Gates are Defensive
July 15, 2020
00:00:59
The Hamilton Minute is a power packed 60 seconds where we tackle the issues of the day through the lens of God’s Word. You don’t want to miss a moment of it.
The Hamilton Minute is a power packed 60 seconds where we tackle the issues of the day through the lens of God’s Word. You don’t want to miss a moment of it.
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“I will build My church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it” Matthew 16:18.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
What are gates? They are defensive tools used to keep stuff out, to keep an advancing force at bay.
Too often the enemy is successful in putting Christians on defense, when the facts are the Lord established His church as an aggressive, offensive, territory-taking body.
The Lord never meant for us to sit on the sidelines of life or to cower in the corner as a result of the wickedness in our culture.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. The light of the world cannot be contained.
The Lord is building His church and the mamby-pamby gates of Hell shall not prevail against us.
Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scoffers.
My name is Abraham Hamilton III, and this is the Hamilton Minute.
One word has proven to be debilitating in our society: the D-word. Discrimination.
What we fail to realize is discrimination is not automatically a dirty concept. We discriminate against thieves and murderers when we send them to prison. We discriminated against sexual predators by keeping them away from children. And yes, we rightly discriminated against men when we keep them out of women’s restrooms.
According to Psalm 1, we have to discriminate against the counsel of the wicked in order to be blessed. Good thing God isn’t debilitated by the D-word.
“You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness.” 2 Timothy 3:10 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Apostle Paul penned his second epistle to Timothy, now an Elder in the Church at Ephesus, about 64-65 A.D. while imprisoned in Rome awaiting his imminent execution under Nero.
In warning Timothy about the coming perilous times, marked by the increased anti-Christian persecution in the Roman empire in 64 A.D., Paul directed Timothy to his speech and his feet.
In speech, Paul gave Timothy priceless Biblical instruction. In feet, Paul left Timothy a legacy of lifestyle.
Christ-following demands consistency between speech and feet.
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
In its Bostock decision the U.S. Supreme Court usurped Congressional authority and imposed upon Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act its policy preference that “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” be added as additional protected classes within the employment context.
Justice Alito responded in dissent,
The arrogance of this argument is breathtaking… there is not a shred of evidence that any Member of Congress interpreted the statutory text that way when Title VII was enacted. But the Court apparently thinks that this was because the Members were not “smart enough to realize” what its language means.
Pride precedes destruction.
“He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered.” Matthew 19:5 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Chief Justice John Roberts hid behind stare decisis to join the regressive bloc of justices to strike down a Louisiana law that sought to protect vulnerable women from danger by placing the most minimal restriction possible on the bloody abortion industry.
But here’s the kicker. The precedent Roberts fought to uphold is one he declared unconstitutional 4 years ago. If the Chief Justice would have simply maintained the position he held 4 years ago, vulnerable women would be protected and thousands of pre-born children’s lives would be spared.
Roberts is the new Kennedy.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Matthew 19:5 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
The Supreme Court issued its Obergefell decision 5 years ago, yet it remains as unconstitutional today as it was the day the opinion was issued.
God alone defines marriage.
Consquently, we will continue to promote and celebrate marriage as the exclusive union of one man and one woman as it is the only objective definition of marriage that produces human flourishing. It places children’s needs over adults’ desires and it affirms the right of every child to know and be raised by both their mother and their father.
“We must obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29(b) (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
On June 24th the Navy issued an order that banned troops from attending indoor religious services, although other activities such as using mass transit, hosting social gatherings of any size, and participation in protests were all permitted.
The Navy’s orders apply to everyone assigned to Navy units and vessels including, ironically, its chaplains.
Though, the Commander in Chief recently declared churches are essential to America, the U.S. Navy has threatened to court-martial service members if they go to church.
This must not stand! President Trump must act now to ensure the 1st Amendment rights every member of the U.S. Navy are protected.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect” Romans 12:2 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Paul’s epistle to the Romans was written to believers. This verse highlights the fact that it’s possible for Christians to be conformed to the world’s ways.
The word “conformed” there means to be squeezed into the mold of another. Rather than to be squeezed into the world’s mold, the Lord requires us to be transformed by having our minds renewed by God’s Word.
Everything about us must be held up to the light of Scripture. And whenever there’s any discrepancy, we must be transformed.
But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22.
My name is Abraham Hamilton III, and this is the Hamilton Minute.
This Scripture underscores the harrowing reality that permeates the life of many who profess to be Christians. The blessing of being a Christ follower comes not only from hearing God’s Word, but obeying it.
James continues, “for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law of liberty and perseveres, being not a hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
“The borrower is the slave of the lender” Proverbs 22:7 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Newly published information from Lifeway Research shows 77% of self-identified Christians in dozens of states think it’s a sin to lend money to someone who can’t afford to pay it back. Still, few say payday loans are immoral and one in six Christians have admitted to taking out a high-interest payday loan.
The federal government’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says the typical two-week payday loan charges the equivalent of a 400% interest rate.
These “sharks” prey on the poor, elderly, and most vulnerable in society.
Sound the alarm and make sure your family, church, and neighborhood steer clear of this vermin.
“And who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this” Esther 4:14.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute
Esther, a young girl became Queen of the Persian Empire when Israel was subject to Persian rule. A wicked man named Haman tried to get the King to exterminate all Jews. Esther, a Jew herself, was Queen when this genocidal conspiracy was brought to bear. But her uncle Mordecai put her royal position in perspective.
“Perhaps God made you Queen for this very moment, to intervene on behalf of the Jewish people.”
Like Esther, perhaps God gave you the platform, position and influence you have for this very moment, to stand against darkness. Perhaps you were born for such a time as this.
David, the son of Jesse, was just an ordinary giant slayer.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
David’s battle with Goliath is an epic drama where the little boy stands in God’s power to conquer the Philistine giant.
David didn’t awaken that morning expecting to slay a giant. He didn’t stroll in with an entourage after a rugged mountain range training camp like Rocky in Rocky IV. He was just a regular kid bringing his brothers’ lunch. But fully confident in God’s immeasurable power, though he saw Goliath, David never acknowledged him as a giant, saying, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine who dares defy the Lord of hosts?”
When regular people are fully persuaded, fully confident in God’s power, giant’s fall.
“And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”
I'm Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Acts 17:26 conveys to us the reality that we were born and placed in the 21st century by God’s specific design. He determined before time where we would live and when we would live there.
If you’re in Minnesota, Mississippi, or Maine, God put you there on purpose.
He’s not surprised by the darkness we see around us, nor is He caught off guard by it. In fact, He specifically prepared for it by making sure you’re alive right now. God can do whatever He wants, but He’s chosen to use you and me as ambassadors of His kingdom.
We are His torches to light up the darkness.
"Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you” 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV).
I'm Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Many who oppose Christianity target their hostility on our foundation, the Bible. They say it is unreliable because Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are contradictory accounts of the creation story.
In actuality, the 2 chapters are complimentary and not contradictory.
When Jesus was asked about marriage, He quoted from both chapters 1 and 2, saying that He made them both to be male and female in the beginning. "And for this cause shall a man leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife."
Genesis 1 is an overview of the creation story and Genesis 2 is an up close examination of day 6. If Jesus relies on them both, so can we.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
I am Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
What is the proper role of government? Romans chapter 13 outlines government’s function and it is basically this: to restrain or to punish wickedness and to reward righteousness.
Government was never intended to be our savior. Government is our servant.
As we focus on our civil occupations and our civic engagement responsibilities, let us never forget that government is not our God. We don’t put our trust in it; we put our trust in our Christ.
As a result, what we want is a government that stays out of our way and leaves room for our church to do our business of fulfilling the Great Commission.
What is the source of America's greatness? Alexis de Tocqueville, a 19th century French political thinker and philosopher, had this exact same question.
This is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
On the heels of the French Revolution, he came to America in 1831 to investigate America's ascendency. In doing so, he found that America's greatness did not lie in her economic system. It did not lie in her banking system. Nor did it lie in her educational system.
He found that America's pulpits, aflamed with righteousness, was the source of America's greatness. He opined that America is great because she is good, but when America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.
Let us pray for restoration of the flame of righteousness in our pulpits.
What would it take for you to compromise your principles?
My name is Abraham Hamilton III and this is the Hamilton Minute.
Recently I heard a statement that went like this, “I don’t think principles matter if you can’t get elected.”
Principles form the core of who you are. Principles form the foundation of a civil society.
George Washington in his farewell address identified religion and morality as indispensable supports.
“In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness,” George Washington said.
It makes me think of a scripture. “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his soul?”
What would it profit a man to gain an election yet lose his principles?
For you formed my inward parts. you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
My name is Abraham Hamilton III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
According to a recent study published by the Christian Post, 76.3 percent of all abortions are obtained by "God-fearing women."
With 68.7 percent who identify themselves as Christian women, and 18 percent of all abortions obtained by self-discribed
born-again or evangelical women.
A corresponding Care Net study found that many women with unplanned pregnancies go silently from the church pew to the
abortion clinic, convinced the church would gossip rather than help.
America's greatest need is repentance.
When the hearts of the American people turn to God, everything else will be impacted.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Christ followers must contend for the authority of scripture in every generation.
Current societal challenges that are described as culture wars are really societal attacks on the authority and application of Scripture.
American Family Studios has created a documentary film project that will aid you in effectively conveying a reason for your unwavering trust in Jesus and unflinching confidence in His word.
You need this in your life. Go to TheGodWhoSpeaks.org to get this resource.
You won’t be disappointed.
"Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” Luke 19:5 (ESV)
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
When their mom passed the Landau brothers of NJ had a garage sale to clear out their mom’s house, but they decided to keep a few things including mom’s old creepy painting of a woman passed out in a chair and two men trying to revive her.
Fast forward to their estate auction and the brothers found themselves fielding bids from France and Germany for the painting.
Turns out it was a long lost Rembrandt that ultimately sold for $1.1 million.
A trained eye spots value where others don’t.
