California is my home state. I grew up in Los Angeles County. I’ve lived in southern California for a total of 27 years, first during my upbringing and a second time while pastoring a church.
I’ve returned to California almost every year, visiting family and friends. Lately, since we’ve been back in the states, it’s been more often. I was there about three weeks ago.
It grieves and angers me to see the riots currently going on in Los Angeles. President Trump is 100% right to send in the National Guard and Marines. This madness has to stop. Trump was wise to send in troops early in the process. Some lessons have been learned from past mistakes in dealing with riots.
When L.A. had riots back in 1992 the police were discouraged from responding early. The result was chaos and destruction. During the more recent riots in Minneapolis, again the police did not respond early and again there was chaos and destruction. Looters and vandals were allowed to run wild. We see a pattern here. It’s like they were deliberately given incentives, by the lack of response from the civil authority, to burn, destroy and steal.
In recent days we’ve seen the vilest scenes of destruction again. Profanities toward government agencies abound. Foreign flags are waved while the American flag is burned. It makes me wonder–if those foreign countries are so great and America is so bad, then why are those people here?
It’s a spirit of rebellion, and not just a spirit, but the destruction that comes with it. Let’s get to the point. This is not God’s will. It is the opposite of God’s will. It is vile and evil in the sight of God.
Governor Newsom is the current governor of California. He should have contained the riots immediately but instead he let them burn. When Trump stepped in to do the job for him, he whined and blamed Trump for making matters worse. Then, in a lack of self-control, Newsom flippantly and provocatively urged Tom Homan, head of immigration enforcement, to arrest him. When Trump suggested that might happen, Newsom whined about it. Does Newsom want to be arrested or does he not want to be arrested? He should make up his mind. Newsom is unworthy of his office.
Newsom was connected to California’s leading families, including the billionaire Getty family. And you can’t say he isn’t ambitious. He has worked his way up, first as mayor of San Francisco, then as lieutenant governor, now as governor. There is plenty of evidence that he is positioning himself to run for president in the next election.
Newsom’s behavior is the very opposite of what God expects from a governing official. God expects governing officials to put down violence and rebellion. Romans 13:4 says, “He [the civil authority] is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”
Newsom has allowed the wrongdoers to flourish. His side of the aisle (liberal democrats) always like to blather on about social justice, social justice, social justice but where is the justice in allowing evil, rebellion and violence to run rampant? And these rioters are skilled at evil–I’ve heard that they have been calling driverless taxis, as if they were booking a ride, just so they could set the cars on fire. Real social justice would be not in coddling these criminals but in locking them up in jail and then forcing them to pay restitution for their crimes.
Liberals have long tried to sell the lie that God’s justice means going easy on criminals. But God’s justice is in prosecuting crime and thus creating and more a decent and ordered society for everyone.
Justice in God’s sight is twofold. Part of it is to acquit the innocent, the other part is to punish the guilty. God’s word says, “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity,” (Isaiah 61:8).
Proverbs 24:24-25 says, “Whoever says to the guilty, ‘You are innocent’–peoples will curse him and nations denounce him. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty…”
When the civil authority does its job, there will be more order and justice for everyone.
‘Social justice’ is a phrase that needs to be sifted and examined. We need to stop and ask, ‘Is this liberal indulgence of sin (which ‘social justice’ has often come to mean) or is this biblical justice that acquits the innocent and punishes the guilty?’
I don’t know how people like Gavin Newsom rise to the top, except to say that the fault rests with those who voted for him. I wonder–what happened to the voters? California did not used to be this way. After all, not too long ago, this was the state where Ronald Reagan was governor and was later a springboard for his presidency. How did we go from the state of Reagan to the state of Newsom?
Some kind of spirit (an evil spirit) seemed to come over California in the last 40 years. It’s like a deceiving, mentally-dulling, spiritual stupor. This state which should have been first in line for praising God (after all, it has the most beauty–ocean, mountains, Yosemite, etc.–biggest economy and best climate) has fallen far short in its gratitude.
There are many vital Christian churches in California, but apparently it’s not enough to sway the state. Or maybe (and this is far worse) the Christians in those churches are not bringing their faith to the ballot box on election day. Christians should fight evil wherever they can, in every area. Yes, even in politics–at least through voting. We need to be clear-thinking and discerning. Too often we have been deceived by liberal siren-songs.
How did California fall so fast? I don’t know but I do know this: people can change. They can wake up. They can repent. They can exchange lies for truth. They can get rid of unworthy politicians. They can turn from self-indulgence to unselfishness.
I could not agree more with what you are saying. I am so thankful for President Trump and his stand against radical liberalism. My concern is it may be too little to late as radical leftist have highjacked all of our institutions, including the church. I believe what we are seeing in California is a coordinated effort by the left to destroy our country.