(Note: If this offends you, then you might be who needs to read it twice)

Dear Lukewarm Christian,

Don’t mistake Trump for Jesus. God gave this country four years of His ministerial grace and growth under Trump, but Trump wasn’t the one who gave it. It was God. Maybe you did or didn’t like Trump, but don’t get caught up in the messenger.

Unfortunately, we have a sin habit of rejecting God’s gifts. He once sent His only begotten Son to deliver the greatest message and gift of all – eternal life through salvation. The religious elite rejected Jesus too.

These last four years were an opportunity to grow the kingdom without government restrictions or resistance. Instead, you grew your personal profiles at the expense of the rough warrior who was never afforded a single day of rest from the slings and arrows of the enemy.

Trump is one of many in a long line of “non-traditional warriors” used for fighting on behalf of God’s people. You’re not alone though, because they too were rejected by the faith’s leadership because they didn’t meet their approval.

Vessels

These people were merely vessels for delivering a message. They were not meant to meet our approval. They served a simple purpose, and that was to do God’s will. That never made them God or Godlike. You got so wrapped up in Trump’s behavior, policies and tweets that you once again rejected what he was actually meant to pour out—God’s provision.

God may have used a fractured, dirty jar to pour out His pristine message of redemption, but all you could do was criticize the cracked clay and refuse to receive the living water.

How many of your churches exploded with new buildings, bigger light sets and smoke machines, coffee cafes and social media relations teams? Your nonprofit statuses were not rejected, or delayed, and personal savings, 401k, tithings and investments have ballooned.

Can’t Compare

Never has any president, pope or king taken such a personal and professional toll to fight for the liberties of faith. Instead of embracing those battles, you piled on with the Pharisees and Sadducees because he wasn’t presidential enough or righteous enough or pious enough.

You mocked this rough warrior because he wasn’t behind a pulpit in an ornate crimson robe with a ridiculous hat regurgitating the Gospel. Instead, he was on the battlefields’ frontline waging war against the very ones who had, are and will take away the freedom to practice your religious beliefs.

This isn’t a letter to support Trump. This is a wake-up call to you so-called Christians who once again rejected God’s attempt to recapture your attention and heart. Again, do not mistake Trump for God.

He was only a vessel, but like every vessel God sent, you smashed it with your crooked rods of judgement and condemnation. If the vessel didn’t fit your style or look a certain way, you rejected it. You’ve rejected everything and everyone God has sent to help you, to free you, to save you.

Where Are You

You cowered when government suggested locking the doors to the buildings you call church. You’re still lounging in the shade while proclaiming to fight for the kingdom and those lost souls from whom you profit. But no worries, right? You’ve never had so many social media followers, and the trendy outfits you wear while video taping your “live” Sunday sermons on Wednesdays are getting lots of likes. You must be doing God’s will.

What you’ve actually done is bask within the gluttony of excess thanks to the wars fought by the man you scorn. It’s because God used Trump to fight for religious freedom that you can and have profited as a Jesus-prenuer.

While he fought for the lives of the unborn, prayer in school and your ability to speak freely from the pulpit, you were gossiping about his hair, orange skin and small hands. Sounds a lot like pre-teens instead of saints willing to be martyred for the faith.

The Future

I believe God will now remove His hand from the United States of America. You feigned outrage when a former administration said America was no longer a Christian nation. You distanced yourself when Trump’s administration restated that America was a Christian nation.

You even went so far as to ridicule and reject the most obvious Christian ever to occupy the seat of Vice-President. But he was only collateral damage, right?

If you’re willing to be honest with yourself, Trump was not polished or sophisticated or worldly enough for you. He wasn’t a learned theologian or exalted Bible scholar, but neither were the ratty, fish-reeking, tax stealing and traitorous twelve now known as apostles.

They were rough, but they never once faked their faith. Well, except for that one called Judas, but you’re familiar with him, aren’t you?

Your institutional church walls fell this year thanks to a virus that no bureaucracy has once told the truth about. God gave you the chance to get out from your self-aggrandizing temples and hit the streets where God’s people are wandering and in need. Instead, you took to the comfort of social media to construct virtual walls and still managed to avoid sitting with sinners.

You lukewarm believers have now conjoined an administration that openly opposes God. The difference between you and Judas was that he ridded himself of his ill-gotten silver.

Hope

There is still hope, but your time is running out. Return to what truly drew you Christ in the first place. Rekindle the love that called you to love others. Gird up your loin cloth because the Christian church in American is going to come under a crushing weight of demonic persecution like it’s never known.

For you, that’s worrisome because your lavish lifestyles are in danger. For sincere Christians, it means that the actual church, the body of Christ will exponentially increase in souls and commitment. Whether it was the early century Romans or today’s Chinese government, the more they persecute the faithful, the more supernatural fruit God produced.

I want to encourage God’s people. From the ark to Goshen to the outskirts of Gomorrah, He has always protected His, but you must be willing to receive His blessing of salvation and provision. I’m afraid we’ll find many pillars of salt along the way though. Ultimately, that is your choice to make.

You’ve already chosen to reject His latest attempt to deliver protection through the vessel that was President Trump. My prayer for you is that you choose wisely and soon. My other prayer is that if you decide to stand in the path looking longingly backward as the nation burns like Sodom, that you won’t cause Christians to stumble over your salty pillar.

Praying For You

There is freedom waiting for you on the other side of tough times. I’m praying that you begin to identify the blessings in your life and focus on them until you breakthrough into a new, anointed light. PLEASE do not hesitate to reach out to me if you need someone to walk through the process with you.

Make sure to get connected at Five Stones Church.Online – we have an incredible community and small groups.

Much Love & Respect,
Scott