The Associated Press (“AP”) – as is every other US media company or organization, is reporting about yesterday’s indictment of former President Donald Trump by a Grand Jury in Manhattan, New York.
The exact nature of the charges is unclear because the indictment remains under seal, but they reportedly stem from payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter.
New York prosecutors, under the direction of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, are reportedly coordinating the former president’s surrender. Considering the need for security and US Secret Service involvement, this is not likely to happen until next week.
The AP news article may be read HERE.
CNN is covering this matter HERE.
REUTERS is covering this matter HERE.
Newsmax is covering this matter HERE.
Fox News is reporting that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will not assist in any extradition request by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, citing “questionable circumstances” and slamming the charges against the former president as “un-American” and constituting the “weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda.”
The Fox News report may be viewed HERE.
Disclaimer: The following contains political commentary!
My brothers and sisters, there is so much that could be said. It’s well established that former President Trump was already being assailed prior to even taking office as the 45th president of the United States (“US”) and that he has been the most investigated politician in US history – which nobody seems to deny.
Many forget that the policies of former President Trump resulted in outstanding jobs and economic viability for the country, including our country’s minorities. The borders were under control. Money wasn’t being thrown out the window under The Paris Agreement and United Nations member states were beginning to pay their fair share. And, among other things that could be mentioned about worldwide military respect, effective diplomatic relations with avowed enemies (e.g., Russia, China, North Korea), acknowledgment of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and the Abraham Accords leading to newly established relations with Israel, the US became fully energy independent and was providing fossil fuels to other countries.
The political left’s answer to this is to provoke and provoke some more, two congressional impeachments, a multi-year Russia investigation, an unprecedented criminal search warrant execution (with armed federal agents) on the former president’s personal residence regarding certain classified or formerly-classified documents (which flies in the face of our current president’s own less secure and potentially compromising handling of highly classified documents), and now an unprecedented criminal indictment by a local district attorney using a Grand Jury to pursue a matter that federal prosecutors already declined and may be ineligible for prosecution under both civil and criminal law due to the statutes of limitations, among other concerns.
Mean tweets aside, former President Trump made no bones about his Christian faith and it’s not our place to judge his salvation and faith, considering that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and sanctification is a lifelong process. I will not be the first to “cast a stone,” especially considering that we used to see (and many felt the need to ridicule) pastors laying hands and praying over this president in the Oval Office, which is not something I recall seeing recently…
So who are the “victims” in all of this? I submit that we, the American people, are the ones who will suffer under this continuing division in our country politically and in matters of faith. I would respectfully suggest that we need to humble ourselves before the Lord, get on our knees and pray for our leaders, pray for justice and pray for peace at home and abroad.
So many in the world have, like it or not, come to depend on the generosity and strength of the US and its citizens (economically and militarily) to maintain world stability and encourage freedom over dictatorship. We have been blessed richly by God Almighty for a long time now, but it appears we have taken that for granted and have allowed the evil one to infiltrate our thinking to such a significant degree, that rational views and the ability to listen to each other’s concerns and needs has all but evaporated. We are angry and knee-jerk responses now supplant compassion, logic and common sense.
Where is the church during this time of national crisis? How many pastors are more worried about tax status, losing members ($) or a negative social media comment than speaking the truth of the scriptures and rightly dividing the word of God in relationship to current events? As Pastor Moede justly and so often asks, what happened to having a biblical world view in our society?
Scripture to consider:
Psalm 25:9 (NKJV)
“The humble He guides in justice, [a]nd the humble He teaches His way.”
Proverbs 21:15 (NKJV)
“It is a joy for the just to do justice, [b]ut destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.”
1 Corinthians 3:19 (NKJV)
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness…’”.
John 8:1-7 (ESV)
…”but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning [H]e came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and [H]e sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst[,] they said to [H]im, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do [Y]ou say?’ This they said to test [H]im, that they might have some charge to bring against [H]im. Jesus bent down and wrote with [H]is finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask [H]im, [H]e stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’”
Praise Jesus forevermore!