Our Founding Fathers liked to refer to good government as that which is benign. In a medical context, a benign growth is good news. It means you do not have cancer. A benign government refers to that which is kind, gracious, propitious, pleasant, non-malignant and self-limiting. In other words, government should not hurt. Like most growths, if we discover that we have one, we prefer them to be small and non-cancerous. While they may get in the way or cause minor discomfort at times, they are generally harmless.

I wish the same could be said of our federeal government today. The prophet Isaiah aptly described our present condition when he wrote:

Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed
Isaiah 10:1

From a biblical perspective, unrighteousness or sin is like cultural cancer. When our government actually decrees unrighteous laws, we reap misfortune. It’s like the man who keeps smashing his fingers with a hammer. The pain is totally self-inflicted. Bad government is like a quick spreading malignant tumor on the backs of the people.

Our President is set to give his State of the Union address at a time when, according to the latest Rasmussen poll, only 30% of Americans believe we are headed in the right direction. Let’s pray he is hearing the concerns of “We the People” and that the government sponsored misery will turn benign! 

I am teaching a course right now in our college called History Makers. I love the class because we are able to study the contributions of some very normal people who were totally surrendered to a GREAT GOD! Last night we covered Calvin, Tyndale and Bunyan. As part of my class preparation, I’m continually digging for more gold to share with the students. Fortunately, I hit an absolute goldmine when I read about John Calvin.

This year marks the 500th anniversary of the life of one of Christendom’s greatest. He was the theological genius behind the Reformation and one of the most consequential thinkers of the last millennium. In addition, his understanding of the proper role of government laid the foundation for our own American republic. One author went so far as to say that without John Calvin, there would be no America.

I think Calvin’s counsel is just what we need to hear today. While others in his day saw monarchs as limitless in their power by divine right, not unlike our current Congress, Calvin argued, “If kings want to be considered legitimate as servants of God, they need to show that they are real fathers of their nation.”  He went on to add, “If princes demand that we turn from honor of God, if they force us into idolatry or superstition, then they have no more authority over us than frogs or lice do.”

In other words, our leaders must understand that the authority they possess has been given to them by God to be used for His glory and for the good of the people. When government offials fail to be submitted to God and His Law, they have no more authority than a frog does. CROAK!

But let me move on to my favorite quote. Calvin understood the prophetic role of the Church in speaking God’s truth to those in power. On one occasion, he referred to the Genevan officials as “gargoyle monkeys” who had become so proud that “they vomit forth their blasphemies as supreme decrees.” No wonder he spent most of his life in exile!

How we need men and women today with the boldness and courage of Calvin. The gargoyle monkeys have returned! We are witnessing an attempt by our elected officials to force abortion, homosexuality, cross-dressing, socialism and a host of other “blasphemies” upon the American people. As Calvin taught, this is an egregious abuse of their delegated authority. It’s time we elect men and women with a love for God and His Word; people of character who love America and who have a father’s heart for those whom they are called to serve. In short, let’s get rid of the gargoyle monkeys determined to destroy our nation.

Please bear with me while I vent for a minute.

I recently received a prophecy from a nationally recognized Christian minister. Before I address what I consider to be a serious perspective problem, let me establish the fact that I absolutely love the prophetic. I wholeheartedly believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today and I have been incredibly encouraged by authentic prophetic words. So I am not someone who believes the prophetic gifts died with the last apostle. But I am tired of the same old recycled political prophecies.

Let me explain. The prophecy being referenced went something like this.”We are criticizing our president instead of praying for him. If the church will pray, God will visit our president sometime in the middle of the 2010 year and He will be used by God to clean up all the corruption in Washington.”

This is all great, right? Who doesn’t want a president who has had a powerful life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ! I pray this will happen. And who doesn’t want to see corruption exposed and cleaned up at our Capitol? I sure do. But this scenario highlights our lack of understanding as to what “WINNING” looks like.

What happens if the scenario above does not take place? What if our president keeps pushing an agenda which God hates? What if we continue to see babies murdered and perversion promoted as normal? What if we keep spending money we don’t have and promoting the ungodly to positions of influence. What if he continues to appoint judges who do not rule in the fear of the Lord? The list goes on and on.

What if the prophecy does not come true?  The standard answer is, “I guess the Church did not pray hard enough.” I’m sorry, but I don’t buy it. I can only speak for our congregation, but we pray corporately for our nation’s leadership on a weekly basis. We pray for God to reveal Himself to those who do not know Him. And, we pray for the removal of those who promote an agenda that is contrary to what the Scriptures teach and command.

But prayer, alone, is not enough. In our churches we must train and equip those who have a call to public service. While our job is not to attack people, we must speak out boldly and prophetically against wicked policies and we must do everything in our power to remove the ungodly from office. To wait until sometime in 2010 for this prophecy to be fulfilled is the height of personal irresponsibility. The wrecking ball is blasting away at our Christian foundations as I write! Pray – absolutely! And then get out of the prayer closet and get involved.    

And for the sake of the integrity of the true “Word of the Lord,” I’d love to see prophets who are willing to publically admit they missed it. None of us are 100% accurate about anything, and being imperfect doesn’t make you a false prophet. We all have room to grow in the expression of our gifting.

I close with an admonition given by my godly father. When you receive a prophetic word, “put it on the shelf.” Keep being faithful, following the Lord and doing what He has told you to do. If the word was from the Lord, He will bring it to pass in time. So keep praying, and for the sake of our nation, keep protesting!