Jesus

If they have an ear

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At the end of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus stated that even in the crowd that was there many would not understand His message. Yet there would be those that did hear. That is even truer today. Many are led astray by false prophets who promise them worldly reward. Even others are like the dogs and the pigs. You offer them insight into God and they appease you for a little while and then turn upon you tearing you to pieces. At one time this could not be taken literally, but more emotionally and finically, that has changed though. Many Christian’s in the Middle East are being killed. While here in the United States you are sued and even though per the constitution it should not see the light of day in the courts people are having their businesses and homes taken from them because they stand by God.
Daily we can look about us and know without a thought who will have an ear to listen to the word of God, yet there are times when it is hard to tell. So we need to be careful with who we open up to, but we must never be afraid to say that we are Christian. We should never be afraid to act like a Christian. Which means to follow the rules of the set forth within the Bible that clearly shows what is good and what is bad. If you follow what is bas then you are not being a true reflection of Christ. But we all make mistakes for we are human, but to live in your mistakes day after day is wrong and by reading the Bible we will know what is good and what is right and so make us righteous in the sight of God.

Matthew 10:16New Living Translation (NLT)
16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.

What is fruit?

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In John 15 Christ talks about the fruit of the vine. In some circles some believe this to be materialist rewards from God. In other circles some say it is the number of those you have brought to God.
Both are wrong, but I have to say to some degree there is some truth in the latter example, but not really.
In actuality it is a combination of faith and works. Through faith the fruit gains it sweetness to God, but through our actions comes the size that is born of the fruit.
Through faith we know in our hearts to study the word of God. This is works, but from reading the word of God we go to the next step in works which is to live that which we have learned from the Bible. As we grow in our faith and in our knowledge of the Bible we gain deeper insight into the Word of God and gain a deeper understanding of how we are to live our lives. This is fruit.
Then as we actually apply what we have learned to our lives and live our faith through action, that is fruit. When we follow the speed limit, because in Titus it says we are to follow the laws of man and so obey the simple laws of the lands like this we give glory and honor to God, thus bearing fruit.
Now here I must add that if the laws of man go against what is written within the Bible it is those that follow the Bible to make ever peaceful effort to restore the balance by once again getting the laws of man to be in line with the Bible. This is fruit.
It is by refraining from sin and through our daily growth end those sins that have been in our lives and may no longer be, but then we find new sins in our lives and so we move ever forward striving to be a true reflection of Jesus Christ our Savior, that is fruit.
It is through acknowledging that all within the Bible is true and if things that are called sin are allowed to continue without informing those that commit these sins, yet profess to be one with Jesus, that they may forfeit their salvation since they are not bearing fruit.
It is by following the dictates of the Bible that says we are to reprove with the Bible, rebuke with the Bible and exhort those that wish to live in sin that is fruit.
Do you gain money? No for God says that those that are poor have a greater reward waiting for them in heaven then from those that are rich. For those that are rich upon the earth have been given their reward they seek and so their reward in the eternal will be sparse since it is not eternal fruit they were seeking but fruit that rots and spoils.
If by doing what we are taught in the Bible causes someone to awaken to the truth it is not we that did this, but God that allowed it to happen. This is not a reward to us, but to God. We are merely His tools and all glory and honor MUST go to God through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ and so this is the ultimate fruit.

Where are the lights?

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In the Sermon the Mount Jesus says that those that know Him are a light unto the world. A light that is to be shown and witnessed by your good works unto to God. This followed directly after the Beatitudes, so before you ask what are good works? I ask what the Beatitudes are. Because they are the general image of good works. But still I see no lights.
Many say they are Christian. Many say they follow Jesus, but still I see no light.
We are to love and follow God with all our heart, mind and soul, yet I still see no light.
We are to treat others as we are to treat ourselves. Yet I still see no light.
Why do people hide their light if it is lit?
Do people know you are a Christian? Do you profess Him to those you know or meet?
Is God your top priority or is it things of the world? Your job, the new house, car, or clothes.
Well?
Is this what the Bible teaches? No.
Material objects are of this world, but we are not of this world. Yet many seek after this world and call themselves a light, yet I still see no light.

Prosperity – The Christian definition

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Per Merriam-Webster prosperity is defined as “the condition of being successful or thriving.”
But want does that mean to those that profess to be “Christian?”
What is Christian success? What is thriving as a Christian?”
The best place to start to look for this answer is in Mark. Chapter ten to be exact:
17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
Here is the first and most important fact about Christian prosperity. This young man was rich and full of earthly prosperity and he even was a loyal servant to God and for this Jesus looked upon him with love. But Jesus knew his heart and knew that the world was more important to him than God. He was a true “lukewarm.” So Jesus offered him Christian prosperity, but to gain it he must surrender all his earthly prosperity.
Jesus makes it clear in these verses. That those with earthly prosperity will have a hard time gaining access into heaven and if they do their reward which is true Christian prosperity will be lacking.
So any that teach worldly prosperity are turning you away from Jesus not toward Him, and so are naked and poor. (Revelation 3: 15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”)
Mark 10:26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” 28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”
Here in these verses above Jesus makes it clear what true Christian prosperity looks like. He also makes it clear that it is not of this earth, and what is of this earth will persecute them. Those that are great in the world will become those that are the least notable in the eternal life that is to come, while those that are poor and the least same become great for billions upon billions of years. As I have stressed before, this earthly existence in which people seek that which is not Christian prosperity have at the most 100 years, and not even that amount to fully enjoy their earthly reward. While our eternal reward will last 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 of years, which is greater?
This is what Jesus says about material needs:
Matthew 6:24-34New Living Translation (NLT)
24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Tablets of stone

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It is said that when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai that the Ten Commandments were written upon stone tablets, what many do not realize is that it was not just the commandments but the entire book of Leviticus as well. This was not just done to show God’s power but to show that these commandments and laws are unchangeable by humanity.
Yet today that is exactly what many are doing. Taking a chisel to the tablets so they can picking and choose what they are to follow and obey and what they do not wish to follow they are chiseling out. The thing is the chisel leaves no marks upon the stones. The tablets remain unchanged and what is a sin in both the old and the new testaments is still a sin.
Below is a list of sins from the New Testament:
Adultery; Fornication; Uncleanness; Lasciviousness; Idolatry; Witchcraft; Hatred; Variance; Emulations; Wrath; Strife; Seditions; Heresies; Envyings; Murders; Drunkenness; Revellings; Pedophiles; Homosexuals; Thieves; Covetous; Extortioners, Wickedness; Deceit; An evil eye (looking at someone in anger); Blasphemy; Pride; Foolishness
1 Corinthians 6
Mark 7
Galatians 5

Sins from Corinthians were those main sins occurring in Corinth.
Sins in Galatians were the primary sins of Galatia.
Sins in Mark were the primary sins in Israel.

Since the sins are not taken away from the tablet, then where must they be removed from? Us, we cannot keep sin within and expect to make it into heaven.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived.

A question was asked

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Recently Dr. Ben Carson was ask a specific question.
“Do You Think I Chose to Be Gay?”
Dr. Carson’s response was correct: “That is a long discussion.”
This is my attempt to have that discussion. It will be Biblically based, and so many will choose not to listen beyond this point, but I honestly expect that to happen. Many refuse to hear the truth so they can continue to live the lives they have chosen to live because of their own personal, though temporary, happiness is more important to them.
First I need to make something clear. I have had to personally struggle with this life choice myself. Simply, I considered homosexuality, but rejected it.
In Jeremiah 1:5 God said this to Jeremiah: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
Now he was speaking to Jeremiah, but do you think this does not apply to us that God knew us before we were even conceived? That answer is yes God knew all humanity before it was conceived and before we were born. But what does that mean?
In Hebrews 10 it spells out what Jesus Christ did for all sinners that accept Him. That their sins are no longer remembered and they can stand boldly before God.
This means that upon birth God can no longer see us but only our sins and God can no longer see us due to being then exposed to the corruption caused by Adam and Eve. Then once we accept Jesus as our savior those sins are forgotten and we are able to stand before God and be seen.
In Deuteronomy 6:4-7 it says this: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Proverbs 22:6 says Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
So in the womb we are known by God and so are truly and completely sin free. When we are born we are exposed to sin. So God tells us to train our children in the ways of the Bible so when they reach the age of accountability they will not depart from God.
Now at this point there are those out there that challenge that homosexuality is a sin. First I must remind you that I am again coming from a Biblical point of view. Now there are two areas in the New Testament that I wish to address the explanation that per the Bible homosexuality is a sin. The first being the first chapter of Romans. Here it goes into detail of first idolatry and then straight into homosexuality by both females and males. In verses twenty-six and twenty-seven it is stated that women gave up their natural use for that which is against nature, that being reproduction and in the next verse says that men did the same. So by going against nature itself this is considered a major sin for a species must reproduce to continue on. Also who created nature? God.
Now looking at 1 Corinthians chapter 6. First I wish to point out the beginning of verse nine:
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?”
Then Paul goes on and says “Be not deceived:” and lists out those in Corinth that practiced certain sins. Many think “effeminate” means homosexuals, I was one of them. But this actually refers to pedophiles. What deals with homosexuals is “nor abusers of themselves with mankind.” This phrase is actually the Greek word “arsenokoites,” this means homosexuals.
So if homosexuality is listed as “unrighteous” and goes “against nature,” and thus God, it is a sin.
So as I have shown above no one is born a homosexual for we are born pure for God can only see that which is clean. So to say nature made you one is counter to the facts given above. So after someone is born their parents should be instructing constantly how they should live and behave within the guidelines given within the Bible so that they will not sin. So when the time comes and the fork in the road stands before them one leading to sin a.k.a. homosexuality or to follow the teaching of the Bible. It is that persons CHOICE if they will go for the sin or for God. Now if their parents did not teach them correctly, that does not excuse them from the fact that they are in fact following how they were nurtured. For how they think and feel came from human interactions not something “born” within them.
So the answer to this person’s question to Dr. Carson is: Yes you did chose to be gay.
But here is the good news which is why I went with 1 Corinthians 6 last. For in verse eleven it says this:
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
“AND SUCH WERE,” in the past tense. For as you chose to be gay you can decide not to be gay. Will it hurt? Will there be extreme emotional pain? The answer is yes to both of these questions. For as is shown in John 15 God will purge those He loves, and it will be painful in many cases but once through faith and believe that Jesus Christ is Our Savior and live our lives according to the teachings of the Bible, which means you must become one with nature once again and return to heterosexuality we will make it into the eternal life to come and all the wonders and glory that come with it as long as we strive ever forward to be a true reflection of Jesus.

Zombies

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Due to the Bible no longer being taught correctly nor being read by most as it should be or read at all. There are people going about being nothing but zombies.
They live in their little world of selfishness. Everything must revolved about them, or it is hated, despised and ridiculed. Not worthy of their time and effort because it does not give them satisfaction.
All others in humanity are their personal slaves to answer to their whims and desires. This has been how humanity has acted for thousands of years. It is due this mentality that truly caused slavery, which truly caused events like the Crusades, the Holocaust, and Jihads.
The belief that any human form is below you is the true dystopia. It already exists and will continue to exist as long has people promote a zombie like culture. This is why zombie shows and movies have become so popular. People just don’t realize that they are cheering for the dead, because they are dead. Christians avoid these shows because they see how evil they are.
True and eternal life comes from only one source. God and the belief that His Son is our Savior. In the teachings of the Bible we are told time and again to place God first in all that we do. To treat all others like we would like to be treated ourselves. To become humble and actually place all others before ourselves. This is true life, but can only be achieved by first asking Jesus into our hearts and lives and accepting Him as our Savior. Then actually reading the Bible and then actually following the teaching that are within it. Then living by the Twelve Commandants. Yes Twelve, for Jesus Himself added two more.
Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 13 Thou shalt not kill. 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15 Thou shalt not steal. 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
If all would follow this then there would be no zombies and they will make it to the true Utopia, which you can read about within the pages of the Bible.

The wisdom dilemma

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One of the most interesting statements in the Bible, and I paraphrase, is the most foolish thought of God surpasses the greatest wisdom from humanity.
This is particularly true for those that live on the belief that humanity can accomplish anything on its own. That their knowledge can and will solve any problems, and since knowledge and wisdom are related man’s destiny to them is all they require not realizing something is missing.
Here is a for instance about how mans’ knowledge and wisdom works. Indoor plumbing. Something that is a part of all homes for the most part in western society. Yet this is a recent accommodation. It wasn’t something that was considered a necessity until the early part of the 1900s.
However for nearly fifteen hundred years it was something forgotten and thought to have never existed. In reality indoor plumbing was a staple of the Roman Empire. Yet due to the fall of the empire it was forgotten. This shows just how fragile human knowledge and wisdom is.
Now here most likely someone will say what does a toilet have to do with wisdom. All I can say to that is thank you for proving my point, and most likely my response will go right over their heads.
When Paul first wrote to Corinth in the first letter we have within the Bible he mentioned that his speech was not as eloquent and tried to show the wisdom of God. He went there with one purpose to show them the true image of Jesus Christ and the fact that He went to the cross and died in their place.
This was all that was important to Paul as it should be to any seeking true salvation.
Yet most in the world today seek for various types of so called wisdom. All coming from different aspect of humanity. Most of this so-called wisdom rejects that there is a God and the center their focus upon that which has been created by God.
Romans 1:18 – But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
This shows that when it comes to true wisdom they do not desire that, but would rather accept foolishness as wisdom. Every aspect of creation shows just how wise God truly is, yet humans say there is no such being that can cause and create all that is within the universe. However this is the very point. They see the truth, the wisdom, the glory and reject it. This is the dilemma with human based wisdom.

Legend?

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Let’s look at legends. We have Hercules. We have Troy. We have Atlantis. We all agree that they are legends.
Troy for example was described in the Iliad. The fall of Troy was around 1100BC and the Iliad was written around 750BC. Per scholars this is enough time for it to become a myth, a legend.
This however was not the fate for the Bible and the story of Jesus Christ. Within the book of 1 Corinthians is found what is called a “creed.” This creed has been surmised through study and evaluation that it could have existed within two to five years after the crucifixion. This removes the legend theory. For there were those that still lived that would have discounted it. Examples: The Pharisees and the Roman government. Also those that had actually seen the events in the Bible and none countered the “creed.”
So if the accounts within the Bible are not myth or legend, but are in reality, facts. What does that state about Jesus? Where do you stand with Him?

An awakening is called for.

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The Bible says that God would use even the evil of man to accomplish his plan. This not only goes for the actions of those like Hitler which helped enable the re-establishment of Israel, but it goes to other things.
I mean look at the title of the new Star Wars movie: “The force awakens.” Yet even now more and more are awakening to the truth about the government of this nation. There are many though that are allowing anger to cloud their judgment. It is this same type of anger that allowed Hitler to commit the horrible acts that he and his followers did.
Yes awaken, but do not awaken to anger, turn to what is righteous and true. But what is righteous and true in the world we live within today? The answer is thousands of years old and has seen the rise and fall of many governments and countries. Always at its core is that which is true. To place all others before yourself, especially if you wish to lead them.
It is this which we must awaken to. It is the teaching of Jesus Christ and all that is found within the Bible. We must honor all life, but we must be willing to defend what is right and righteous. For too long those with the power have been breaking the First Amendment of the Constitution. The government cannot form a religion. Yet the government is shoving more and more Islamic teachings into our schools to the point of making our children copy Muslim text and play Muslim songs during the presentations designed to honor the birth of Christ. Now I have no problem with Muslim practicing their religion, for that is the next part of the first amendment, but on the same lines that the does allow the government to remove Christian or Jewish symbols yet allow Islamic symbols to stay.
It is this which many are awakening too, but they are over reacting as they do. We cannot over react or we will be going the way of 1930s Germany, but a line must be drawn that cannot falter or fail.
Now, to be honest with you. I do not see this going well for Christianity. ISIS is here to stay, it is too late to remove them and any that support them in the United Stated either with full knowledge or with a mistaken understanding of what they are truly doing will most likely be held responsible for their actions by God All Mighty Himself.
There are events that need to happen, per the Bible and the way things are looking we are heading down that road. Those with eyes will see and understand at least partly to what I am referring. Understand also that God still has a purpose for the United States, if this were not so what has happened in the last eight years would not have caused the awakening to begin. God punishes those He loves to force them to change their ways, for He truly loves the people of this nation. He that spares the rod hates the child, he that chastises the child loves the child and wishes the child to grow in glory and love.
The United States is being spanked and those that are natural citizens need to realize this and turn their face to God and hear what He is trying to tell them. Soon though things are going to get much worse if we do not fully and correctly awaken. The next election will be how we show where we stand with God.
If we elect another Democrat, those that deny there is a God, then we are lost.
If we vote out of anger and elect Trump again we are lost.
If we support and vote for someone that is a servant of God then we may have a chance to redeem ourselves. Could this be Dr. Carson? Could it be Senator Cruz? Could it be Senator Paul?
These are the only three that deserve our attention and of these I personally distrust Cruz the most. Dr. Carson as shown true Christian values. While Dr. Paul as shown real fiscal knowledge and understanding. Maybe a Paul/Carson ticket?
Whatever happens this next election is extremely important to those that profess to be Christian. It is time to stand and be counted. It is time to make sure that those that have been in office for more than twelve year to be removed from power no matter the party.
Pray to God and awaken. Pray to God and vote.