I Alone Can Fix It - Part II

 

Wow! Wow! What a ride!

Ever told a toddler not to do something and the minute your back is turned they proceed to do that very thing?

I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve had to pray some of my son’s friends out of his life.  You know…that kid that everything in you screamed was a bad influence?

That contrary toddler and bad influencer were depicted in the rest of my listening sessions. 

Countless times, the adults in the room told the “toddler” not to do certain things because the outcome would be bad. What did the toddler do? Exactly what they were told not to do.   The grownups tried to silence and stifle the bad influencer, but they eventually slipped the leash and wreaked havoc anyway.

I Alone Can Fix It laid out the timeline for the birth of that “Just say you won” and “Stop the steal” thing.

The part I found the most riveting was when the co-authors (Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker) stepped me through the events of January 6^th from the point of view of the congressmen, congresswomen, and their aides.  I heard more about Pence’s activities on that day.  He became a commanding presence—for most, never witnessed before—during the crisis.

I learned more about those who exemplified true patriotism during that time.  Those who refused to swear loyalty to a person instead of the constitution.  It was encouraging to know there are still people like that in positions of power.

I would love to watch a documentary that’s executed in the same way this book was written.  It would be powerful…

I Alone Can Fix It - Part I

Some time ago, I shared I was interested in the audiobook I Alone Can Fix It, penned by co-authors Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker. I hoped to find out what was happening behind the scenes--from the point of view of those present at the time--that drove the emotions, spiritual responses, and happenings we witnessed in the media.

Well…let me tell ya’, it’s been quite a ride so far! I had a few “Oh, so that’s why that happened,” moments.

The book kicks off with the pandemic. It beautifully illustrates who knew what when, responses to the situation, and the underlying priority that drove those responses. Here’s a spoiler: The people of this nation were NOT the first priority. Every effort was made toward ensuring the desired poll and election results: withholding information from the public, promoting risky actions because it fed the voter base, pushing quick untested and potentially harmful solutions because the perception of some action was better than no action at all.

It’s very plain to see who the bad apples and enablers were during that period. The maneuvering and manipulation were blatant. Backstabbing, in fighting, betrayal, instigation, and retaliation all fed into what we ultimately saw in the media. A VERY toxic environment.

Toni: Leaders, who you allow in your ear is crucial, and when you don’t have a clue, it’s

equally important that you are humble enough to accept guidance from good

sources when it’s offered.

We’ve stepped through the events that led to and the execution of that whole Lafayette Square…nightmare and the aftermath. You remember that, right? Peaceful protesters, horses, rubber bullets, spray, shields…Bible held up in front of the church. Remember?

After viewing the past events through the perspective of those present at the time, my perception of some of the people involved has changed a bit. Everybody wasn’t dirty. The constitution, the nation, and the US citizens were their priority. I’m glad to know that...I really am.

I remember the events reported by the media and how they were reported. The spin. The opinions—I’ve had my fill of those. The so-called experts who are former this-and-that which means they are speaking from stale knowledge and not present-day information. They are not in any briefings or planning meetings to get current and relevant information, yet they speak with authority about what did, can, and cannot happen. Although they’re proven wrong time and time again, folk repeat their misinformation and declarations as truth.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve listened to a live speech, the station cut to the talking heads, and they proceeded to tell me the speaker said something I KNOW they didn’t say. Then what happened? People parroted the lie as truth…

If you’re interested in reliving the events from the past couple of years from the perspective of those with the receipts, I recommend this book.

I’m still listening…

S T O P!

Church organizations are behaving more like cults than the House of God—the House of Love. If a person isn’t a member of a church and doesn’t walk in step with them in all things—right OR wrong, they ostracize and treat them like they’re unlovable. Folk claim they love people, but more besides those who are a part of their organization…cult…should feel their love.

It’s past time to STOP:

• S Seek Him
• T Turn from wickedness
• O Obey the Word of God
• P Pretend no more

Some folk are as prickly as porcupines, but people love and support them ANYWAY in spite of their annoying and tiring stuff, yet they have the audacity to make declarations about who they deem worthy of THEIR love and support. Just…STOP!

Promiscuity—heterosexual AND homosexual (yeah, folk know about it)—is going on throughout the church and those folk still stand over the people of God in places of leadership and ministry. Preachers are boldly setting up “harems” in their churches, treating multiple sisters like they’re the wife and the wife like she’s less than human. You’re out of order! Sit yourself down somewhere until you get yourself in order. S…T…O...P!

Just who do you think you are? God is going to hold us accountable for how we handle His people IN HIS NAME. Oh, my, my, my you’d better STOP!

Folk say they don’t understand why there’s no respect for the House of God. It’s simple: The inhabitants of the House, calling themselves His people, have become the mirror image of those outside the House. Nasty attitudes, hypocrisy, bigotry, infidelity, greed, corruption, lying, hatred, spitefulness, jealousy, isms, and schisms. It’s all going on up in there.

Folk dance (got a sophisticated one too), pray, preach, sing, operate in their gifts, and use their talents, yet their relationship with God was severed a long time ago by their choices. The sinful place they’re living in has become so comfortable to them, they boldly wear it like a second skin. S.T.O.P!

Some try to justify where they are by saying they’re covered by the Grace of God and all else is legalistic. Thank God for His Grace and Mercy! They are constant, unchanging, and available to all. But their choices stepped them out from under the umbrella of Grace a long time ago.

Galatians 5:19-21 KJV

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

There is no salvation by exception. If I must obey God’s Word, so do you. If I must crucify my flesh and live according to His precepts, so do you. If I have to love without dissimulation, so do you.

The resolution to the whole matter is simple: repent.

We’ve got to earnestly seek relationship with Him, crucify our flesh, turn from wickedness, obey His Word, and quit pretending we’re in relationship with Him when how we live scream a different story.

• S Seek Him
• T Turn from wickedness
• O Obey the Word of God
• P Pretend no more

God help us!