Saturday, April 19, 2025

America Decides: Trump vs Biden and the War of Two Worldviews

 America Decides: Trump vs Biden and the War of Two Worldviews

by Pastor Doug Stauffer


Surely, we can all agree on this: None of us is always right. I know I’m not. However, it seems that in today’s climate—especially regarding President Trump—the rules for judgment have been rewritten, and not for the better.

I’ve noticed something troubling taking root, even among Christians. It’s the notion that merely questioning a narrative warrants condemnation. If someone voices concerns about the Biden administration, that’s acceptable. But dare to defend President Trump or suggest he’s right about something? You’re instantly labeled, judged, and sometimes even cast aside.

I don’t pretend President Trump has never made a mistake—he’s human. But let’s be honest: He’s been boldly right about a lot of things that truly matter—like defending life in the womb, standing up to the globalist agenda, closing the southern border to protect Americans, and affirming there are two genders—male and female.

Meanwhile, President Biden and the radical left have led our nation down a dangerous path. Boys in girls’ locker rooms, irreversible surgeries on children, the erasure of biblical marriage, unchecked profanity and perversion in the public square—all normalized under the guise of “tolerance.” That’s not tolerance. That’s rebellion against God. Yes, I believe there is an Almighty God.

So yes, we should speak up. Not in hate—but in truth and love.

No politician is above accountability, not even Donald Trump. But when a man is relentlessly attacked by the media, the political establishment, and even foreign powers—precisely because he stands in the way of their agenda—it makes you wonder: Are people aware of the manipulation, and do they see the whole picture?

We must be wise. Scripture warns us not to judge “according to appearance,” but to “judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24). That means we examine fruit. Look at the fruit of President Trump’s policies—economic growth, lower taxes, religious liberty, strength abroad, and energy independence. Then look at the fruit of those who oppose him—chaos, division, lawlessness, and decay. Burning down cities was a First Amendment right where prosecutors turned a blind eye to the lawlessness.  

Some will say, “But Trump’s brash,” or “He tweets too much.” Okay—but are we more concerned with tone than truth? God used rough men in scripture to accomplish His will—men like Peter, Elijah, and yes, even King David, a man after God’s own heart, and none were without faults.

As Christians, we’re not called to blind allegiance to any man. But we are called to discern good from evil, right from wrong. That means standing for life, truth, and freedom—no matter who’s in office. And when a leader boldly stands for those things during great moral collapse, he deserves our support, not silence.

Disagree with policies? Fine. Raise questions respectfully? Absolutely. But don’t fall into the trap of treating boldness as evil and accepting cowardice as a virtue. We are in a spiritual war, and neutrality is not an option.

So, to my friends who are still undecided: don’t let media headlines, peer pressure, or fear of backlash keep you from speaking the truth. Our nation needs moral clarity, our churches need courage, and our children need us to stop wavering.

Let’s be loving. Let’s be respectful. But let’s also be unapologetically bold for what’s right.

God is watching, and America has always been worth fighting for, and many have died for your right to disagree.

 

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Pastor's Ponderings: Do You Have Resurrection Contentment?"

 

Pastor's Ponderings: Do You Have Resurrection Contentment?"

By Pastor Doug Stauffer
Faith Independent Baptist Church
Journalist for Bay Life Newspaper
April 2023--Article 47 (2023-04-047)




During this time of year, Christians celebrate Christ’s resurrection (called Easter). Upon dying, the soul of the Lord Jesus Christ left His dead body and spent three days and nights in the heart of the earth. On Sunday morning, His soul was resurrected and reunited with His body in the tomb. Christians are promised a future day when the departed souls will again gloriously reunite with their bodies. The Bible calls this the Blessed Hope. But I want to focus on the here and now—another topic in light of God’s promises—contentment. The Apostle Paul tells us that we should be content no matter our state.

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

The words content and contentment infer that one is satisfied with life's conditions. Living contently is the opposite of wanting and covetousness and is strongly associated with godliness (1 Timothy 6:6). No one is born into the world content. Contentment is a learned behavior that believers must practice consistently throughout life. Yet, once learned and regularly practiced, Christians will experience contentment despite their circumstance. Unfortunately, far too often, Christians exhibit no more contentment than non-Christians, coveting the things of the world more and more with each passing year. Imagine a world where everyone emulates Job.

Seemingly, Job possessed many of man's most treasured possessions: health, wealth, and a strong family unit. Suddenly, he lost them all. Job lost his health, his possessions, and his children. He also lost the esteem and approbation of his wife and friends. These events very quickly could have devastated and embittered him. Yet, rather than expressions of doom and gloom, Job's words offer a profound glimpse into the depths of his contentment.

Amid his heartache, Job exhibited an essential truth. A Christian's material and physical blessings are entirely within the Lord's control and should never influence one's relationship with the Lord or others. Job also pointed out that man will depart this world in the same condition he entered: without one shred of material wealth. Ultimately, a Christian's possessions or the lack thereof reflect God's provisions; therefore, a lack of contentment demonstrates an unwillingness to trust the Lord.

Since God is responsible for man’s possessions or the lack thereof, some Christians question why God gives some things while He withholds from others. Romans 8:28 contains one of the answers as it points out that “all things work together for good.” This truth does not imply that everything in the believer’s life is enjoyable or good. It means that the summation of all things combined is good! God works in every segment of a believer’s life. He merges every aspect so that even the supposed bad things result in what is “good” according to the will of God. So long as God is in control, contentment teaches satisfaction. A person’s conditions, circumstances, and possessions are appropriate because God has worked everything together for that individual’s good.

The Lord expressed His care for Israel during the forty years of their wilderness wanderings. Few people would consider the wilderness a place of plenty. Yet, the wilderness was the place where God furnished Israel “a table” (Psalm 78:19), “brought streams also out of the rock” (Psalm 78:16), and kept their shoes and clothes from deteriorating (Deuteronomy 29:5). God could honestly say to His people that their wandered in a barren but “lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7).

Why not renew your commitment to serve the Lord even more in the coming days? Things are changing fast, but God is unchanging. God is still in control, and prayer changes things. The Bible says to look up because your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28)


Go to BayLife April 2023 paper

  Go to BayLife Article