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countrymen you shall not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess. Deut 23:20 (Citizens treated differently and with greater favor than foreigners.)
God made a distinction between those who were foreigners simply living in the land and those who were there to cause harm and spoke lies. There was never an instruction to throw their borders open to any and all. In fact, Nehemiah is an entire book where they rebuilt their walls to keep foreign enemies out. What is clear is there is a distinction made based on intent, heart and actions.
This is an area where obviously we need wisdom. Consider the following:
1. We are told all coming across our borders are seeking “sanctuary” and refuge. That isn’t true. They are seeking America. If it was just sanctuary then why are they bypassing other countries which are closer that would welcome them? Why are we getting foreigners in our land from ALL OVER the world, not just bordering areas? They aren’t all “refugees” but people with intentionality coming here.
2. Why did illegals suddenly start to come in huge caravans during the Trump administration? We had never seen that before. Organized groups being given food, water and debit cards along the way to force their way across our border. Now we have a daily flood of tens of thousands coming in each day, allowed unrestricted entry. This is an allowed invasion, chaos, unrestricted access due to volume intent on overloading the system.
3. When people enter our country legally they are to go through a vetting process. They have to be willing to accept our laws. None of that is happening now. There is no wisdom applied.
4. Some reports from legislators who have visited the border have said they found some of our border gates locked in the open position and the border guards told to stand down.
5. Why is their no vetting of who is coming across? No way of tracking who is here.
6. Why are illegals simply “processed” and then bussed to airports and delivered across our nation in the middle of the night to various destinations?
7. Why are they no longer referred to as illegals but now as “asylum-seekers,” “refugees,” “resettlers,” “dreamers,” “guests” or “migrants” rather than people who are refusing to go through the proper process and illegally entering our nation? Once more we are required to go along with the rhetoric and call something what it is not. (See Governmental & Prophetic Insights box below where else this is happening.)
8. Why are Chinese nationals, many military age young men, coming across our southern border? The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency shows a spike in these numbers this year.
9. In Oklahoma, a citizen reported 2 semi loads of middle eastern men were dropped off in a field on the outskirts of Oklahoma City in a town called Wynnewood. Where else is this happening? All over…
10. Why do the media and the Biden administration insist there isn’t an open border policy?
Remember actions are indicators.
No country (well except America) gives unrestricted access at their borders. That’s insanity. But not only is that happening in America, but under the Biden administration many immigrants are handed bus tickets/plane tickets to “resettle” all across our nation. Multiple programs have been developed to provide them with money, free food and housing, sometimes more than some social security recipients who worked and contributed to this nation their entire lives—-and certainly more than veterans who sacrificed to help serve this nation.
In NYC, paying residents have been booted from their apartments or hotels to make way for illegal immigrants, who once they cross the border, we are told to call “migrants.” All on our dime. Now NYC is actually offering plane tickets to anywhere to get rid of the continuing growing number which they don’t know how to take care of. It has been called our biggest national security crisis by former ICE director, Tom Homan. The Biden administration signed a THREE YEAR contract for hotels in NYC to continue to house illegals. NYC is spending $9.8 MILLION a day housing illegals with an expected $12 BILLON over 3 years.
Crime has spiked exponentially. Those who don’t get housing are going into businesses and sleeping on the floors or on the streets. We are told there is a “homeless crisis” and there is, but it is because the Biden administration continues to let them pour into our land. How does that make any sense? Then ask yourself why? There is a reason for everything that is happening.
When my husband and I lived in China as English teachers, we had to get visas. We were vetted and interviewed. We sometimes had to pay “foreigner” prices for things (as much as ten times the Chinese price) and were monitored closely. Our oldest was born there, but was given no status or privilege as a dual American/Chinese citizen. But if anyone comes across our border and gives birth? That grants immediate citizenship to the baby.
The Biden administration (remember that State Dept was filled with Muslims under Obama) has provided many different programs and ways to open the doors and fund illegal immigrants and transport them across America to resettle.
How do we pray this week? Regarding this crisis in America and the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
Father, we know that nothing escapes Your notice. We also know that You love all people and told us to love our neighbor as ourselves. But You also instructed us to walk in wisdom and understanding. We ask You for insight how to apply that to our present situation.
We pray for wisdom for mayors, county commissioners, governors, etc regarding the growing homeless crisis. This administration continues to transport illegals into every city and state. Some are innocent victims of these games, others with evil intentions. It has also opened another avenue to send billions of dollars into yet another black hole to solve this problem they have created. Where is it all going?
Give us wisdom to see which mayors and governors are working with the Biden administration to perpetuate this problem (you can recognize them often because they attribute all of this to a mental health crisis) and those who are not perpetuating it but trying to find a real solution as they also work to protect the citizens and vet out those who have come their area.) We pray for protection of American citizens from those who come with evil intent and who are lawless. We pray you would raise up a leader(s) to stop this insanity and ongoing invasion of our borders.
We pray for sheriffs, police, border patrol, homeless shelters, etc who are overwhelmed by the growing numbers. Show them what to do and how to do it. Protect them Lord.
We pray for the homeless who are sleeping on the streets as temperatures now go below freezing. There are indeed many who were simply seeking a better life, coaxed into coming and used to create this crisis—and now they are trying to figure out what to do. For those caught in the middle or put into slavery to pay their “debt” for coming here, we pray for their release from those who are using and abusing them. May they come to know You now that they are in our land.
This is an unsustainable process. Yet the govt, who is allowing this, has no plan, no requirements, no vetting of those allowed entry. Father, we pray that this infiltration and invasion of America would be brought to a halt. We pray for those coming in, who now need work, are looking for work, but can’t legally get it because they haven’t gone through the legal process. Give wisdom Lord on how this can be solved.
The system is broken and intentionally so. We pray that those creating this crisis and working to keep it going will not succeed. We pray that their communication system would be disabled and their funding would dry up and disappear.
We pray those who are using the homeless, who truly are in a mental health crisis, will no longer be able to profit from them or use them for their own nefarious deeds. We pray restoration of their minds and hearts. That they will be renewed in the spirit of their mind which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. We pray that the federal dollars now flooding in for mental health issues, will not be used to continue to cause mental health confusion, but actually be used to help and provide solutions.
We pray that you would raise up laborers into the harvest of homelessness to share the Gospel and bring revival. May the “better life” many seek, actually become a better life in Christ. What Satan meant for evil to destroy this nation, becomes part of the revival exploding in this nation.
We continue to pray regarding the war in the Middle East. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that America will continue to support her. We watch in horror as young people, just as in the days of Hitler, are being manipulated against the Jews and how the media and the U.N. work to shift public opinion against Israel. The U.N. refuses to condemn Hamas or Hezbollah and has sanctioned Israel more than any other nation. Lord You see the injustice and duplicity. We pray that the U.N. would be defunded and we do not align with their actions. We pray for the release of the hostages and for protection over innocent civilians on both sides who are caught in the horror. We pray that America’s ongoing funding of Iran and terrorism would stop and that we would not abandon Israel in their hour of need. Give our leaders wisdom to stand for righteousness!
2 Thes 3:10, Eph 4:23